The Business of Tech

What is the purpose of the Callaghan Innovation? In the wake of the mandate to reduce headcount by about 7%, this was the question that Stefan Korn had to answer. To answer it, he returned to the organisation's founding documents, looked at similar organisations overseas, and considered the unique position of Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, Dr Korn discusses his vision of Callaghan's future and the thought process that led him to it. Also, what do NZ's tech leaders say about the impact of AI on the workforce? Reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aotearoa New Zealand's startup and VC scene has a bit of a problem with some investors taking too much equity for their money, leaving founders with little incentive to put in the effort it takes to grow their businesses. On top of that, using equity to attract talent is near-impossible when it just lands that talent with a big tax bill the day they start. Rob Vickery, founder and managing partner of Hillfarrance Venture Capital, digs into this issue and outlines what he thinks should change to create a stronger and better startup ecosystem in NZ. We also dig into the untimely death of Sunfed and what it says about the alternative meats industry, the wild story of Unity and Wētā Digital, and the huge success of Canva. Reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple’s efforts to redefine the world of augmented reality with its Vision Pro have been slowly creeping across the globe. In February, the device landed in the hands of the developers at Kiwi virtual reality games studio Beyond who developed Runaways, one of the first ever games for the ‘spatial computer’. Speaking with Beyond co-founders Jessica Manins and Anton Mitchell, Peter digs into what it was like to work with the Vision Pro and where they see the technology headed next. Plus, we chat about Ola’s exit from NZ and what we learned from the Commerce Commission’s latest broadband performance report. Subscribe on iHeart Radio or wherever you get podcasts. Reading list (and bonus pic of Peter wearing the Vision Pro) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being AI CEO David McDonald explains the huge aspirations for the newly-listed company and why listing on the New Zealand Exchange was a key step in those plans. McDonald and his assembled team have a history of AI success underpinning the promise of future glory. The company's share price rocketed since listing, sparking a lot of attention and some criticism. Is it tall poppy syndrome? Or just fair scrutiny for a listed company? We also delve into Ben's experiment playing with a range of free-tier GenAI chatbots, unpacking the pros and cons of the seven he tested. Reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to be a modern, competitive internet provider in 2024? One NZ CEO Jason Paris has been focused on exactly that question for the last few years as he has transitioned Vodafone NZ into One NZ. Now, one year since the official launch of the rebrand, Paris joins us to provide some insight into how the gears are turning inside one of Aotearoa's biggest technology companies. Plus, more AI job displacement talk, and has Elon done enough with X to keep his own personality from sinking it? Reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finally, it's a fintech episode! With the Commerce Commission releasing a draft report that outlines all the ways our banking sector is uncompetitive, now is the perfect time to talk disruption in the world of financial services. First, Dosh CEO and co-founder Shane Marsh weighs in on the state of the NZ financial services sector with a view on how we got to this point of staleness and lack of competition, with four Australian banks dominating the industry. Then, Immersive CEO and co-founder Jerome Faury zooms out further to ask how NZ can avoid being left behind as the world of payments speeds ahead worldwide. Reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi futurist Ben Reid joins the (award nominated!) podcast for a second time to talk about his new book, Fast Forward Aotearoa, which unpacks the path to a future of technological success and positivity for NZ. Peter speaks to Ben Reid about what systemic changes need to be made to ensure the best outcomes for all Kiwis. Plus, we talk about Chorus' investment in datacentres, Uber's big Aussie settlement, and why news outlets are making deals with AI companies. Reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What exactly is sovereign AI and why would we want it? Machine learning and artificial intelligence expert Kiarie Ndegwa has been in the trenches with the tech for a decade, including working on Te Hiku Media's bilingual te reo Māori/NZ English transcription tool. Ndegwa shares his unique perspective on what it means to truly own AI and data and dips into the technical details to debunk the claims that only Big Tech can deliver the goods to power AI. Plus, the government's promise to open up genetic tech soon, US and China IT cold war continues, and NZ's telcos' steps toward modernisation. Reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon and Microsoft have thrown around some big numbers about how their impending NZ-based datacentres will benefit the economy. But is it really that simple? Will Amazon and MIcrosoft's NZ public cloud regions be ready in 2024 as promised? Where do our local cloud companies fit in? All of these questions and more are discussed on our episode today as we're joined by Don Christie, NZ IT industry veteran and the founder and managing director of Catalyst IT and Catalyst Cloud. Plus, Ben talks about his visit to Rocket Lab for event celebrating the launch of NZ's first publically funded space project - MethaneSat. Reading list and links See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben and Peter talk to Spark CEO Jolie Hodson and NZIER principal economist Christina Leung about the recent research into how adopting more advanced digital tech can boost industry output by up to $26 billion, and increase GDP by 2.08% annually. The pair unpack the report to explain what will it take among Kiwi businesses to realise these gains. BusinessDesk senior journalist Cécile Meier also joins to answer some questions about her reporting on Hira, the government's embattled project to revamp NZ's IT systems for healthcare. Reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canadian journalist, host of the Tech Won't Save Us podcast, and former Wellington resident Paris Marx joins us to discuss the role that technology and the billionaires that control it play in mitigating the impact of climate change. Plus, the role Aotearoa New Zealand can play in ensuring that emissions mitigation tech is effective at more than just turning a profit. Plus, we talk about the cellphone bans in schools, cleaning up space junk, identifying methane leaks, and Australia's new Rocket Lab competitor. Reading list and links See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since 1998, there has been a global moratorium on charging tariffs for digital services but that may soon come to an end, depending on what happens at the World Trade Organisation conference later this month. Ben talks to BusinessDesk senior correspondent Dileepa Fonseka about his research into the matter, and what it might mean for Kiwi software companies looking to go global. Plus, Peter and Ben discuss the need for sovereign artificial intelligence infrastructure, the US’ plan to undermine Huawei, and Electric Kiwi’s criticism of broadband notice periods. Links and reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After years of bringing together cloud products, adding a little engineering and business strategy magic, and then implementing and managing bespoke cloud services, Dave Howden is out to do the same thing with AI. While an AI consulting and services business may not sounds as flashy as an exciting new platform, it's the kind of company that makes up the backbone of a major technological transition. Peter speaks to Dave about why he decided to start his new company, SupaHuman, and what he's got planned for the coming year. Ben and Peter also dig into the tech-based content from the Briefings to Incoming MInisters (BIMs) that reveal some of the inner workings and plans inside the public service. Links and reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Already in 2024 we are seeing big tech companies like SAP point at AI as a reason to slash headcount, and it's likely we will see more of that to come. This week, technologist and educator Frances Valintine joins to talk about how to stay relevant in the age of AI, and what responsibilities businesses bear to their employees when it comes to learning. Ben and Peter also share their thoughts on the topic, and look at some recent news stories and research that give a glimpse into an AI-dominated future. Reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tech reporter and commentator Rob O'Neill says he likes to "get down among the weeds" and in our first episode for the year, he does exactly that. We speak to Rob, senior writer for Reseller News, about what he's seeing in his reporting on the IT industry in NZ, and his view of the future for all of the work that's been done on the now-dead water reform and Te Pūkenga IT transformation projects. Plus, more AI talk, VR/AR, disinformation, and expecting the unexpected. Reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In March of last year, Judith Collins was but a senior member of parliament for the opposition. Today, she is a senior member of the government, with more ministerial positions than any other member of the National Party government. Collins spent a significant amount of her time in opposition learning about NZs tech sector, and wooing its members. It was in March when Peter Griffin spoke to her to ask her thoughts on tech in NZ and what she would focus on if she made it into cabinet, which we played in our first-ever episode. Listening back, one of the most interesting things is thinking about just how far we’ve come with artificial intelligence in less than a year. You can also hear the beginnings of one of Collins’ other portfolios – digitising government. With the new Government’s first full year in power ahead, it’s a great time for us to replay this interview with the now-minister for space and see what could be in store for tech in 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jackson Henry is an Australian ethical or white hat hacker who we spoke to last year. We only featured him briefly in episode 29 because he was guesting on a lot of shows, but our interview with him was a little different. He spoke a little more widely about his career path and how he went from cheating at video games to being a part of the white hat team that breached the United Nations He also delved into what cybersecurity means at different sizes of business, and how enterprises can entice ethical hackers to test their own systems. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back in July of 2023, now last year, Rocket Lab finalised its plans for recovering and reusing engines for its rockets. Founder and CEO Peter Beck spared some time to chat about what that means for the company. Plus, he spoke about how he saw the space industry in Aotearoa New Zealand, and where he thought we stood on the global stage. Since then, Beck hosted the National Party’s pre-election space policy announcement, and the industry has made some significant strides. Listening back to the interview is a timely reminder of the value the industry can bring to NZ’s economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Clare is the founding and managing partner at Clare Capital, a boutique investment bank that releases a regular tech insights newsletter. We chose this conversation to feature because not only does Mark offer fantastic insights about listed companies and the public market, but goes wider than that. He talks about the private capital market, about the value that a strong NZX can bring to the country, the benefits of selling to offshore companies, and what he sees as the industry’s biggest weakness. Spoiler – it is not a lack of technical talent. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's episode 33, the final full episode for the year. To put a bow on what has been a full on year of tech news, we quickly recap the biggest stories from 2023 from across the world, and in Aotearoa New Zealand. Then we speak to Merja Myllylahti, a senior lecturer at AUT and co-director of the universities research centre for journalism, media and democracy (JMAD). She recently published her book From Papers to Platform, which scrutinises how major digital platforms exert ever-growing influence over news, journalism, our everyday lives, personal rights and access to information. Merjia shares her view on why it's so important for news media to break away from reliance on Big Tech and social media platforms and learn how to be independent operators once more. Reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.