Young Innovator Awards

19/09/2024

We have so many amazing innovative companies right here in Tauranga, Bluelab are one of our Partners of yia!

Hear from Jono Jones, CEO at Bluelab

https://youtu.be/651Spv6adPI

17/09/2024

Winners of yia 2024 💡

📸

15/09/2024

Sponsor shoutout to Page Macrae Engineering,
They have been long supporters of yia! And we value their commitment to empowering the young innovators of tomorrow

Hear from Alan, CEO of Page Macrae Engineering

https://youtu.be/TqGhqmy2G9Y

13/09/2024

Reminiscing on the awards night!
See yourself? 👀

11/09/2024

Beca have been long supporters of yia!
And we are so lucky to have so many amazing organisations investing in the youth of tomorrow

Hear from Jeremy, Product Operations Manager from Beca Tauranga

https://youtu.be/ih6t4uhIJxc

02/09/2024

Big sponsor shoutout to University of Waikato - Tauranga The University of Waikato

Hear from Rosanne Ellis, Director Innovation and Impact

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Edu41aUyHbI

29/08/2024

Did you use the The Photobooth Lady on the Awards Night?

Here is the link to the gallery:

https://thephotoboothlady.queensberryworkspace.com/checkaccess/galleryslide/ZGV1AGplAwMwMwtjZmqyA2ZjBD%3D%3D/list

yia! Awards 2024 by The Photobooth Lady

29/08/2024

A snippet of the yia! 2024 Workshop!

Special thanks to Salina Galvan Photography

Spot yourself? Make sure you follow us on Instagram to keep up to date, and some tips and tricks for next year.

28/08/2024

A huge congratulations to all the finalists, and to the winners of the 2024 yia! Awards.

Here's a recap...

People's Choice Award Winners
Intermediate: Clean Guard - Elliot Olsen from Aquinas College Tauranga
Junior: Warmth Sage - Christiana Byrne, Glint Chloey Asi, Tristan Alberts from Ōtūmoetai College
Senior: CC Amelia - Amaya Greene, Mia Olsen, Shiloh Warner, Skye Shaw from Mount Maunganui College

Supreme Winner
Intermediate: Clean Guard - Elliot Olsen from Aquinas College
Junior: Sun Spotter - Elia Szulakowski and Mia Lowe from Aquinas College
Senior: Kaitiaki Tech - Erin Moore from Aquinas College

Second Place Winners
Intermediate: Micro Extract - Zach De Graaf from Aquinas College
Junior: Re-Boot- Hannah Anderson and Kiana Schoeser from Aquinas College
Senior: Power Off - Agnés Anderson, Indie Minshall, Lauren Harris from Otumoetai College

Third Place Winners
Intermediate: Practice Perfect Music Stand - Ava Gardner, Catherine Jung from Aquinas College
Junior: Snug H**p - Alex Foot, Marlee Bowman, Taila Hester from Otumoetai College
Senior: CC Amelia - Amaya Greene, Mia Olsen, Shiloh Warner, Skye Shaw from Mount Manganui College

Category Winners
Creativity
Natures Net - Austin Fisken, Mehrab Singh, Tom Parkes from Otumoetai College

Communication
Study Buddy - Xavier Weatherley from Tauranga Boys' College

Research
Orca - Lachlan Talbot from Aquinas College

Sustainability
Bin Recycling System (BRS) - Layla Carke, Hayley Holland from Pāpāmoa College

Product Innovation Award sponsored by Globex
Re-Boot- Hannah Anderson and Kiana Schoeser from Aquinas College

!24 One

25/08/2024

We got our highlight photos from the workshop back from 💡

Spot yourself? 👀

We have the awards night this Wednesday! We cannot wait to celebrate everyone who has entered this year and further congratulate the winners of yia! 2024

22/08/2024

The powerhouses behind yia!
Meg, Project Manger and Be, Project Support

Without them, the programme would not be where it is today.

Bring on the awards!!!
Remember PEOPLE’s CHOICE is still up for voting, so make sure you spread the word and get people to vote vote vote!
One vote per person

14/08/2024

People's Choice voting is now OPEN!

https://www.yia.co.nz/peoples-choice

Vote for your favourite entry!!

23/07/2024

Entries for the 2024 yia! Awards are closing soon! Don't let your hard work go to waste.

Get your entry in here: www.yia.co.nz/

14/06/2024

Are you ready to be part of yia! ?

Unlock your potential and leave your mark on the world. Join a community of talented young innovators, learn design thinking skills and turn your ideas into reality!

https://www.yia.co.nz/enter

05/06/2024

🌟 Need help coming up with ideas? 🌟

Start by thinking about what you’re passionate about or a pain point you want to solve! 💡✨

Passion: What do you love doing? What excites you? 🎨⚽️📚 Turn your passion into a project that makes a difference!

Pain Points: What’s something that bothers you or others around you? 🚫🔍 Find a solution to a problem and make the world a better place!

Remember, the best ideas often come from the heart. ❤️

30/04/2024

Entries for the Young Innovators Award are NOW OPEN!

Are you a young innovator ready to showcase your ideas and creativity? Here's your chance to shine! Whether you're passionate about technology, sustainability, or social change, the yia! is your platform to explore your ideas through Design Thinking!

🎉 Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity! Enter now and let your innovation soar! 🚀

https://www.yia.co.nz/enter

13/09/2023

Did you get a happy snap on the yia! awards night with The Photobooth Lady?!
Pics from the evening, and all the fabulous yellow props, can be found here.. make sure to download and save your favourites!
🥸🤩🥳😎

Yia! awards 2023 by The Photobooth Lady

13/09/2023

Want to see what goes on in a yia! workshop? 😍🤩
Energy, ideation, bravery, creativity, craft tables and a whole lot of new friends!
Well done to all of our young innovators from 2023!

Credit to: Salina Galvan Photography for the awesome pics, The University of Waikato for hosting us, Circularity for running the workshop, our schools and volunteers for making the day possible

ACG Tauranga
Tauranga Boys' College
Tauranga Girls' College
Te Puke High School International
Otumoetai College
Bethlehem College Junior Secondaryp
Mount Maunganui College
Pāpāmoa College

WHAT. A. VIBE!

13/09/2023

07/09/2023

If you missed the big night and all the excitement, here are a few images from our 2023 yia! Awards night! 🏆🙌🏆A massive congratulations to our Senior, Junior and Intermediate division winners, the Category Award winners and the People's Choice winners! Keep on innovating! 🔥🔥🔥

Here's a recap...

🌟 People's Choice Award Winners🏆
Intermediate: Emotional Attendance, Layla Clarke from Pāpāmoa College
Junior: Spark-Cam, Izzy Hume and Nina Young from Tauranga Girls' College
Senior: Aicerta, Wonyoung Chang from Tauranga Boys' College

🌟 Supreme Winner
Intermediate: poochBUBBLES, Cora Barett-Hodgson, Ella Chea, Milli Banbury from Aquinas Intermediate
Junior: Sunny Side Up, Catelyn Evans, Emma Hurley, Kale Brooking, Pauline Beetz, Peyton Clode from Otumoetai College
Senior: Glowshield, Amelia Shorter and Haylee Hextall from Otumoetai College

🥈 Second Place Winners
Intermediate: Emotional Attendance, Layla Clarke from Papamoa College
Junior: MI-Frame, Elia Szulakowski and Mia Lowe from Aquinas College
Senior: SOVND - Sound Vibration Notification Device, Amaya Greene, Mia Olsen, Samantha Hunter, Shiloh Warner, Skye Shaw from Mount Maunganui College

🥉 Third Place Winners
Intermediate: The Life Tee, Lachlan Talbot from Aquinas Intermediate
Junior: Bio-lids, Alexia Rogers-Hibell, Elliott Swney, Hannah Richards, Katy McLeod from Otumoetai College
Senior: Aicerta, Wonyoung Chang from Tauranga Boys' College

🏅 Category Winners 🏅

🌟 Creativity
Spreadstick, Logan Braithwaite from Mount Maunganui College

🌟 Communication
Height-Halt Grass, Liam Jury, Oliver Kirk, Tim Wiebes from ACG Tauranga

🌟 Research
Solution Seaweed, Charlie Minshall and Kara Blackstock from Otumoetai College

🌟 Sustainability
Bio-Lids, Alexia Rogers-Hibell, Elliott Swney, Hannah Richards, Katy McLeod from Otumoetai College

🌟 NEW CATEGORY | Social Good
Kin, Azalea Kaur, Cailey Ngawhika, Jasvir Kaur, Jaybe Ellison from Te Puke High School

Priority One

06/09/2023

Let's have a drum roll, please! 🏆🙌🏆 A heartfelt congratulations to our winners. They've not only conquered their divisions but have also unleashed truly remarkable innovations! 🔥🔥🔥And the winners are...

06/09/2023

Our 2023 Young Innovator Awards has witnessed its most significant turnout yet boasting nearly 700 individual and team entries. The judges faced an exceptionally tough task this year, as they were presented with a plethora of thoughtful and ingenious innovations. With 36 finalist teams and 86 finalists who successfully advanced to the yia! finals. Although each category could only have one winner, it's important to note that every young innovator you entered can be extremely proud of their hard mahi! 🥰⭐️ And the People's Choice Award winners were determined by an astounding number of votes cast by you this year! 👉👉👉

So, congratulations to our🏆 People's Choice Award Winners🏆

06/09/2023

.college

05/09/2023

Tonight is 'THE' night! The highly anticipated 2023 yia! Awards are finally here, and the excitement is off the charts! Young innovators from all corners of the region are on the edge of their seats, eagerly counting down the hours.

A massive shoutout and gratitude go out to our incredible sponsors and partners, whose unwavering support have made yia! a reality. Without you, none of this would be possible!

Tonight is sure to be an unforgettable evening of celebration, inspiration, and innovation. Get ready to be wowed by the brilliance of our young rangatahi and the energy that fills the air. See you tonight at the 2023 yia! Awards! 🌟🏆✨

Robotics Plus
The University of Waikato
Page Macrae Engineering
BECA
Datacom

Big thanks to our yia! partners: WOODS Bluelab Cucumber Priority One and The Shine Collective!

05/09/2023

Guess who's making a grand return? He's so enamored with yia! that he's back to take the stage as the MC for the awards. Please welcome the indomitable Karl Stevenson!

Karl is a maestro of innovation! His boundless energy has driven him to establish numerous businesses, refine his expertise on a global scale as a facilitator and growth strategist, all while imparting his zeal for innovation and design as a coach in Design Thinking.

A steadfast yia! judge for years and the brain behind the Design and Innovation Meetup, Karl is a guiding force and advocate for fostering innovative thinking at every stage of life. He thrives on the ever-evolving journey of deciding what’s next in this big playground called life!

With just one day remaining until the awards ceremony, we can't wait to have Karl grace the stage and join in the celebration of 2023’s outstanding yia! finalists and winners.

04/09/2023

🙌 Big Thanks to our Young Innovator Awards partners: WOODS Bluelab Cucumber Priority One and The Shine Collective!

We could not do this program without you 🚀

Each of our yia! partners brings a unique skill to the table, and extends our little team to make magic happen for youth in the Western Bay of Plenty

Many hands make light work

Together, we're empowering future innovators. 🌟

01/09/2023

Guess who's bringing some serious agri-tech expertise to this year's judging panel? 🌱🐄 Meet Liam Kampshof, the brains behind Bovonic, an agri-tech startup on a mission to transform cow health and productivity. 🚀

Liam's journey is a blend of innovation and passion. From studying engineering at the University of Auckland to honing his skills in London, and after returning to Tauranga in 2021, Liam combined his family dairy roots with cutting-edge tech. 🧠🐮

In just two years, Bovonic has gone from an idea to a game-changing prototype, gearing up for a big launch to market in New Zealand shortly. 🎉 Liam's all set to share his insights and inspire our yia! finalists with his innovation journey. Were pretty excited and thanks for joining the yia! team Liam.🔥🤝

29/08/2023

Mark your calendar's for the most exciting event of the year! The 2023 yia! Awards are back. Young innovators from across the region are biting their nails in anticipation! Wednesday, 6 September 5 - 8pm at Classic Flyers NZ Aviation Museum.

We'd like to give a massive shout out to our sponsors and partners for making yia! possible.

Cucumber
Bluelab
Robotics Plus
The University of Waikato
Page Macrae Engineering
BECA
Datacom
The Shine Collective
WOODS
Classic Flyers NZ

27/08/2023

Our finalists are preparing for an exciting day of innovation within a cutting-edge thinking workshop crafted to elevate their passion for design-thinking under the expert guidance of XLabs!

XLabs, Aotearoa's dedicated circular economy programme, is creating space that facilitates practical, interactive, engaging learning experiences that enable individuals, businesses, and industries in their shift towards a circular future.

And a big shout out to The University of Waikato for hosting us.

23/08/2023

We want to give a huge shout out to our regions schools! Thank you for encouraging your students to explore and to play with innovation.

Check out the 2023 finalists and get your votes in for People's Choice.

www.yia.co.nz/vote-now

ACG Tauranga
Aquinas College Tauranga
Bethlehem College
Mount Maunganui College
Otumoetai College
Pāpāmoa College
Tauranga Boys' College
Tauranga Girls' College
Tauriko School
Te Puke High School

Priority One