Young Innovator Awards
The 2023 winners have been announced!
A massive congratulations to our Senior, Junior and Intermediate division winners, the Category Award winners and the People's Choice winners! Keep on innovating!
Check out the winners HERE.
The yia! Awards are an annual innovation programme offered to intermediate and secondary school-aged rangatahi in the Western Bay of Plenty region.
The programme allows rangatahi to experience Design Thinking , embrace their big ideas, grow future-proof skills and resilience, and prepare for the Future of Work.
What's the challenge?
The challenge is to come up with an innovative product or service. It can be an original idea, or you can adapt your entry from other in-school projects or competitions (e.g. technology/science/business, YES). You can enter individually or as a team of up to five students from your school or other Instep schools.

2023 —
Key dates
28th April
Registrations Open
19th May
yia! workshop with Datacom
28th July
Entries Close
14th August
People's Choice voting opens
30th August
Finalist Workshop
6th September
Awards Night
Partner with us
yia! programme sponsors are offered a unique opportunity to have a positive impact on our communities, supporting young people and providing them with the resources they need to succeed. It's an excellent way to give back to the community while showcasing your brand, business and ideas to the wider community.