It started with a stellar field of entrants, then thirty-one outstanding finalists – all building up to last night's 2018 New Zealand International Business Awards gala dinner. Check out the outstanding businesses recognised this year for taking the very best of New Zealand to the world, including our supreme winner for 2018.

Experience all the action from the New Zealand International Business Awards gala dinner last week, with our highlights reel featuring our speakers, masters of ceremony and award winners taking the stage on the night.

The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will come into force on 30 December – and among the 11 countries covered are four involving New Zealand's first trade deal: Japan, Canada, Mexico and Peru. Learn more about what exporters can expect from day one in these markets, plus broader CPTPP benefits for our tech and services sectors.

INCOTERMS are a vital tool for determining buyers' and sellers' responsibilities in international trade – and it's important to use them correctly to protect your business from risk. This ExportNZ morning workshop is a must for anyone involved in international trade, whether you're new to overseas sales or a seasoned exporter wanting to get up to speed with the latest INCOTERMS changes.

Inventors and visionaries, product managers and functional specialists are invited to the two-day Ag Innovations Bootcamp at Mystery Creek, Hamilton – an intensive workshop on building business cases, prototyping and validating ideas, and converting them into agricultural or ag-tech products or services that meet real market needs. Speakers include Flossie founder and 2016 Innovation Awards winner Jenene Crossan, and comedian, author and NZTE General Manager Projects David Downs.

ExportNZ's Export Excelerator conference returns on 7 December in Auckland, with a friendly team of elite exporters (including winners and finalists from the last decade of ExportNZ Awards) delivering more insights and tips than you can shake a stick at – all in four hours. Spaces are limited so register now to secure your spot.

When you only get a minute, it’s good to know you can make it count. Build a winning pitch, and grow faster internationally, with Export Essentials Workshops from NZTE. Get in quick for the last Auckland workshop of the year, starting 21 November – or check out the full nationwide schedule and lock in a spot in your preferred location in 2019.

The New Zealand business that's been quietly lending a hand to Uber, Domino's and other corporate giants officially launched out of stealth mode on 6 November – with US$10 million in Series A funding secured to take its demand-prediction platform to new heights in the US market.

Auckland-based Autogrow has big plans in the Californian produce market, on top of 45 existing export destinations for for its high-tech growing systems. And it's also aiming to be the first business worldwide to let growers talk to their plants – and get useful answers – by developing virtual avatars that use AI and voice recognition technology to give direct advice on crop performance and health.