Esolar Wins Most Outstanding Established Business at the 2026 David Awards
Esolar has been named Most Outstanding Established Business at The David Awards 2026, one of New Zealand's longest-running small business awards.
The winners were announced on 8 October at GridAKL in Auckland, with the event livestreamed to finalists around the country. We watched it from home in Nelson with our fellow Nelson Tasman finalists, and the room erupted when they called our name.
We were also proud to be a finalist for Most Innovative Business. That category was won by Goover, founded by Frank Witowski, Lance's original business partner at Esolar. It was a great night for Nelson Tasman, and a lovely full-circle moment for us.
Lance & Alex Double pictured with Frank Witowski, Goover
About The David Awards
The David Awards began in 2008 to celebrate New Zealand's small businesses, the "Davids" who take on the Goliaths. Entrants are judged on five qualities: courage, tenacity, ingenuity, excellence and authenticity.
This year's field was the strongest yet. Entries were up nearly 40 percent on 2025, and the judges described the standard as the highest they had seen. From 19 national finalists, six category winners were chosen, along with a Supreme Winner and a People's Choice Award.
To be recognised in that company, in a tough economic year, means a great deal to our whole team.
Built over 17 years
Lance and Frank started the business in 2009, when solar in New Zealand was still met with plenty of skepticism. Lance bought Frank out in 2016 and kept building, and I joined the business in 2018. Today we're a family-run team of 11, based in Appleby, Nelson.
What "established" means to us is simple: we've stuck to the same principles from day one.
Education over sales. We'd rather help you understand your options than push a system you don't need.
Quality that lasts. Premium, ethically sourced products, installed properly by qualified electricians.
Growing our own people. Four of our team have completed their electrical apprenticeships with us and now specialise in renewable energy.
Serving our community. From off-grid homes on the West Coast to council community halls built to keep running when the grid goes down.
This award comes just weeks after we were named Best Medium Business at the 2026 SEANZ Industry Awards. It's been quite the spring.
Thank you
To our team: this one is yours. Every design, install, phone call and site visit adds up to awards like this.
Thank you to NZBusiness, principal sponsor Voyager Internet, and the judging panel for championing small business. Congratulations to Supreme Winner Study Nook, to Goover and our other Nelson Tasman friends Clean Break and Pete's Natural Sodas, and to every finalist.
And to our clients across Nelson, Tasman, Marlborough and the West Coast, thank you for trusting a local, family-run business with your energy future.
