See Tomorrow First

In the next episode of the STF podcast, we sat down with Dave Rouse, CEO and Co-founder of CarbonClick.  CarbonClick is a climatetech SaaS platform that empowers businesses to integrate carbon offsetting in a simple, meaningful and transparent way, designed as a tool to support companies on their decarbonisation journey. Their vision is to inspire 1 billion clicks for a cooler planet.  In this conversation, Dave takes us through CarbonClick's journey from launching in New Zealand to bringing on global clients within their first month. We discussed how the company’s focus on transparency is a key differentiator that helps them build trust with their customers around the world, and how leaning into New Zealand’s reputation for care for the environment is helping CarbonClick to grow.  With plenty of plans for growth in the future, the future is looking bright for CarbonClick. 

We were delighted to have Alliv Samson, Co-Founder and CGO (Chief Growth Officer) join us to share Kami’s journey. Kami is a New Zealand edtech company that is transforming the way students and teachers engage and collaborate with learning resources. Alongside her three co-founders, Alliv’s has grown Kami’s user base to more than 40 million people across 180 countries. In this inspiring conversation, Alliv takes us through Kami's inception and how the founding team’s unrelenting dedication to meeting their customers’ needs has been a key ingredient to their success.  We discuss the big decisions they made during the pandemic which led to 1200% growth, and how they maintain a competitive edge as a New Zealand-based company with a global customer-base.

At the launch of Techweek24, CEO of NZ Story David Downs sat down with 2 leaders in the NZ space sector to talk about how NZ ingenuity is shaping humanity's future in space. Our panellists were: Morgan Connaughton, Director of Comms, Rocket Lab Stefan Powell, CEO and CTO, Dawn Aerospace Aotearoa is home to space tech innovation that’s rapidly putting us on the international space map, in fact, we’re the 4th largest player in space in the world. We  have the world’s first fully private orbital launch site, capable of 120 launches a year. Our space innovators have developed a rapidly reusable, rocket-powered space aircaft as well as a fuel-free, solar-powered satellite control and propulsion system. We partner internationally on world-leading research to reduce climate change, minimise space debris, and gather data to improve life on earth. All this is backed by an agile space industry that empowers us to think bigger, move faster, aim higher.

At the launch of Techweek24, CEO of NZ Story David Downs sat down with 3 leaders in the NZ gaming sector to talk about how they're taking NZ creativity global. Our panellists were: Sam Ramlu, CEO and Co-Founder of Method, Mighty Eyes and Mad Carnival Mario Wynands, CEO and Co-Founder of PikPok Antony Blackett, BDM of Synty Studios New Zealand’s gaming sector is booming, in fact it’s poised to become a billion-dollar industry in the next few years. Our rich history of creativity and ingenuity is the foundation of our globally competitive gaming industry. New Zealanders are behind some of the world’s most downloaded games, and our games studios draw on award-winning visual effects expertise and the latest technology to create immersive, impactful games and content, and to supply the world’s best 3D art packs to developers all over the planet.

It was excellent to kick-off Season 2 of the podcast by sitting down with Toby Littin, Co-Founder and CEO of Parkable. Parkable is a marketplace and SaaS solution that aims to make parking painless and profitable. Toby was one of 3 founders who came together in 2015, united in the knowledge that parking is a universally terrible experience, with an ambitious goal to build a company that would make it better for everyone. Toby believes that better parking has a part to play in a more sustainable future, and he and his growing team are scaling globally with that vision, operating in the US, UK, Australia and Europe. This insightful and wide ranging conversation spanned from the company’s origins, to its pivot to SaaS, to the importance of team culture when scaling to the world, and what Parkable’s customers love about working with them. Toby shared Parkable’s story with such honesty and humour, we hope you enjoy the conversation as much we did. 

Join us as we talk to Doctor Brian Ward, founder and CEO of Aroa; a soft-tissue regeneration BioTech company that develops, manufactures and distributes medical and surgical products to improve healing in complex wounds and soft tissue reconstruction. Brian steps us through Aroa’s beginnings, from investigating and developing a ruminant forestomach extracellular matrix (ECM) technology, through to the company’s global presence today. He shares the challenges faced in the life sciences sector, especially around raising capital and regulatory considerations, and how Aroa has navigated these to scale and make regenerative healing available to people worldwide. Hear more from New Zealand’s inspiring tech innovators intent on building a better tomorrow by listening to other episodes in this series. Listen to unique founding stories, from beautiful brand tracking software and a widely acclaimed gothic fishing game, to a seaweed-derived sustainable nanocellulose hydrogel -  an ingenious green alternative to petroleum-based polymers.

Join us as we talk to Maru Nihoniho, founder of Auckland-based interactive game design and development studio, Metia Interactive. Metia’s foundational project and labour of love is Guardian Maia; a hybrid historical, science-fiction story inspired by Maru’s whakapapa and Māori culture in Aotearoa. Maru’s foray into gaming development began more than two decades ago – it’s a story of perseverance, resilience and clarity of vision. She steps us through her journey, how her culture has greatly inspired Guardian Maia, and the potential for cultural learning and empathy building through the game play experience. Hear more from New Zealand’s inspiring tech innovators intent on building a better tomorrow by listening to other episodes in this series. Listen to unique founding stories, from beautiful brand tracking software and a widely acclaimed gothic fishing game, to a seaweed-derived sustainable nanocellulose hydrogel -  an ingenious green alternative to petroleum-based polymers.

Join us as we talk to Ben Gleisner, founder and Global CEO of Cogo; a sustainable FinTech company that has been working to combat climate change by understanding and positively influencing consumer spending.  Ben talks about Cogo’s origins as a New Zealand based start-up with a mission to find a smarter way to take action on climate change, empowering consumers to at an individual level. He takes us through the company’s evolution since 2010, their move to put boots on the ground in the UK, and the integral role that played in allowing Cogo to scale with success. Hear more from New Zealand’s inspiring tech innovators intent on building a better tomorrow by listening to other episodes in this series. Listen to unique founding stories, from beautiful brand tracking software and a widely acclaimed gothic fishing game, to a seaweed-derived sustainable nanocellulose hydrogel -  an ingenious green alternative to petroleum-based polymers.

Join us as we talk to Jessica Manins, co-CEO and co-founder of Beyond; a social gaming and VR studio that is pushing the boundaries of entertainment and technology to bring joyful, immersive, gaming experiences to the masses.    Jessica talks about Beyond’s evolution working with emerging tech and their mission to create games that everyone can play. She shares her thoughts on social gaming as an invaluable tool for connection and working with Snoop Dogg (!). We also explore the state of the gaming industry in New Zealand and the challenges (and opportunities) brought about by the pandemic and its aftermath.    Hear more from New Zealand’s inspiring tech innovators intent on building a better tomorrow by listening to other episodes in this series. Listen to unique founding stories, from beautiful brand tracking software and a widely acclaimed gothic fishing game, to a seaweed-derived sustainable nanocellulose hydrogel -  an ingenious green alternative to petroleum-based polymers.

Join us as we talk to David Leach, Chief Executive Officer of Cin7; world-leading, fully integrated, cloud-based inventory management platform that handles around $50 billion in transactions each year. It’s global success is a big reason why Cin7 won Company of the Year at the 2023 NZ Hi-Tech Awards. Cin7 helps businesses by visualising data, tracking events and automating the critical steps that keep inventory flowing. They help businesses to sell and scale safely, protecting the customer experience along the way.  David talks to us about the common challenges facing New Zealand tech companies and how these can be overcome in order to scale globally, placing emphasis on deliberate design. We also discuss designing companies for a 24/7 world, and the enormous growth potential of New Zealand's tech sector.  Hear more from New Zealand’s inspiring tech innovators intent on building a better tomorrow by listening to other episodes in this series. Listen to unique founding stories, from beautiful brand tracking software and a widely acclaimed gothic fishing game, to a seaweed-derived sustainable nanocellulose hydrogel - an ingenious green alternative to petroleum-based polymers.

Join us as we talk to Hanie Yee, Chief Operating Officer of Alimetry, an award-winning MedTech company that has developed a world-first, non-invasive test to diagnose gastric dysfunctions - suffered by as many as 1 in 10 people globally.  Hanie talks about Alimetry’s non-linear journey to commercialise an idea based on more than a decade of research, and how their Gastric Alimetry System enables them to work towards better health outcomes for people worldwide. Hear more from New Zealand’s inspiring tech innovators intent on building a better tomorrow by listening to other episodes in this series. Listen to unique founding stories, from beautiful brand tracking software and a widely acclaimed gothic fishing game, to a seaweed-derived sustainable nanocellulose hydrogel -  an ingenious green alternative to petroleum-based polymers.

Join us as Clare Bradley, CEO of Agrisea, discusses the company's global success commercialising new technologies that create value from waste - including a sustainable nanocellulose hydrogel the provides a green alternative to petroleum-based polymers. This 25-year-old Paeroa based innovation company, and winner of Kamupene Māori o te Tau at the 2022 NZ Hi-Tech Awards, has the core intention of creating a circular bio economy. Known for its sustainably sourced and brewed liquid seaweed, Agrisea currently supply the horticulture, agriculture, apiculture, viticulture and dairy sectors both within New Zealand and offshore.  For more insights on how Aotearoa New Zealand technology is building a better tomorrow, check out other episodes in this series. We'll be talking to inspiring tech leaders who've created a gothic fishing game that's become a global hit, a world-leading MedTech solution for gastric dysfunction, beautiful brand tracking software and more.

Nadia Thorne, co-founder of Black Salt Games discusses the origins of their first game Dredge and how they managed its global success. She also shares her thoughts on the gaming sector and the opportunity it presents Aotearoa New Zealand as a high value, weightless export. Black Salt Games is a nimble, independent four-person gaming company based in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Its first project, the gothic fishing game Dredge, won ‘Game of the Year’ at the 2023 SXSW Sydney Game Awards and secured a 95 percent positive review rating on digital storefront Steam within a week of its release,  To hear more from New Zealand's inspiring tech innovators about building a better tomorrow, check out our other episodes in this series. Learn how they've created a world leading MedTech solution for gastric dysfunction, beautiful brand tracking software and a seaweed-derived sustainable nanocellulose hydrogel that provides a green alternative to petroleum-based polymers.

In our first episode Matthew Herbert co-founder of revolutionary brand tracker Tracksuit (and the only Kiwi to make B&T's 30 Under 30 list) discusses Tracksuit’s unique approach to entering new markets and the ups and downs of rapid growth. Founded less than three years ago, Tracksuit is currently valued at $45 million, having grown impressively, cementing itself as an authority in tech-driven brand tracking. Tracksuit partner with top brands at home and offshore, including Whittaker's, Pics, Goodman Fielder, Icebreaker, Barkers, Disney+ and Dermalogica. For more insights on how Aotearoa New Zealand technology is building a better tomorrow, check out other episodes in this series. We'll be talking to inspiring tech leaders who've created a gothic fishing game that's become a global hit, a world-leading MedTech solution for gastric dysfunction, a sustainable nanocellulose hydrogel derived from seaweed and more.