Leading-edge cellular phone antennas, technology that helps blind people read and clever e-commerce software were among the New Zealand-made products recognised at one of the country's top business awards at the weekend.
The Hi Tech Excellence Awards, announced in Auckland on Saturday night, attracted a record number of entries and saw several of the country's most promising new businesses recognised for their innovation.
A Wellington-based technology firm, Deltec Telesystems, took out the top award for a cellular antenna that is beating all its overseas competitors.
The company, which employs 92 fulltime staff, has developed an antenna which can be remotely adjusted, allowing a cellular-service provider to give the most effective coverage for its customers without loss of service.
Deltec exports 95 per cent of its products and has trebled its turnover since 1998 to $30 million.
It already sells to Australia, Asia, Latin America and Europe and plans to expand over the next year into the United States, Brazil and China.
The company was also recognised for its staff recruitment and retention policies.
Other category winners included Genie Systems, which last week struck a deal to sell its e-commerce software to a Singapore-based manufacturer of oil-drilling platforms; Liquid Edge, which has developed a gladiator software game that rewards players with cash; and Pulse Data, which has developed technology that gives blind people access to e-mail, word-processors and electronic books.
Tacit Group, which has developed software for the insurance industry, took out the award for best software, while Ericsson Data Services won the marketing category.
Holliday Group's Matt Barker was judged most outstanding new talent.
Mr Barker fended off, among others, 18-year-old Aucklander Andrew Thomas, who was awarded one of two runner-up prizes.
Technique of Deltec big winner
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