Entrepreneur Of the Year category winners revealed

The category winners for the 2023 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year New Zealand competition have been announced. As one of the most socially conscious cohorts yet, they are redefining what it means to be an entrepreneur.

The top five entrepreneurs chosen are all leaders in their industries and include Angus Brown, whose company Ārepa Holdings is doing pioneering work in the brain food technology space; Jamie Beaton (pictured above), CEO & Co-Founder of New Zealand’s leading university admissions company; Chris Warren, founder of NZ Scaffolding Group, and who has completely transformed the industry; David Yu, creator of digital collectables app Veve; and entrepreneurial powerhouse Carmen Vicelich (pictured below), who has turned not just one, but three businesses into success stories.

Cecilia Robinson, the chair of judges and competition alumni, was particularly impressed with the strong leadership and innovation this year’s winners demonstrated, despite a challenging external environment. “It’s incredibly inspiring to witness how these entrepreneurs have turned the challenges they have faced into fuel for growth. They have had to reflect on both their roles as leaders and their business objectives, and that has put them in good stead for the future”.

Robinson also said it was particularly important for the judges to consider the financial stability of this year’s businesses.

“Given the current economic environment, we wanted to recognise the achievements of these entrepreneurs in creating businesses with a solid financial foundation. This not only validates a company’s existence but also gives it the capacity to take more risks, and even give back to society in meaningful ways. Whether that’s through the creation of jobs, the development of groundbreaking products and services, or the support of charitable initiatives – stable businesses become powerful engines of progress.”

Director of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year New Zealand, Jason Macgregor, believes this year’s winners are forging a new path for the next generation of entrepreneurs. “This year’s winners have a clear understanding of their purpose; they know exactly what it is they want to achieve and are committed to doing what it takes to get there. Their driving forces have evolved, and go beyond growing and being successful, to creating meaningful change for people, communities and the environment.”

In some of EY’s Entrepreneur Of the Year cohorts, there are stand-out entrants who make such an impact on the judging panel that they earn special recognition.

This year was one of those years, with Alexia Hilbertidou, founder of Girl Boss New Zealand, being highly commended by the judges. Her business is working to close the gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths (STEM), Leadership and Entrepreneurship and with 17,500 high-school-aged members nationwide is well on its way to achieving this mission.

“Alexia is a hugely inspiring role model for the next generation of women. She is one of the most purpose-driven and hardworking entrepreneurs we have seen and is definitely one to watch. She has already transformed the education of thousands of women in New Zealand, and she is just getting started,” said Robinson.

The EY Entrepreneur Of the Year New Zealand category winners are:

• Young Entrepreneur Jamie Beaton, Crimson Education
• Tech and Emerging Industries
• Entrepreneur Carmen Vicelich, Data Insight
• Product Entrepreneur Angus Brown, Ārepa Holdings Ltd
• Services Entrepreneur Chris Warren, NZS Group
• Master Category David Yu, VeVe

The category winners will now compete for the ultimate title of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year New Zealand for 2023. They will be assessed by a panel of independent judges, all of which are previous EY Entrepreneur Of The Year New Zealand award winners, across four core categories: entrepreneurial spirit, impact, growth and purpose. From there, the entrepreneur crowned New Zealand’s EY Entrepreneur Of the Year for 2023 will go on to compete for the title of EY World Entrepreneur Of the Year, announced in June 2024.