2024 AmCham-DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards

Toku Inc takes out supreme award at the 25th AmCham - DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards for companies doing business with the USA.

The 2024 AmCham - DHL Express Success & Innovation Gala Awards event was held tonight at the Pullman Hotel.

This was the twenty fifth year of the staging of these awards and yet again attendees learned about a group of exceptional New Zealand companies successfully growing trade, investment, education and tourism, links with the USA. Finalists included autonomous vehicles, Agri products, alcohol free drinks, technologies, special cameras, lifting and safety equipment, services, and tourism.

AmCham was delighted to welcome The Hon Judith Collins as the keynote speaker at the dinner as well as presenting the exporter and supreme awards.

The Supreme winner, Toku Inc, develops tools using AI and retinal photography to enable accessible healthcare for early and accurate diagnosis of health conditions.

Born from a son's response to a father’s health challenges, Toku is revolutionizing the field of preventable health early diagnosis. The eye-scanning approach is scientifically proven and highly scalable in a world full of camera phones, the team's go-to-market strategy is clear and highly leveraged, and the ability to bring diagnoses to the masses on a global scale is truly inspiring. This company is doing everything right in the view of the judges and stands on the threshold of world changing success. This is yet another successful company to come out of the Velocity programme at the University of Auckland.

Mark Foy, DHL Express Managing Director, New Zealand & Pacific Islands, expressed his pride in being a part of another remarkable AmCham Awards evening, emphasizing the significance of recognizing Kiwi companies that have achieved success in the USA. “Toku represents the epitome of the Kiwi success story, showcasing the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of businesses that continue to thrive in their trade with the U.S.A. We congratulate Toku and all the other winners of the evening, celebrating their well-deserved achievements."

The winners were:

Exporter of the Year to the USA – Technology Innovation - Toku Inc
Developers of tools using AI and retinal photography to enable accessible healthcare for early and accurate diagnosis of health conditions.

Exporter of the Year to the USA – Food & Beverage Innovation - Rockit Global Ltd
Growers, markets and exporters of a range of one-of-a-kind, perfectly-sized small apples.

Exporter of the Year to the USA – Manufacturing Innovation - Carac International Ltd
The company developed TrackGrip excavator track attachments as a solution to get tracked vehicles in and out of tough situations with ease.

Bilateral Connections with the USA - International Working Holidays Ltd
The company was formed in 2001 to help people take off for their Big O.E. throughout the world including to Camp America, Au Pair in America, Educare in America and 12 month 5 star resort placements in the USA. 

Investor of the Year to or from the USA - AgriZeroNZ
A partnership between the New Zealand government and major agribusiness companies - we're helping farmers reduce emissions while maintaining profitability and productivity.

Contribution to Tourism with the USA - Canuckiwi Ltd
Representation and consulting firm for the travel and tourism industry for Travel Oregon, Utah Office of Tourism, Travel Nevada, Discover New England, Visit Anchorage, Destination D.C and Grapevine, Texas.

Social Impact award - Kara Technologies Ltd
Technology company that designs sign language avatars (digital humans), that are responsible for translating a variety of media content such as Video, Audio, or Text into a signed language.

Supreme winner - Toku Inc

Stewart Germann Law Office received a Highly Commended certificate for their contribution to bilateral connections with the USA.

Winners of the above awards received an Economy Plus® Round Trip Ticket to the USA from United Airlines. The Supreme winner also received USD 5,000 worth of PR and Marketing Services in the US from SweeneyVesty, key introductions to VC’s, Economic Development agencies, and business leaders in the USA.

AmCham’s immediate past president, Jonathan Mason, won the 2024 AmCham Supporter of the Year award.

In addition to AmCham, DHL Express, United Airlines, the awards are supported by ANZ Bank, Auckland International Airport, Insprie Labs, Ironside McDonald Intellectual Property, Lockheed Martin New Zealand and SweeneyVesty. Media sponsor - The Business. Wine sponsor - Constellation Brands. Water sponsor - Oravida and our event partner Event Revolution.