Pictured above: Alliv Samson and Hengjie Wang.
Kami co-founders Alliv Samson and Hengjie Wang have been named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year New Zealand 2025, emerging as overall winners from a high-calibre field of finalists celebrated at an awards ceremony in Auckland last night.
Samson and Wang also secured the Tech and Emerging Industries category award before being announced as the overall winners, recognised for what judges described as measurable impact, entrepreneurial clarity, and world-class execution.
Founded in 2013, Kami transforms static classroom documents into interactive, accessible learning materials. The platform now supports more than 70 million users across 180 countries, cementing its role as one of New Zealand’s most successful education technology ventures. Samson and Wang continue to lead the business as COO and CEO respectively.
Their win means the pair will now represent New Zealand at the World Entrepreneur of the Year competition in May 2026, joining national winners from over fifty countries.
Jason Macgregor, Director of EY Entrepreneur of the Year for EY New Zealand, said the duo epitomise the ambition and discipline required to scale globally.
“Alliv and Hengjie have shown that a clear strategy and the courage to lead can produce exceptional results,” he said.
“The success of Kami reflects the determination, the purpose and the innovation that set them apart in this year’s judging.”
Chair of Judges and Co-founder and CEO of Auror, Phil Thomson, said the pair’s rise over the past decade distinguished them in a competitive field.
“In a field of high-calibre finalists, Alliv and Hengjie distinguished themselves through consistent execution and the scale of their impact, taking Kami to the world,” Thomson said.
“The purpose-driven work in transforming their industry is creating change that not only improves access to education, but makes a real difference for young people who will be the future leaders of tomorrow.”
The 2025 independent judging panel also included previous EY Entrepreneur of the Year winners Brianne West (Ethique), Grant Straker (Straker Translations), Sonya Williams (Sharesies) and David Yu (VeVe).
Other category winners from a list of finalists honoured during the ceremony included:
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Kate Gatfield-Jeffries (Moodi) — Young Entrepreneur
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Chris Benham (The Village Goldsmith) — Product Entrepreneur
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Taurus Taurima (Topline Contracting) — Services Entrepreneur
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James Annabell (Egmont Honey) — Master Entrepreneur
The celebration extended to two further accolades recognising long-term impact and social contribution.
The Maber family received the Family Business Award for Excellence. Their enterprise began in 1948 when Laurie Maber founded Maber Motors in Morrinsville. The company evolved into Power Farming Holdings Limited and over the decades expanded across New Zealand, Australia, and the United States, becoming a global agricultural machinery group.
The Social Impact Award was presented to Suzanne Jones, founder of Special Gifts. Jones has long championed inclusion and opportunities for people with disabilities, from launching New Zealand’s first training café for adults with intellectual disabilities to creating Special Gifts, a platform connecting disabled entrepreneurs with socially responsible brands. Each curated gift box, the judges noted, “tells a story” and reflects a commitment to diversity, sustainability and empowerment.
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