GREEN GOLD
in association with GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
~ sustainable products & programmes
2020 FINALISTS
AGAIN AGAIN
Guilt-free Cups Deluxe....
After a light bulb moment in March 2018, in which Nada Piatek Managing Director, (pictured) saw a systematic approach to addressing single-use waste in the coffee industry, Again Again was born – and so was the reusable takeaway coffee cup revolution.
"Again Again offers a sustainable solution – in a Kiwi industry that sees 295 million single-use cups entering landfills and the ecosystem annually – through a reusable and refundable coffee cup share system, which stops upwards of 820,000 single-use cups entering landfills annually.” Nada tells us.
The reusable steel cups are available with a deposit and return at participating cafes, giving coffee fiends peace of mind with every sip.
LEARN MORE: www.againagain.co @againagainco
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
GREEN GOLD
in association with GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
~ sustainable products & programmes
2020 FINALISTS
AGAIN AGAIN
Guilt-free Cups Deluxe....
After a light bulb moment in March 2018, in which Nada Piatek Managing Director, (pictured) saw a systematic approach to addressing single-use waste in the coffee industry, Again Again was born – and so was the reusable takeaway coffee cup revolution.
"Again Again offers a sustainable solution – in a Kiwi industry that sees 295 million single-use cups entering landfills and the ecosystem annually – through a reusable and refundable coffee cup share system, which stops upwards of 820,000 single-use cups entering landfills annually.” Nada tells us.
The reusable steel cups are available with a deposit and return at participating cafes, giving coffee fiends peace of mind with every sip.
LEARN MORE: www.againagain.co @againagainco
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INNOVATION GOLD in association with DATACOM
~ inventive new products & processes
2020 FINALISTS
INNOVATION GOLD in association with DATACOM
~ inventive new products & processes
INNOVATION GOLD in association with DATACOM
~ inventive new products & processes
2020 FINALISTS
2020 FINALISTS
Wellington region's premier annual business celebration
MORAN LAW
EMERGING - SERVICES
~ 10 or fewer full time employees
Previous Winners include: Sharesies • HNRY
New Zealand Campus of Innovation & Sport • Voideck, WombatNET • Brewtown • Mevo • The Formary • Paperkite
NonStop Solutions
2026 FINALISTS
BLACK DOG PHYSIO
Dog Day Afternoons
If your dog has ever limped, hobbled, or hit the post-op wall, Helen Taylor's team is the squad you want in their corner.
Black Dog Physio is New Zealand's only dedicated canine rehabilitation clinic running two hydrotherapy treadmills supported by a multidisciplinary team of vet physios, qualified hydrotherapists, a vet nurse and a vet acupuncturist.
Since opening in 2023, they've delivered 8,000+ treatments — mostly dogs, a dozen cats and one rabbit — earning the kind of 5-star reviews that include the phrase "saved my dog's leg.”
Founder Helen Taylor (pictured) says “Our dedicated team is passionate about helping old dogs feel young again and injured dogs regain their freedom.”
Now a registered trademark with two clinics, and subsidising treatments for HUHA and SPCA pups, they're setting a new bar for canine care across the lower North Island.
LEARN MORE
www.facebook.com/blackdogphysio
linkedin.com/in/helen-taylor-b47a92a9
CANOPY CAMPING ADVENTURES
The Quiet Revolution in Kiwi Tourism
Hand-picked, off-grid and gloriously out-of-the-way - Canopy Camping Escapes has been quietly stitching together Aotearoa's most magical nature stays for over a decade.
Founded in 2013 and based in Ōtaki, this Kāpiti-built marketplace now connects travellers with 220+ private cabins, tents, yurts, domes and bush retreats on landowners' properties right across New Zealand.
Every stay is personally curated — no chancing it on a generic listing site — and 2025 saw the team roll out Canbook, their own purpose-built booking platform, while clocking world-class NPS scores of 83.8 (guests) and 74.2 (hosts).
“We love helping landowners share special places in nature and creating experiences that genuinely enrich people’s lives.” says Founder Sonia Minaar (pictured with Co Founder Liz Henderson).
Two-sided marketplace, two new local roles, and one very compelling case for slowing down.
Tourism with a soul, scaled from the Wellington region.
LEARN MORE
linkedin.com/in/soniaminnaarnz
FUNDSORTER
90% less faff, 100% more impact
Charities are the backbone of Aotearoa, but up to 25% of their time goes on chasing funding — searching for grants, reading eligibility criteria, starting applications from scratch. That's time not spent creating change in our communities.
Fundsorter fixes that. Organisations tell the platform what they need to fund — Fundsorter does the rest.
“ A 50-factor matching algorithm finds the grants with the best chance of success, from a database of thousands.” explain Founder Lani Evans (pictured right with Co Founder Alanna Irving)
Then with one click, Fundsorter drafts the funding applications in the organisation's own voice, words, and story.
No more starting from scratch. No more sifting through irrelevant results.
Fundsorter reduces the funding burden by up to 90% — and with international expansion on the horizon, that impact is only just beginning.
LEARN MORE
www.linkedin.com/company/fundsorter
JOLLY BILLBOARDS
The People's Placards
Jolly Billboards was built on a simple belief: outdoor advertising should be accessible to businesses and organisations of all sizes, not just those with large marketing budgets
We’re a locally owned, family-orientated business focused on helping our clients make an impact.
From community events and school fundraisers to local businesses, charities and national brands, we provide high-visibility advertising that delivers real results.
"We’re proud to support the communities we live and work in, by connecting organisations with more people and maximising their reach.
We’re proof that outdoor advertising isn’t just for big companies, it can be affordable, accessible, and deliver outstanding results for businesses of all sizes”. says Founder Jonny Drumm (pictured).
LEARN MORE:
www.jollybillboards.co.nz
www.facebook.com/jollybillboards
www.instagram.com/jolly_billboards
PAM
Domesticated AI
The mental load of running a family is huge! PAM is a family assistant app that takes that load off busy parents by getting everyone and everything in one place.
Forward an email, snap a school notice, send a WhatsApp or voice note, and PAM turns it into a shared family calendar and smart to-do list.
“Everyone talked about the mental load, but no-one was doing anything about it. So I decided I would.” says Nicole Retter (pictured).
Founded in Miramar in 2024, the team of five has grown PAM to 36,000 downloads - largely through word of mouth - with an NPS of 64 and a quarter of users reporting 70–90% less stress.
PAM won the 2025 Matihiko Innovation Award and was a double finalist in the 2026 NZ Hi-Tech Awards.
LEARN MORE
facebook.com/PAMPersonalAdminManager
linkedin.com/company/pam-personal-admin-manager
WELLINGTON RAFTING
From Karakia to Kayaks
Upper Hutt's Hamish Watters (pictured) has built Wellington Whitewater Adventures into something refreshingly different — every tour opens with karakia and is grounded in kaitiakitanga, weaving Māori culture into whitewater rafting, canyoning, and scenic floats.
Hamish picked up his NZ Rafting Assessor qualification this year and delivered the company's largest-ever contract: 180 Venturer Scouts across four days.
"Leading adventure tourism innovation, Wellington Rafting showcases the region through world class rafting, canyoning, and thrilling Fly by Wire experiences.” explains Hamish.
A 2022 Trip Advisor Travellers' Choice winner, the big ambition is a Kaitoke Regional Park concession that would transform the operation into the "Wellington Adventure Centre" — archery, axe throwing, ropes courses and hāngī alongside the rapids.
Manaakitanga, with a splash.
LEARN MORE
www.instagram.com/wellingtonrafting