The Wanaka-raised, Massey University industrial design graduate, is one of three finalists in the James Dyson Award, an annual competition which recognises emerging designers with innovative solutions to everyday problems.
He designed the lawn mower, Dash, during his final year at Massey and said the initial inspiration came from wanting to reduce the air pollution traditional lawn mowers contributed - up to 5% per year in the US.
"I thought that was quite a lot for something we use so infrequently," he said.
The domestic mower, designed for use in smaller urban properties, was powered by solar panels and a rechargeable battery.
It could be charged in four hours, with a 45-minute running time, and included an internal mulching system to turn clippings into lawn fertiliser.
Head judge and Designers Institute of New Zealand professional member David Lovegrove, said it was a "well presented and researched concept" and he was pleased to see sustainability had been considered.
The James Dyson Award was "highly regarded" within the industry and it provided "good exposure", Mr Smith said.
Joining him in the national final were Nicholas Couch, of Auckland, who designed a recyclable, bare-foot running shoe, and Cameron Lightfoot, of Auckland, who designed a prosthetic leg which used magnets to provide amputees greater flexibility and a more comfortable walking experience.
While his selection out of 30 entries was "a bit out of the blue", Mr Smith was looking forward to making the most of his trip to Auckland for final judging and announcement of the winner tomorrow.
The winner will travel to the UK to visit Dyson and meet London's top product and design companies.
Also, they will earn a $3000 cash prize for travel, plus a fee package from the Intellectual Property Office of NZ, $3000 of legal fees from Farry.Co, and a Dyson vacuum cleaner.
The three national finalists, along with seven other New Zealand entries, will be judged online for the international competition, the winner of which will receive, with their university, a total prize fund of 20,000 ($NZ39,750).
