NZ to stage international tech event before D5 summit

Living up to New Zealand’s reputation as a standout digital nation, the tech sector and the government will stage a major international tech summit in Auckland next year, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

The Digital Nations conference on February 19 and 20 2018 will be a forerunner to the Digital 5 summit to be held later that week in Wellington.

The D5 is a network of the world’s most advanced digital nations, with a shared goal of strengthening the digital economy. It was founded in London in 2014 by the United Kingdom, Estonia, Israel, New Zealand and South Korea.

The D5 provides a focused forum to share best practice, identify how to improve the member-countries’ digital services, collaborate on common projects and to support and champion our growing digital economies.

Muller says NZTech and event partner Conferenz, are working with government to bring some of the best international digital leaders to New Zealand to pick their brains for great ideas that can help make New Zealand more prosperous.

His comments come hard on the heels of the 2017 Digital Planet report by the Fletcher School at Tufts University   that shows New Zealand is one of the world’s leading digital nations.

“The Digital Nations conference next year provides a unique opportunity to bring together New Zealand’s digital leaders, with international experts, business leaders, societal change agents and policy makers to envision what New Zealand could look like as a digital nation by 2030, and then agree on investments and policy to help us get there.

“By listening to the plans of other leading nations and then working on what it could mean for New Zealand’s education, health and financial systems, our productive sectors and the society, should help us move together as a country towards a more prosperous future during a period of profound change.

“NZTech is pleased with the close and proactive partnership with the Department of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment as industry and government work together to prepare New Zealand for a tech focused future.

“New Zealand’s innovation ecosystem and institutional environment are both noted as strengths for New Zealand in the 2017 Digital Planet report and this Digital Nations conference partnership between industry and government is a great example of why we are seen as a leading country,” Muller says.

The Digital Nations conference is expected to attract more than 300 people including D5 Ministers and their delegations, invited international government representatives and New Zealand digital leaders and influencers representing all sectors.

For further information contact NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller on 021 02520767 or Make Lemonade editor-in-chief Kip Brook on 0275 030188

Photo: NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller

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