Auckland, 20 February 2025 —Banyan Software, a global software investor with a growing footprint in Australia and New Zealand, has acquired Medtech Global, a leading provider of health technology to the Australian and New Zealand markets.
Banyan has acquired 100% of the shares in Medtech Global. The company was previously owned by Advent Partners, an Australian private equity firm, and Geoffrey Sayer, the CEO/Managing Director of Medtech Global.
The acquisition includes Medtech Evolution and Medtech Artia Practice Management Systems, Medeor® payment solutions, and Medtech ALEX®. Medtech ALEX®, an ecosystem of third-party digital healthcare applications. Sayer will remain as CEO under Banyan’s ownership, and Medtech’s senior leadership team will remain in place.
Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, Medtech collaborated with medical centres and healthcare practitioners to develop the country’s first Practice Management System.
In 2020, Sayer and Advent Partners acquired Medtech Global from its previous owners. As CEO/Managing Director, Sayer led Medtech’s innovation programs with the development of ALEX® and Medeor® with further expansions into Australia underfoot.
With Banyan, Medtech will continue to lead in health tech innovation across Australia and New Zealand. Together, they will strengthen support for medical practices, delivering solutions that allow healthcare professionals to focus on what matters most: the health of their patients and the success of their practices, which sit at the heart of healthcare systems.
“Geoff and the leadership team at Medtech have done a tremendous job over the past 5 years and we are thrilled to support such a strong team in helping the company reach even greater heights,” says David Berkal, CEO of Banyan Software. We are committed to providing the best permanent home and partner for successful these software companies, their employees and customers. Once we invest in a business, we continue to grow the business for life, never selling it again. Every company that joins the Banyan family, including MedTech, is an industry leader with a strong foundation of innovation. Medtech will have support from a global community of software businesses, ensuring it has the resources needed to fuel its continued success.”
Rob Hooke, Partner at Advent Partners, said: “Advent purchased Medtech in 2020 because we recognised it as an innovative and market leading New Zealand software company with potential to expand its service offerings in both New Zealand and Australia. We supported Medtech’s enhancements to its PMS and new product introductions, including innovative cloud-based services with enhanced data privacy protection, security and back up services.”
“We are proud to have been part of Medtech’s growth and delighted to be handing it on to a company that can further assist it in achieving its potential in providing services to medical practices in global markets. We look forward to seeing Medtech’s next phase of growth,” says Hooke.
“Partnering with Banyan represents a dramatic advance for both Medtech and medical practice management in New Zealand and Australia,” says Sayer. “Our mission has always been to strengthen the delivery of primary care and general practice through innovative health technology. With Banyan we now have the relationships, resources and long-term commitment that ensure we can continue to invest in developing Medtech software. That’s good news for practices, their patients and the overall healthcare system.”
“Banyan has a proven track record of long-term partnerships with the software companies it invests in. By retaining their culture and autonomy, these businesses continue to grow and serve their customers effectively. This philosophy aligns with Medtech’s mission to support medical practices in operating at their best today while preparing for the future.”
Banyan has completed over 70 acquisitions globally since its founding in 2016, including many across Australia and New Zealand. With a dedicated team in Australia, Banyan is committed to growing its portfolio of software companies in the region.
Medtech was advised by Allier Capital, HSF, PwC and LEK. Banyan Software was advised by KPMG, Cornwalls, Anthony Harper, Genesis Advisory and EY Port Jackson
About Medtech Global
Medtech is a health technology provider. Founded in 1989 as Healthcare Technology Limited, a specialist IT organisation serving the healthcare community, it designed New Zealand’s first Patient Management System in collaboration with medical centres and healthcare practitioners. It serves healthcare providers in New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and the Cook Islands, providing healthcare technologies including the Medtech PMS, interoperability solutions, clinical business intelligence, cloud hosting, and healthcare payment solutions. For more information, see https://medtechglobal.com/
About Banyan Software
Banyan Software provides the best permanent home for successful enterprise software companies, their employees, and customers. Banyan’s mission is to acquire, build, and grow great software businesses all over the world with dominant positions in niche verticals. Founded in 2016, the company follows a buy-and-hold-for-life strategy, and is set up with a permanent capital base to preserve the legacy of founders. As a purpose-driven company, Banyan is committed to making an enduring, positive impact on the world. For more information, see https://banyansoftware.com/apac
About Advent Partners
Advent Partners is one of Australasia’s leading private equity firms with approximately ~$1b of funds under management. Since 1984, Advent has focused on partnering with innovative companies to support their growth ambitions. Advent does this by working with leading founders and helping them build their businesses with capital, network access, and strategic guidance. For more information, see http://www.advent.com.au
Auckland, New Zealand – 20 February 2025: Spark and Microsoft have announced the country’s largest-ever Microsoft public cloud partnership, reinforcing their commitment to accelerate cloud adoption across the country and fuel AI innovation. The agreement will also enable Spark to further modernise its own hybrid cloud environment, while accelerating its AI strategy with a large-scale deployment of Microsoft 365 Copilot across its organisation.
In the era of AI, the telecom industry is embracing technology to elevate customer experiences, optimise business operations, modernise the network, and unlock new revenue streams. This partnership is a testament to how Spark is driving innovation and growth through the Microsoft Cloud and its AI capabilities. The partnership builds on the recent launch of Microsoft’s NZ North cloud region, providing Spark and its customers with expanded access to world-class cloud infrastructure and services.
Key commitments include:
“We are thrilled to establish this strategic partnership with Microsoft,” says Jolie Hodson, Spark CEO. “We are like-minded companies, with a focus on enabling New Zealand businesses, investing in the digital infrastructure that underpins a modern economy, and creating the next generation of technology leaders.
“We have a long-term strategic focus on hybrid cloud at Spark. This partnership enables us to improve our overall cloud economics by modernising our own hybrid cloud environment while continuing to collaborate with Microsoft on the best hybrid cloud solutions for our customers.
“We also have a significant focus on embedding AI into our business, and extending our use of Microsoft 365 Copilot will support more of our people to leverage the benefits generative AI can deliver, both within our business and for our customers.”
In a recent Accenture report on unlocking the potential of generative AI in New Zealand, helping more businesses adopt public cloud was one of the key recommendations that would see Aotearoa add $76 billion to its economy every year, demonstrating the need for regions such as NZ North.
“For us, this partnership is not just about helping Spark evolve its own cloud environments and sharing innovation for the benefit of both our companies – it’s about helping our country move forward and grow as a truly digital nation,” added Sorenson.
As part of the partnership, Microsoft and Spark will collaborate on an internal skilling programme to support the uptake of AI across the business. In December, Microsoft committed to training 100,000 New Zealanders in AI and digital skills over the next two years, creating long-term benefits for the economy as digital technologies transform the way we live and work.
Microsoft New Zealand Managing Director Vanessa Sorenson said the partnership recognised how much the needs of New Zealand businesses and people were changing.
“Great companies think alike, and we both know the future of business relies on a trusted cloud partner with the innovative AI capabilities to meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s customer. You can’t scale up generative AI innovation without hyperscale public cloud,” Sorenson said.
“Azure is the most trusted and comprehensive cloud platform, with industry-leading cloud and AI services; more than 95% of the Fortune 500 choose Azure as their cloud provider.”
Wellington, New Zealand – Black Pearl Group Limited (NZX:BPG) has announced the beta launch of Bebop, an AI-powered sales intelligence platform designed to put an end to cold calls, costly Meta ad spends and the dominance of Silicon Valley data providers.
“Imagine unlocking unlimited revenue opportunities and cutting-edge business intelligence - for just $49/month!” says Nick Lissette, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Blackpearl Group. “Bebop changes the game. It’s like ChatGPT, but built for sales and revenue growth.”
“The average SME has been locked out of high quality sales intelligence because platforms like ZoomInfo, Clearbit and Apollo charge insane amounts” says Lissette “Bebop doesn’t just even the playfield - it’s a major competitive advantage."
In just four seconds, Bebop scans millions of US-based companies to generate a hyper-targeted list of thousands of decision-makers. Users can ask Bebop to identify potential customers that have a need for their goods and services and specifically how they would benefit. It can even craft a hyper-personalised email or LinkedIn InMail - eliminating hours of manual research.
Disrupting an industry – at a fraction of the cost
Bebop starts at just US$49 per month for a list of 3,000 qualified targets, making enterprise-grade sales intelligence accessible to SMEs for the first time. Lissette compares Bebop’s impact to ChatGPT’s disruption of search - redefining how users access and apply information.
The previous generation of B2B tools, like Apollo and ZoomInfo, relied on SQL queries over large databases, with apps designed to make that experience as seamless as possible. The new generation, however, has intelligence at its core - genuinely understanding what a business provides and exactly who needs it. This shift moves from a one-way, user-driven push to a two-way connection between supply and demand. Bebop delivers a fundamentally different experience, transforming interactions and unlocking deep insights that fuel growth.
Ambitious growth
Bebop was developed in just a single quarter, only made possible by Blackpearl Group’s proprietary software and data platform - formerly known as Pearl Engine - a testament to the company’s rapid innovation and robust technology infrastructure.
In the Quarter Three report for the period ending 31 December 2024, Lissette highlighted the need for companies to move fast to stay ahead. “Winners and losers in this new world will be defined by those who innovate at hyper-speed,” believes Lissette.
The launch of Bebop follows the success of Pearl Diver, Black Pearl Group’s flagship prospect identification platform. Pearl Diver transforms website visitors into prospects by using AI-driven identity resolution technology, unlocking new revenue streams and reducing dependence on costly digital advertising.
“With Bebop, Black Pearl Group is redefining how businesses take control of their sales and growth. By eliminating unnecessary reliance on costly data providers and inefficient ad spend, Bebop empowers companies to take charge of their own success. In a world where adaptability defines success, Bebop gives businesses the power to scale smarter, faster and on their own terms,” concludes Lissette.
About Blackpearl Group (NZX: BPG)
Blackpearl Group is a market-leading data technology company that pioneers AI-driven, sales and marketing solutions for the US market.
Specifically engineered for small-medium-sized businesses (SMEs), Blackpearl Group consistently delivers exceptional value to its customers. Our mantra is simple: ‘Creating Motivating Opportunities.’
Blackpearl creates the opportunities that motivate action. We create high-impact products that pivot at speed to serve what businesses really need, kick-starting action – turning data into dollars.
Founded in 2012, Blackpearl Group is based in Wellington, New Zealand, and Phoenix, Arizona. blackpearl.com
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The Government is modernising visa settings to incentivise migrants to invest in New Zealand.
“Foreign investment has the potential to provide jobs for Kiwis, lift incomes by delivering new businesses and investing in existing ones. We should be rolling out the welcome mat and encouraging investor migrants to choose New Zealand as a destination for their capital,” Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says.
“Unfortunately, changes made to the Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa category by the previous government had the effect of discouraging potential investors from seeking New Zealand residence. Since 2022, migrants entering New Zealand under the AIP category have invested just $70 million. By contrast, in the two years prior to COVID-19 migrants invested $2.2 billion.
“Rather than turning potential investors away, this Government is intent on welcoming people who want to contribute to New Zealand. We are already making it easier for digital nomads to work remotely while visiting here and have established Invest New Zealand to promote investment into this country,” Ms Willis says.
“Capital is highly mobile and in an increasing complex world, people are looking for a safe and stable country to do business. We are now making our investor visa simpler and more flexible to incentivise investors to choose New Zealand as a destination not just for their capital, skills and international connections, but to build a life for themselves and their family here,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says.
From 1 April the current complex weighting system for the AIP will be replaced with two simplified investment categories:
Other changes include expanding the scope of acceptable investments and removing potential barriers to investment, such as the English language requirement.
“Incentivising, simplifying and broadening the investment offerings will make New Zealand more attractive and accessible to more foreign high-value investors. These changes will turbocharge our economic growth, bringing brighter days ahead for all Kiwis,” Ms Stanford says.
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say.
“The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto a faster growth track,” Nicola Willis says.
“Tourism is New Zealand’s second largest export earner generating revenue of almost $11 billion and creating nearly 200,000 jobs.
“Making the country more attractive to ‘digital nomads’ – people who work remotely while travelling – will boost New Zealand’s attractiveness as a destination.”
Erica Stanford says updating the visitor visa reflects the realities of the modern, flexible working environment.
“This is a brand-new market of tourist New Zealand can tap into. We want people to see our country as the ideal place to visit and work while they do it.
“From today, visitor visas will allow people to work remotely for a foreign employer while they are holidaying here. Anyone who intends to work remotely for more than 90 days should look at possible tax implications.
“The change will enable many visitors to extend their stays which will lead to more money being spent in the country.”
Tourism Minister Louise Upston says digital nomad visas are becoming more common as ways of working become increasingly more digitised and flexible.
“Many countries offer digital nomad visas and the list is growing, so we need to keep pace to ensure New Zealand is an attractive destination for people who want to ‘workcation’ abroad.
“Compared to other kinds of visitors, international remote workers have the potential to spend more time and money in New Zealand, including during the shoulder season.”
The change applies to all visitor visas, including tourists and people visiting family, as well as partners and guardians on longer-term visas.
Only remote work which is based overseas is allowed. Visitors whose employment requires them to be in New Zealand such as sales representatives of overseas companies, performers and people coming to work for New Zealand employers must still obtain visas relevant to their circumstances.
“This Government is committed to supporting a smarter, efficient and predictable immigration system to grow our economy. Delivering economic growth is critical to improving our quality of life, strengthening local businesses, lifting incomes, and creating opportunities for Kiwis,” Erica Stanford says.
Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/
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The Government has unveiled a bold new initiative to position New Zealand as a premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) that will create higher paying jobs and grow the economy.
“Invest New Zealand will streamline the investment process and provide tailored support to foreign investors, to increase capital investment across critical infrastructure, fostering greater innovation in key sectors and attracting world-class talent to our shores,” Mr McClay says.
The new agency, modelled on Irish and Singaporean best practice, will focus on:
Invest New Zealand will incubate within New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and then transition to a new Autonomous Crown Entity, which operates with a clear mandate to attract international capital, infrastructure investment, ideas, and expertise.
Meanwhile, NZTE will be refocused with a single mandate to support Kiwi businesses to export more and grow international markets.
Both agencies will retain all NZTE staff to help achieve the Government’s ambitious goal of doubling exports by value in ten years.
“This initiative will help unlock tens of billions of dollars in global investment opportunities, significantly increase the capital available to support key roading and energy infrastructure and make New Zealand a more attractive and predictable destination for investors.
“With Invest New Zealand leading the charge, we’re rolling out the welcome mat to the world. Streamlining processes and supporting investors as they navigate our legal and commercial landscape,” Mr McClay says.
We’re excited to share Enable’s acquisition of Flintfox, the world’s fastest pricing engine. This strategic acquisition brings together expertise in rebate and pricing management to deliver a unified solution for managing trading partner incentives. Together, we’re redefining how organizations collaborate, align their incentives with strategic goals, and drive profitability like never before.
Since our launch in 2016, Enable has grown over 40x in just five years, cementing our position as the leader in rebate management. The acquisition of Flintfox, renowned for its industry-leading pricing execution capabilities, addresses the growing demand for end-to-end digitalization of pricing and rebate processes, allowing businesses to nimbly navigate market volatility.
Unmatched Growth and Expertise
Together, we bring decades of combined experience in rebates and pricing. Our expert knowledge means peace of mind for you — that your rebate and pricing strategies are working together to ensure you meet and achieve all your strategic goals and desired outcomes. By unifying on-invoice and off-invoice strategies, trading partners can grow stronger together and improve their trading relationships.
“Innovation has always been at the core of Enable, and this acquisition allows us to accelerate that,” said Andrew Butt, Founder and CEO of Enable. “The convergence of rebates and pricing reflects a transformative trend in B2B trading. By combining Flintfox's dynamic pricing capabilities with Enable's AI-powered rebate management platform, we are uniquely positioned to unify on-invoice and off-invoice strategies that help businesses grow together and strengthen trading relationships.”
Redefining How Deals Drive Profitable Growth
The global supply chain runs on trading relationships, and incentives are the grease that keeps them going. That’s why it’s critical for rebate and pricing strategies to work together. We’re combining Enable’s AI-powered rebate expertise with Flintfox’s intelligent pricing capabilities to reimagine how companies align pricing and rebate incentives, optimize profitability, and foster collaboration.
This move matters a lot to manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, where traditionally pricing and rebates have operated in silos. Because while pricing is the engine driving immediate revenue, and rebates incentivize long-term loyalty, the real magic happens when these two forces combine. Together, they create a holistic view of profitability—enabling businesses to structure better deals, respond to market shifts faster, and strengthen collaborative trading partnerships.
“Enable and Flintfox share a vision of helping businesses achieve smarter, more profitable trading strategies,” said John Moss, CEO of Flintfox. “By uniting our strengths, we’re setting a new standard in commercial optimization, enabling businesses to align pricing and rebate strategies to drive sustainable growth.”
With this unified approach, our joint customers can:
Enhance Margin Visibility
For the first time, businesses can combine on-invoice and off-invoice incentive strategies to drive smarter decisions that lead to more revenue and increased profitability.
Overcome Market Volatility
Adapt to market changes, disruptions, and pressures with confidence by analyzing and adjusting both pricing and rebates together.
Collaborate with Clarity
Enable and Flintfox’s unified approach fosters transparency and alignment between trading partners, building long-term trust and creating mutually beneficial agreements. Source: https://www.enable.com/
WashBar is a family-owned business that creates sustainable, natural alternatives for pet care products. They’ve been selling their products to pet-owners in the U.S. for several years, but getting their products onto shelves in Mud Bay stores was one of their main goals. Mud Bay has more than 60 locations in the Pacific Northwest and is seen as a leader in the sustainable pet space. Through perseverance, adaptability and the support of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise over the past two years, they successfully achieved their goal.
What can other New Zealand companies learn from WashBar?
Source: New Zealand in North America
Two of the most influential women in the world have used their powerful social media platforms to promote Kiwi alcohol-free drink brand AF, with Khloé Kardashian sharing the content with her millions of Instagram followers.
For AF, the partnership was strategic. “This campaign is to help us gain the brand awareness that we need to get AF to the next level of growth. With over 365 million followers between Khloé and Kris [Jenner], we’re confident it will help us generate that awareness,” AF founder Lisa King told the Herald.
“Since we launched in the US in April 2023, we quickly learnt that the use of celebrities and their influence is incredibly powerful – far more so than in New Zealand.”
Members of the Kardashian family are hugely impactful on social media, particularly Instagram, with fans and followers looking to them for lifestyle cues and buying products they wear or recommend.
Brands they endorse or are paid to promote see a huge boost in sales, and their appearance directly influences beauty trends.
AF worked with LA-based Kiwi Steven Fernandez from New Ground to bring the partnership to life. “Both Khloé and Kris were quick to sign off on the idea,” said King. “It was filmed a few weeks later in their studio in LA.”
The celebrity promotion comes after an “incredible year” for the brand.
AF, a colloquial acronym that stands for “as f***” and also represents the product’s “alcohol-free” nature, was founded in Auckland in 2020 after King (founder of shuttered social enterprise Eat My Lunch) quit drinking in 2019 and decided to pour her entrepreneurial energy into creating booze-free beverages.
The concept is not to encourage abstinence, but rather offer an alternative for the “sober curious” and encourage healthier behaviour around alcohol.
New Zealand’s drinking habits have been shifting in recent years. Adolescent drinking is in decline and many young Kiwis are giving up booze altogether.
Last year was telling; a study by ACC revealed alcohol is our most harmful drug, a Ministry of Health-commissioned report estimated the cost of alcohol harm at around $9.1 billion, and Stats NZ data showed a 4.3% decline in alcohol available for consumption – the biggest drop in 15 years.
Alcohol-free beverages have become increasingly available and popular; there are 0% wines and beer, zero-proof spirits, sophisticated mocktails, and booze-free RTDs like AF’s.
Its canned drinks are made with a 100% natural botanical extract the company calls Afterglow that “mimics the pleasant warmth of drinking alcohol without the alcohol”.
The company opened an alcohol-free bottle shop in Ponsonby in 2022, and in April 2023 the brand entered the US market.
“The goals for AF in the US haven’t changed since we launched,” said King. “Get AF everywhere and get AF famous.”
It’s now stocked in 3000 stores across 42 states, and King said it’s on track to triple its revenue in the market.
“We’ve seen huge consumer uptake of alcohol-free drinks and what was a trend just two years ago, is now a cultural and behavioural shift with the way people are drinking, or not. 2025 will be looking to continue the momentum and keep ahead of the slew of new brands launching in this space, with potential of another new overseas market for AF.”
It’s not the first time Khloé Kardashian or her relatives have partnered with a Kiwi company.
In 2020, she joined New Zealand collagen brand Dose & Co, founded by Libby Matthews, as an “equity partner and global spokesperson”, telling the Herald it all happened after she was sent some of the range by umbrella company Zuru Edge.
Sister Kourtney Kardashian became a brand ambassador for skincare brand Manuka Doctor in 2016, saying she’d used the products for years before being asked to represent the brand.
Levin-based Rebecca Cass’ Qula kombucha tablets were featured on Kourtney’s Poosh website in 2021.
In 2024, Kourtney also shared two products from Pāpāmoa skincare brand Pure Mama, belly oil and nipple butter, on Poosh after they were recommended to her while pregnant. Pure Mama founder Lara Henderson told the Bay of Plenty Times that sales went “through the roof”.
New Zealand entrepreneur Iyia Liu saw a similar lift in sales for her waist trainers after she paid Jenner almost $300,000 for an Instagram post in 2016. Liu sold $3.5 million of them in a year.
Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/
New Zealand’s fifth and final C-130J-30 Hercules landed in Auckland on December 18, completing the delivery of the New Zealand Defence Force’s new fleet of aircraft.
A Ministry of Defence-led project team has been working alongside New Zealand Defence Force personnel, the United States Government, United States Air Force and Lockheed Martin for four years to procure the new fleet and deliver a suite of support arrangements.
“The arrival of the fifth Hercules is a significant milestone for the team, who have been working hard to bring all the aircraft home before Christmas – ahead of schedule, on budget and to specification,” said Sarah Minson, Deputy Secretary, Capability Delivery.
Now the full fleet has arrived, the project team is focused on the delivery of a new full-motion flight simulator. The building to house it at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) Base Auckland, Whenuapai, has been completed.
“From the moment the first C-130J arrived in September, the aircraft have been put to work and are already proving their value as a national asset. They have made a number of successful flights to Antarctica, carrying cargo to support the work of the New Zealand and United States scientific research programmes at Scott Base and McMurdo Station. They have also made multiple flights to deliver mission critical supplies and personnel across New Zealand and the Pacific region,” said Sarah Minson.
“The RNZAF is now equipped with a modern and fit-for-purpose capability. Operators have said that the aircraft is quieter and smoother to fly,” she said.
RNZAF crew training continues in the United States and New Zealand.
Source: https://defence.govt.nz/
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