Reseller News Innovation Awards 2026: The Finalists
11 October 2026· AFQY News
The finalists for the Reseller News Innovation Awards 2026 have been announced, recognising excellence across the New Zealand technology channel. The awards honour managed service providers, system integrators, value-added resellers, start-ups, vendors, distributors and individuals, across seven award groups plus a Hall of Fame to be revealed on the night.
Winners will be announced at a black-tie celebration dinner at the Cordis, Auckland, on Thursday 15 October 2026.
This year’s list names 75 organisations and 55 individuals. Counting company and individual categories together, the organisations with the most finalist spots are NEXTGEN (seven), Westcon-Comstor (seven) and Both Brains (six).
The award groups
- Innovation for Good: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Sustainability.
- Partner: Enterprise; Mid-Market; SMB; Regional.
- Tech Partner: Cloud; Digital Transformation; Emerging Technology; Security.
- Start-up: Entrepreneur; Product.
- Vendor: Cloud; Cyber Security; Hardware; Software/SaaS; Specialist.
- Distributor/Platform: Creativity; Hardware; Marketplace; Software; Specialist.
- Personal Innovation: Channel Excellence; Marketing Excellence; Sales Excellence (Partner, Vendor, Distributor); Technical Excellence (Partner, Vendor/Distributor); Management Excellence.
The finalists, A to Z
-
2degrees, a New Zealand telecommunications provider
- Emerging Technology (Tech Partner)
-
Acquire
- Daneka Graham, Marketing Excellence
- Keryn Algie, Sales Excellence (Partner)
-
Advantage
- Mid-Market (Partner)
- SMB (Partner)
- Security (Tech Partner)
- Waleed Elgharably, Management Excellence
-
Arcanum AI
- Emerging Technology (Tech Partner)
-
Arinco
- Enterprise (Partner)
- Emerging Technology (Tech Partner)
-
ASI Solutions
- Emerging Technology (Tech Partner)
-
Attune Solutions
- Wendy Folau-Kennedy, Start-up Entrepreneur
-
AWS, Amazon’s cloud computing platform
- Cloud (Vendor)
-
Blacklock Security
- Product (Start-up)
- Cyber Security (Vendor)
- Nilesh Kapoor, Start-up Entrepreneur
- Igor Portugal, Channel Excellence
-
Both Brains
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Innovation for Good)
- Mid-Market (Partner)
- SMB (Partner)
- Regional (Partner)
- Cloud (Tech Partner)
- Jenni Powell, Management Excellence
-
Caitlyn AI
- Product (Start-up)
-
Capture The Bug
- Product (Start-up)
- Ankita Dhakar, Start-up Entrepreneur
-
Chillisoft
- Creativity (Distributor/Platform)
- Specialist (Distributor/Platform)
-
CJI Systems
- Enterprise (Partner)
-
CorPlan
- Matthew Hill, Management Excellence
-
Crayon, a SoftwareOne company, a global software and cloud services business
- Creativity (Distributor/Platform)
- Marketplace (Distributor/Platform)
- Specialist (Distributor/Platform)
-
Custom D
- Regional (Partner)
- Emerging Technology (Tech Partner)
-
Datacom, the New Zealand-headquartered IT services company
- Mid-Market (Partner)
- Cloud (Tech Partner)
- Digital Transformation (Tech Partner)
- Emerging Technology (Tech Partner)
-
Dell, the global technology company
- Hardware (Vendor)
-
Delta Insights
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Innovation for Good)
- SMB (Partner)
- Digital Transformation (Tech Partner)
- Dalia Raphael, Start-up Entrepreneur
-
Dicker Data, a technology distributor operating across Australia and New Zealand
- Creativity (Distributor/Platform)
- Hardware (Distributor/Platform)
- Marketplace (Distributor/Platform)
- Software (Distributor/Platform)
-
Digital Island, a New Zealand business telecommunications and IT provider
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Innovation for Good)
- Digital Transformation (Tech Partner)
- Andrew Lall, Sales Excellence (Partner)
-
Easycoder
- Emerging Technology (Tech Partner)
- Alisha Singla, Sales Excellence (Partner)
- Abhy Singla, Technical Excellence (Partner)
-
Echo
- Sustainability (Innovation for Good)
-
Entelar Group
- Sustainability (Innovation for Good)
- Creativity (Distributor/Platform)
- Specialist (Distributor/Platform)
- Richard Fata, Channel Excellence
- Anjo Lazaro, Sales Excellence (Distributor)
-
ESET, the cyber security software company
- Cyber Security (Vendor)
-
Everpure
- Hardware (Vendor)
- Russell Andrews, Channel Excellence
-
Exaba
- Cloud (Vendor)
- Software/SaaS (Vendor)
- Specialist (Vendor)
-
Figure8
- Digital Transformation (Tech Partner)
-
First Focus
- Lars Asveld, Marketing Excellence
-
Fortinet, the cyber security company
- Cyber Security (Vendor)
-
Grant Thornton, the accounting and advisory firm
- Mid-Market (Partner)
-
HP New Zealand, HP’s New Zealand business
- Sustainability (Innovation for Good)
- Hardware (Vendor)
- Laura Peddie, Channel Excellence
- Victoria Cotton, Sales Excellence (Vendor)
-
HPE, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- Cloud (Vendor)
- Hardware (Vendor)
- Tom Fraser, Sales Excellence (Vendor)
-
HPE Financial Services, the financing arm of Hewlett Packard Enterprise
- Sustainability (Innovation for Good)
-
Ingram Micro, the global technology distributor
- Hardware (Distributor/Platform)
- Marketplace (Distributor/Platform)
- Malama Purcell, Channel Excellence
- Serina Yeo, Sales Excellence (Distributor)
- Craig Galloway, Technical Excellence (Vendor/Distributor)
-
iT360
- SMB (Partner)
- David Wilson, Management Excellence
-
Jabra, the headset and video collaboration maker
- Specialist (Vendor)
-
KnowBe4, the security awareness training platform
- Cyber Security (Vendor)
-
Kōwhai
- Mid-Market (Partner)
- Emerging Technology (Tech Partner)
-
Lancom Technology, a New Zealand managed IT services provider
- Mid-Market (Partner)
-
Lenovo, the global PC and technology maker
- Hardware (Vendor)
-
Lexel Systems, a New Zealand IT services company
- Enterprise (Partner)
- Mid-Market (Partner)
- SMB (Partner)
- Emerging Technology (Tech Partner)
- Matthew Goodey, Sales Excellence (Partner)
-
Liquid IT
- Pete Randall, Technical Excellence (Partner)
-
LiveRem
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Innovation for Good)
- Product (Start-up)
- Kathleen Webber, Start-up Entrepreneur
-
Logitech, the peripherals and video collaboration maker
- Hardware (Vendor)
-
Mahi Tahi Collective
- Paul Proctor, Channel Excellence
-
Minimum Viable Protection
- Product (Start-up)
-
Nectar
- Security (Tech Partner)
-
Netpoleon New Zealand
- Creativity (Distributor/Platform)
- Specialist (Distributor/Platform)
-
netQ
- Enterprise (Partner)
- Marco Huang, Technical Excellence (Partner)
-
NEXTGEN
- Creativity (Distributor/Platform)
- Hardware (Distributor/Platform)
- Software (Distributor/Platform)
- Specialist (Distributor/Platform)
- Jani Van Wyk, Channel Excellence
- Donovan Olsen, Sales Excellence (Distributor)
- Nathan Leong, Technical Excellence (Vendor/Distributor)
-
Nodero
- Enterprise (Partner)
- Mid-Market (Partner)
- YoungJae Lee, Marketing Excellence
- Athar Imtiaz, Technical Excellence (Partner)
- Clare Thomas, Management Excellence
-
One NZ, the New Zealand telecommunications provider
- Sustainability (Innovation for Good)
- Emerging Technology (Tech Partner)
-
Overcyte
- Product (Start-up)
- Software/SaaS (Vendor)
-
Palo Alto Networks, the cyber security company
- Cyber Security (Vendor)
- Raj Unnikrishnan, Sales Excellence (Vendor)
- Shaun Stuart, Technical Excellence (Vendor/Distributor)
- Vasely Sapunov, Management Excellence
-
Pax8, the cloud marketplace and distributor
- Marketplace (Distributor/Platform)
- Brad Stansell, Sales Excellence (Distributor)
- Bharathwaj Gopalakrishnan, Technical Excellence (Vendor/Distributor)
-
PB Technologies, the New Zealand technology retailer and business supplier
- Mark Dalton, Management Excellence
-
Possibl AI
- Product (Start-up)
- Software/SaaS (Vendor)
-
Ricoh, the imaging and workplace technology company
- Anamika Mitra, Marketing Excellence
-
RUSH, a New Zealand software development company
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Innovation for Good)
- Digital Transformation (Tech Partner)
- Emerging Technology (Tech Partner)
- Alaina Luxmoore, Marketing Excellence
- Danushka Abeysuriya, Management Excellence
-
Salesforce, the customer relationship management software company
- Software/SaaS (Vendor)
-
Schneider Electric, the energy management and automation company
- Specialist (Vendor)
- Rachel McBeth, Channel Excellence
- Leema Rodrigues, Marketing Excellence
-
Scopious IoT
- Emerging Technology (Tech Partner)
- Product (Start-up)
-
Securecom
- Mid-Market (Partner)
- Security (Tech Partner)
-
Softsource
- Iain Boyd, Management Excellence
-
Sognos Solutions
- Mid-Market (Partner)
-
Sophos, the cyber security company
- Samantha Tang, Sales Excellence (Vendor)
- Tony Cosma, Technical Excellence (Vendor/Distributor)
-
Spotto
- Product (Start-up)
-
Systems Advisory Services
- Mid-Market (Partner)
- Emerging Technology (Tech Partner)
- Carl Black, Sales Excellence (Partner)
- Ian Hayton, Technical Excellence (Partner)
- Jaco Viviers, Management Excellence
-
TEAM IM / TEAM Cloud
- Cloud (Tech Partner)
- Cloud (Vendor)
-
UiRev
- Software/SaaS (Vendor)
-
Vega Global
- SMB (Partner)
-
Westcon-Comstor, the technology distributor
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (Innovation for Good)
- Creativity (Distributor/Platform)
- Hardware (Distributor/Platform)
- Specialist (Distributor/Platform)
- Jeannine Barnes, Marketing Excellence
- Paul Dromgool, Sales Excellence (Distributor)
- Grant Woodbury, Technical Excellence (Vendor/Distributor)
-
Yorb
- Regional (Partner)
The finalists, by award
Innovation for Good
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- Both Brains
- Delta Insights
- Digital Island
- LiveRem
- RUSH
- Westcon-Comstor
Sustainability
- Echo
- Entelar Group
- HP New Zealand
- HPE Financial Services
- One NZ
Partner
Enterprise
- Arinco
- CJI Systems
- Lexel Systems
- netQ
- Nodero
Mid-Market
- Advantage
- Both Brains
- Datacom
- Grant Thornton
- Kōwhai
- Lancom Technology
- Lexel Systems
- Nodero
- Securecom
- Sognos Solutions
- Systems Advisory Services
SMB
- Advantage
- Both Brains
- Delta Insights
- iT360
- Lexel Systems
- Vega Global
Regional
- Both Brains
- Custom D
- Yorb
Tech Partner
Cloud
- Both Brains
- Datacom
- TEAM IM / TEAM Cloud
Digital Transformation
- Datacom
- Delta Insights
- Digital Island
- Figure8
- RUSH
Emerging Technology
- 2degrees
- Arcanum AI
- Arinco
- ASI Solutions
- Custom D
- Datacom
- Easycoder
- Kōwhai
- Lexel Systems
- One NZ
- RUSH
- Scopious IoT
- Systems Advisory Services
Security
- Advantage
- Nectar
- Securecom
Start-up
Entrepreneur
- Ankita Dhakar, Capture The Bug
- Dalia Raphael, Delta Insights
- Kathleen Webber, LiveRem
- Nilesh Kapoor, Blacklock Security
- Wendy Folau-Kennedy, Attune Solutions
Product
- Blacklock Security
- Caitlyn AI
- Capture The Bug
- LiveRem
- Minimum Viable Protection
- Overcyte
- Possibl AI
- Scopious IoT
- Spotto
Vendor
Cloud
- AWS
- Exaba
- HPE
- TEAM IM / TEAM Cloud
Cyber Security
- Blacklock Security
- ESET
- Fortinet
- KnowBe4
- Palo Alto Networks
Hardware
- Dell
- Everpure
- HP New Zealand
- HPE
- Lenovo
- Logitech
Software/SaaS
- Exaba
- Overcyte
- Possibl AI
- Salesforce
- UiRev
Specialist
- Exaba
- Jabra
- Schneider Electric
Distributor/Platform
Creativity
- Chillisoft
- Crayon, a SoftwareOne company
- Dicker Data
- Entelar Group
- Netpoleon New Zealand
- NEXTGEN
- Westcon-Comstor
Hardware
- Dicker Data
- Ingram Micro
- NEXTGEN
- Westcon-Comstor
Marketplace
- Crayon, a SoftwareOne company
- Dicker Data
- Ingram Micro
- Pax8
Software
- Dicker Data
- NEXTGEN
Specialist
- Chillisoft
- Crayon, a SoftwareOne company
- Entelar Group
- Netpoleon New Zealand
- NEXTGEN
- Westcon-Comstor
Personal Innovation
Channel Excellence
- Igor Portugal, Blacklock Security
- Jani Van Wyk, NEXTGEN
- Laura Peddie, HP New Zealand
- Malama Purcell, Ingram Micro
- Paul Proctor, Mahi Tahi Collective
- Rachel McBeth, Schneider Electric
- Richard Fata, Entelar Group
- Russell Andrews, Everpure
Marketing Excellence
- Alaina Luxmoore, RUSH
- Anamika Mitra, Ricoh
- Daneka Graham, Acquire
- Jeannine Barnes, Westcon-Comstor
- Lars Asveld, First Focus
- Leema Rodrigues, Schneider Electric
- YoungJae Lee, Nodero
Sales Excellence (Partner)
- Alisha Singla, Easycoder
- Andrew Lall, Digital Island
- Carl Black, Systems Advisory Services
- Keryn Algie, Acquire
- Matthew Goodey, Lexel Systems
Sales Excellence (Vendor)
- Raj Unnikrishnan, Palo Alto Networks
- Samantha Tang, Sophos
- Tom Fraser, HPE
- Victoria Cotton, HP New Zealand
Sales Excellence (Distributor)
- Anjo Lazaro, Entelar Group
- Brad Stansell, Pax8
- Donovan Olsen, NEXTGEN
- Paul Dromgool, Westcon-Comstor
- Serina Yeo, Ingram Micro
Technical Excellence (Partner)
- Abhy Singla, Easycoder
- Athar Imtiaz, Nodero
- Ian Hayton, Systems Advisory Services
- Marco Huang, netQ
- Pete Randall, Liquid IT
Technical Excellence (Vendor/Distributor)
- Bharathwaj Gopalakrishnan, Pax8
- Craig Galloway, Ingram Micro
- Grant Woodbury, Westcon-Comstor
- Nathan Leong, NEXTGEN
- Shaun Stuart, Palo Alto Networks
- Tony Cosma, Sophos
Management Excellence
- Clare Thomas, Nodero
- Danushka Abeysuriya, RUSH
- David Wilson, iT360
- Iain Boyd, Softsource
- Jaco Viviers, Systems Advisory Services
- Jenni Powell, Both Brains
- Mark Dalton, PB Technologies
- Matthew Hill, CorPlan
- Vasely Sapunov, Palo Alto Networks
- Waleed Elgharably, Advantage
Congratulations to every finalist. Being named on this list is recognition from peers across the New Zealand channel, and AFQY looks forward to celebrating the winners in October.