AJ House Moving Ltd

At AJ House Moving Ltd, innovation is at the heart of how we operate and grow within the Waikirikiri Selwyn district. As a locally owned and operated moving company, we’ve introduced forward-thinking solutions to improve the moving experience for both residential and commercial clients.

SolarCorp Ltd

We are a solar company. Our focus has been on finding the best equipment that can offer the most efficient and cost effective solution to our customers. With this in mind, we have focused on micro inverters - which allows each panel to be controlled and monitored so it can maximize the output efficiency, as opposed to the standard string inverters (which operate in series).

Upstream Limited

Upstream’s Commitment to Innovation in Selwyn Upstream was established in 2018 and has since built a thriving community of local suppliers and customers, united by a shared commitment to innovation and community impact. By bringing together businesses, customers, and charities in a collaborative ecosystem, Upstream enables everyday transactions to create lasting change. Through our platform, a portion of every dollar spent with participating suppliers is redirected to support local charities, with a strong focus on children and young people (It’s a Win-Win). This simple yet powerful model has grown into a movement that not only strengthens local economies but also ensures that community good is embedded in how we do business. In 2025, Upstream is continuing to foster innovation in the Selwyn District through the development of our new phone application (Look Up!) — a purpose-built platform that will eventually connect customers, suppliers, and charities in a seamless, values-driven ecosystem. The app empowers users to support local businesses while making a measurable impact in their community.

Attainable Limited

Attainable Limited is proud to be based in the heart of Waikirikiri Selwyn, delivering innovative, practical solutions to support smarter, more sustainable growth across our district. As a quantity surveying and project management business, we provide clients with the financial clarity and strategic guidance needed to bring construction projects to life—on time, on budget, and with confidence. Our commitment to innovation is embedded in the way we work. We don’t just crunch numbers—we collaborate closely with clients, builders, and consultants to simplify complex processes, identify cost-saving opportunities, and proactively manage risks. By combining traditional quantity surveying expertise with forward-thinking project planning, we remove stress and bring clarity to every stage of the building journey.

EmpowerHER

EmpowerHER is deeply committed to fostering innovation in the Waikirikiri Selwyn district by reimagining how young females engage in sport, health, and wellbeing. Our approach is unique—we combine physical activity with education around body literacy, nutrition, injury prevention, and personal development to create a safe, supportive space where girls feel empowered, not judged. We recognised a significant gap in how female athletes and young women are supported—both physically and emotionally. Through our four core pillars: Move & Play, Know Your Body, Strong, Safe & Power Up, and Fuel & Recover, we deliver holistic, evidence-informed programming that integrates sport science, health education, and community-building. Girls don’t just train—they learn how their bodies work, how to care for themselves, and how to grow confident as individuals and leaders. We’re not just coaching athletes—we’re changing the culture around female participation in sport. Innovation for us means creating long-term change by addressing taboo topics, offering personalised programs, and integrating mental wellbeing and leadership development into physical activity settings.

Lifestyle Lawns Artificial Grass

Innovation is at the heart of everything we do, we've challenged the status quo in landscaping by introducing advanced artificial turf solutions. We've introduced industry leading turf solutions to Selwyn including Envirofill an advanced non toxic, antibacterial infill that's safer for kids and pets alongside CoolTouch technology that reduces surface heat, making outdoor areas more usable year round. Our entire landscaping range is also fully recyclable setting a new standard for eco conscious landscaping. As we expand into new sectors with our Sports division, we're applying it in ways that meet the unique needs of Selwyn's growing population.

Brenna Sincock Hearing

Brenna Sincock Hearing has proudly served the Selwyn district for nearly 10 years, offering a more holistic and personalised approach to hearing care. We’ve consistently championed innovation – not through flashy technology alone, but through the way we connect with and care for our community. While many in our industry adopt a one-size-fits-all model, we have deliberately taken a different path, tailoring solutions to individual needs and maintaining our independence from manufacturer influence. Our innovations include community outreach initiatives like our Lunch’n’Listen event at Lincoln Bowls, where members could trial the latest hearing technology at no cost in a relaxed, social setting. We’ve also implemented sustainable practices, including our hearing aid and battery recycling programme and a second-life initiative that extends the use of donated devices. We invest in future-focused skill development by sponsoring upskilling opportunities for our team and regularly hosting students and medical professionals to gain experience in audiology. We’re applying for this award not because of one single initiative, but because of our ongoing commitment to doing things differently – innovatively, sustainably and independently.

Global Bus Ventures

Global Bus Ventures (GBV) is deeply committed to fostering innovation in the Waikirikiri Selwyn district, with a focus on transforming the transport sector through world-class hydrogen vehicle technology. Based in this region, GBV designs, engineers and integrates advanced hydrogen fuel cell systems entirely in Aotearoa, creating solutions that are sustainable, scalable and future-focused. Our commitment is demonstrated by the development of New Zealand’s first hydrogen-powered bus, boat and recent truck projects, which began and continue to evolve within Selwyn. Our local facility serves as the innovation hub where concepts are translated into commercial vehicles, supporting regional employment and skill development in advanced engineering, software design and green technology manufacturing.

TranzAlpine Organics t/a TranzAlpine Honey

In 2024, after a long delay due to the pandemic, we opened a brand new $3M state-of-the-art honey production facility in Rolleston. It has the latest advancements in processing and packaging technology, operating almost entirely on solar power, with a 22kWh solar system, allowing us to be 90% off the grid during peak season. Being close to main transport hubs prioritises a reduction of road transport carbon footprint in the region. Transport accounts for 18% of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions, 90% of which arise from road transport. We’re converting our fleet to EV, to be 100% EV by 2027. The demand for high-quality products and produce around the world, particularly in the EU, is at an all-time high. As part of our expansion process, we expanded our speciality category, introducing functional, everyday products that were affordable and, easy-to-use. Starting with the launch of our award-winning Mānuka and propolis drops.

Brown Acres Farm Limited

Brown Acres Microgreens was built from hardship, not hobby. After my brother Andrew passed away from Type 1 Diabetes, and shortly after, my children's father suffered a life-changing injury during lockdown, we were left needing to create a new future. Moving onto a lifestyle block in Tai Tapu, I researched what New Zealand truly needed, and discovered microgreens. Today, Brown Acres is a family-run microgreen farm using vertical growing methods that are certified organic, spray-free, and use 95% less land and 6x less water than traditional farming. We grow sustainable produce year-round, while also I am just about to launch at-home grow kits so anyone, anywhere, can grow their own nutritious veges. Innovation is in everything we do-growing veges that are 40x more nutritious than the adult vegetable, in our vertical farm, This enables us to reimagine how food can be grown and shared, from the ground up, using less resources for our children’s future.

Irving Builders

At Irving Builders, we believe attitude sets the altitude—and our attitude is all about building smarter, more sustainable homes for the future of Waikirikiri Selwyn. As a locally owned, medium-sized residential building company, we specialize in bespoke architectural homes that don’t just look good—they perform exceptionally well. We’ve moved beyond traditional stick framing because we believe that’s old technology. Our commitment is to high-performance construction, and we’re proud to be early adopters and the exclusive Canterbury partner of SelectSIP. This innovative prefabricated system allows us to build healthier, more energy-efficient homes while dramatically reducing waste and carbon emissions. Our homes cost less to run over time, are more comfortable year-round, and make a lighter impact on the environment. We’ve also partnered with Eco Space to bring high-performance cabins to the South Island, proving that small spaces can still deliver big on comfort, style, and sustainability

Selwyn & Canterbury Insurance Advisers Limited

Our vision is to be provide proactive insurance advice focused on the Selwyn region. We are committed to driving innovation that supports and strengthens businesses and people across the district. As proud members of Insurance Advisernet New Zealand, we benefit from industry-leading technology and support systems that allow us to deliver tailored, efficient, and forward-thinking insurance solutions to our clients. Through the advanced digital platforms provided by Insurance Advisernet, we streamline key processes, and we offer different levels of advice and service depending on the client’s needs and requirements. This allows us to deliver faster, accurate, and data-informed advice to the region. This technology empowers our clients to better understand and manage their risks, make informed decisions, and reduce downtime when challenges arise. We also take a proactive role in the community, offering complimentary risk reviews, insurance literacy education, and one-on-one advisory services to help businesses grow with confidence

rural Tenancy Ltd

Rural Tenancy has proudly served the Selwyn district since 2012, beginning with a unique focus on inspecting rural and farm housing — a niche often overlooked in traditional property services. Our commitment to innovation is grounded in listening to the specific needs of our community and developing practical, forward-thinking solutions in response. In 2019, recognising a growing demand in Darfield and surrounding areas, we expanded into full property management. Rather than replicating a city model, we designed our services to suit the realities of rural life — from flexible tenancy solutions to digital inspection systems that cater to remote property owners and tenants.