EY names New Zealand Entrepreneur Of The Year winners

EY has named the category winners in its Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 programme in New Zealand, recognising businesses across education, health and wellness, engineering, pharmacy retail and environmental technology.

The winners are Patrick Moynahan of Echo Tech as Young Entrepreneur, Jamie Beaton of Crimson Education as Tech and Emerging Industries Entrepreneur, Sarah Kennedy of Calocurb as Product Entrepreneur, Peter Shenoda of Bargain Chemist as Services Entrepreneur, and Lindsay Faithfull of McKay as Master Entrepreneur.

Pic Picot of Pic's Peanut Butter also received an Award for Outstanding Contribution to Entrepreneurship and Community, recognising his impact in Nelson and his contribution to innovation in New Zealand's food sector.

The category winners now move to the final stage of judging, where an independent panel of past award winners will assess them on entrepreneurial spirit, impact, growth and purpose.

Jason Macgregor, Director of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Programme at EY New Zealand, said the judging highlighted businesses whose influence extended beyond financial results.

"What came through strongly was the ambition of these entrepreneurs, but also the impact their businesses are having beyond commercial performance. They are building strong teams, contributing to the communities they serve and operate in, and helping to shape their industry," Macgregor said.

He also pointed to the role of technology in the selected businesses.

"What this group also shows is how modern entrepreneurship is evolving. AI is already being used across these businesses in different ways, but technology is an enabler rather than a defining feature. These remain distinctly home-grown businesses, grounded in solving real problems for customers, building strong teams and contributing to the communities around them," he said.

Judging view

The judging panel was chaired by Phil Thomson, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Auror, who won the national title with his founding team in 2022.

Thomson said the winners reflected a broad spread of business models and sectors, while sharing common operating strengths.

"The winners represent a broad mix of sectors and business models, from digital and science-led businesses through to engineering and high-street retail. What united them was the strength of the fundamentals: a good idea, disciplined execution, hard work and genuine passion for what they are building," he said.

The awards programme in New Zealand was launched in 1998 and recognises entrepreneurs behind businesses built and sustained over time. The global programme was established in 1986 and now operates across more than 60 countries and jurisdictions.

This year's winners reflect the breadth of New Zealand's entrepreneurial landscape, from consumer-facing retail and food to science-led and digital businesses. The inclusion of education, engineering and environmental technology also points to a field that is not concentrated in one part of the economy.

Crimson Education, led by Jamie Beaton, operates in the education sector, while Calocurb, led by Sarah Kennedy, is in health and wellness. Bargain Chemist, led by Peter Shenoda, represents pharmacy retail, and McKay, led by Lindsay Faithfull, comes from engineering. Echo Tech, led by Patrick Moynahan, was recognised in the Young Entrepreneur category.

Picot's additional award broadens the programme's focus beyond company growth alone. The judges highlighted both his local community impact and his wider contribution to food innovation in New Zealand.

Next stage

The overall winner of the New Zealand programme will be selected after the final judging round. That entrant will go on to represent Aotearoa New Zealand at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year awards in Monaco in 2027.

The judging criteria suggest the panel is looking at more than scale. Alongside growth, the assessment covers purpose and impact, indicating that broader business conduct and leadership form part of the decision-making process.

Macgregor said the distinguishing factor among the winners was not just the companies they had built, but the effect they were having as those businesses expanded.