Introducing Innovation Awards in 2021, the market-leading awards program for celebrating ecosystem innovation and excellence across the technology sector in New Zealand.

Building on years of championing the channel, Innovation Awards houses a modernised category line-up, revamped submission criteria and standout end-user market awareness as Reseller News raises the bar for industry transformation.

Set for Friday 19 November, Innovation Awards will run as in-person black tie event to bring the channel together under the Reseller News roof at Cordis Hotel, Auckland - aligned to COVID-safe conditions of entry to in-person event formats.

In a step away from predictable awards programs, entire local ecosystem expertise will not only be acknowledged and celebrated, but transformative examples of partner best practice amplified to more than 30,000 potential customers nationwide via a digital marketing alliance with the end-user media brands of IDG.

Notable enhancements centre around the increased prioritisation of customer case studies to showcase the innovative capabilities of expert partners, a commitment to expand reach into all states and territories and a heightened focus on both established and emerging providers.

Mirroring the market, Innovation Awards will recognise the standout work of managed service providers, system integrators and value-added resellers, complemented by bleeding edge start-ups, cloud specialists, independent software vendors, consultancy giants, boutique agencies and application developers -- all collaborating, all contributing.

Likewise, innovation at vendor and distributor levels will also be magnified, recognising leading champions of the channel, creative thinkers, consistent performers and market leaders.

To achieve this, Innovation Awards will honour the channel across eight categories, spanning Partner Innovation, Tech Innovation, NZ-wide Innovation, Start-up Innovation, Personal Innovation, Vendor Innovation, Distributor Innovation and Hall of Fame.