Canva co-founder and chief executive Melanie Perkins has taken out the top award at the 2015 NSW Technology Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

Perkins took out the overall Technology Entrepreneur of the Year award in recognition of her ‘entrepreneurial endeavours and role model qualities'.

James Spenceley, Vocus chief executive was one of seven other founders of technology businesses named winners on the night.

NSW Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Victor Dominello presented the awards.

“This year's winners represent the fabulous talent that exists in our country,” Dominello says.

“They have been extremely successful, taking different paths to build global businesses, but in the process maintaining their Australian roots and heritage.

“They prove Australian innovation and entrepreneurship is very much alive and well,” he adds.

Rolf Hansen, Thomas Enge, Christian Magel and Andreas Perreiter of Amaysim; Chris and Julie Vonwiller of Appen and Fifth Quadrant's Catriona Wallace also received Winner awards.

Also collecting winner awards were David Viteck and Roby Sharon-Zipser of HiPages, Leon Kamenev and Dan Katz of Menulog and Matt Symons and Greg Symons of SocietyOne.

Perkins founded online graphic design marketplace Canva and this year raised $21 million for Canva with investors including high profile individuals and funds in Silicon Valley and Australia.

The judges comments note: “An excellent role model for female entrepreneurs, Canva is Melanie's second venture. Her first, Fusion Books, an online design system for schools to create their yearbooks, is now the largest yearbook publisher in Australia and recently expanded to France and New Zealand.