Auror founders named winners of EY Entrepreneur of the Year award

Auror co-founders James Corbett (left), Phil Thomson and Tom Batterbury. Photo / Supplied

James Corbett, Tom Batterbury and Phil Thomson, the founders of crime prevention and detection software Auror, have been named winners of the EY Entrepreneur of The Year award for 2022.

The trio were chosen from a field of five category winners and will represent New Zealand at the World Entrepreneur of the Year awards in June next year against winners from more than fifty other countries.

Vaughan Fergusson, head judge for the category, said Auror has the potential to be a massive Kiwi global success story.

“Entrants are typically strong across two to three aspects of the judging criteria, but Auror’s entry was strong across them all, and that’s what made them stand out,” Fergusson said.

“What impressed us was the work they are doing to make the world a better place, and because the tool has been in use across multiple countries for a number of years, they had some really amazing stats to demonstrate the impact they’re making.

“By changing the way we prevent crime, they are making people feel safer in the workplace and community, and that’s a really good thing. What’s exciting is that as Auror further establishes itself in bigger markets like the US.”

Auror’s software helps retailers around the world reduce losses, and police prevent crime.

More than 80 per cent of retailers in New Zealand use the platform and Auror saves NZ Police 200,000 hours a year in investigations.

The Auror founders, who had won the Tech and Emerging Industries category, beat Lumin’s Max Ferguson (Young category), Dawn Aerospace’s Stefan Powell (Product), Brooke Roberts, Leighton Roberts and Sonya Williams of Sharesies (Services) and Stuart Wilson of Modica (Master).

Other awards on the night included the Social Impact Award which went to Jennifer Del Bel from soy candle company Downlights New Zealand, and Carrfields Limited, which took home the Family Business Award for Excellence award.