Norwood Systems wins top Asia-Pacific AI tech award
Norwood Systems has secured the Industrial and Infrastructure Solutions Award at the 2025 Asia-Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) Awards for its Open Span Call Protect platform. This achievement marks the Western Australian firm's inaugural victory at the prestigious regional technology awards.
The Perth-based firm secured the accolade in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, with its AI-enabled Open Span Call Protect product. The platform focuses on the analysis of human-to-human communication within industrial, utilities, and infrastructure environments.
Chief Executive Officer Paul Ostergaard accepted the award on the final night of the programme. The company previously appeared as a finalist at the Asia-Pacific ICT Alliance Awards in 2014 and 2017.
Open Span Call Protect is an AI-powered conversational intelligence platform. The system uses a secure and sovereign technology foundation. Norwood positions the product for organisations that manage large-scale operational communications across critical infrastructure and industrial operations.
The recognition follows a strong run through Australian technology award circuits. Norwood secured its place at the Asia-Pacific event after winning the Research & Innovation (Industry) Award at the 34th INCITE Awards in Western Australia. It also received a Merit at the national iAwards held in Adelaide.
WAITTA, the Western Australian Innovation, Technology & Talent Alliance, runs the INCITE Awards and acts as the state's pathway into the regional competition. The organisation has promoted technology innovation in Western Australia since the early 1990s and supports education and industry collaboration programmes.
Jess Etheridge, WAITTA Board Director and Co-Chair of the 34th INCITE Awards programme, stated that the result underlined the inherent strength of the local sector.
'This is a major win for homegrown technology innovation, showing how Western Australian talent is leading the charge with world-class solutions that really make a difference,' stated the Board Director and Co-Chair of the 34th INCITE Awards programme at WAITTA.
Cameron Zivkovic, also Co-Chair of the 34th INCITE Awards and a WAITTA Board Director, highlighted Western Australia's position in AI-focused innovation. He said the result reflected broader momentum in the state's technology ecosystem.
'Not only is Western Australia's technology innovation ecosystem producing globally award-winning talent, but our people are at the front of the pack when it comes to AI. Congratulations Norwood Systems on this truly deserved global recognition.' said Zivkovic.
The Asia-Pacific ICT Alliance Awards is a regional, government-endorsed programme. It draws entries from 16 economies across the Asia-Pacific region and functions as a showcase for digital and technology products from member jurisdictions.
This year's awards attracted more than 260 nominations from 13 different member economies. Organisers recorded a strong contingent from Australia, which submitted a record number of entries.
Western Australia fielded three nominees at the event. Alongside Norwood Systems, Professor Ahmed Abu-Siada of Curtin University and Michella Hill of Edith Cowan University represented the state with the VION and NEONATE-in-VR projects respectively. Both Abu-Siada and Hill had received Merits at the INCITE Awards in July. They also secured Merits at the national iAwards, which are organised by the Australian Information Industry Association.
Neither Western Australian academic project secured a win at the Asia-Pacific ICT Alliance Awards in Kaohsiung; However, their inclusion contributed to a record year of participation for the state.
Australia's delegation produced several other award winners. Victoria-based MEQ and Tasmania's Southern Ocean Subsea each took gold awards in their categories. New South Wales' "What's On!" received a merit in what organisers described as a highly competitive programme.
The Asia-Pacific ICT Alliance selects finalists through national programmes in each member economy. In Australia, candidates come through pathways such as the INCITE Awards in Western Australia and the national iAwards. Winners and merit recipients at these events then progress to the regional judging process.
For Norwood Systems, the Industrial and Infrastructure Solutions Award marks its first regional win after two earlier appearances at the awards. The company now returns to Western Australia with an internationally recognised AI communications product and plans for further development of its Open Span Call Protect platform.
