About the awards

David, an unassuming young man, conquered the giant Goliath using only his shrewdness, five carefully chosen river stones and a simple slingshot. In the same way, New Zealand’s entrepreneurial Davids often punch well above their weight.

While David was a young shepherd who in the eyes of most observers had little chance in his fight against Goliath, he had proven skills (he had previously fought off bears and lions with his bare hands!), he was prepared (he had the five smooth stones in his pocket), he refused to conform (he turned down the armour offered to him as it weighed him down) and he never had a moment’s doubt about the outcome of the battle.

It’s the age-old celebration of the underdog, of the triumph of belief and preparedness over strength and recognition, of how the “little guy” with experience and skill can exploit unseen weaknesses to overcome the “giant”.

In the context of The David Awards, David’s five stones represent Courage, Tenacity, Ingenuity, Excellence and Authenticity. These five qualities are what our entrepreneurial “Davids” have in spades!

The David Awards are aimed at the smaller end of the business sector in New Zealand. They are open to businesses with up to 10 full time employees (or equivalent) - though our Solo Meo category is specifically aimed at single-person businesses and there are a number of other categories recognising specific strengths and achievements.

So …

Does your business punch above its weight?

Are you ready to get the recognition and credibility you deserve?