The Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), the Australian peak industry body for the technology sector, has announced the NSW iAwards winners for 2018.

AIIA’s iAwards, now celebrating 25 years, are billed as the nation’s primary awards program for innovation in the digital economy.

The Awards were presented in categories comprising Business Service Markets, Community Service Markets, Consumer Markets, Industrial & Primary Industries, Infrastructure & Platforms, Students, Public Sector & Government, Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning, Big Data, Startups, and the NSW Premier’s iAward for Public Sector Innovation.

At a gala event in Sydney, The Hon. Victor Dominello MP, NSW Minister for Finance, Services and Property presented HLA-Global with the NSW Premier’s iAward for Public Sector Innovation. “This event is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on cutting edge technology being driven across Government and industry. By recognising organisations that have made a profound impact in their fields, we help cement NSW’s reputation as a leader across the Asia Pacific,” he said.

AIIA CEO Rob Fitzpatrick said the 2018 finalists added to the iAwards’ legacy of recognising the important work being done in Australian innovation. “Each year the iAwards publicly recognise the exceptional achievements of those at the forefront of Australian innovation, and the projects shaping our modern economy. We’re proud to provide a platform for, and encouragement to people prepared to bring an idea to life, enabled by technology. Whether they’re in startups, the public sector, community services, academia, or private enterprise, small and large, the work of the finalists is an inspiration to us all,” he said.

Winners and merit recipients across all categories will go on to represent NSW and compete at the National iAwards. National winners will be announced on 30 August 2020 at the prestigious 2018 National iAwards Gala Dinner and Ceremony, held in Melbourne, which will be attended by startups, innovators, investors, business and community leaders, and federal and state politicians.

The NSW 2018 State iAwards winners and merit recipients are: NSW Premier’s iAward for Public Sector Innovation

HLA-Golbal – HORIZON by Health Language Analytics (winner)

Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning Innovation of the Year

The Ripper Group & UTS - SharkSpotter© (winner)

Big Data Innovation of the Year

CHOICE – Transformer (winner)

Staybil – Staybil (merit)Business Service Markets

New Payments Platform Australia – New Payments Platform (winner)

Go People – GoSHIFT (merit)

Tenderfield – Tenderfield Construction Software (merit)Community Service Markets

The Ripper Group & UTS - SharkSpotter© (winner)

CancerAid – CancerAid (merit)

Humanitix – Humanitix - Changing the World Through Events (merit)Consumer Markets

Modular Photonics – Mode Multiplexer (winner)

Optus, Royal Botanic Gardens, ENE-HUB & Nokia – Connected Garden: Tomorrow’sFuture Created Today (merit)

CHOICE – Transformer (merit)Industrial & Primary Industries

National Narrowband Network Co (NNNCo) – Ergon Energy Load Control IoT Solution (winner)

Infrastructure & Platforms Innovation of the Year

Single Sell – Progenitor - Centre for Aboriginal Health (winner)

New Payments Platform Australia – New Payments Platform (merit)Junior Students

St Josephs Catholic Primary School Como – HappyNess App: Helping Girls Return to Happiness (winner)

Public Sector & Government

Janison Solutions – Replay (winner)

CSIRO’s Data61 – TerriaJS - An Open-source Geospatial Framework (merit)Research & Development Project of the Year

The Ripper Group & UTS - SharkSpotter© (winner) Senior Students

Kooringal High School – The Amazing Annoyatron (winner)

Startup of the Year

CancerAid – CancerAid (winner)

Humanitix – Humanitix - Changing the World Through Events (merit)Undergraduate Tertiary Students

University of Wollongong – GenSpeak - A Language Program for Everyone (winner)