Auror Founders announced as EY Entrepreneur Of The Year

After a lengthy judging process, James Corbett, Tom Batterbury & Phil Thomson, founders of Auror, have been named overall winners of EY Entrepreneur of The Year for 2022.

The Auror founders were announced as the overall winners and recognised for their achievements in business at an awards gala dinner in Auckland. The calibre of nominees was particularly high this year, and they had some tough competition with the other four category winners.

Auror is a crime prevention and detection software that is helping retailers around the world reduce losses, and police prevent crime. With more than 80% of the nation’s retailers using the platform, Auror saves NZ Police 200,000 hours a year in investigations.

James, Tom & Phil will now go on to compete on the global stage, representing New Zealand and going up against winners from more than fifty other countries for the title of World Entrepreneur of the Year, which will be announced in June 2023.

Competing for the award were:

Max Ferguson (Lumin), Young

James Corbett, Tom Batterbury & Phil Thomson (Auror), Tech & Emerging Industries

Stefan Powell (Dawn Aerospace), Product

Brooke Roberts, Leighton Roberts & Sonya Williams (Sharesies), Services

Stuart Wilson (Modica), Master

Vaughan Fergusson, Entrepreneur of the Year™ 2022 head judge and competition alumni, says the Auror founders were the standout winners.

“Entrants are typically strong across 2-3 aspects of the judging criteria, but Auror’s entry was strong across them all, and that’s what made them stand out. What impressed us was the work they are doing to make the world a better place, and because the tool has been in use across multiple countries for a number of years, they had some really amazing stats to demonstrate the impact they’re making. By changing the way we prevent crime, they are making people feel safer in the workplace and community, and that’s a really good thing. What’s exciting is that as Auror further establishes itself in bigger markets like the US, it has the potential to be a massive Kiwi global success story”

Darren White, Awards Director and Partner at Ernst & Young New Zealand, said the innovation and resourcefulness of entrants never ceases to amaze him.

“We are privileged to have a hugely talented and tenacious group of kiwi business founders in the 2022 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme. They are innovating and creating value in a variety of industry sectors; they have environmental and social sustainability at the heart of their growth ambitions; and they are acutely aware of their purpose.”

This year’s independent judging panel is:

• Vaughan Fergusson, Chair of the Judges (Founder, Vend)
• Ranjna Patel (Founder and Director, Tamaki Health)
• Cecilia Robinson (Founder & Co-CEO at Tend, Founder & Director, My Food Bag)
• Sam Hazledine (Founder and Managing Director, MedRecruit)
• Jeremy Moon (Founder, Icebreaker, Co-founder Animals Like Us)

Other notable awards at the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award Gala Dinner included the Social Impact Award sponsored by ASB and the Family Business Award for Excellence. Jennifer Del Bel from Downlights New Zealand was recognised with the Social Impact Award while Carrfields Limited took home the Family Business Award for Excellence.

ASB executive general manager business banking, Tim Deane, said the company couldn’t be prouder to sponsor an initiative that celebrates and encourages New Zealand’s entrepreneurial community.

“Congratulations to all of the category winners in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards. This is ASB’s 10th year sponsoring this initiative and we are really proud to be here – backing New Zealand businesses and celebrating the best and brightest talent from micro and SMEs all the way up to commercial enterprise.”