Northern Inland Innovation Awards - 2012

Northern Inland NSW has shown to be rich with innovative business operators at the 5th Regional Development Australia Northern Inland Innovation Awards Dinner in Tenterfield, with the winner of the Innovation of the Year being Armidale educational software developer, EdAlive.

Businesses in regional Australia face massive challenges in the 21st Century and innovation is the way to jump the hurdles, Chair of Regional Development Australia Northern Inland (RDANI), Mal Peters said.

The winner is a classic example of innovation in practice. "EdAlive shows how a business can expand national and international markets from a regional setting, through innovation. They have created new revenue streams with innovative approaches bringing older software products to new markets through the internet, while also getting ZooWhiz uniquely mobile," he said.

Graham East, the CEO of EdAlive said "this regional recognition means a great deal to us. It has been challenging to stay a step ahead of the dramatically changing software publishing industry,"

The awards were held at the Sir Henry Parkes Memorial School of Arts complex, where Australia’s Father of Federation and one of Australia’s first great innovators, made his famous Tenterfield Oration with the dinner attended by a broad cross-section of businesses and organisations from across the region.

Awards were also presented for outstanding innovation in five categories:

• Horticulture and Associated Services
• Tourism, Leisure and Related Services
• Professional and Retail Services
• Manufacturing and Engineering
• Research and Education

The 2012 Northern Inland Innovation Awards were proudly supported by:

 

Agriculture, Horticulture and Assoicated Services

Winner
“SaferGate”, Inverell

For the invention and commercialisation of a revolutionary gate design.

Finalists:
Innovate Ag, Wee Waa
Fruit Salad Tree, Emmaville

Encouragement Award
Moore Venison, Wellingrove

Tourism / Leisure and Related Services

Winner
Experience the Highs, Armidale Dumaresq, Guyra, Uralla and Walcha Councils

It markets the newly branded 'New England High Country', using a brochure, website, mobile device apps and social media to promote experience-based short breaks, highlighting high altitude outdoor attractions to younger city-based markets.

Finalists:
Innovate Ag, Wee Waa
Fruit Salad Tree, Emmaville

Encouragement Award
Moonbi Alpacas, Arts, Crafts & Café, Moonbi

Professional and Retail Services

Winner
Gardenate by Hutchison Software, Armidale

Gardenate involvs a website, mobile apps, and an email planting reminder service for home gardeners. The information, forum and app functionality has earned international renown.

Finalists:
elly B Organic Skincare, Uralla
Premier Meats, Tenterfield

Encouragement Award
New England Country Living Magazine, Tamworth

Manufacturing and Engineering

Winner
Star Logixs Electronics, Deepwater

This high-tech business has designed, developed and manufactured cutting-edge electronic devices such as control systems for the Autobaler and voltage indicator Livetesters, for domestic and export markets.

Finalists:
Hillier by Design, Tenterfield
Boss Engineering, Inverell

Encouragement Award
New England Solar Power, Armidale

Research and Education

Winner
ZooWhiz by Edalive, Armidale

Finalists ISU Solutions, Armidale
The University of New England's School of Rural Medicine, Armidale
Dr Robert Mensah, Chief scientist of the former Cotton Catchment Communities CRC, Narrabri

Encouragement Award
New England Solar Power, Armidale