Maori high-tech awards handed out at Spark Arena

Māori achievement in New Zealand’s burgeoning technology sector were recognised at the 2024 Hi-Tech Awards at Spark Arena on Friday night.

Tech expert Elle Archer (Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tūhoe) won the Hi-Tech Inspiring Individual in front of a 1300-strong audience.

An experienced leader in business, governance and technology, Archer is the chairwoman of Te Matarau – The Māori Tech Association and the Waitaha Digital Equity Committee.

The winner of the Hi-Tech Kamupene Māori o te Tau – Māori Company of the Year Award was Envico Technologies.

To be considered for the award, eligible companies must be founded and headquartered in New Zealand, strongly identify as a Māori technology company and have at least half Māori ownership, shareholding or identity as a Māori entity through shareholding, iwi, team and vision.

This year’s finalists offered stiff competition in the form of Blink Pay Global, an open banking framework in Aotearoa; Envico Technologies’ specialist automated drones for conservation and biosecurity; and KRY10, a software company that secures connected devices from cyberattack.

With its use of drones and skills in aviation, electrical/mechanical engineering, geology, ecology and more to achieve New Zealand’s predator-free goals, Envico Technologies took the top spot.

In 2018 the fledgling drone service company took on a rat infestation in the Galapagos Islands that was threatening sea bird populations. In a world first, bait was accurately distributed across the islands by Envico’s preprogrammed drones at the click of a laptop button, dramatically reducing environmental impact and application time.

However, it’s the native species of Aotearoa that inspire Envico to create a range of innovative tools and technologies including advanced seed pods, toxins harmful to pests but safe for native animals, ground-based control devices and an elite force of specialist drones.

“We are able to marry the rich body of knowledge that is Mātauranga Māori with traditional science,” co-founder and CEO Cameron Baker told Wonder Project in January.

Envico’s conservation challenges begin by exploring local ecological knowledge before celebrating partnership and collaboration with multiple communities all over the globe.