Auckland-based AI company Mindhive Global has pulled off a stunning double victory at the prestigious 2025 NZ Hi-Tech Awards, claiming both the Startup Company of the Year and Most Innovative Agritech Solution awards. The breakthrough achievement signals New Zealand's strength as a global leader in agricultural technology innovation.
The wins were announced at Friday night's gala dinner in Wellington, where the company's revolutionary leather grading technology beat fierce competition from across New Zealand's tech sector.
James Bayly, CEO of Mindhive Global, described the achievement as a pivotal moment for the company:
"Winning two awards in a single evening is an extraordinary honor that reflects both the technological innovation and commercial impact of our solutions. Being recognized as the leading agritech solution in New Zealand by our peers is particularly meaningful, as these accolades are a powerful endorsement of our vision to revolutionize quality assessment in leather manufacturing through AI and machine vision technology."
Mindhive Global co-founder and CTO Dion Bettjeman added,
"From solving a single problem for a local deer hide tannery to creating systems that the world's largest leather producers call 'the most significant innovation in leather in over 100 years'—this journey has been incredible. These awards recognize both our technical achievements and our business success in bringing New Zealand innovation to a global industry."
Judges praised Mindhive Global's proprietary vision system that identifies defects in cow hides within seconds, combining machine learning, image recognition and industrial hardware to deliver both technical innovation and commercial success. The company was highlighted as exemplary in pivoting strategy and achieving strong product-market fit while disrupting a millennia-old industry.
Mindhive's wet-blue leather grading system, Mindhive BlueSelect™, inspects and classifies hides within seconds, processing up to 360 hides per hour with over 91% accuracy—far exceeding human capabilities. The technology maps defects across 30+ defect classes, ensuring consistent, high-quality results while detecting and classifying various types of hide defects.
The company has successfully deployed its technology in leading tanneries across nine countries, including major contracts with JBS Couros, the world's largest leather processing company, and Bader Group. JBS Couros recently announced plans to roll out Mindhive Global's system across 13 sites in Brazil.
Beginning in New Zealand with local tanneries, Mindhive Global set its sights on the global market from day one. The company's story exemplifies Kiwi ingenuity on the world stage, having secured landmark contracts with some of the world's largest leather producers.
Mindhive Global was also a finalist in the Braemac Most Innovative Hi-Tech Manufacturer of the Year category at this year's awards. As a FernMark Licensee, the company proudly represents New Zealand innovation and quality to the world.
About the NZ Hi-Tech Awards
The NZ Hi-Tech Awards celebrate New Zealand's most successful high-tech companies and highest achieving individuals. Now in their 30th year, the Awards recognize the companies and individuals who are building world-class businesses, creating jobs, and generating significant export earnings for New Zealand.