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As the New Zealand governing coalition has finally been decided, now starts the real work to determine the policies and legislation required to implement their vision.  Their ability to deliver on this vision will have a lot to do with the alignment of the three quite different coalition partners – Labour, New Zealand First and…

STICKING TO THE PLAN HOW A NEW ZEALAND HI-TECH AWARD WINNER IS BUILDING A GLOBAL DIGITAL HEALTH BUSINESS Image: http://www.adherium.com/ In the third instalment of our Hi-tech heroes series, Concentrate talked to Garth Sutherland, Founder & Executive Director at Adherium, winners of the Most Innovative Hardware Product category at the 2017 Hi-Tech Awards. Developing medical…

INTO THE CYBER-WAR FRAY Andy Prow, founder and CEO of RedShield. In the second instalment of our Hi-tech heroes series, Concentrate talked to Andy Prow, Founder and CEO of RedShield, the company that won both the best product and best service categories at the 2017 Hi-Tech Awards. If you were choosing a global market niche…

KEEPING THE FAITH Having the courage to focus on a market sector and use innovative digital tactics to generate sales leads is core to the success of Pushpay, winner of the supreme award at the 2017 New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards, as well as Innovative Company of the Year. Concentrate talked with co-founder and CEO Chris…

Canterbury business Ethique is smashing the competition and their recent crowdfunding venture raised their goal of $500,000 in less than a day. “It’s amazing. I knew it would go quickly after 1,300 of our customers registered their interest, but I’m blown away that it went that quick,” says Ethique founder and CEO Brianne West. West…

SheEO is a leading global innovation in the female entrepreneur marketplace. Their radical new model to finance, support and celebrate female entrepreneurs has received global attention by capturing the hearts and minds of women around the world. Over 150 regions from Asia-Pacific to Latin America to Europe and North America have applied to replicate the…

The NZVRARA (The New Zealand VR/AR Association Inc.) has today released the first of two reports commissioned on the New Zealand VR/AR Ecosystem. The Report, titled ‘VIRTUAL GETS REAL: The Explosion of Cross Reality in New Zealand’ profiles a rapidly growing local industry that is predicted to contribute to New Zealand’s Digital Nation with annual…

It can take only minutes for a data breach to cause significant damage to an organisation and it can take months for the same organisation to identify and to respond to those threats. Almost half of IT executives want to detect an attack in progress while there’s still time to act, according to a recent RSA study….

Tech advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) might help New Zealand move toward a solution for helping feed the world which will require food production to double to meet a growing population demands. New Zealand IoT Alliance executive director Kriv Naicker says the new government needs to support the tech…

The New Zealand virtual reality and augmented reality (VRAR) industry sector’s forecast revenues are estimated to be worth more than $320 million within two years, a report states. The publication was commissioned by the New Zealand Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Association (NZVRARA), which is a part of the New Zealand Tech Alliance. The NZVRARA…

Many New Zealanders are buying into the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) as it is creeping into many walks of everyday life. New Zealand needs to actively embrace artificial intelligence at a faster rate as an extraordinary opportunity and challenge for New Zealand’s future, Artificial Intelligence Forum of New Zealand (AIFNZ) executive director Ben Reid…

It was big news in the Kiwi start up community last week when Apple confirmed it would acquire Auckland start up PowerbyProxi. And NZTech’s CEO Graeme Muller says that the deal is confirmation that New Zealand is on the right track to become a global tech story – and be known for our technology just like we…

Remember when you were a kid on the pulse of tech and everyone older than you was living in the stone age? Well, one day it will inevitably be you in the stone age and a Kiwi company is working hard to ensure that happens sooner rather later. OMGTech! recently announced its new program delivering…

Canterbury Tech is calling for nominations for the 2018 Canterbury Tech committee. There are three (3) positions to be elected. Voting will take place on 5 December or by proxy if you are unable to attend the AGM.    Each individual member or member company is entitled to one vote each. We hope to receive…

As we celebrate the next stage of the EPIC journey, it is great to see the support of the community, particular with the media recognising the significance of what we do. See below a summary of an article featured in bizEDGE NZ on EPIC’s latest announcement. The Christchurch innovation hub EPIC is celebrating the EPIC…

It’s our birthday! We are 5 years old this week and want to take the opportunity to thank all the businesses, groups and individuals that have supported us as tenants, by attending events or even just popping in for a coffee. It’s been a great ride and we are looking forward to the next 7!

Forty-six startups from around the world have been selected from a list of over 1000 applications to form the next cohort at Dubai Future Accelerators (DFA), it was revealed today. Taking up their places for the nine-week program at the DFA’s headquarters in Emirates Towers, entrepreneurs with cutting-edge technologies will be partnering with various government-run…

Smart Seeds involves multi-disciplinary teams of young professionals generating fresh ideas to tackle complex challenges facing their city. In 2018, GHD is bringing Smart Seeds to Christchurch.   Check out a short highlights video from the 2017 Wellington programme to see what Smart Seeds is all about.   For Expressions of Interest or further information,…

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…