Aotearoa, NZ's big push on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths is essential in a knowledge economy, and we continue to create massive economic value through our innovation ecosystem. However, the Arts (humanities, language arts, dance, drama, music, visual arts, design and new media) are more important than ever. Creative marketing campaigns have massive power to … Continue reading Inserting A into STEAM
The recent release of FMA’s targeted review of the NZX is timely on the heels of the ongoing GameStop saga. Technology is taking us to some interesting places, and market operators (and regulators) need to keep up. The review slammed NZX’s technology capability. A series of issues last year including trading volume-related system issues and outages in … Continue reading Retail investor activism is alive and well
Do you love me, the Boston Dynamics robots dubbed “Spot, Atlas and Handle” ask us? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn3KWM1kuAw These smart mobility robots continue to take the internet by storm, with this latest video certainly changing the narrative from the “robot abuse” feedback the company received back in 2016. It’s interesting to see how public perception of robots … Continue reading The dancing robots are coming
I’m still feeling inspired from my recent Startup Weekend experience as a mentor in Hāwera, South Taranaki. This is the smallest community (of 10,300) the programme has run in, but it could be said with the biggest heart. Throw in some caffeine and sleep deprivation, and hang on in for the ride - it is always … Continue reading The power of an innovation ecosystem
Who would have thought we would have a competitive, thriving private aerospace sector here in Aotearoa? There’s a lot of activity happening around Ōtautahi, Christchurch due to both local geography and airspace, and the talent pool through the University of Canterbury’s (UC) College of Engineering. I first met Mark Rocket some years ago; I was … Continue reading Innovation and aerospace in Ōtautahi, Chch
In a post-COVID world, the services sector has been the most affected. Hospitality, tourism, accommodation, education, retail...the list is growing longer by the week. We are likely to continue with short notice 'level' changes alongside border restrictions for quite some time. The uncertainty around timeframes is difficult for many companies; what IS certain is that … Continue reading Building digital capabilities
It's the kiwi dream to be your own boss, and in a post-COVID world more budding entrepreneurs will be embarking on startup journeys. Many businesses are also undergoing digital transformation, or are in the predominantly COVID-affected services sector and are looking to innovate or to pivot towards a domestic market. With personal experience under my … Continue reading What’s your moonshot?
Here in Aotearoa we are in the relatively fortunate position of being able to get on with our new normal, as Covid-19 rages around the globe. Former prime minister Helen Clark is leading an independent evaluation of the global response to the pandemic, and spoke at the Let’s Build Back Better Conference at Te Papa recently. The key question … Continue reading Let’s build back better
I’m (most probably) the 4th person in Aotearoa to get a taxi around an airfield in a 2-seater Pipistrel Alpha Electro electric plane. And the future of aviation is very, very quiet. Imagine doing your pilot training in an ePlane. No worries about the price of Avgas! Pending CAA approval, that may be a reality very soon … Continue reading What is the future of electric aviation?
Tourism has been Aotearoa's largest export industry in terms of foreign exchange earnings, and we have a clean, green, safe, friendly reputation. We’ve been something of a victim of our own success and mass tourism has created overcrowding in popular scenic destinations like Queenstown. With a focus on the international market, pricing has also pushed locals … Continue reading Reimagining tourism in Aotearoa
