What an amazing year it has been, with so many exciting events, collaborations and workshops happening around EPIC. This year we hosted 90 external events and workshops, with over 3,680 guests!

Our tenants celebrated another successful year with a pizza lunch last Thursday. It was great to see everyone come together to share ideas, stories and of course, kai.

We will be closed from 22nd December – 8th January, and look forward to an exciting year ahead in 2024.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

We have teamed up with RAD (Recycle a Device), who work with businesses and individuals to get their used and unwanted laptops into the hands of those who need them.

Laptops are refurbished by student volunteers from local schools, who as a result gain insight into career opportunities.

RAD offers a low cost and data secure opportunity to ethically get rid of outdated IT equipment while contributing to local community improvement and development, progress towards corporate social responsibility and sustainability goals. Donors join the ranks of previous donors including Spark, Christchurch City Council, Auckland Council and many others.

If you have an unwanted laptop that is less than ten years old and comes with a charger, then please donate to RAD!

Donation box is next between the EPIC reception desk and Meeting Room C.

Registration is open for the Game Development Sector Rebate, announced in Budget 2023 earlier this year. The Government provided funding of $40 million per annum for delivering and administering a rebate for the game development sector, with a view to support the ongoing development and growth of game development in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The Game Development Sector Rebate (GDSR) is a rebate on eligible expenditures of eligible firms, at a rate of 20%. A firm’s rebate payment will be capped at $3 million per annum and the minimum qualifying expenditure per annum is $250,000. The GDSR is effective as of 1 April 2023 which means that eligible firms will be able to count eligible expenditures from this date.

To read more about the scheme and find out if you’re eligible, click here

Please join us in a lunchtime AI series from World Class experts. There will be three 40min sessions over the next two weeks, which will generate great perspectives (some differing from others) and food for thought on where the world of AI is taking us.

The Future Unveiled: A Journey Into Exponential Technologies

Uncover the future’s mysteries with Ray Kurzweil! Join us for a captivating keynote on exponential technologies and their profound impact. Explore AI, nanotech, and the paradigm shifts that lie ahead. Gain valuable insights into the accelerating pace of change. Don’t miss this enlightening glimpse into tomorrow!

Tue Oct 17^th 12:30pm – EPIC Lounge

Geoffrey Hinton: A Race Toward Danger

Discover the future of AI with Geoffrey Hinton. In this eye-opening discussion, explore the power of deep learning and recent breakthroughs in AI. Gain insights from Hinton, who made waves recently by leaving Google to be able to openly discuss the dangers of AI. Don’t miss this inspiring and sobering glimpse into the evolving landscape of AI.

Fri Oct 20^th 12:30pm – EPIC Lounge

Why AI Often Seems Clueless

AI is disrupting entire industries. But is AI really as competent as the headlines say? At her AI humour blog, AIweirdness.com, Janelle Shane watches machine learning algorithms struggle to deal with the complexities of the human world. Through hilarious anecdotes, Shane illustrates the kinds of problems where AI will succeed, fail … or succeed at solving the wrong problem entirely. Don’t miss this entertaining perspective on the nature of AI.

Tue Oct 24^th 12:30pm – EPIC Lounge

CERT NZ’s annual awareness campaign takes place 30 October – 5 November 2023. This year Cyber Smart Week will also mark the official launch of a brand new CERT NZ programme.

Cyber Smart Week aims to reach a broad range of New Zealanders to help raise the importance of cyber security. Businesses and organisations of all sizes can take part.

Your participation is vital in helping reach millions of New Zealanders – including your valued customers and team – to empower them with tools and resources to protect themselves online.

You’re invited to register your support for Cyber Smart Week and receive promotional material and resources.

Once you sign up, you’ll be kept up to date with Cyber Smart Week 2023 updates and the new programme launch.

There are some exciting opportunities available with our tenant CerebralFix over the coming summer months! CerebralFix are a leading game development studio dedicated to creating innovative, immersive gaming experiences for players around the world. Current internships are for:

Game Developer

Game Designer

Marketing and Communications

Find more details and apply here

This online conference with 27 sessions will give the chance to catalyse more impact as we reimagine the role of business and for-purpose organisations.

Drawing mainly on former Seeds Podcast guests to be speakers and panelists (as well as other amazing friends) it will be a full day of empowering impact by connecting, learning and inspiring action with others.

With a low cost to attend ($20), the option to apply for a scholarship, and accessibility enhanced by being entirely online, this an invitation to the seeds impact community.

Each of you have unique gifts, perspectives and talents that we need as we move into a collaborative future.

Seeds Impact Conference wants active participants, who each commit to bringing your own ideas and contributions. What would we result if we listen to each other and collaborate more?

Where?

Coordinated from Ōtautahi Christchurch, and held online so anyone can attend regardless of geographical restrictions.

After this event we hope to gather support for holding an in-person conference in 2024.

When?

Thursday 5 October 2023.

How much will it be?

The aim is not to make money, but to cover any costs. Tickets are $20 per attendee here.

Looking for something to entertain the kids these school holidays? Check out these events from Egg Academy, for ages 10-15, happening 23 September – 8 October.

SOCIAL GAMING

20 computers, all in the same room, hooked up together to play multiplayer video games.

3-7pm Saturday 23rd September
Free
2 Dundas Street, Central

SOLD OUT

Code a Narrative Game

CUPCAKE DECORATING

Decorate cupcakes to a carnival theme and enjoy your delicious creations at the end of the session!

1-3pm Tuesday 26th September
$30
1/57 Warrington Street, Edgeware

Book here

2 DAY GAME JAM

Arists, Designers, Coders — come make a video game over 2 days.

Join solo or as a team. No experience required.

9am-3pm Wednesday 27th & Thursday 28th September
Free
Yoobee Chch Campus – 573 Colombo Street, Central

Book here

Pixel Animations

Key considerations for future growth

With the unprecedented growth and influence of the information technology (IT) sector, the importance of integrating sustainability practices cannot be overstated.

A paradigm shift is imminent, with industry leaders directing the charge towards incorporating eco-friendly strategies into their operations. One path to sustainability is through carbon neutrality. This requires companies to measure and account for their carbon emissions from every aspect of their operations, including energy usage to business travel.

Reaching carbon-neutral status is a significant milestone in any organisation’s journey. However, it’s not just about carbon offsetting; it’s also about fundamentally rethinking every aspect of business operations, from supply chains to energy consumption. It requires a holistic approach that encompasses innovative strategies, technological advancements, and a commitment to sustainability throughout the company. By embracing this mindset, businesses can pave the way for a greener future, foster positive change, and inspire others to follow suit.

A greenhouse gas assessment can even consider less-obvious elements like cleaning services, software, and stationary. The baseline established through this process can inform future sustainability strategies and help organisations track their progress.

The ongoing assessments ensure that businesses remain carbon-neutral beyond a single financial year. This continued effort is essential for driving long-term, systematic change. However, this isn’t a journey that companies need to tackle alone. Partnerships with like-minded organisations can help reduce emissions across the supply chain and operating ecosystem. This shared responsibility for sustainability will ultimately help the business reduce its own emissions, too.

IT companies can look to several additional operational changes to enhance sustainability. For organisations that are situated on premises, opting for renewable energy sources and using electric vehicles for deliveries and transportation can considerably shrink their carbon footprint. Embracing recycling and using sustainable alternatives wherever possible can also make a significant difference. These changes can come in the form of substituting plastic packaging with recycled cardboard or even harnessing rainwater for sanitation and gardening.

Shifting to cloud-based services can be a helpful move because these providers are usually better at energy management and cooling. To take it a step further, businesses can modernise their applications, which can take more time and effort; however, these have much smaller footprints than traditional applications, which can result in further emissions reductions.

While moving to the cloud can provide numerous benefits, it’s not a magic bullet for sustainability. Responsible consumption of cloud resources is critical, as the ease of access and use can inadvertently lead to waste. Continuous monitoring, measurement, and education about sustainable IT practices are crucial.

Embracing sustainability within the IT sector will undoubtedly be a demanding and complex challenge, requiring a shift in mindset, commitment to accurate measurement, and a willingness to innovate. However, the potential benefits—a healthier planet, improved brand reputation, and a more engaged workforce—make it a journey worth taking. By learning from the experiences and insights of industry leaders well into their sustainability journey, companies can create significant changes today and work towards a more sustainable tomorrow.

This article was first published in TechDay New Zealand on 6th September 2023, by Gordon Brownell

We find ourselves in a society where the line between what is created by humans, and what is created by machines, is increasingly blurred. Generative AI has been a turning point in how we create, design, and interact with technology. But how does it work, what are the benefits beyond novelty, and what are the risks?

Join AWS for an understandable and approachable deep dive into how generative AI works and how we can use this technology not just as a standalone tool, but in collaborative partnership to responsibly drive innovation and transformation.

This course is intended for:

• Non-technical enthusiasts
• Technical enthusiasts
• Decision makers
• Developers
• Solution Architects
• Data Engineers
• Anyone who wants to learn about the machine learning pipeline

Xero, the global small business platform, marked day one of Xerocon Sydney 2023 by opening applications for its inaugural Xero Beautiful Business Fund, designed to celebrate small businesses, empower success and help accelerate their growth.

The Fund is open to small businesses across Aotearoa New Zealand, with the opportunity for four Xero small business customers to receive a share of more than $750,000 in funding to support their future aspirations.

Xero announced submissions are now open and there are four categories Kiwi small businesses can put themselves forward for including sustainability, technology, community and upskilling.

Xero Country Manager – NZ, Bridget Snelling says the Xero Beautiful Business Fund is a great initiative for Xero’s Kiwi small businesses to celebrate their hard work and take their business to the next level.

“After a challenging few years for our small business community, we’re excited to be able to support them to further invest in their own future success under these four key categories,” says Snelling.

Alongside Snelling, the local judging panel in Aotearoa New Zealand includes Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges, 1Centre Founder & CEO Miriana Lowrie, Plugin Accountant Limited CEO Sue de Bievre, and Xero employee, Maarten Idema.

According to Xero, there are low barriers to entry, and to apply, Xero small business customers will need to submit a 90-second pitch video and complete a brief written form for as many categories as they would like to enter:

• Innovating for sustainability: For small businesses who want to take the next step on their sustainability journey. For example, it could be to move to sustainable packaging, implement energy-efficient equipment or carbon neutral transport.
• Trailblazing with technology: For small businesses seeking to innovate. This could include digitalising parts of their operations or integrating new emerging technologies.
• Strengthening community connection: For small businesses or non-profits who strive to give back to their communities. It could be to contribute to philanthropy, social good, or make an impact on the community in a meaningful way.
• Upskilling for the future: For small businesses seeking to support upskilling for themselves or their employees. This could include access to training and other professional development opportunities.

Each submission should be future-focused and detail how the funding would benefit the small business, Xero states.

Xero CEO Sukhinder Singh Cassidy says, “Supporting and celebrating small businesses and their owners is at the core of Xero’s mission, and we’re energised by the opportunity to empower these companies and trailblazers with funding that can help them achieve the next level of success.”

“We already know that so many of our customers embody Xero’s values, and we’re pleased to be awarding funds to help our customers in an area like sustainability or upskilling, where they may not have had the cash to do so.”

The Xero Beautiful Business Fund is open to Xero small business customers in Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the US, and the UK.

A total of 28 regional winners, one from each region for each category, will be determined by regional judging panels before being put forward to the global judging panel to select the global winner for each of the four categories.

The global judging panel for the inaugural Xero Beautiful Business Fund includes judges who represent accounting, small business and Xero’s global partners: Laurie McCabe, Co-Founder and Partner, SMB Group; Becca McClure, Director of Transformation, BDO Global; Jeanne Grosser, Global Head of Partnerships, Stripe; John Hummelstad, Locatrix CEO; Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, Xero CEO; and Nigel Piper, Xero Executive General Manager, Customer Experience.

Click here to find out more and apply

Applications close 6 October 2023

This article first appeared in TechDay New Zealand on 24 August 2023 by Catherine Knowles.

Our pursuit of excellence is a journey marked by innovation, collaboration, and our commitment to ensuring our clients get the most out of their HubSpot investment. We love seeing them increase their sales efficiency, improve their campaign-to-market timeframes, and leverage all the advantages that come with automation.

We’re also not adverse to tooting our own horn when our hard work and achievements are recognised, so it’s with no small amount of pride and excitement that we add another trophy to the cabinet: the HubSpot 2023 Semi-annual Platform Migration Excellence Impact Award.

Our winning submission, a case study centered around Squiz, a global digital experience company, sheds light on the intricacies of navigating the ever-shifting tech terrain. In the project Concentrate migrated Squiz from SugarCRM, Marketo and a bunch of other tools to the HubSpot CRM platform.

A sprawl of apps and disconnected efficiency

We’ve seen that tech companies, like Squiz, were quick to embrace the promise of sales and marketing technology. However, that can result app sprawl – a multitude of tools, each functioning in isolation, leading to a tangled web of inefficiencies. This disconnect impeded both sales and marketing operations, as well as visibility into overall performance.

To address this challenge head-on, Squiz embarked on a strategic collaboration with HubSpot and Concentrate. As a premium HubSpot solutions partner, our expertise and insight were instrumental in evaluating the HubSpot CRM platform’s alignment with Squiz’s unique requirements.

Recognising excellence: HubSpot Solutions Partner Impact Awards

These awards are a celebration of exceptional client work, HubSpot’s recognition of the dedication and ingenuity that Solutions Partners bring to the table. The Platform Migration Excellence category is a tribute to the prowess displayed in migrating clients from legacy systems to HubSpot’s dynamic ecosystem.

Concentrate’s case study submission garnered an impressive score of 85.00 out of a potential 100 points. This achievement reflects the depth of research, innovation, and dedication Concentrate brought to the migration project. As a result of our victory, we’ve earned a place on the Impact Awards Hall of Fame page.

This is a triumph for our team as we celebrate the power of collaboration, innovation, and the pursuit of excellence.

Image from NZ Hi-Tech Awards. This article was originally published in the NZ Herald on 23 June 2023 by Chris Keall.

The big winners at this year’s NZ Hi-Tech Awards spanned from e-commerce to AI to space.

Cin7 was named the 2023 NZ Hi-Tech Company of the Year at a Christchurch ceremony tonight – overcoming a post-Covid hangover that saw it cull 15 per cent of staff in April as the lockdown-fuelled online shopping boom subsided.

The Auckland-based e-commerce specialist was founded in 2011 by Vietnamese refugee turned entrepreneur Danny Ing, and assists firms that want to sell through Amazon and other e-commerce platforms. Most of its customers are overseas. It was bought by US firm Rubicon in a 2019 deal pegged by the Overseas Investment Office at $133 million.

10-11 September 2023, Te Pae Convention Centre, Christchurch.

This exciting two-day event has something for everyone, including over 100 interactive exhibitors showcasing leading-edge innovation initiatives and the Innovation Summit, which will host international keynote speakers, panel discussions, and workshops on topics such as future cities, Internet of Things (IoT), and cybersecurity.

EPIC tenants Digital Confectioners, CerebralFix, and Orion will be taking part as exhibitors!
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The Innovation Expo will also feature I-Atea Gaming Expo – the setting for the New Zealand Secondary School Esports National Finals and the Esports Hyperfibre League Finals, which offers an immersive experience with engaging activities and the latest gaming technology. This is also at Te Pae, with entry covered by tickets to the Innovation Expo.
‍
Other Christchurch events centred on innovation during the week are the Canterbury Tech Summit and Aerospace Summit (separate tickets) both of which are also hosted at Te Pae.

The Innovation Expo is produced by Council’s Smart Christchurch programme, promoting Ōtautahi Christchurch as an exemplar city, showcasing solutions that make life better and that are replicable by others.

Register early to secure your spot. Some sessions and workshops have limited numbers and may require a separate registration to secure your place.

Tickets available here – FREE

More information available here

This article was originally published on Stuff.co.nz on 27 July 2023. By Aimee Shaw.

A new list of the best 100 New Zealand tech companies and start-ups to work at has been drawn up by venture capital investors and career platform Matchstiq.

To be considered, companies had to be of a minimum size and be well-funded, and up to 30 years old. They were chosen for their growth potential, innovation, purpose, and contribution to nurturing a diverse pool of talent.

This year’s list includes Kea Aerospace, the company building a solar-powered stratospheric aircraft, Auror, a retail crime intelligence software used by some of the biggest retailers in the world, and Cogo, a carbon footprint management platform that enables businesses to measure their impact on the climate.

This is the third time a list of the top tech companies and start-ups to work for in this country has been published.

The tech industry is the country’s fastest-growing and poised to become the biggest.

Matchstiq co-founder Greg Denton said the organisations included in this year’s list showed tech was not just for computer engineers, with examples of former butchers, bakers and electricians all finding their home in a tech start-up.

The recruitment platform, along with well-known names from Blackbird VC, Icehouse Ventures and K1W1, amongst others, spent three months compiling the list from over 450 nominations.

Runn.io, a resource planning software for progressive companies, that allows firms to create a fully remote working culture with people working overseas, and brand tracking software firm Tracksuit, one of New Zealand’s fastest growing start-ups, were also included.

MenuAid, Lumin, Harmoney, Whip Around and Partly were also featured.

Denton said he picked Auror or Tradify, a job management software platform for tradespeople, as up and coming start-ups to watch – and potential contenders to be the country’s next billion-dollar company.

Companies included on the list were some of the fastest-growing in the sector, he said.

“The New Zealand ecosystem continues to go from strength to strength, attracting more domestic and international investment, more companies being created as well as existing ones growing and succeeding on the international stage,” said Denton.

“Tech is now our second-biggest industry and will very soon be our largest industry.

“Unfortunately in New Zealand, tech is still not quite seen as the same as in America, for example. There, if you took the top 10 companies that everyone worked for, almost every single one of them would be a tech company, whereas that hasn’t really permeated to this side of the world yet,” he said.

“We’re a little bit behind in terms of people recognising that this is our fastest-growing industry, and perhaps from a careers standpoint, the extremely interesting opportunities.”

The purpose of the list was to help jobseekers and in part to showcase interesting companies that some people did not know exist, said Denton.

Canterbury Tech hosts a week of awesome speakers and workshops on all things technology at the Tech Week Hub at EPIC centre on Manchester Street, Central Christchurch.

Each day we are exploring themes about how tech is helping us build a future together. Here are the themes for each of the days.

Monday 15th May : The Future of Transport Day

Tuesday 16th May : The Future of Health Day thanks to Spark Health

Wednesday 17th May : The Future of Food & Climate Day thanks to ASX

Thursday 18th May : The Future of Business Day

Friday 19th May : The Future of Technology Day

12pm – 2pm Each Day
During this time, some of our key speakers will be talking, so take a long lunch, grab a coffee and some food at one of the food trucks onsite at EPIC!

Who?
If you work in the industry, are looking for work in tech or are just curious to find out about Canterbury’s awesome technology sector and how we are helping to build a bright future – please come along and join in.

Secure a ticket today – Click on the link above to the day(s) you’d like to attend, then click through to “Register Now” on each of those specific pages per event day – it’ll take you to a Humanitix page to grab your ticket.

Free for members and only $30 a day for non-members.

Find out more information here.

Games studio Digital Confectioners has received an investment from conglomerate Tencent.

Founded in 2007 and based out of New Zealand, the company has developed titles such as Dread Hunger, Last Tide, and Depth.

Director at Digital Confectioners, James Tan, explained that the new funding will go towards expansion of the company and its development of two new titles.

He also said that the investment from Tencent will create a new partnership for the studio.

“Tencent provided us with insights into the China market and how Dread Hunger hit the mark with players seeking a higher skill-cap gameplay compared to other social deception titles,” he explained.

“We’re excited to see where this takes us and what it can enable us to do in future”

First Canterbury workforce plan aims for collective change

The Canterbury Regional Skills Leadership Group (RSLG) launched Canterbury’s first Regional Workforce Plan in Christchurch at Enterprise Precinct and Innovation Campus (EPIC) on the 14th of July 2022.

The Regional Workforce Plan has an initial focus on rangatahi as a key labour market demographic and on digital technology, manufacturing, and healthcare and social assistance as key sectors.

Canterbury RSLG Co-chair Karena Brown said it aimed to stimulate a regionwide conversation on “how Canterbury can work collectively to change the way we develop and support our workforce – now and in the future”.

Key priorities in the plan include a focus on actions to address labour and skills shortages and to improve access to career development support – particularly for the region’s rangatahi.

The RSLG is an independent advisory group of community leaders with representatives from both the supply and demand sides of Canterbury’s diverse labour market. The Regional Workforce Plan’s development involved extensive community engagement.

“We view this inaugural Canterbury Regional Workforce Plan as a plan for the region, by the region,” Karena Brown said. “It will support our education, welfare and immigration agencies to be better connected through Canterbury’s labour market planning and delivery, and reflect kaupapa Māori views in its actions.”

Work on the Canterbury Regional Workforce Plan began in 2020 with analysis undertaken by the interim RSLG, which was stood up to support the initial response to COVID-19 and its impact on the regional labour market. The permanent RSLG has then built upon this work since being appointed in 2021.

“The process of developing this strategy has been one of partnership and collaboration. We are extremely grateful to the many colleagues from industry, the education and training sector, rangatahi, unions, and business who have participated in the development of our areas of focus and actions,” said RSLG Iwi Co-Chair Liz Brown.

The Regional Workforce Plan will be refreshed annually, and the group will continue to work within the community to ensure it captures the views and priorities of the region. The Canterbury Regional Workforce Plan is available on the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website, at mbie.govt.nz/canterbury-rslg.