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NZTech

NZ’s international tech reputation growing

Auckland –  A constant stream of international business delegations are arriving in New Zealand to learn more about our innovation ecosystem and to look for the next big thing in tech.

Last week, the Social Value Innovation team of the leading mobile telecommunications operator and ICT company in South Korea, SK Telecom Co., Ltd., visited New Zealand prompted by a growing awareness of New Zealand’s high-tech sector.

Having met with a small number of NZ tech firms visiting Seoul recently they were impressed with both the companies and how well the NZ tech ecosystem collaborates together and with government, NZTech chairman Mitchell Pham says.

“With an investment focus that includes innovation for social value, SK Telecom were attracted by New Zealand’s culture and values, helped by things such as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s statement at the New Zealand High Tech Awards that ‘we may not be best in the world, but we can be best for the world’.”

The Social Value Innovation team of SK Telecom met with both government and tech organisations including Centrality, Dotterel, Animation Research, Weta Workshop and NZTech.

“Before leaving New Zealand, SK Telecom and NZTech signed an agreement to collaborate on ensuring New Zealand tech firms have access and exposure to the capital and ecosystem of SK Telecom. The wider SK group has 78,000 employees who work from 113 offices worldwide,” Pham says.

NZTech will continue to work closely with the initiator of the special connection, the NZ Chamber of Commerce in South Korea, to identify further opportunities for NZ tech firms.

Through the collaborative work of NZTech with the New Zealand Tech Story Group, NZTE and MBIE the development of a strong cohesive set of messages about the New Zealand tech story is starting to make a difference.

The Upstarters campaign focuses on the attributes of Kiwi tech and aligns well with a #goodfortheworld message that is attracting interest from countries as diverse as Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, South Korea, Vietnam and the EU.

NZTech brings together 22 tech associations with more than 1000 members who collectively employ more than 10 percent of the New Zealand workforce.

For further information contact Make Lemonade editor-in-chief Kip Brook on 0275 030188

NZTech We connect, promote and advance the New Zealand Technology ecosystem to help the tech sector and the economy grow.