(Host) We now come to the last award before the big one before the 2025 Australian exporter of the year award. It is now time for the last award of the evening for technologies.
This award is outstanding international success in the field of information technology, digital technologies, software, hardware or digital services. It includes solutions utilizing cloud-based platforms, artificial intelligence, machine learning, internet of things, augmented reality, autonomous systems, robotics, quantum, virtual reality, data collaboration and management tools, fintech, cyber security and/or blockchain with civilian defense, space and or industry applications. Now most of us that will go over our heads but for the people nominated for this award they know all about it and are experts not just here but in the world.
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Blacktree technology
Blacktree technology designs and manufactures mission critical satellite communication systems used by military and government organizations.
Cogito Group
Cogito Group provides managed cyber security solutions specializing in digital identity system integration and authentication.
Drone Shield
Drone Shield designs and manufactures best-in-class AIdriven solutions that detect and defeat unmanned threats such as drones.
Geo Neon
Geo Neon leverages advanced artificial intelligence, earth observation and data fusion to deliver actionable climate risk insights.
Megaport
Megaport provides on demand software defined connectivity solutions that simplify how businesses connect to cloud services, data centers, and networks.
MyVenue
MyVenue develops cloud-based point of sales software [music] for sports, entertainment, and hospitality venues, including stadiums, arenas, and convention centres.
PMY Group
PMY Group is a full service technology solutions provider specializing in enhancing venue and event technology globally.
Spee3D
Spee3D provides a high-speed affordable metal 3D printing technology using a rocket engine-like process to accelerate metal powder particles at high speeds.
(Matt Thistlethwaite – Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade) Good evening everyone. Congratulations to all of the wonderful Australian businesses who have been nominated for these very important awards tonight. If we were to sum up Australian business culture in a few words, I think that the founding director of PWR perfectly nailed it tonight when he said that they decided to have a crack at the motorsports industry and the Formula 1 area.
And all of the businesses tonight are certainly having a crack on the international stage. But you're not only doing that, you're also making a big difference. And we're very very proud as a government of your achievements. We often talk of your ideas, your innovation, and your hard work. So you should be very proud of your achievements tonight. And congratulations to all of the nominees.
The technologies award celebrates the extraordinary achievements of Australian companies who are shaping the future through innovation. This category recognizes outstanding international success in information technology, digital technology, software, hardware, and digital services. These are the pioneers driving global competitiveness, transforming industries, and proving that Australian innovation can lead the world. Tonight, we honour those who push the boundaries of what's possible through creativity, precision, and bold vision. And the winner of the technologies award is MyVenue.
(Scott Balka - MyVenue) Thank you for having us. My Venue is a a software engineering company that develops point of sale solutions for stadiums, arenas, convention centers, pubs, and cafes all over the world. I'm Scott Balka, the marketing manager. Uh beside me here is David Allegia, who's one of the co-founders and our CTO at my venue. Um, just want to start off with a couple of very quick thank yous.
Thank you to Autsrade for putting on a massive event. Things like this don't just happen. I know how much of a pain in the ass it is to organize a big event. So um also honourable senator Don Farrell I'm going to start thinking in my mind is Don is good because you joined us uh at the first awards what four years ago and that's when we won our emerging export awards here as well and that kind of really set us on our way to a pretty steep growth trajectory over only like three four years.
Um, Naralda, thank you. Um, you're a big vibe. Um, I think your energy matches everything that anyone who is exporting embodies and keeps on pushing their product out earlier. Um, also a big thank you for the 95 finalists in the room tonight. Uh, you're obviously a big part of the reason as to why Australia's brand's so strong on the international stage, number seven in the world.
Uh it definitely makes exporting a little bit easier when you're meeting someone for the first time and they think of an Australian. Um and last one, I will thank uh our long-suffering partners, any loved ones. Everyone who works in exports knows how uh challenging it can be to work around the clock to try and deliver for your customers, for your brand, and for your own well, for lack of a better term, self-esteem. um to doing the ungodly hours every day, whether it's a really cool late night trying to meet deadlines, sending off RFP tenders.
It's it's tough, but we persist. Um I mentioned it's a bit of a surreal moment for my venue. Three years ago, we won the emerging exports award. Two years ago, we won the small business export awards here. uh and now to be acknowledged in the tech category. Uh that that's really that's really special especially considering company was only launched five years ago in a in a home office uh with our CEO.
Um, today we power over 250 different sports entertainment venues across the world, including ENT and AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, Yankee Stadium where the Yankees play, the Miami F1 Grand Prix, Dodger Stadium, uh, home of the LA Dodgers that just won the MLB World Championship, and yeah, club LA. Um, and the Las Vegas sphere. Um, it it's pretty cool that every time someone in the US or North America buys a a beer or a hot dog or even a team jersey and and trust me, they buy a lot.
Uh, just a few US cents roll back into the Australian economy and that allows us to employ more and more local Australian software developers, QA specialists, IT support staff. Um it's really cool that we've got a team of about 40 here in Adelaide and about 25 of them are in the IT or STEM sector. Um thank you for embracing us. Thank you for recognizing us and uh thank you for supporting local innovation.
(Host) Congratulations. Congratulations. Now, um, what what has become, uh, apparent by your speech is that as you've scaled up, you haven't lost that ability to connect with the people that you're creating this technology for. Has that, is that key here? You know, no, no matter what um venue you're supplying, you still have that connection to them.
(Scott Balka – MyVenue) Yeah. As simple and as stupid as it is, if you listen actively and actually deliver on what you say you're going to do, it goes a long, long way. It's it's not rocket science. Um but just continuing to deliver rock up every single day. Um create things and we're obviously a fast growth company and a lot of companies in this room are you've got to very quickly come to terms with there might be mistakes but the mistakes don't matter. It's it's how quickly that you fix those mistakes and then double down on the innovation that you're trying to deliver. And that that's what really leaves a really positive taste in in um your customer's mouse. And I think Australia's got a really great reputation for that.
(Host) On the international stage, the time difference must be a challenge when you when you're dealing specifically with sporting events and other other events, concerts in other parts of the world. Uh and the time zones aren't really aligning.
(Scott Balka – MyVenue) Uh yeah, I mean is one of the benefits is that we do have a sport team here. Um 9:00 Adelaide time is usually when a basketball game kicks off at night. So it's not too bad, but when you're dealing with corporates, then you happen to have a meeting at the earliest at 11:00 p.m. often 3:00 for David.
Sometimes you're getting up for Wrigley Field or the Chicago Cubs or whoever it might be. These are big organizations and the the more that you feed into them, the more it feeds down into the local ecosystem. There's five major league sports or with 30 uh teams in that league. There's three tiers of college in the US. Word gets around if you if you produce the goods.
(Host) What is it like going to an event and seeing my venue in action and it's streamlined and it's humming away beautifully and people are happy and buying and probably relief that it works. Um uh as David would probably attest to. Um yeah, it's really cool. We're at the Miami F1.
Uh you got a thousand point of sale uh terminals deployed across an area that's equivalent to about 90 NFL football fields. Um you're serving 250,000 people over a very short period of time. If the tech doesn't work, people find out pretty quickly and they're pretty grumpy. Um so I think David seems led a a pretty good initiative in regards to creating robust uh technology that works if other things fail around us. So we're not relying on others. Um, but the reward is obviously immense. Um, being able to see people like just walk away with a pint of beer. It's like that was that was us.
(Host) Well, congratulations MyVenue. Please put your hands together.
Congratulations.
