Judging Innovation – BridgePoint Group’s Innovation Awards

What Caught the Judges Eye in BridgePoint Group’s 2021 Innovation Awards?

The standard of entries in this year’s BridgePoint Group 2021 Innovation Awards was quite astounding. The winners stood out from the rest by the slimmest of margins. We delve into what each of the winning companies did that really encapsulated the purpose of the awards – outstanding innovation. 

Best Innovation from a Start-Up was won by GemKom, an agritech business dedicated to changing current farming models, with the booming cannabinoid market their focus. They are implementing sustainable, low energy and resource smart-farming methods in a climate-controlled environment to produce female flowers with specific trait genetics.

Innovation Judge, BridgePoint Group’s  Alan Baghdasarayan commented that GemKom’s innovation stood out because they have embarked upon a monumental project. A project that could transform Australian farming models. Looking at every step of the way from the laboratory, to being highly consistent with active-ingredient levels in a specialised facility. They’re currently developing and producing precision pharmaceutical grade crops to an ever-expanding global cannabinoid pharmaceutical market. Having such an audacious goal, in a rapidly growing global market means they are poised to really reap the rewards of their innovation in the medium to long term.

Judge Marco Tallarida, from Bproduct.com.au, highlights what he thought set GemKom apart:

“The way GemKom has used technological know-how in getting the formula production process right. Being able to be incredibly precise in their cannabinoid production model will provide an uplift in the medicinal uses of cannabinoid. Creating that uplift then has positive effects on the economy. GemKom has brought together information and insights from a scientific, agricultural and pharmaceutical perspective. Bringing smart farming, sustainability and scientific vigour will bring the cannabinoid sector to a new level and it is innovation at its core. There is excellent structure around their practices.”

Winner of Best Innovation from a Small Business was Andi Health. Challenging reactive health care, Andi Health aims to put your preventative health care in your pocket, literally. 

Alan thought Andi’s innovation stood out as it focuses purely on the end-user’s experience. “It does its best to make the customer experience as easy as possible. This is achieved by creating an easy-to-use digital interface, allowing users to manage their best health outcomes. It offers access to health professionals to help you every step of the way. No longer do you need a handful of different apps and specialty devices. Andi has emerged as a one-stop-shop that also includes 1-on-1 health coaching, health monitoring devices and combines those elements to provide tailored health programs for users. Their belief is that prevention is the best cure and that innovative approach made them well deserved winners in this year’s awards.”

Judging innovation is no easy task and Marco thought that Andi Health’s use of data was intriguing. “The holistic approach to accumulating your health data from their devices, which then feed into specific programs which monitor your health is clever. It also goes to show that you can’t improve what you can’t track. By combining this tailored approach, it gives users the power and opportunity to use that data to improve health. The commercial approach is very innovative as well. I look forward to seeing Andi Health empowering people’s health care options.”

The winner of the 2021 Best Innovation from an established business is Coffee Roasters, Pablo & Rusty.

Alan’s comments on why Pablo & Rusty’s Coffee Roasters took out the award. 

“Pablo & Rusty’s innovation highlighted that even in a centuries old field, coffee, there is still R&D that can be done to further improve a product and refine a process. The nitro-brew coffee range really stands out, as does their focus on environmental sustainability. The use of inert nitrogen gas, cold and flash brewing and packaging coffee into cans has opened up the ways consumers can enjoy their product. Coffee is now a cool summer drink alternative.”

Marco liked how Pablo & Rusty’s has been able to position themselves with sustainability in how they source their coffee beans, the packaging used and a stance of sustainability right throughout all parts of the business. “They’ve created a sustainable mindset from the top down in the organisation. They operate as a carbon neutral business and are embedded in the environmental sustainability space. The organisation invests in rebuilding biodiversity hotspots and eliminating coffee supply chain waste. It’s that mindset that sets them apart, in a very competitive market.”

At BridgePoint Group, we recognise the importance of innovation through our annual Innovation Awards. The tweak that makes the ordinary extraordinary. The pivot that turns a thought bubble into an incredible opportunity. Innovation is the key driver in a company’s success. We love to call out innovation and shine the spotlight on it that it thoroughly deserves. If you would like your business to be involved in the 2022 Innovation Awards please reach out to Alan Baghdasarayanon 0418 957 003 or email alan@bridgepointgroup.com.au