Last night I had the deep privilege of MC’ing the 2025 NSW Pearcey Awards, an evening that never fails to lift my spirits and renew my faith in the power of Australian innovation.
As you may know, I first won the NSW Pearcey Entrepreneur Award back in 2012, and since 2017 I’ve been honoured to host the ceremony. Every time I take that stage I feel the weight and the joy of the community gathering — the brilliant minds, the risk-takers, the dreamers, the mentors who quietly support behind the scenes.
Meet the Finalists
This year’s finalists were nothing short of extraordinary. The vision, the technical depth, and the persistence across fields like AI, deep tech, digital inclusion and climate innovation compelled me. It’s not easy to stand out — and each of them did.
Congratulations to Michael De Nil, David Doral, Steven Frisken, Cate Hull and Richard Kimber for being selected as finalists.
And the Winner is…
I’m especially delighted to congratulate Rory San Miguel, this year’s NSW Pearcey Entrepreneur of the Year — a self-described “robot nerd turned drone lover turned CEO/cofounder.” Rory is the visionary behind Propeller Aero, a company revolutionising site surveying in construction and mining through drone-enabled analytics.
Propeller’s platform integrates drone imagery, ground control technology and cloud-based analysis to allow teams to measure, model and manage worksites with unprecedented ease. Under Rory’s leadership, the company has grown from a start-up in Sydney to a global business with operations across Australia and the US, and partnerships with industry leaders like DJI and Trimble.
Rory’s story embodies what the Pearcey Awards are all about: courage, innovation and the drive to create real-world impact. It’s a brilliant reminder that when engineering meets imagination — and when purpose meets persistence — extraordinary things happen.
The Next Gen
I also want to pay tribute to our Next Generation pitching finalists. Watching early-stage founders step up, pitch under pressure, and invite feedback is one of my favourite parts of the evening. They are the seeds of tomorrow’s breakthroughs — and supporting them, lifting them, scaling mentorship — that is how we make an ecosystem that endures.
To the Pearcey Foundation, the judging panel, the sponsors — especially Macquarie, The Next Generation and ACS — and everyone behind the scenes: thank you. Your commitment ensures this night is more than a ceremony; it is a moment of collective uplift for the ICT and innovation sector in NSW.
To all the finalists, and especially to our winner Rory — your work is already shaping Australia’s digital, equitable future. I am proud to stand with you.
Each year I leave that stage with the same thought: innovation is not just about what we build, but who we empower to build it. May we keep creating spaces for diverse voices, daring ideas, and generous mentorship.
Until next year: keep dreaming boldly, connecting bravely, leading with purpose.
