Syos Aerospace has been named the 2025 Hi-Tech Awards Company of the Year.
Syos Aerospace has been named the 2025 Hi-Tech Awards Company of the Year.
The big winners at the 2025 Hi-Tech Awards included defence-friendly drone maker Syos Aerospace, which picked up Company of the Year, Deep Dive Division claiming the Māori Company of the Year title and Sir Peter Beck being named this year’s Flying Kiwi.
Syos Aerospace, a defence-friendly maker of heavy-lifting drones, autonomous ground vehicles and boats, has been named the 2025 Hi-Tech Awards’ Company of the Year.
It was awarded the title during a gala dinner at Wellington’s TSB Arena on Friday night attended by more than 1000 people, with Finance Minister Nicola Willis, Trade & Investment Minister Todd McClay,
The four-year-old firm, which has R&D operations in Mount Maunganui and manufacturing operations in Britain, has had a breakthrough year.
Last month, the British Government announced a deal worth £30 million ($66.8m) for drones produced by Syos, whose backers include Sam Morgan, Kent Baigent and Mark Tapper.
The contract meant Syos’ Tauranga-based founder, Samuel Vye, will now fulfil his prediction that revenue would jump from $4m to more than $55m this year.
Syos Aerospace's Tauranga-based founder and chief executive Samuel Vye. Photo / Matthew Power
His firm’s website says Syos drones have “proven operational success in conflict zones”.
Willis said, “They are creating some of the most world-leading drone technology, and they are literally helping fight the conflict in Ukraine - because they do it better than any other country in the world, from Mt Maunganui.”
Last September, Vye was on an Aerospace New Zealand summit panel covered by the Herald, where a strong theme was that NZ is too squeamish about defence contracts.
The products from Syos Aerospace include the Syos SA200 UAS (Unmanned Sea Vehicle). Photo / Supplied
“Silicon Valley VCs are happy with defence and dual-use investing. New Zealand is behind, in my opinion. We’re still allergic to anything that could be considered used by the Navy or Army or Air Force – whether it‘s got 1080 on it or it‘s got guns on it,” Vye said.
A Syos Aerospace SG400 UGV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle).
“You could say we just make Toyota Hiluxes ... and then the payload goes on it.”
Syos drones were also used for agriculture and environmental monitoring.
The Syos SA200 UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System). Photo / Supplied
Vye also told the Christchurch summit: “We couldn’t raise from New Zealand VCs because every single group – well, most groups – couldn’t invest in dual-use technology because it was against their investment criteria and ESG [environmental, social and governance] policies so hence we went down the high-net-worth individual route.”
After Syos’ banner 2025, more options are likely to open up.
The Syos SA5 UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System). Photo / Supplied
Total immersion
Deep Dive Division, a robotic diving company founded in 2018 by Tua and Courtney Karalus, was named Māori Company of the Year.
Deep Dive Division co-owners Tua and Courtney Karalus. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times
The company is based in the Waikato but has done a significant volume of work in Tauranga, including laying artificial reefs in Tauranga Harbour as part of Cyclone Gabrielle restoration work.
Deep Dive Division’s founders joked they were “social housing for crayfish”.
The Deep Dive Division get ready to lay a series of nine artificial reefs on the floor of Tauranga Harbour as part of Cyclone Gabrielle restoration work. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times
It bills itself as NZ’s only Māori and Pacific-owned commercial and scientific diving company. Its services range from hull cleans and biosecurity to film production – including work on blockbuster Avatar: The Way of Water.
Beefy AI
Wellington’s Mindhive Global won the start-up and agritech categories. It uses AI to detect 25 types of defects in cowhides within seconds, combining machine learning, image recognition, and industrial hardware in a way that‘s technically robust and commercially viable, the award judges said. Mindhive has recently landed business in Brazil and Italy, the home of leather.
The Most Innovative Tech Solution and Most Innovative Manufacturer gongs were picked up by The Village Goldsmith - which is also disrupting a long-standing industry with its development of a unique platform, developed over 17 years and many lasers, that allows diamonds to float without visible prongs, claws, or clasps.
It was an innovation the judges said was recognised globally as the most significant change in diamond solitaire ring design since 1886, leading to a deal with Tiffany & Co.
Beck joins ‘Flying Kiwi’ hall of fame
Sir Peter Beck was recognised as the 2025 Flying Kiwi and inducted into the NZ Hi-Tech Hall of Fame. He received the honour for taking his company Rocket Lab from a start-up 20 years ago to the multibillion-dollar company it is today, while at the same time contributing to the development of the Kiwi aerospace industry and personally investing in a slate of homegrown start-ups.
Chris Keall is an Auckland-based member of the Herald’s business team. He joined the Herald in 2018 and is the technology editor and a senior business writer.
