NZTech Inform – when will it pass?

This time, last year we were hopeful that the pandemic had almost passed.  A year on, even as restrictions ease, the death toll mounts and we are still adjusting to a new normal.  Last week, our family was in isolation as we suffered from the coronavirus.  During this time I reflected on the last year, contemplating the purpose of my jam packed schedule of zoom meetings.    

But over the weekend, as I collated a report for the NZTech Board meeting this week, it struck me how much the NZTech Group has achieved.  Here are some of the highlights of the past 12 months:

• The Tech Alliance now has 22 Associations, 15 of which are the NZTech Group which represents over 1,600 members.
• We placed 51 media stories about tech in the past 12 months covering the importance of digital skills, open finance, digital equity, free-trade, immigration, cybersecurity, cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence (AI) and more. 
• We continued to run member events, both online and physical when possible, delivering more than 50 member Connect opportunities.
• We led the work to open the borders for tech works and the introduction of 600 Tech Border Exceptions.
• We launched the NZ Tech Story promoting New Zealand as a tech nation to attract talent, investment and help tech exports.
• We started activating the AgriTech Story promoting New Zealand agritech in the United Kingdom market.
• We ran Tech21, a live event for 1400 South Auckland students showcasing tech careers. 
• We put in 16 submissions to the Government about the importance of tech covering digital identity, gene technology, emissions reduction, software taxes, the future of money, productivity, data and statistics and more.
• We are helping run Sisters in Tech with the Ministry of Social Development to help Māori and Pacific women into tech careers.
• We ran ShadowTech Teachers with the Ministry of Education, taking teachers into tech firms for first hand experiences.
• We partnered with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to help develop the Digital Technologies Industry Transformation Plan focused on increasing coordination and investment in the growth of the tech sector.
• We published surveys and briefing papers on Software Tax Treatment, Critical Workers Border Exemptions, Tech & Innovation Story Insights, and Tech Sector Key Metrics.  
• We published research reports on Digital Skills, Trade opportunities for NZ & the UK, Aotearoa Edtech Excellence and Open Finance & Digital Equity.
• Despite COVID-19 we still managed to run conferences on Aotearoa AI, Cybersecurity and Medicinal Cannabis.
• We delivered the 10th annual Techweek with hundreds of tech and innovation events throughout New Zealand and online events connecting us to the world.

That’s just a look in the rear vision mirror. There are plenty of other great initiatives underway for the year ahead too. But that’s for another update.  Until then, please don’t forget to put Techweek in your calendar, May 16-22.

Ngā mihi
Graeme Muller
CEO

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