NeX Automate Named Finalist for Innovator of the Year at the Australian Accounting Awards 2026

NextGen Group is proud to announce that NeX Automate — previously known across the industry as NexBot — has once again been named a Finalist for Innovator of the Year at the Australian Accounting Awards 2026. The team officially received the finalist trophy on Friday, 12 June 2026, and could not be more excited about what this milestone represents.

The Australian Accounting Awards is one of the most competitive and respected industry recognition programs in the country. Each year, thousands of submissions are received from across the accounting profession, and only the top 8 per cent progress to the finalist stage. Reaching that threshold places NeX Automate firmly among the leading innovators in Australian accounting — and that is not something the team takes lightly.

About the Award

The Australian Accounting Awards, hosted by Accountants Daily, is the profession’s most prestigious annual recognition program, celebrating the accountants, firms, and technologies reshaping the future of Australian accounting. The Innovator of the Year category recognises organisations that have demonstrated genuine, measurable innovation — through a new business model, a novel product or service, or an innovative strategy that has delivered real results for the profession.

The breakfast brought together the top tier of the accounting profession — finalists, industry leaders, and peers — in a celebration of excellence before the broader conference began. Held at the Grand Ballroom Foyer, Level 1, Hyatt Regency Sydney from 8:00 am to 9:00 am, the event combined a live DJ, a premium networking experience, professional photography with the finalist trophy, and access to a content concierge to help finalists amplify their recognition.

What This Means for NeX Automate

“Each year we receive thousands of submissions, yet only the top 8 per cent progress to the finalist stage. In real terms, this places you firmly among the leading accountants and firms in the country.”

— Accountants Daily

For NeX Automate, this recognition is more than an award — it is external validation from the accounting profession itself that the problem NeX Automate is solving matters, and that the solution being built is genuinely worthy of recognition at the highest level.

The accounting profession is in the middle of a significant shift. Regulatory complexity is increasing, particularly with AML/CTF Tranche 2 reform bringing new obligations to accounting and bookkeeping firms ahead of the 1 July 2026 deadline. Compliance workloads are growing, staff time is finite, and client expectations of speed, accuracy, and transparency are higher than ever.

NeX Automate was built to address this reality directly: purpose-built AI automation that handles the manual, repetitive compliance and document work so accounting professionals can focus on what they do best. Being named a finalist among thousands of submissions — reaching the top 8 per cent of the profession’s most innovative entrants — confirms that this approach is resonating at the highest level of the industry.

This is also a moment that belongs to NextGen Group as a whole. NeX Automate is one of six interconnected brands within the NextGen Group ecosystem, and this recognition reflects the organisation’s broader commitment to building technology that genuinely transforms how the accounting profession operates.

The People Behind NeX Automate

Awards are won by teams, and this recognition belongs to every person who has contributed to NeX Automate.

Massive congratulations and special recognition go to the NeX Automate team for their continuous efforts, commitment, and the countless hours spent developing, improving, and scaling the platform. Their hard work has played a major role in making NeX Automate successful and operational across multiple projects and solutions. The technical leadership, the day-to-day problem-solving, and the determination to push through complexity all carry this recognition forward.

Big applause to the entire team for continuously pushing boundaries, initiating new developments, and striving for excellence every single day. They are building something the Australian accounting profession genuinely needs — and doing it with the kind of commitment that earns recognition like this.

What NeX Automate Does

NeX Automate is an AI-powered automation platform built specifically for Australian accounting firms. The platform addresses the manual, repetitive work that slows accounting practices — spanning client verification, AML/CTF compliance, workpapers, document processing, and tax workflow automation — so firms can focus on delivering value to their clients.

Beyond these flagship automators, NeX Automate is operational across multiple projects and solutions, including ASIC document retrieval, payroll and STP processing, and BAS data preparation. The platform is priced at $25 per hour of bot runtime — usage-based, with no idle licence fees — making professional automation accessible to practices of every size.

What Comes Next

This is only the beginning. The NeX Automate team has a significant pipeline of new projects in development, new bot capabilities being built, and new accounting firm workflows being scoped for automation. There is still a lot to achieve, and the momentum the team has created is incredible.

NextGen Group is proud of what is being built together — and the team is just getting started.

At a Glance

Learn More About NeX Automate

Accounting firms interested in exploring how NeX Automate can help them automate compliance and streamline their operations are encouraged to visit the NeX Automate website or request a demonstration.

With the AML/CTF compliance deadline of 1 July 2026 approaching, the time to act is now. NeX Automate is available today.

• Discover NeX Automate — nexautomate.com.au
• NextGen Group — nextgenteam.com.au