Western Australian Technology
Hall Of Fame

Event & Context

First WA IT Awards

Held as part of ACS Branch Conference. 4 categories, 1 sponsor, 4 judges, 110 attendees. Jim Ellis OAM as inaugural Chair & MC. Same year the internet was born. Chief Judge: Prof Jeff Rohl (inaugural, from 1991)

1991 WINNERS

• Achiever: Keith Melville, Perth City Council
• Exporter: Atlas Software
• Installation: Dept of Land Administration
• Product: DBR for Natural Resource Conversion

Event & Context

2nd WA IT Awards

106 attendees, Esplanade Hotel Fremantle.

1992 Winners

• Achiever: Colin Yow, Y-Micro
• Educational: John Patterson, Curtin University
• Exporter: Comsys International
• Product: SECWA for OS/2 DFIS System

Event & Context

3rd WA IT Awards

Atrium Hotel, Mandurah.

1993 Winners

• Achiever: Professor Tony Watson
• Exporter & Product: Vector International for Macroview
• Installation: St John's Ambulance
• Student: ECU Bunbury for Blossom

Event & Context

First standalone event

154 attendees including Governor General Michael Jeffery. Langley Hotel.

1994 Winners

• Achiever: Jeff Mansell
• Exporter: Stanilite Electronics
• Installation: Dept of Minerals & Energy for Tengraph
• Product: Functional Software

Event & Context

5th WA IT Awards

Novotel Langley Hotel.

1995 Winners

• Achiever: Associate Professor Dennis Moore
• Education: PC Genesis
• Exporter & Product: Future Technology Resources
• Installation: Bunnings

Event & Context

9th Awards — first multimedia ceremony

Edith Cowan University delivers WA's first multimedia-led ceremony. Telco category added. Professor Walter Green joins as judge. This is also the year WAITA expands to include Telecommunications, becoming WAITTA.

1996 Winners

• Achiever: Ron Hutchinson, ESRI Australia
• Exporter: Io Research for Bitwalker 3
• Product: Travelsoft Systems for Qantas Itinerary Mgmt

Event & Context

7th Awards

Parmelia Hilton, 200+ attendees.

1997 Winners

• Achiever: Joseph Wong, CCK Treasury Systems
• Education: Natalie Simeons & Kate Rose-Rogers, Curtin University
• Exporter & Product: CCK Treasury Systems for Infinity

Event & Context

WA IT & T Awards — 10 categories

Program expands to reflect sector growth.

1998 Winners

• Achiever: Hugh Beggs, Alphawest
• Exporter: Fundi for IMSPA
• Product: Edith Cowan University for Fireball
• Telecoms: Aries Australia for Phonecontrol

Event & Context

Record number of entries

Hyatt Regency, nearly 400 attendees.

1999 Winners

• Achiever: Antonio Cantoni
• Exporter: Maptek for Vulcan Spatial Modelling
• Product: AlphaWest for ProdTrak (joint) / State Revenue Dept

Event & Context

Over 400 attendees — record · Y2K era · Sybil Burman confirmed as Chief Judge

Burswood Convention Centre. The sector has navigated Y2K. Sybil Burman now serving as Chief Judge — the same year Professor Jeff Rohl wins Achiever of the Year.

2000 Winners

• Achiever: Emeritus Professor Jeff Rohl
• E-Commerce: iNature & Telstra for reiwa.com
• Product: Lasata Software for Vision Enterprise

Event & Context

65 submissions

Burswood Convention Centre, 361 attendees.

2001 Winners

• Achiever: Steve Pretzel
• Exporter: PIVoD Technologies
• Online: HBF for AskTed
• Product: Fun-Ed for eVac-U8!

Event & Context

97 submissions

Burswood Convention Centre, 440 attendees.

2002 Winners

• Achiever: Mal Bryce
• Innovation: Secure Systems for Silicon Data Vault
• Product & Exporter: CommTech Wireless for BASEPage2000

Event & Context

Jim Ellis OAM steps down as Chair

412 attendees, held at Burswood Convention Centre. Mike Coles becomes chair (until 2012).

2003 Winners

• Achiever: Michael Malone, iiNet
• Innovation: Cortec Systems for Freeway
• Product: Empired for Bigredsky

Event & Context

Hyatt Regency, 369 attendees.

2004 Winners

• Achiever: Peter Brown, Westnet
• Innovation & Online & Product: Amristar Solutions for iDelve

Event & Context

414 attendees

Burswood Convention Centre.

2005 Winners

• Achiever: Nathan Buzza, CommtechWireless
• Innovation: Thumtronics for The Thummer
• Product: iTech Consulting for ReadOn

Event & Context

Moodle wins international recognition

359 attendees, Burswood.

2006 Winners

• Achiever: Garry Trinder, Edith Cowan University
• Exporter & Online: Moodle
• Product: Lectopia — University of Western Australia

Event & Context

Jim Ellis OAM wins Achiever of his the awards program he founded

344 attendees.

2007 Winners

• Achiever: Jim Ellis OAM
• Innovation: Sensear for SP1 & SP1x SENS® Technology
• Exporter & Product: Fundi Software

Event & Context

330 attendees, first time a woman is named Achiever of the Year in Dr Helen Armstong

Burswood Convention Centre.

2008 Winners

• Achiever: Dr Helen Armstrong
• Innovation: Stochastic Simulation for Stochastic Reservoir Engine
• Product: Snowden Technologies for Reconcilor

Event & Context

First time two winners are named winners for one category (innovation)

Burswood Entertainment Complex, 284 attendees.

2009 Winners

• Achiever: Gail Short
• Innovation (joint winners): DDD (TriDef 3D) & NearMap
• Product: iiNet for BoB

Event & Context

iAwards pathway first introduced

Burswood, 288 attendees. First year winners receive automatic iAwards entry.

2010 Winners

• Achiever: Professor Craig Valli, Edith Cowan University
• Innovation: Curtin University for iPortfolio
• Security: iWebGate for DMZ in a Box

Event & Context

398 attendees — 20th edition of the WAITTA Awards

Hyatt Regency Perth Grand Ballroom. Arnold Wong becomes Chair.

2011 Winners

• Achiever: John Stockbridge
• CIO of Year: Craig Ward, WA Police
• Innovation: Transmin for Rocklogic
• Product: SEQTA Software

Event & Context

448 attendees — 21st Awards (2011–2012) · International pathway to Asia-Pacific ICT Alliance Awards formalised

Hyatt Regency

2012 Winners

• Achiever: David Mierowsky
  
  Resources: ITC Global for BHP Billiton IROC

Event & Context

Rebranded: INCITE Awards. Sue Findlay becomes Chair. New WAITTA Awards brand launched - the INCITE Awards.

Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre, 433 attendees.

2013 Winners

• Achiever: David Mierowsky, Fundi Software
• Young Achiever: Marjan Zia Khodadadian, BankWest
• CIO: Vito Forte, Fortescue Metals Group
• Govt: Ajilon & WA Police for PJIE

Event & Context

19 categories · 63 judges · ~435 attendees

23rd Awards (2013–2014). Two WA teams win at APICTA, another takes Merit.

2014 Winners

• Achiever: Professor Andrew Rohl, Curtin University
• New Product & Industry: Norwood Systems

Event & Context

Growing sector representation

Achiever, Entrepreneur, CIO and multiple product categories.

2015 Winners

• Achiever: Simon Chan, Radlink Communications
• ICT Entrepreneur: Clinton House, InHouse Group
• CIO: David Dans, Landgate
• Startup: Virtuallis

Event & Context

25 years — WAITTA independent from ACS

Notable win: WA Police & Australia Post reduce National Police Check wait time from 5 days to 30 minutes. Considered for national adoption.

2016 Winners

• Achiever: Dr Kate Raynes-Goldie
• Ministers Award: Reflex
• Effective Govt: Australia Post & WA Police for National Police Check
• Startup: Family Zone
• Disruptive Tech: Nuheara

Event & Context

Pearcey Foundation Award — inaugural year · Continued international footprint

Inaugural Pearcey Foundation Entrepreneur Award presented — 10th year of the program being delivered in WA. First winner: Matthew MacFarlane of Vibe Capital.

2017 Winners

• Achiever: Dr Vivienne Conway
• Pearcey (inaugural award): Matthew Macfarlane, Vibe Capital
• Disruptive Tech: Fastbricks Robotics
• Effective Platform: NGIS Australia & CSBP

Event & Context

Hall of Fame introduced

Agworld, Clicksend, HealthEngine, Seqta inducted.

2018 Winners

• Achiever: Professor Yogi Kanagasingam
• Mal Bryce Tech Company: HealthEngine
• Pearcey: Mark Andrich
• Research & Innovation: Thales
• Startup: Swan Systems

Event & Context

Strong health tech showing

Royal Flying Doctors WA wins Mal Bryce Tech Company.

2019 Winners

• Achiever: Derek Gerrard
• Mal Bryce Tech Company: Royal Flying Doctors WA
• Pearcey: Robert Nathan
• Research & Innovation: Noisy Guts
• Startup: Alerte

Event & Context

INCITE goes virtual — COVID-19

All categories online. SpaceDraft wins Startup of the Year. Long-time WAITTA member and judge Dr Bob Cross named Achiever of the Year.

2020 Winners

• Achiever: Dr Bob Cross
• Innovating Govt: Node One Internet
• Social Impact & Smarter Communities: Intellicare
• Transformative Business: TOKN
• Startup: SpaceDraft
• Peter Fillery: Dior Etherton, ECU

Event & Context

30th anniversary — gala returns in person

2021 Winners — 30th INCITE Awards

• Achiever Of The Year: Peter Rossdeutstcher, Atomic Sky Pty Ltd
• Dr Mal Bryce WA Tech Company: Vix Technology
• Pearcey Western Australia Entrepreneur: Mr Charlie Gunningham
• Social Impact Award: What The Doctor Said
• Research & Innovation Industry: Avicena Systems Pty Ltd
• Research & Innovation Postgraduate: Sanjay Sharma And Auden Sehovic From Edith Cowan University, School Of Science
• Startup Of The Year: Avicena Systems Pty Ltd
• Innovating Government Award: East Metropolitan Health Service
• Transformative Solutions: Avicena Systems Pty Ltd
• Peter Fillery Undergraduate Tertiary Student Project: Alexander Von Perger From Curtin University And Barminco

Event & Context

Farewell Gerry Gannon — 20+ years as MC of the 'Logies of IT'

2022 Winners — 31st INCITE Awards

• Achiever Of The Year: Sheryl Frame
• Dr Mal Bryce WA Tech Company: Aqura Technologies
• Pearcey Western Australia Entrepreneur: Mahmood Hussein
• Social Impact Award: Neurotologix
• Research & Innovation Industry: Edith Cowan University
• Research & Innovation Post-Graduate: University Of Western Australia
• Startup Of The Year: Assuro
• Innovating Government Award: Marble Bar Virtual Worlds
• Transformative Solutions: Pentanet
• Peter Fillery Undergraduate Tertiary Student Project: Deloitte & Curtin University

Event & Context

Marble Bar wins APICTA Gold — Pakistan

Marble Bar Virtual World (Marble Bar Primary + Nyamal Elders + Airborne IT): INCITE → iAwards Digital Govt → APICTA Gold in Pakistan.

2023 Winners — 32nd INCITE Awards

• Achiever Of The Year: Dr David Cook
• Dr Mal Bryce WA Tech Company: Global Drone Solutions
• Pearcey Western Australia Entrepreneur: Pia Turcinov AM
• Digital Inclusion - Connected State Award: Airborne IT
• Social Impact Award: Ascend Health Group
• Research & Innovation Industry: Xsights Digital
• Research & Innovation Post-Graduate: University Of Western Australia
• Startup Of The Year: Conifr Technologies
• Innovating Government Award: Edith Cowan University
• Transformative Solutions: Edith Cowan University
• Peter Fillery Undergraduate Tertiary Student Project: Curtin University

Event & Context

INCITE reboots in earnest and paves a path to the 35th milestone year

VetChip wins iAwards National Chief Judge Award. Containers for Change WA competes at APICTA in Brunei.

Honorary Awards

• Assoc. Professor Dr Parwinder Kaur — Achiever of the Year (Sponsored by WAITTA)
• Radlink Communications — Dr Mal Bryce WA Tech Company of the Year (Sponsored by WAITTA)
• Switched on Seniors — Connected State Digital Inclusion Award (Sponsored by the Office of Digital Government WA)
• Peter Van Der Made — Pearcey WA Entrepreneur of the Year (Sponsored by the Pearcey Foundation)

Innovating Government
Sponsored by the Office of Digital Government Western Australia

• Edith Cowan University — ParaVerse — WINNER
• Horizon Power — Demand & Energy Forecasting Tool — MERIT

Transformative Solutions
Sponsored by Kinetic IT

• NGIS Australia — TraceMark Sustainable Sourcing — WINNER
• Innovative Energy Solutions (IES) — ASCR — MERIT
• SpaceDraft — SpaceDraft — MERIT

Peter Fillery Undergraduate Tertiary Student Project of the Year
Sponsored by the Australian Computer Society

• Edith Cowan University — Vulnerable Machines — WINNER

Research & Innovation (Post-Graduate)
Sponsored by NRI Australia & New Zealand

• Edith Cowan University — Water Twins — WINNER

Research & Innovation (Industry)
Sponsored by NRI Australia & New Zealand

• VetChip — VetChip — WINNER
• Clear Carbon — End-to-end emission monitoring, management and reporting platform — MERIT
• Pawsey Supercomputing Centre — Quantum Computing Innovation Hub — MERIT

City of Perth Social Impact
Sponsored by City of Perth

• Curtin University — Healthy Connections — WINNER
• Containers for Change — Collect — MERIT
• Earflo — Earflo — MERIT

Startup of the Year
Presented by Startup WA

• Earflo — Earflo — WINNER
• Clear Carbon — Clear Carbon — MERIT

Event & Context

Norwood Systems wins APICTA Gold

Women in Technology WA past co-chairs Tina Ambrose and Kay Hargreaves named joint winners of Achiever of the Year. 6 WA wins & merits at national iAwards. Three WA projects on the world stage. Norwood Systems wins Gold for Industrial Technology at APICTA.

Honorary Awards

• Tina Ambrose & Kay Hargreaves — 2025 Achievers of the Year

Dr Mal Bryce WA Tech Company of the Year

• Norwood Systems — WINNER

2025 Digital Inclusion Award

• Ember Connect — WINNER

2025 Pearcey WA Entrepreneur of the Year

• Chris Morrissey — WINNER

Innovating Government
Sponsored by the Office of Digital Government Western Australia

• Asset Engine — WINNER
• Child & Adolescent Health Service — MERLIN — MERIT

City of Perth Social Impact
Sponsored by City of Perth

• Kawu Palya — Your Health, Your Story (Healthy Connections, Curtin University) — WINNER
• Ember Connect — MERIT

Sustainability & Environmental Impact
Sponsored by Kinetic IT

• Clear Carbon — WINNER
• Professor Ahmed Abu-Siada, Curtin University - ViON — MERIT

Startup of the Year
Presented by Startup WA

• Li-ion Energy — WINNER
• Clear Carbon — MERIT

Research & Innovation (Industry)
Sponsored by NRI Australia & New Zealand

• Norwood Systems — OpenSpan™ Call Protect — WINNER
• Clear Carbon — End-to-end emission monitoring, management and reporting platform — MERIT
• Pawsey Supercomputing Centre — QBit Bridge — MERIT

Research & Innovation (Post-Graduate)
Sponsored by M&T Resources

• Ying Li (Curtin University) — AI-automated phonetic transcription for clinical application — WINNER
• Dr Michella Hill (Edith Cowan University) — NEONATE-in-VR — MERIT

Emerging Leader
Sponsored by the Australian Computer Society

• Cody Dalliston (Curtin University) — ROBORIGGER Remote Release Hook — WINNER
• Jade Woods & Lucy Boulos (Curtin University) — AnatoView — MERIT

Event & Context

35th milestone — record nominations

100+ nominations — a new record for the 35-year program. Celebrating Western Australian excellence in technology innovation. Envisioning the road to 40 years and beyond.

2026 Winners

• To be announced!