The awards are open to any New Zealand business that meets the eligibility criteria. Businesses do not have to be an account or client of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) to apply.
Entry process
Businesses need to complete an entry form by 16 April 2010. This seeks brief answers to four questions about your business, your vision, markets/customers, and results.
Entries are assessed and selected businesses progress to a second stage which requires you to provide more comprehensive information about the international aspects of your business.
Selected businesses will then be visited by awards assessors, after which finalists for the 2010 New Zealand International Business Awards will be chosen.
The expert judging panel deliberates to choose the winners, which will be announced at an awards ceremony on 13 October 2010.
There is a separate nomination form for the leadership category.
General categories
- Best business operating internationally – under $10m
This award recognises success by net return to the New Zealand economy for businesses with total annual revenue under $10 million.
- Best business operating internationally - $10m to $50m
This award recognises success by net return to the New Zealand economy for businesses with total annual revenue between $10 million and $50 million.
- Best business operating internationally – over $50m
This award recognises success by net return to the New Zealand economy for businesses with total annual revenue of over $50 million.
Special categories
Applicants are also invited to enter one or more of the following special categories, which are supported by TechNZ (the business investment programme of the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology).
- Most innovative approach to international business
This award recognises innovative approaches designed to maximise international revenue, control costs and risk, access markets and funding, leverage networks and expertise. Innovative structures could include joint ventures, strategic alliances, capital structures/investment, licensees, franchises, and acquisitions.
- Best use of design in international business
This award recognises the best use of design to succeed in a global market niche, by using design to anticipate customer needs and by designing innovative products, services and brands.
- Best commercialisation of intellectual property in international business
This award recognises success in developing and commercialising intellectual property (IP) in international markets; incorporating IP strategy, processes, and monitoring.
- Best use of research and development in international business
This award recognises the role of research and development in making innovative products and services successful in international markets.
Leadership categories
- Emerging international business leader
This award recognises the vision, commitment and success of an emerging leader in the internationalisation of New Zealand business. It will acknowledge overall results achieved through outstanding: planning, business model structures, operational management, research and development, financial strategy, product or service development, partnerships, and willingness to share. The nominee will also be an active role model and mentor.
- Outstanding international business leader
This award recognises the vision, commitment and success of an outstanding leader with a long history in internationalisation. It will acknowledge overall results achieved through outstanding: planning, business model structures, operational management, research and development, financial strategy, product or service development, partnerships, and a willingness to share. The nominee will also have been an active role model and mentor over many years.
Judges’ Supreme Award for International Business
All winners in general categories and special categories will be eligible for the Judges’ Supreme Award for International Business. This award recognises a company that has achieved outstanding success or filled a transformational role on the exporting landscape with a focus on sustainable results, practices and growth trends. Winners in the leadership categories are ineligible for this award.
Benefits of entering
Every eligible entrant receives valuable feedback, as well as free access to selected business resources from the award assessors Frost & Sullivan and assistance from special category award supporters TechNZ.
All eligible applicants receive:
- Complimentary access (read-only) to frost.com for one month.
- Complimentary copies of Frost & Sullivan’s Growth Process Toolkit for Geographic Expansion.
- Access to TechNZ’s Global Expert Find and Fund. When entrants use an expert found through Global Expert, TechNZ will fund the first $2,000 of expert's fees if the company and search meet TechNZ criteria. Entrants can also apply for more expert funding on a 50/50 basis.
Applicants that make it to the second round receive:
- Complimentary access (read-only) to frost.com for one month.
- Complimentary copies of Frost & Sullivan’s Growth Process Toolkit for Geographic Expansion.
- Inclusion in Frost & Sullivan’s “Beyond NZ” Report.
- Two complimentary delegate passes to any Frost & Sullivan Growth, Innovation and Leadership event or other event.
Special category award winners (supported by TechNZ) will receive a customised package worth up to $50,000 from TechNZ to build their research and development capability. The package includes:
- A Global Expert international search.
- A technology mentor to provide strategic input and advice.
- Support to employ a graduate or postgraduate student.
- Participation in an international conference or training workshop of their choice (for example, the MIT Entrepreneurial Development Programme).
The Supreme Award winner will receive $100,000 from NZTE to support their internationalisation strategy.
Eligibility criteria
General and special categories
Applicants must:
- be a business registered with the New Zealand Companies Office, and
- have generated at least NZ$1 million in international revenue in the past financial year, or 12 month period; and
- have a history of at least three years operating internationally with
strong growth. Note: ‘strong growth’ can include increased market share, product expansion, new market entry, and revenue growth, for example.
All applicants must demonstrate:
- sustained and future commitment to international business and to New Zealand
- proven business strategies
- quality goods and services
- sound business and brand reputation, on and offshore
- sustainable business principles
- capacity and capability for future growth.
Leadership categories
Nominees must be New Zealand citizens or New Zealand residents.
Terms and conditions
- The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into
- Previous award winners can enter
- Current employees of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), ANZ and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology cannot enter the awards
- Staff of NZTE, ANZ and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology are not permitted to nominate individuals for the leadership categories
- Judges cannot be nominated in leadership categories
- Individuals who meet the entry criteria can nominate themselves for leadership categories
- All finalists and winners agree to media coverage
- All entry information is held on a commercial-in-confidence basis
- No entry information will be shared or distributed to third parties – but there is an option for companies to receive partner information from time to time
- NZTE reserves the right to cancel the programme or individual award categories within the programme
- NZTE reserves the right to change the timeline including the awards dinner and ceremony date
- Special terms and conditions apply to the $100,000 (plus GST) cash prize for the winner of the Judges’ Supreme Award for International Business.
Judges’ Supreme Award for International Business - terms and conditions
The winner of the Judges’ Supreme Award for International Business (‘the winner’) will receive NZ$100,000 (GST exclusive) based on the following terms and conditions:
- The prize money must be used for the purposes of furthering the winner’s internationalisation strategy
- The items this prize money may be used to fund include, for example:
- the winner’s participation in international trade shows
- education or professional fees for representative(s) of the winner at a tertiary institution, provided there is an obvious link to furthering the winner’s internationalisation strategy
- inbound visits by potential clients, distributors, franchisees, licensees, investors or other strategic partners of the winner
- outbound visits by representatives of the winner to meet potential clients, distributors, franchisees, licensees, investors or other strategic partners
- NZTE services for the winner
- offshore advertising, marketing or promotional campaigns for the winner.
- To access the prize, the winner must submit a proposal to NZTE about how the money will be spent, including quotes from suppliers, no later than end of March 2011
- NZTE will assess the proposal and approve it based on the criteria above, but ultimately at its sole discretion
- Once the proposal is approved by NZTE, the prize money can be claimed (in up to three progressive payments if preferred) by submitting an invoice accompanied by suppliers’ receipts to the value of NZ$100,000 (GST exclusive) to NZTE
- NZTE will reimburse the winner and will not pay suppliers directly
- The prize money is limited to NZ$100,000 (GST exclusive) and will not be increased for any reason, including exchange rate fluctuations
- The prize must be claimed or accrued by 30 June 2011
- The winner agrees to NZTE using the broad details of how the prize money has been spent in publicity for the awards
- Any tax obligations on the prize money will be the responsibility of the winner.
