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.
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NZTech Inform – Skills shortage, ethics and AI-DAY
Kia ora Readers,
There is plenty happening across the Tech Alliance. Today, the Executive Directors of many of the Tech Alliance groups are meeting for a regular catch up, to share best practice and look for opportunities to collaborate. Tomorrow morning, I am attending the Spark Foundation and 21c Skills Lab breakfast focused on the new era of work, a collaboration to ensure all Kiwi’s have opportunities after automation. Then it is off to Wellington for a meeting on the ethical responsibilities of the tech sector followed by a Tech Leaders event.
On Wednesday, in Wellington the Digital Skills Hui brings together Government, educators, tech firms and others involved in helping address the hi-tech skills shortages and identify actions to make a real impact now. Due to security requirements, no late entries are permitted, so if you were hoping to attend, but haven’t registered, please contact me in advance. Later that day, the NZ Hi-Tech Awards finalists are announced and the Techweek19 programme is launched.
Also on Wednesday afternoon the AI-DAY conference kicks off in Auckland. Bringing together the latest information about AI, the best practitioners from New Zealand and around the world, this is not to be missed. The event also includes a panel discussion about the role of AI and other technologies to help create safer societies. Final tickets to AI-Day are selling now!
On Thursday, I have meetings with Agritech New Zealand, FinTechNZ, BlockchainNZ and the IoT Alliance, as well as meeting with Gareth Hughes to keep him informed of the many important opportunities tech is delivering for New Zealand. Finally, the week concludes with NZTech’s Board meeting, where we will sign off on our plans for the new year.
Behind the scenes, NZTech is engaged in several conversations with Government on important topics such as R&D tax credits, e-commerce, copyright, e-invoicing and the future of work. If any of these topics are important for you, please let me know so we can represent you well.
Have a great week!
Ngā mihi
Graeme Muller
CEO
NZTech
CONNECT
Join Canterbury Tech’s Memorial Event on 2 April, with special tribute to Atta Elayyan and Syed Jahandad Ali.Also, save the date for the Canterbury Tech Summit on 12 September.
Join the Tech Alliance’s next event series, How the Future of AgriTech and BioTech will be enabled by IoT on 9 April in Christchurch, 10 April in Wellington and 11 April in Auckland.
Join Agritech New Zealand’s Peter Wren-Hilton and AI Forum’s Ben Reid at MobileTECH 2019, 3-4 April in Rotorua. Join NZSA on 9 April in Auckland for a discussion on what the R&D tax incentive changes mean for software firms.
PROMOTE
Curious about Virtual and Augmented Reality? Meet ProjectR’s Jessica Manins at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce’s Tech Disrupters on 3 April in Wellington. Join the American Chamber of Commerce for Taking Tech to the USA on 3 April in Auckland.
Preview Techweek19’s highlight events, including Emerging Tech in Health and MedTech – Good for the World? Plus, Location Intelligence 2019, Startup Weekend Kapiti and the Indie Game Showcase. Help break gender stereotypes and encourage teenagers you know to attend TechGirlsNZ.
Researchers at The University of Auckland are seeking participants for a multimedia science public communication study. Please complete the brief survey here. Save the date for the annual gathering of the GIS community, the New Zealand Esri User Conference, 12-14 August in Auckland.
ADVANCE
Attend the Changing Face of Government Procurement on 8 April in Auckland and 9 April in Wellington. Help us understand the cost of doing business with the New Zealand Government via their tender process, complete this annual survey by NZRise.
Be part of Scale-Up New Zealand, a free online platform for our innovation ecosystem. Meet the UpStarters and learn more about our tech and innovation story.
Applications for the Edmund Hillary Fellowship close this week. Applications for Lightning Lab Tourism close 1 April. Lightning Lab GovTech is accepting applications for its July 2019 cohort. Copyright Act Review submissions close 5 April.
