EY New Zealand names 16 finalists for entrepreneur award

EY New Zealand has named 16 finalists for its EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 programme, with businesses spanning software, biotechnology, healthcare, retail, manufacturing and food production.

The shortlist includes founders and executives from companies in cybersecurity, education, legal software, maritime technology, pharmacy, visual effects and renewable energy-related infrastructure. It reflects a broad cross-section of New Zealand's business community, with several companies serving overseas markets from an Aotearoa base.

The finalists are Ankita Dhakar of Capture The Bug, Cynthia Hunefeld of Evithé Biotechnology, Daniel Ebbett of BlockBlueLight, Greg Flannagan of Cause and FX, Jamie Beaton of Crimson Education, Jamie Frater of Fraterworks, Kristina Roesebeck of Arctic Sammy, Lindsay Faithfull of McKay, Manuel Seidel of ecoPortal, Matt Dold of Oxygen Advisors, Patrick Moynahan of Echo Tech, Peter Shenoda of Bargain Chemist, Pic Picot of Pic's Peanut Butter, Sam Kidd of LawVu, Sarah Kennedy of Calocurb and Tai Ellis of Sea-Flux.

Several finalists operate in software and digital services. Capture The Bug focuses on cyber risk management, ecoPortal provides health, safety, environment and quality software, LawVu serves in-house legal teams, and Sea-Flux develops vessel management software for maritime operators.

Healthcare and life sciences are also represented. Evithé Biotechnology develops plant-based ingredients linked to chronic inflammation, while Calocurb works on appetite management products based on New Zealand research. Bargain Chemist has built a community pharmacy network focused on lower-cost access to medicines and pharmacy services.

Crimson Education provides university admissions consulting, tutoring, mentoring and online schooling, while Cause and FX works in visual effects and immersive content for film and television. McKay operates in electrical infrastructure, renewable energy and marine electrification projects across New Zealand and the Pacific.

Consumer and export-led businesses also feature. BlockBlueLight sells products linked to sleep and circadian health through eCommerce, Arctic Sammy designs and makes outdoor dog gear, Fraterworks supplies perfumery ingredients and software tools, Pic's Peanut Butter produces food products for domestic and overseas markets, and Echo Tech handles technology deployment, refurbishment, recycling and disposal.

Judging process

Finalists will now be assessed across category groups before judges select an overall winner. The judging panel is chaired by Phil Thomson, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Auror, who won the New Zealand title with his founding team in 2022.

Entrants will be assessed against four criteria: entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, impact and growth. The New Zealand winner will go on to represent the country in the global EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year programme in 2027.

Jason Macgregor, Director of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme at EY New Zealand, said the finalists showed the depth of the local business landscape.

"Every year, the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme introduces us to founders who are changing the way business is done, and this year's finalists are an outstanding example of that.

"What stands out about this year's finalists is the calibre of the entrepreneurs themselves. Building a successful business is about much more than having a great idea. It requires resilience, adaptability and the confidence to keep backing your vision, even when the path forward isn't straightforward. Each of this year's finalists has demonstrated those qualities, building businesses that are already making a meaningful difference for customers, industries and communities.

"These entrepreneurs are showing what's possible when bold ideas are backed by ambition, determination and the courage to think differently. They're building businesses that are making a difference here in New Zealand while competing successfully on the world stage, giving us every reason to be optimistic about the future of entrepreneurship in Aotearoa."

Broad range

The programme has long served as a profile-raising exercise for founder-led and privately held businesses in New Zealand. This year's finalists range from early-stage technology ventures to more established operators in infrastructure, food and retail, suggesting a broad view of entrepreneurship rather than a focus on one industry or company size.

That spread is visible in the business models represented. Some finalists run software subscriptions or advisory services, others sell physical consumer products, and several operate in regulated or technically specialised fields such as healthcare, biotechnology, electrical infrastructure and pharmacy.

The cohort also points to the continued role of exports in New Zealand's growth story. Several companies market products or services internationally, including Crimson Education, Cause and FX, Fraterworks, Arctic Sammy, Sea-Flux and LawVu, while others have built offerings for both domestic and offshore customers.

The programme operates in more than 60 countries and jurisdictions and has built a network of more than 30,000 entrepreneurs globally.