The New Zealand Tech Alliance is a group of independent technology associations from across New Zealand that work together to ensure a strong voice for technology.
Visit Tech Alliance
NZTech Update – Coworking, startups and social platforms
ALERT – Please make sure your company responds to the New Zealand Tech Skills Demand Survey. We need to know your needs if we are to help solve your skills and talent shortages!
Kia Ora Readers
After joining the NZTech board last year, a big focus of mine has been working closer within the New Zealand tech startup space to identify and support the gaps however I can.
The momentum in our tech startup scene is clearly building with some great new companies popping up and confidence for more kiwi startups to think bigger and go bigger. For example, these six startups. The various social support systems driven by the communities themselves is proof of this and the general openness of other kiwis to help out where they can. Amazing events like Techweek have seriously helped our nation get more connected and engaged, so my hat goes off to Jennifer Clamp and all the team. The engine has already started to make next year’s even bigger. Techweek’18 will run nationwide, 19-27 May 2018.
While I’m discussing events, last month ATEED hosted Dig My Idea, a Maori Innovation business startup competition and as a judge I noticed some amazing ideas coming to life in the tech space. This month, I’m super excited to check out Idea Starter. Events like these, encouraging people to start up and take the first step into tech is something I’m proud to be seeing more of throughout New Zealand.
In the community part of the ecosystem, one of my passions is ColabNZ, a shared workspace that helps startups and growing tech businesses get into the game. It was great to read the recently released report, The Evolution of CoWorking Auckland proving more tech and digital businesses are enjoying the benefits of working together in the growing shared economy.
Across the media landscape, I am super interested in the rollout of social platforms live video components which are challenging traditional distribution models. Last month, for example, Facebook landed a deal with Major League Baseball and Esports League to live stream games. Meanwhile, in the advertising agency landscape I am intrigued watching the growth of AI, starting to nibble at the feet of media planning and buying. With both of these bubbling in media and agency land, this will be a place to watch over the next 24-36 months.
Right now, it’s fun times in tech and I am blessed to be, in some way, a part of it all.
Cheers
Robett Hollis
NZTech Board
Next week!
ShadowTech Day
LATEST TECH NEWS HERECONNECT
Join the Hon Simon Bridges in launching the research report, The Internet of Things – Accelerating a Connected New Zealand on 29 June in Wellington. Analysis has identified benefits in the hundreds of millions of dollars for the local economy.
Join NZTech CEO Graeme Muller for NZTech Connect Wellington on 21 June for a discussion on the future of our people, economy and government as outlined in New Zealand’s Digital Future – Tech Manifesto 2017.
Join us for lunch and our Developing Diversity event on 5 July in Wellington. We will explore diversity strategies, stocktakes and how to best implement flexible work practices. Gain insight into what is working for local businesses.
PROMOTE
Join the FinTechNZ team and create connections at their midyear event series on June 28 in Wellington, 4 July in Christchurch and 17 July in Auckland. Discussions to include cryptocurrency and robo-advice legislation.
Entries are now open for the New Zealand Spatial Excellence Awards for 2017. Check out the categories and enter online. Nominations close 25 August and the awards dinner will be held on 15 November in Wellington.
Following last week’s Fieldays, research due for release on June 29 has identified that better use of IoT by dairy farmers could potentially generate as much as $448 million worth of net economic benefit for New Zealand.
ADVANCE
Please participate in the 2017 Tech Skills Demand Survey. Data will help forecast in demand skills, inform education and immigration policy.
New Zealand Government Procurement (NZGP) has several proposed changes and is seeking your feedback. The survey closes on 12 July 2017.
Congratulations to all the 2017 CIO Awards Winners, including our members NZTE’s Richard Kay, Minter Ellison Rudd Watts’ Nick Whitehouse and BNZ.
Want to know more? Sign up for the NZTech weekly update, it’s free and will take less than a minute!
