Building “big things” in a small place has won a Mount Maunganui robotics company the top honour at the prestigious NZ Hi-Tech Awards.

Syos Aerospace, which was named Company of the Year, was one of five Tauranga and Bay of Plenty finalists in the awards in Wellington last night.

The awards marked 30 years of celebrating high achievers in the New Zealand technology sector – but this was the first time runaway success story Syos Aerospace had entered.

Founded in 2021, the company develops and manufactures heavy-lifting drones and autonomous boats and ground vehicles.

It recently signed a $66.8 million supply contract with the British Defence Force to supply drones for Ukraine.

The Syos team comprises more than 50 industry-leading engineers, with research and development operations in Mount Maunganui and a production site in Britain.

Judges said Syos showed a company could build “big things” in small, pleasant places.

“The company sells its products to government and commercial customers for security, border patrol, surveillance, disaster response, delivery logistics support, agriculture, and environmental monitoring.

Syos Aerospace develops and manufactures unmanned vehicles and drones.

“They have made the ‘jump’ overseas that is critical to getting Kiwi companies to global scale.”

More than 80 local and international judges contributed to deciding the awards.

Syos Aerospace chief executive Samuel Vye told the Bay of Plenty Times before the awards that what set Syos apart was how quickly it had grown.

Until only a couple of months ago, it had “flown under the radar”, relentlessly focused on “rapid development”.

“Our reputation has been built on customer delivery and growth. We are pushing hard, growing hard, and we’re setting up production here in the Bay of Plenty.”

Vye said Syos had its sights set “pretty high” as to how big it could grow.

“We really are focusing on growing New Zealand in the tech space and trying to put New Zealand out there as a technology country.

“Our relentless growth isn’t pausing,” he said.

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale congratulated all the Tauranga-based winners and finalists.

Syos chief Samuel Vye is focusing on growing New Zealand in the tech space.

Drysdale said Tauranga was being increasingly recognised not just for its lifestyle, but as a serious contender on the national stage where businesses could scale globally from a regional base.

“This is a phenomenal achievement and testament to our region’s growing reputation as a hub for innovation and strong influence on New Zealand’s tech and innovation landscape.”

A company based in Waikato that has worked on significant projects in Tauranga won Māori Company of the Year.

Deep Dive Division is a robotic diving company founded in 2018 by Tua and Courtney Karalus.

It has worked on everything from salvage and biosecurity to films (including Avatar: The Way of Water) and creating artificial reefs in the Tauranga Harbour.

“It’s really cool to pave the way as a Māori Pacific business,” Courtney Karalus said.

She said it was important to work with excellence, but also to be inspirational for the future, knowing that anything is possible in their community.

“It’s also badass to look after the environment while you’re doing it, because everyone loves the water.”

Tua Karalus said he just wanted people to “embrace the water”.

“We’re out there, we’re doing it, and there’s a really bright future in the environmental space.”

Best Software finalist Carepatron, which helps medical practices manage appointments in person and online, was highly commended in the Most Innovative Hi-Tech Software Solution section.

Tauranga’s Jenny Rudd was a finalist in the Inspiring Individual category, but missed out on the win.

She founded Dispute Buddy, a software program that supports people with the Family Court process by helping them find and extract texts, emails and messages needed as evidence.

Bay of Plenty finalists for Best Manufacturer – wearable lymphatic therapy company Flowpresso and pH-measuring device maker Bluelab – also missed out.

New Zealand Hi-Tech Trust chair Marian Johnson said she saw the achievements of the tech sector as something all of Aotearoa could take pride in after the challenging past couple of years.

“We continue to see exceptional growth of both our largest tech companies and burgeoning ecosystem of start-ups,” Johnson said in a statement.

“We’re witnessing an industry that is continuing exceptional growth as well as innovation and matching it with the best in the world.”

2025 NZ Hi-Tech Award winners

PwC Hi-Tech Company of the Year

Syos Aerospace

Xero Hi-Tech Young Achiever

Luke Campbell (co-founder & CEO of VXT)

Spark Best Hi-Tech Solution for the Public Good

Optimation

Consult Recruitment Best Contribution to the NZ Tech Sector

Talent RISE

Datacom Hi-Tech Inspiring Individual

Lee Timutimu

Aware – an HSO Company Most Innovative Deep Tech Solution

Kitea Health

Poutama Trust Hi-Tech Kamupene Māori o te Tau – Māori Company of the Year

Deep Dive Division

Tait Communications Flying Kiwi

Sir Peter Beck

NZX Most Innovative Hi-Tech Creative Technology Solution

The Village Goldsmith

Duncan Cotterill Most Innovative Hi-Tech Software Solution

Winner: Toku Eyes

Highly Commended: Carepatron

Braemac Most Innovative Hi-Tech Manufacturer of the Year

The Village Goldsmith

Kiwibank Most Innovative Hi-Tech Solution for a More Sustainable Future

Cleanery

NZTE Most Innovative Hi-Tech Agritech Solution

Mindhive Global

Punakaiki Hi-Tech Start-up Company of the Year

Mindhive Global

ASX Hi-Tech Emerging Company of the Year

Winner: Projectworks

Highly Commended: Calocurb

Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.