The Business of Tech

Reuben Davidson, Labour’s new spokesperson for science, innovation, technology, broadcasting and the creative economy, isn’t shy about the scale of the challenges facing New Zealand’s high-value sectors, or the damage he says the current government is doing.  In this week’s episode of The Business of Tech, the former TV producer, who won the Christchurch East seat in the 2023 general election, is scathing of the coalition Government’s approach to science and innovation, particularly funding cuts and redundancies, and the “rolling change” that’s left researchers and innovators in limbo.   “It feels very much to me… that this is a crisis that’s been created. If it’s unintentional, then that doesn’t make it any better,” he told me on the podcast.  So what would Labour do differently? Tune in to find out on The Business of Tech featuring Labour MP Reuben Davidson in his first major interview on science, innovation and media.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand, like many smaller nations, has become deeply reliant on American technology platforms for everything from government operations to daily business functions.  In this week’s episode of The Business of Tech, Canadian journalist and author Paris Marx warns that this dependence is not just a matter of convenience, it’s a growing vulnerability that puts the country’s digital sovereignty at risk. The issue has gained urgency amid rising geopolitical tensions, especially with the resurgence of Donald Trump in US politics and the increasing weaponisation of tariffs and regulations against countries that challenge the dominance of American tech firms. What should we do about it? Tune in to hear Paris give his take on how New Zealand can forge a path towards digital sovereignty.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As global trade becomes increasingly protectionist, New Zealand’s tech sector faces a welcome anomaly for now: digital exports are tariff-free.  Unlike goods, software and digital services still move relatively freely across borders, and nowhere is this opportunity greater than in India—a vast, fast-growing market hungry for innovation.  The story of Valocity Global, founded by Auckland-based serial entrepreneur Carmen Vicelich, is a masterclass in how Kiwi tech companies can thrive in India which with its 1.4 billion people, youthful demographics (over 50% under 28), and ambitious “housing for all” and financial inclusion policies, is digitising at speed.  Valocity Global now offers services to 20 banks in India, streamlining the process of valuing property with an app-based system that replaces manual and time-consuming valuation processes. Carmen joins me on episode 94 of The Business of Tech to explain how Valocity cracked the indian market, and how other Kiwi digital exporters can do the same.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative has sparked global debate about balancing disruptive reform with sustainable public sector innovation.  In a panel discussion on this week's episode of The Business of Tech, former Te Whatu Ora chair Rob Campbell, futurist Ben Reid, and crypto expert Paul Quickenden critique Musk’s approach while proposing alternative strategies for New Zealand to drive efficiency in government while harnessing technologies like blockchain and AI. Episode 94 of The Business of Tech is streaming on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Microsoft is marking its 50th anniversary, celebrating five decades since Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded what would become one of the world's largest technology companies.  In this week’s episode of The Business of Tech, the managing director of Microsoft New Zealand, Vanessa Sorenson, reflects on the company's journey and its vision for the future.  Featuring the hits and misses from Microsoft over 50 years in business and its more recent push into artificial intelligence and establishment of its first hyperscale data centre region in New Zealand. The Business of Tech is streaming on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week’s episode of The Business of Tech, Sarah Box, a digital policy specialist at the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, shares insights from her three-month Harkness Fellowship in the United States examining AI policy direction. While Trump's first term focused on innovation and capability development, Biden pivoted toward trust and safety. So what does Trump's vision for AI look like, and how best can New Zealand steer its own path on AI policy and regulation? Find out on The Business of Tech, streaming on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is busy pushing its growth agenda, but what’s the best way to pursue sustainable growth that produces higher-value jobs and more export earnings? A new report by Boston Consulting Group says it involves taking a more strategic approach to New Zealand’s economic future, identifying five key ecosystems that could drive the nation's growth and global standing by 2050. But isn’t that picking winners, a strategy that has got us into trouble in the past? Boston Consulting Group's Kelly Newton who joins Peter on this week's episode of The Business of Tech.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2022, the Government signed an historic agreement granting Māori a share of radio spectrum suitable for 5G mobile services and a 20% share of all future commercial radio spectrum rights.As the Chief Executive Officer of Tū Ātea, Antony Royal is putting that 5G spectrum to good use, with a major project underway to build and deploy the country's first commercial private 5G network. On The Business of Tech, Antony traces the history of the struggle to gain recognition for Māori rights to radio spectrum and outlines how Tū Ātea is helping swell the ranks of Māori engineers and technologists.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ's economic woes are complicated and many-headed, but business guru Andy Hamilton has exactly 26 ideas for ways it could be improved. Some of them, like becoming part of Australia, are a bit dumb – but there are others that could have a lot of potential. Hamilton also looks back at what it was like going through the We Are Indigo and Manaaki v Callaghan Innovation stoush, and talks through what he took away from the experience. Plus, it's Ben's last episode so he talks through the changes at NZME that have led to him seeking his fortune elsewhere, and Peter outlines what to expect from next week. Thanks so much to all the listeners and supporters over the last 89 episodes. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand is not stranger to tectonic shifts, perched as it is on a volcanic belt, but the current geopolitical quakes may prove an entirely different matter. The University of Waikato's Dr Reuben Steff joins the podcast to argue that without joining the high tech-focused pillar two of the Australia, UK and US (AUKUS) agreement, NZ may find themselves at a major disadvantage in the new world order. Plus, the US Defence Secretary Peter Hegseth orders a softer cybersecurity stance toward Russia. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bitcoin advocate Cody Ellingham joins the podcast to explain why we he is advocating for everyone, everywhere to get into the cryptocurrency. Ellingham explains his vision for how Bitcoin could put people's financial power back into their hands, rather than under the control of financial institutions and governments. Plus, we talk AI language Gibberlink and Apple's $500 billion promise to Trump. Subscribe on iHeart Radio or wherever you get podcasts. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Moore and Lucas Coelho, two-thirds of the co-founding team of venture studio Ryft, join the podcast to talk through how the model works. They discuss the benefits and challenges of being an all-in-one startup shop, why they are focusing on artificial intelligence, and give their highly informed takes on the current state of the AI landscape. Plus, what to look for in Spark's upcoming results and we address some listener feedback on the Being AI episode. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rowan Simpson has been part of most of NZ's most well known and loved software startups: TradeMe, Xero, Vend, Timely and many more. Peter sits down with Simpson to talk about his new book, his advice for founders, and how NZ can light a fire under its startup scene. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a tumultuous first year for NZ's first AI-focused company to list on the New Zealand Exchange (NZX). Following on from a recent article on BusinessDesk, we unpack that journey so far and look ahead to what might be next for the contentious but ambitious company. This week, we have a double feature with an interview with entrepreneur extrodinaire Rowan Simpson to follow on Sunday, so make sure you subscribed to get that in your podcast feed when it drops. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees Business. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we speak to Max Ferguson who started Lumin in 2010 to address a growing need for a robust, cloud-based way to edit and share portable document format files, better known as PDFs. 15 years on and Lumin has over 100 million users worldwide and is successfully rolling out more document collaboration products and features, managing to find success with the often-tricky freemium model. Plus, what's the latest on Deepseek, and the unpacking the NZ government's plans for using generative AI. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, Te Hiku Media chief executive and one of Time magazine's most influential people in AI, Peter-Lucas Jones, spoke to the world leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos. As our featured guest this week, Jones explains how the Kaitaia-based media company is using AI to save native languages across the globe., Plus, cutting through the noise on what DeepSeek actually is and does. Reading list.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SailGP's chief technology officer Warren Jones goes deep into all the ways he and his team have integrated digital technologies into the very foundation of the sport changing the nature of racing. Plus, the ramifications for New Zealand and the world-at-large of the technology billionaires buying their way into US President Donald Trump's good graces. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Other than a few big-swing failures, it’s been a bit of a holding pattern for consumer technologies this year, with many minor improvements but nothing truly revolutionary. This week, Peter and Ben are unpacking all that and more as they dive into the consumer products and services from 2024 they thought were good, bad, and just plain silly. Topics include the series of disappointments that were built-in artificial intelligence (AI) assistants, Dyson’s $800 headphones, the AI services they actually found useful, hot digital travel tips, a skin-smoothing LED mask and a whole lot more. This is the last episode for the year and The Business of Tech will be back again with more great guests and tech news analysis on Jan 23, 2025. Additional music by Music Unlimited from Pixabay. Subscribe on iHeart Radio or wherever you get podcasts Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're joined by four stellar journalists who discuss what they saw over the last year and look ahead to what may be yet to come.  BusinessDesk’s senior markets reporter Rebecca Stevenson offers a deep dive into Rakon's failed takeover and unpacks Gentrack’s success – and the questions that success raises.  Rob O’Neill, senior reporter at IT industry news outlet Reseller, unpacks the waves of redundancies and talks about AI in big business.  Finn Hogan, a writer at startup-focused Caffeine Daily, talks through the coolest tech startup highlights, the ups and downs of finding funding, and the industries worth watching.  The Spinoff founder and media writer Duncan Grieve outlines his concerns over the future of the news amid big tech’s continued domination of the media landscape.   Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Vamos' career in tech has spanned decades, starting with IBM straight out of university in the 1980’s, followed by stints at Apple, NineMSN, Microsoft, and Xero. He says that connecting with people and being open to criticism are key skills for leaders navigating through times of major change. Vamos also shares more specific advice on navigating change, having hard conversations, and the importance of character. Plus, Ben and Peter discuss why the Australian social media ban may not be a great idea. Ben's Bluesky Peter's Bluesky Reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Projectworks founder Matthew Hayter and new CEO and Silicon Valley veteran Mark Orttung dive into the details on what’s happening with the $100 million company's international push. Plus, Ben and Peter discuss Bluesky’s sudden rise in popularity as people leave Elon Musk’s X by the millions. Ben's Bluesky Peter's Bluesky Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter was in California for the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket, carrying more satellites to support One NZ's satellite to mobile connectivity. We dig into the details of that deal, including whether competitors can possibly keep up. Then, our featured guest is Alex Kendall, one of NZ's most successful tech expats in recent years. Alex Kendall is the founder of Wayve, an autonomous vehicles company that raised US$1 billion earlier this year. He talks about his journey from being raised on a farm in Canterbury, to leading one of the most promising artificial intelligence companies in the world. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last year, we prematurely dubbed 2023 the year of AI but how could we have know what 2024 would bring. Generative AI has solidified it's position in the pantheon of disruptive technologies as hype settled into pragmatism and tech talent across the world put it to work. We've assembled three AI experts from across NZ's industry to talk about the year in AI that was, and look ahead at what to expect in the year to come. Our panel consists of Callaghan Innovation chief executive Stefan Korn, Simply Privacy director and principal Frith Tweedie, and Supahuman AI founder and chief executive Dave Howden. Plus, Peter and Ben can't help but share their own views on where AI is headed. Additional music by Aberrant Realities from Pixabay Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

\We're diving into data with Snowflake's New Zealand country manager Tony Shaw. Shaw shares how any size of organisation can benefit from data analytics and AI, emphasising the importance of having high-quality, consolidated information to drive business outcomes. He also talks generative AI and the role that good data practice has in realising its potential and mitigating risks. Plus, tech under Trump: the influence of tech billionaires in the recent election, what it might mean for tech policies, and how it may impact NZ's tech industry. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's big bet on fibre has paid off in spades, according to a new report by Deloitte that found the $5.5 billion that government and private companies invested into the super fast internet infrastructure has delivered $31b in value due to productivity gains. Two economists from Deloitte Access Economics, Liza Van Der Merwe and Mayuresh Prasad, walk us through the findings from that report, and what the future may hold for fibre in NZ. Plus, the first part of a new segment where Garth Bray upgrades from an iPhone 8 to an iPhone 16 and lets us know what he thinks of the latest in smartphone tech. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. Subscribe on iHeart Radio or wherever you get podcasts Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's an age of reckoning for the monopolistic tendencies of Big Tech and this week veteran journalist Paul McIntyre helps us gain an understanding of the antitrust trials facing Google. With years of experience covering the advertising industry, McIntyre sheds light on Google's online advertising dominance, how it manipulated an industry to get there, and the regulatory challenges it's now facing as a result. He's just returned from Virginia, where he covered one of the major antitrust cases against Google and can offer a firsthand account of the proceedings and what they mean for the tech giant's future. In our news wrap, we explore the cautionary tale of a mental health app's chatbot led astray and consider concerns about the use of generative AI in sensitive contexts. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WNT Ventures has reached ten years of taking the crunchy stuff we call deep tech and helping turn it into companies and financial returns. With successes like Foundry Lab, Mint Innovation and Carbon Crop in its portfolio, WNT Ventures has made an indelible mark on the country's deep tech scene. The firm's managing partner, Carl Jones, joins the podcast to look back on an industry that has grown at a rapid pace and forward at where it might head next. Plus, rocket catching, moon diving, and Peter Beck's take on what it would mean for Rocket Lab to win a massive Nasa Mars mission deal. The Business of Tech is powered by 2degrees for Business. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's guest, venture capitalist, founder of PhaseOne and former early employee of Canva Mahesh Muralidhar, shares invaluable insights into the necessity for New Zealand's software startups to expand into the lucrative US market. He discusses the unique benefits of Kiwi founders on the global stage and some of the cultural things that might be holding them back. Plus, the Auckland teen caught smishing with specialised hardware and how China exploited backdoors that US telcos were made to leave open due to regulation. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can AI ever be truly trustworthy when the stakes are high? That's what machine learning and artificial intelligence researcher Jessica Zosa Forde hopes to achieve with her studies at Brown University. She joins us to discuss her work on ensuring less common languages don't get forgotten - and how efforts with te reo Māori are leading the way. She also highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in these technologies as they become more pervasive in our lives. Plus, an interview with HP's president of personal systems Alex Cho about how AI-powered PCs may enhance worker satisfaction and productivity. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this sponsored episode, 2degrees chief technology and information officer Stephen Kurzeja talks about the intricate process of merging the systems of two large telecommunications companies: 2degrees and Vocus. Kurzeja shares the thought process behind choosing what to keep and what to retire, where to add new products, and where to reign it in. He discusses company culture, AI and maintaining a laser focus on customer experience during such massive transitions. Plus, ComCom's call for better coverage maps and Australia's mulling of mandatory AI guardrails. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We sit down with Dr. Will Reedy, who leads health for Accenture NZ, to discuss the transformative potential of AI in healthcare. Reedy explains how generative AI can enhance NZ’s health system, boosting both frontline and back-office operations and addressing workforce shortages. He also raises the ever-looming spectre of the need to truly aggregate resident's health data, a must-have if we want to realise the full potential of generative AI. Plus, an interview with Jack Pugh, the NZ winner of the James Dyson Award for design, about his winning medtech device. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're kicking off a series on AI in industries with a deep dive into AI in education. Hengjie Wang, co-founder of ed-tech company Kami, joins us to explore how AI is transforming the classroom. Wang explains how Kami currently uses AI to save teachers time and make education more accessible and engaging for students. He also considers whether generative AI could be the foundation for a future of widely accessible, AI-driven learning aids. Plus, Apple's latest products and upgrades. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We dive deep into the world of venture capital with Robbie Paul, managing director of Icehouse Ventures. Paul looks back at the last 14 years to reflect on startup successes and failures and how NZ's VC landscape has evolved. He also shares some killer lessons for entrepreneurs and investors, such as the value of people and the dangers of chasing trends. Plus, Beam's scooter scandal, what Elon Musk's volatile behaviour could mean for Starlink in NZ, and AWS's entry into the satellite broadband market. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. Show notes were written with the help of generative AI. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hamish Rumbold, the recent winner of the CIO of the Year award, joins us to reflect on his five years at Kiwibank, where he oversaw the company through major challenges from hauling legacy systems into the digital age, to facing an ever-increasing cyber threat landscape. Rumbold is on the hunt for his next role, fuelled by the goal of adding $10 billion in value to the companies he works with. We also touch on the performance and future of Spark and Chorus, and discuss the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. Reading list Show notes were written with help from generative AI.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a banger of a year for Gentrack, joining the NZX50 and reaching a $1 billion market capitalisation. In this episode, we talk to Gentrack's chief technology officer Mark Rees, who joined the company early this year after a decade at Xero. Rees offers insight into how Gentrack's software is helping utility companies manage at a time of massive disruption for the energy generation market and explains how AI and hyper-personalisation could create an even more resilient and affordable energy system. He also opens up about what it's like to be in the top tech exec role at a global tech company. Plus, what's all this fuss about the Commerce Commission and open banking? Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Searching for information online has been more or less the same since Google dominated the industry more than two decades ago but now, new forms of artificial intelligence are poised to change everything. Search expert Ryan McMillan from SEO advisory Atlas Digital joins us to share his insights on what those changes mean for online advertising, and how businesses can be prepared for those changes. Plus, Auckland University of Technology associate professor of journalism Helen Sissons explains how social media created a world where kooky stories can morph into dangerous political opinions. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. Subscribe on iHeart Radio or wherever you get podcasts Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Michelle Dickinson, also known as Nanogirl, has been working on taking her passion for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to as many people as possible. During covid, Dickinson was a key part of a team getting the word out about how to keep as safe as possible and for her efforts, had her personal details published online and received threats. Undeterred, she has spent years building up her business demystifying tech for businesses, and promoting STEM as a career choice for young people across NZ and beyond. But in the last year, cuts to funding of science initiatives across the country have left her concerned that fewer young people than ever will be given the resources, space and support to learn to love science. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"The question is, who supports the bill? Well, honestly, basically everyone." That's what Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly said about the Customer and Product Data (CPD) Bill at its first reading, and sure enough, every other party representative followed with their support. The CPD Bill is the legislative force that mandates the sharing of customer data by organisations, starting with financial institutions - in other words, open banking. So what is it about the Bill that has earned cross-party support? What changes will it bring for people across NZ? And why is NZ's open banking rollout already looking more promising than the UK's and Australia's? Fintech leaders Josh Daniell from Akahu and Adrian Smith from BlinkPay join us to answer those questions and more. Plus, what happened at Soul Machines, and Minister Judith Collins' big plans to bolster AI uptake. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The tech world was knocked a little askew when the Commerce Commission blocked a huge exit for local DJ software company Serato. The ComCom said the acquisition by AlphaTheta would reduce competition in the space but many in the tech sector said the move could put fear into startup founders and venture capitalists thinking about targeting a lucrative niche. We're joined by tech entrepreneur Tim Warren and competition law expert Hayden Wilson, partner at Dentons Kensington Swan, who lay out the pros and cons of the block, and what could come next for the deal. Plus, Crowdstrike! The Business of Tech is powered by 2degrees Business. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Science Challenges, a decade-long experiment in funding mission-led science has ended and the research shows it was a resounding success. Emeritus professor Sally Davenport joins us to explain what was learned over that time and how we can keep the spirit of mission-led science alive. We also discuss the report out of the Treasury showing NZ lags in artificial intelligence adoption, and the Government Communications Security Bureau's statement that it needs a much better national cybersecurity strategy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

150 New Zealand executives were given Spark-funded scholarships for a four-week course all about learning how to use modern AI tools to boost business productivity. We talked to two of them, NZME's Matt Martel and the NZ Institute of Directors' Kristen 'KP' Patterson, who explained what they learned from the course and how it shaped their thinking about AI. They outline the business cases they developed during the course and how they have started implementing them within their organisations. Plus, Australia's open banking woes, concerns over AI power carbon emissions, and MT Gox and Cryptopia bankruptcy updates. In this episode, Ben refers to the remaining assets of Cryptopia as being $775,000 of $28m - please note this is what remains of the liquid assets used to fund the liquidation process. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you've had one of the most successful careers in business in New Zealand, what do you do next? For Xero founder Rod Drury the answer is to spend days mountain biking around Queenstown, wing foiling when he gets the chance, and meeting with government and business leaders to get national improvement initiatives moving. He's pushed for the separation of energy generation and retailing, campaigned for more water storage across the country, worked to get an autonomous public transport system set up in Queenstown, advocated for the reduction of electronic payments fees, and spent days with Ngāi Tahu supporting environmental clean up. In this rare interview, Drury goes deep into the why and how of all these, plus reflections on Xero, artificial intelligence, private funding of public infrastructure, and more. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the fifth year for 2degrees' Shaping Business report that covers the state of business across New Zealand. Once again, we're bringing you a deep dive into the report with a panel of eminent business figures. This year, the panel includes 2degrees' chief executive Mark Callander, Deloitte partner Anna Fitzgibbon and Auckland Business Chambers chief executive Simon Bridges. They cover business confidence, hybrid working, skills shortages, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and more. Subscribe on iHeart Radio or wherever you get podcasts Reading list Shaping Business 2024 - 2degrees 2degrees survey reveals surprising optimism in business amid economic gloom - BusinessDesk See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are a lot of great things about NZ; our relatively small population is one of them. But if we want to be a major player in the global software industry, we need to be where the people are: the US. That's according to Nick Lissette, founder and chief executive of NZX-listed Blackpearl Group, who features this week in an interview about thinking big and bringing the export dollars home. Plus, Peter jetted over to Sydney to check out the latest line-up of Windows Surface laptops and find out what makes these Co-Pilot+ devices so special. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

News of the news media has been pretty grim throughout 2024, with cutbacks and closures dominating the headlines. To many, this is a sign that the writing is on the wall for an industry that's been struggling since the heady paper-based days of the 1990s. But Xavier English says those people are just looking in the wrong places. English joins us to talk about five Kiwi companies he says are redefining what 'news media' means in 2024. We also give our takes on Apple's big AI news and how it might change the game. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As budget anxiety spreads across the nation, we're spending this week looking back at the good news in the tech industry in the last couple of weeks. We're joined by David Downs - NZ's own tech industry cheerleader, relentless optimist and genetically modified organism - to discuss the NZ Hi-Tech Awards, NZ Story's See Tomorrow First initiative, and the potential for NZ as a base for CAR T-cell cancer therapy development. We also hear from 2024 Hi-Tech Award winners Novolabs, ENVICO, Joshua Parsons, and Elle Archer. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ministry of foreign affairs and trade (Mfat) mishandled millions of dollars in an attempt to shift its IT systems to the cloud and roll out Microsoft Office. BusinessDesk's Dileepa Fonseka, who broke the story, walks us through what he learned in his reporting. Then, there's huge potential for digital twins in Aotearoa New Zealand but our approach has been siloed and slow. We learn what it will take to get started from Keri Niven, the digital practice lead at Aurecon and leader of the Smart Cities Digital Twin Maturity Taskforce. Reading list See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Callander, CEO of our flagship sponsor 2degrees and Kiwi telco stalwart, joins us to talk all things telco. He shares where 2degrees is up to in the Great Brand Merge, rolling out satellite to mobile connectivity, integrating AI into its business, challenging the electricity market, and more. We also talk about the generative AI madness announced by Google and OpenAI this month. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After spending time in Ireland, Simon Walker was amazed at how Ireland, especially Dublin, had pulled itself out of the doldrums of the 80s to become a world-class tech hub. The CEO and founder of tech-focused marketing company Proposition brought those thoughts back to Aotearoa with him and, although there are many differences between us, he saw enough similarities that we could learn a thing or two. Walker explains his vision for NZ's tech-based economy and the lessons he learned in Ireland that led him there. Also, we talk about the Kiwi startup with its eyes on an NZX listing, the dire need for an NZ cybersecurity strategy, and Australia's investment into quantum and beyond. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While the number of women in tech is increasing, senior technical roles are still too often locked away behind a glass ceiling. On her way to becoming a senior platform engineer, Meena Satishkumar faced an array of challenges that almost drove her off the path she wanted to follow. In response, she founded Tech Beyond Gender, an advocacy organisation that recently published research with some concerning findings. Satishkumar talks us through some of that research, her experience, and what can be done to truly start to shift the needle toward gender equity. Also, One NZ gets the nod from the Commerce Commission to acquire Dense Air and its spectrum, while 2degrees faces legal action over misleading claims. Reading listSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.