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The Kiwibank Fintech Accelerator has opened their applications and they are looking for 10 extraordinary startups to participate in the programme. The programme supports startups advancing innovative applications in payments, financial literacy, security, insurance, identity regulations, lending, investing, or asset management. They may be using technologies such as blockchain, AI, machine learning, bots and cryptocurrencies…

The 2018 Hi-Tech Awards will open for entry at the beginning of December and  the occasion will be marked with special launch events for people interested in entering the Awards. This year there are three launch events in Wellington, Christchurch, and Auckland – save the date. Details are: Details for our Wellington event: When: 5pm…

Your website is such an important part of your business. Websites today have multiple roles such as customer service reps, training providers, quality monitoring teams, order takers and sales and marketing staff. For the average B2B tech company, your website plays a crucial role at different stages of the sales process. So, what can you…

Social enterprises combine entrepreneurial spirit with a strong dose of ‘heart’ as they work to make a real difference in our world. And it is not just part of a temporary trend. The 1,600 people who assembled last month in Christchurch at the Social Enterprise World Forum demonstrate that. Social enterprises often operate as limited liability companies, but…

Concentrate has been represented at Inbound before, but it was my first opportunity to witness it first hand, and I did not know what to expect. Except, maybe, an under-the-hood view of the platform, learn some tips and tricks about marketing tech… What actually awaited me was a festive atmosphere, a cornucopia of talks and…

We’re proud to announce that EPIC tenants MTech Games won the Champion Canterbury award in the Professional Services, Small to Medium Enterprise category. MTech Games was created to explore the possibilities for virtual reality in the rehabilitation/medical space and beyond.  They are currently focused on helping new powered wheelchair users through the tough transition to…

From 1998, the popular yellow electric shuttles ran every 10 minutes on a set loop around the central city, until the February 2011 earthquake. The hop on, hop off service was free to use. In August 2016, the Greater Christchurch Public Transport Committee, which includes staff from Environment Canterbury (ECan), the Christchurch City Council and the NZ…

This is the monthly update from Memia Labs; for more information about any of this, please contact them at labs@memia.com My new band: Me + AI Believe it or not, my first career choice was to be a pop musician. (Admittedly not a lot of demand for melodic punk-folk cross between The Pogues and Violent Femmes – we…

The recent announcements around the new Central Library highlight key technological features showing the effort to move the city forward in the world. Following the 2011 earthquakes there was much talk about shape the city should take through the rebuild. One such idea was to create the “Silicon Valley of the South”. While we aren’t…

The Christchurch Tech Story has been developed to amplify Christchurch’s reputation as a technology innovation hub, helping to attract talent and funding. Photos, infographics and banners reflect our “connected, world-class and creative” messaging, helping the city’s tech sector become better known for developing innovative products and services for global niche markets. Please check out and…

Social Enterprises in New Zealand: A Legal Handbook, now available   Parry Field Lawyers have just released the book: “Social Enterprises in New Zealand: A Legal Handbook”.   Written by Steven Moe, the book features an introduction by Alex Hannant, the CEO of Ākina, and more information is here http://changeforgood.parryfield.com/2017/09/11/social-enterprises-in-new-zealand-a-legal-handbook/ or it can be requested as an…

Media Release                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            18 September 2017 NZ Teen in Global Competition to Create Super Happiness A global challenge with big prizes and massive opportunities has a single Kiwi as one of its 15 finalists announced today. The Singularity U / Project Heha Super Happiness Challenge is looking for solutions to help people achieve true…

Grant Dalton and the Team New Zealand boys are coming back to Christchurch to support the re-build of Pleasant Point Yacht Club in South Brighton.  They have a $1million shortfall and we would love support.  Team New Zealand will be sharing their story, the ups and downs and everything else in between; inspirational for everyone; because…

The eighth annual Market Measures survey of New Zealand hi-tech sales and marketing opened today. Conducted by marketing advisory firms Concentrate and Swaytech, and sponsored by New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, the study draws data from a sample of New Zealand-based technology companies on their approach to marketing and selling their products. This year’s Market Measures study has a sales-strategy…

The recent Canterbury Tech Summit was a great event again this year with high calibre speakers, great breakout sessions and a huge number of attendees. The speakers were from all around the world and discussed topics from Positioning through to AI. We are looking forward to seeing what next year will hold.

Blog from Concentrate According to one of those useless studies that seem to fill our news feeds these days, toasted sandwich makers have been revealed as one the most commonly owned but least used household appliances. I wonder if CRMs (i.e. software that manages information about your sales activity) hold the same status in a typical business….

TECO is going to co-host a workshop with Creative HQ (Wellington) to bridge Young Entrepreneurs between New Zealand and Taiwan. The workshop has been scheduled to be held in the afternoon on Monday 25 September at Creative HQ. The aim is to create a mechanism to facilitate young entrepreneurs, startups, inventors between the two side…

The New Zealand Game Developers Association confirms that the NZ gaming industry is booming. NZ game developers earned $100 million last financial year. Kiwi gaming companies earnings have increased by 12% since last year. 55% of New Zealand’s studios describe themselves as independent self-publishers, 14% focus on contract work and outsourcing, while 28% mix contracting…

In a run of nominations coming Corvecto’s way, they have been announced as finalists in the NZ Innovation Awards in not just one category, but THREE! The VR training solution company have been announced as finalists for Innovation in Technology Solutions, Innovation in Media, Marketing & Communications, and Young New Zealand Innovator through Managing Director…

Originally published in the IT Brief NZ A Christchurch company is expanding its global footprint by opening an office in California. Connexionz delivers fully integrated Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) applications, servicing transit agencies across Australasia, Asia, Europe, South America and North America. Based in the Highridge Business Park in the Valencia suburb of Santa Clarita,…

Big data and artificial intelligence aren’t usually topics associated with education, but thanks to two local startups these tools are being developed in Christchurch to help prepare students for the future. Last week Charlie Tomlinson and Raphael Nolden, presented to the EdTech Asia Summit 2017 on software tools developed here with the potential to help…

EPIC is today the feature of bizEDGE NZ in light of the recent successes with the Champion Canterbury awards. Three EPIC tenants have been  announced as finalists in the awards and the spotlight is being turned to EPIC as a successful business hub. Read the full story here.

Another EPIC tenant, VR and AR training platform Corvecto, have also been announced as finalists in this year’s Champion Canterbury awards. Corvecto are one of three finalists in the Champion Innovation category and the winner will be announced at the ceremony on the 4th October. To find out more about Corvecto click here.

Two EPIC tenants were announced last night as finalists in the Professional Services – small enterprise category for the Champion Canterbury Awards 2017. Concentrate Limited and MTech Games Ltd were announced to be finalists at the event last night in the PWC building. This year’s Awards has seen 150 entries with 24 finalists moving forward….

Post by Jacques-Pierre Dumas on FutureFive NZ: This weekend I had the opportunity to meet Henry Lane, Corvecto managing director. Corvecto is a Kiwi startup that works with enterprise organisations of all sizes looking to protect themselves or grow their business through virtual and augmented reality. Corvecto provides full-stack design and development services. They distinguish…

Remote beehive monitoring company Hivemind is undeterred by a shortfall in a crowdfunding effort to test demand for a hobbyist version of its product. Hivemind, of Christchurch, produces a satellite-connected beehive monitoring system for remote hive sites, even those out of mobile coverage. The system primarily monitors beehive weight, hive temperature, humidity and site rainfall….

Launch Taranaki and NZVIF to invest in local startups Media release: 24 August 2017 The New Zealand Venture Investment Fund and Launch Taranaki, the New Plymouth-based angel investment fund, have formed a partnership to invest into start-up companies, primarily in Taranaki. Launch Taranaki was formed last year.  The angel group has over 20 members, and is…

This is the monthly update from Memia Labs; for more information about any of this, please contact them at labs@memia.com The Coming Quantum Computing Revolution My mind is still trying to absorb the full implications of this @a16z podcast on Quantum Computing. In particular these lines jumped out at me: – Nature is inherently quantum…

As Apple looks to move into it’s new Apple Park in California, employees are upset over the move to rid the company of offices, and instead introduce open plan workspaces. It’s the latest trend in productivity with its supporters and its haters. With a large majorty of EPIC being setup as open plan workspaces, do…

It’s been a few weeks now since Emirates Team New Zealand won the America’s Cup. A lot was said at the time about the technology and innovation the team developed and put together to win back the Auld Mug. From the cyclors and foil design, to the remote controlled wingsail, spectators and commentators were in…

PwC’s Commercialising Innovation Report shows that artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are the most advanced of the emerging technologies in New Zealand – and some Kiwi companies are already banking the returns. Augmented reality, 3-D printing, drones and robotics will grow in disruptive significance in the next three years but PwC predicts that AI…

Dotterel, which was runner-up in Callaghan Innovation’s inaugural C-Prize Challenge for its work in suppressing the noise of drone propellers, is the first New Zealand based company to be signed by leading US technology accelerator Techstars. Dotterel was born out of the Callaghan C-Prize in 2015 when those in the cinematography industry issued a challenge…

You’ll forgive us for sounding like a broken record, but discussions about technology in education have been cycling for years now with the same message being conveyed; it needs to catch up. NZTech held it’s eighth annual meeting the other week where it announced the businesses that make up its community now collectively employ 100,000…

10 finalists have been announced in Callaghan Innovation’s biennial C-Prize Challenge where innovators were tasked with creating the next generation of wearable technology. The winner receives a $100,000 prize package. Some of the finalists include Rehabilitation Innovation team who aim to help stroke sufferers, Team Rippl who want to change the way deaf people interact…

All across the country you can find success stories of co-working where otherwise struggling businesses are finding their feet and reaching new levels of success. EPIC itself is a great facilitator of growth for many local businesses. Natalie Sissons discusses how co-working is helping businesses in Upper Hutt. Read her story here.

Fiona Ambler, of Digital Marketing Specialist for GymMaster, has recently placed second as part of the national MYOB IT Challenge. Her team, Team GYOB  were awarded second place for their innovative stock management application, which uses augmented reality technology. UC Centre for Entrepreneurship Incubator Manager Michelle Panzer says the challenge reveals students who understand the issues that…

The Smart Highway to success: the right information to the right businesses at the right time The road to successfully starting out in business is about to become a smart highway, thanks to work business.govt.nz has been doing with Inland Revenue, ACC and MBIE. For the last six months business.govt.nz has been working closely with…

This is the monthly update from Memia Labs; for more information about any of this, please contact them at labs@memia.com  First And Foremost, AI Lots going on as usual in the AI field this month. Google announced their new PAIR – People + AI initiative to advance research and design of people-centric AI systems. Deepmind taught…

The Canterbury Tech Summit is happening on the 14th September this year and time is running out to claim your free early bird membership tickets. Canterbury Tech members are able to access free early bird membership tickets up until the 31st July. Make sure you don’t miss out by registering here. To view the full…

Leo Adriano recently launched his new venture, ShareLet, at the EPIC Innovation Campus with support of the Ministry of Awesome, a facilitation group funded by the city council and grants. “The self-storage industry is booming on a global basis but building or adapting premises come with high costs that are passed on. I thought there would…

Kiwi students are looking forward to an education refresh that incorporates more technology use in classrooms. The ‘Digital Technologies’ literacy plan involves developing teachers’ skills to deliver new digitally focused curriculum to encourage problem solving skills required for the future. However, parents are concerned about their children will be spending even more time ‘looking at…

The 2017 Canterbury Tech Summit will feature some widely renowned speakers, headed by keynote speaker, Silicon Valley Tech Marketing powerhouse Andy Cunningham. The event will take place 14th September at the Wigram Air Force museum and is a great opportunity for the tech community to get together, share ideas and hear some inspirational speakers share…

Superstar tenants CerebralFix are being recognised around the world for their game development capabilities. In a recent article by FutureFive NZ, Cerebral Fix’s latest indie game Ninja Tobu is ranked as one of the top, addictive games at the moment. It’s great to see tenants doing well and being recognised for the work they are…

Speaking to GovInsider recently, Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel discussed how Christchurch has not only bounced-back following the 2011 earthquakes, but instead has thrived and future-proofed itself. Resilience, she says, is what Christchurch has shown; taking the opportunity to re-invent and improve itself. EPIC is cited as being one of the successes of the post-earthquake regeneration….

The Government has released the eight discussion document in its Making Tax Simpler series of consultations that aim to improve the tax system for business and individuals, and is asking for public feedback. Take this opportunity to have your say on our tax system and voice the ways in which you think it can be…

ShadowTech Day was held last month where students spend a day with a mentor within the industry, promoting a career in IT as a viable option to more young women. Eva Sherwood, Account Executive at Oracle New Zealand and Board Member of NZTech, takes part in the day as a mentor and shares her insights…

This is the monthly update from Memia Labs; for more information about any of this, please contact them at labs@memia.com  AI <=> Art Fascinatingly esoteric presentation at a recent AI Meetup I attended from artist Ronan Whitteker of the newly launched Aftermath Gallery: Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Arts. Some provocative examples of AI being applied in the…

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) has launched a new service designed to help early-stage exporters learn the fundamentals of becoming a successful export business. NZTE’s new service, Export Essentials, consists of two parts. There are ten online guides that cover the basics of exporting that businesses can work through in their own time and…

The Techweek ’17 event ‘GovTech is the New Black’ was hosted by R9 Accelerator on Friday 12 May at BizDojo Wellington. The GovTech themed event was presented in 7×7 format, featuring seven speakers presenting for seven minutes each. Speakers ranged from private sector startups to government innovation projects and detailed the technologies that are advancing…

As part of Tech Week, thirty-five school kids showed off their computer coding skills for MPs in the beehive. Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne said Code Club Aotearoa, which organised the event, was having a big impact on children aged 9 to 12. Code Club, starting out of a small computer lab in Aranui, sets…