American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand Inc Latest News

‘Liberation Day’ Anniversary Marked with New Tariffs

Mike Hearn — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:19:36 GMT

The White House marked the first anniversary of its April 2, 2025, “Liberation Day” tariff announcements by introducing new Section 232 tariffs on patented pharmaceuticals and associated inputs—with exceptions for specific firms and countries—and changes to the Section 232 derivative tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper that will raise costs for some firms but lower them for some.

Tariffs on Medicines: As outlined in an April 2 fact sheet and proclamation, the new Section 232 tariff will be set at 100% for patented pharmaceuticals and associated pharmaceutical ingredients, entering into effect “in 120 days for certain large companies, and 180 days for smaller companies.” However, a range of exceptions and qualifiers apply:

No Duties for Dealmakers: The fact sheet notes that for “companies that enter into Most Favored Nation (MFN) pricing agreements with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and onshoring agreements with the Department of Commerce, a 0% tariff will apply through January 20, 2029.” The administration indicates it may waive tariffs for companies engaging in good faith negotiations toward these two classes of agreements. Companies that only enter into onshoring agreements will face a 20% tariff.
Country Deals, Too: A reduced tariff rate of 15% will apply for products imported from the European Union, Japan, Korea, or Switzerland and Liechtenstein; a separate agreement reached this week with the UK appears to offer duty-free treatment.
Exceptions Listed: Many medicines will be spared new tariffs, including generics, biosimilars, orphan drugs, nuclear medicines, plasma derived therapies, fertility treatments, cell and gene therapies, pharmaceuticals for animal health, and others.
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Emphasis on the Carveouts: Recognizing the risk that tariffs will drive up medicine costs for American consumers, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told the press: “It’s less what’s the tariff level and it’s more all of the actual deals we’ve been making with countries and companies to make sure that the supply chains are secure and we’re making them here in America.”

Tariffs on Metals: As outlined in an April 2 fact sheet and proclamation, the existing 50% tariff on steel, aluminum, and copper will remain while changes are introduced in the treatment of derivatives—that is, manufactured goods that contain these metals (listed in Annex I of the proclamation). The move is expected to raise tariff costs for some firms and reduce them for others.

Three Tiers: Going forward, the 50% rate will apply for derivatives that are entirely or almost entirely made of these three metals; a 25% rate will apply for derivatives where these metals represent more than 15% by weight; and no tariff will apply for products whose metals content is below that 15% weight threshold.

Rate Down, Bills Up?
While the tariff on many derivatives will be reduced from 50% to 25%, it will now apply to the full value of the product rather than solely the metal content. While simplifying an onerous and ill-explained compliance task, many companies expect this change will raise their tariff bills.

Industrial, Electrical Equipment: In what appears to be an expansion in scope, industrial equipment, robots, and electrical equipment will now pay a 15% tariff through 2027 (rising to 25% in 2028) “to accelerate the massive industrial base buildout currently underway across the United States,” according to the fact sheet. This marks a significant and potentially painful development for U.S. manufacturing and badly needed investments in U.S. electricity production.
Inclusions Process Scrapped: Offering possible relief from future tariffs, the proclamation terminates the “inclusions process” for steel, aluminum, and copper derivatives, marking a win for the U.S. Chamber and its members, who have advocated for this change and others for months. While the proclamation authorizes USTR and Commerce to include additional derivatives on a rolling basis, pressure from industry and from foreign governments appears to have tamped down interest in continual expansion of the universe of tariffed goods.

And Some Carveouts: As noted, the Section 232 metals tariffs no longer apply to products for which steel, aluminum, and copper constitute less than 15% of their value. This de minimis exception may represent relief for a fairly large range of products. In addition, an esoteric list of goods now excluded entirely from the Section 232 duties appears in Annex II, including milk and cream products, shampoo, helium, bakeware, and parts for cribs.

Sourece: www.uschamber.com

IEEPA Tariff Refund System Takes Shape (Updated)

Mike Hearn — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:16:41 GMT

IEEPA Tariff Refund System Takes Shape (Updated)

Since the Supreme Court invalidated the tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) on February 20, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) has been engaging on a weekly basis with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to expedite refunds. In early March, CBP shared its plans for an expedited and simplified tariff refund system over the past week. The U.S. Chamber welcomed the initial CBP proposal, and the agency indicated it will be able to launch the system within 45 days (by about April 20).

‌Big Numbers: More than 330,000 companies paid a total of approximately $166 billion in IEEPA duties that must be refunded. The system proposed by CBP will refund these duties to importers through CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system, which is well known to importers. CBP told the CIT on March 6 that it “is confident that it can develop and implement new ACE functionality that will streamline and consolidate refunds and interest payments on an importer basis, rather than issuing 53,173,939 separate entry-specific refunds with multiple payments going to the same importer.”

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CAPE of Good Hope: In a declaration filed with CIT, CBP explained that it is developing the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) system to refund duties imposed under IEEPA. This new ACE functionality will have four integrated components:‌

The Claim Portal will allow importers and brokers to submit refund requests to CBP via a web-based interface for processing and validation. Filers will be able to upload spreadsheets of entries for which they are requesting IEEPA refunds in a standard format.
The Mass Processing component will remove IEEPA tariff codes and recalculate duties as if those tariffs were never applied. After this, the system accepts the CAPE Declaration.
The Review and Liquidation/Reliquidation component will review entries identified in the accepted CAPE Declaration. It will update the entry summaries to reflect the new total duties paid and will automatically calculate interest, schedule liquidations, and direct manual reviews where needed.
The Refund component will consolidate and process refunds electronically to designated accounts as established in the CAPE Declaration.

‌As of the end of March, most but not all elements have been constructed and are in testing.

‌Interest Where Due: U.S. law requires payment of interest, which is accrued from the date the importer of record deposits estimated duties until the date of liquidation or reliquidation, for the invalidated tariffs. The interest rate is 6% at present. CIT has noted that “interest is accumulating every day, with approximately $650 million accruing per month,” a fact that hopefully will incentivize expeditious refunds.

‌Refunds for All Entries: A large majority of IEEPA-tariffed entries have not been liquidated, and issuance of refunds for these should be relatively simple. CIT on March 27 broadened its IEEPA tariff refund order to include finally liquidated entries. On March 27, CIT’s Judge Richard Eaton said “[a]ny liquidated entries for which liquidation is final shall be reliquidated without regard to the IEEPA duties.” This expanded order removes an ambiguity in CBP’s plans that had persisted previously.

‌One Thing to Do Now: One essential and practical step importers should do now in anticipation of tariff refunds is sign up for Automated Clearinghouse (ACH) Refund, which reportedly only 10% or so of affected firms have done. CBP requires ACH enrollment to receive duty refunds electronically. After enrolling for ACH refunds, any refund you receive will automatically be deposited directly into your bank account. Companies may wish to consult with their customs broker or trade counsel.

‌Source: www.uschamber.com.

USTR Releases 2026 National Trade Estimate Report

Mike Hearn — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 05:15:26 GMT

WASHINGTON – Today, the Office of the United States Trade Representative submitted the 2026 National Trade Estimate (NTE) to President Trump and Congress. The 2026 NTE details significant foreign trade barriers facing U.S. exports and outlines how the Trump Administration is addressing these non-reciprocal practices to ensure a playing field for American workers.

“President Trump continues to reverse decades of unfair trade practices by using tariffs and brokering deals to open markets abroad while supporting industries and sparking investment at home,” said Ambassador Greer. “This year’s report highlights how the commitments secured in the Agreements on Reciprocal Trade are eliminating long-standing trade barriers and unlocking new markets with hundreds of millions of consumers for U.S. exporters. The Trump Administration will continue to build on the momentum from the past year to address the unfair trade practices detailed in this report and advance the best interests of American workers and their families.”

NEW ZEALAND TRADE SUMMARY
The U.S. goods trade deficit with New Zealand was $1.5 billion in 2025, a 31.9 percent increase ($357.7 million) over 2024. U.S. goods exports to New Zealand totaled $4.1 billion in 2025, down 8.5 percent ($383.1 million) from 2024. U.S. goods imports from New Zealand totaled $5.6 billion in 2025, down 0.5 percent ($25.4 million) from 2024. Total U.S. goods trade (exports plus imports) with New Zealand was an estimated $9.7 billion in 2025. New Zealand was the 54th largest U.S. goods export market in 2025.

The U.S. services trade surplus with New Zealand was $1.0 billion in 2025, a 13.1 percent increase ($120 million) over 2024. U.S. services exports to New Zealand totaled $4.0 billion in 2025, up 8.0 percent ($298 million) from 2024. U.S. services imports from New Zealand totaled $3.0 billion in 2025, up 6.4 percent ($178 million) from 2024. Total U.S. services trade with New Zealand was an estimated $7.0 billion in 2025. New Zealand was the 37th largest U.S. services export market in 2024 (latest data available).

TRADE AGREEMENTS
The United States–New Zealand Trade and Investment Framework Agreement The United States and New Zealand signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) on October 2, 1992. The TIFA is the primary mechanism for discussions of trade and investment issues between the United States and New Zealand.

IMPORT POLICIES
Tariffs
New Zealand’s average most-favored-nation ((MFN) applied tariff rate was 1.9 percent in 2024 (latest data available). New Zealand’s average MFN applied tariff rate was 1.4 percent for agricultural products and 2.0 percent for non-agricultural products in 2024 (latest data available). New Zealand has bound 100 percent of its tariff lines in the World Trade Organization (WTO), with an average WTO bound tariff rate of 9.5 percent.

As of 2025, New Zealand applied a zero percent duty on an MFN basis on 65.6 percent of its tariff lines in agricultural goods and on 59.0 percent of its tariff lines in non-agricultural goods.

Taxes
Value Added Taxes
New Zealand applies a standard goods services tax (GST) rate of 15 percent to most goods and services, including imports from the United States. The GST is based on domestic consumption; therefore, it is applied to domestic and imported goods and services that are consumed in New Zealand. New Zealand applies a GST of zero percent for goods and services that are exported from New Zealand.

New Zealand also exempts or applies a zero percent GST to certain financial services, such as loans, paying of interest, bank fees, and financial intermediation services. Additionally, domestic and foreign businesses that have less than NZD $60,000 (approximately $35,294) in sales in New Zealand are not required to register for or charge GST.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION
The United States continues to monitor developments to amend the Medicines Act 1981 and any developments regarding the Geographical Indications (Wine and Spirits) Registration Act 2006, particularly in light of the entry into force of the free trade agreement between the European Union and New Zealand in May 2024. The United States continues to work with New Zealand to address any intellectual property issues.

SERVICES BARRIERS
Audiovisual Services
In February 2025, the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage published for public consultation proposed reforms to New Zealand’s media legislation. These reforms included a proposal to impose investment and discoverability requirements regarding local content on streaming platforms and TV broadcasters, among other proposals; the consultation period closed in March 2025. Any proposals that are accepted by the New Zealand Cabinet would require legislation to implement, and no such legislation has been introduced as of December 31, 2025. The United States continues to monitor this issue.

Other Digitally-Enabled Services and Digital Products
News Media Bargaining Code In 2023
New Zealand introduced the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill, aimed at regulating content remuneration between news publishers and digital platforms. The bill would require a digital platform to enter mandatory negotiations with New Zealand news publishers when the platform makes the publisher’s news content available and a “bargaining power imbalance” exists between the platform and the news media entity. In December 2024, the government announced the bill had been placed on hold to observe how Australia implemented similar legislation. The United States continues to monitor this issue to ensure that U.S. companies are not unfairly targeted.

OTHER MARKET-DISTORTING PRACTICES
New Zealand does not impose sufficient measures against market-distorting practices in order to insulate the U.S. and New Zealand markets from these distortions and ensure a fair and secure trading relationship. New Zealand has not entered into an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with the United States that includes commitments to address these distortions. New Zealand does not participate in the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity, which is dedicated to developing and implementing collective solutions to address global excess capacity and enhance market function in the steel sector.

LABOR
New Zealand does not have a ban on the importation of goods produced with forced or compulsory labor. Therefore, such goods can enter and compete in New Zealand’s market. This issue may artificially suppress costs, including labor costs, which may certain goods from and within New Zealand an unfair advantage.

OTHER BARRIERS
Pharmaceuticals
The Pharmaceutical Management Agency (PHARMAC) determines which medicines to fund for use in community and public hospitals, negotiates prices with pharmaceutical companies, manages the national contracting of hospital medical devices, and sets subsidy levels and reimbursement criteria. Some U.S. stakeholders have expressed concern about aspects of PHARMAC’s regulatory process, including lack of transparency, timeliness, and predictability in the funding process and lengthy delays in reimbursing new products

Source: https://ustr.gov/

Joint Statement on U.S.-New Zealand Space Dialogue

Mike Hearn — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 21:19:43 GMT

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States and New Zealand on the occasion of the second U.S.-New Zealand Space Dialogue.

Begin Text:

Pursuant to the desire of the Government of The United States of America and the Government of New Zealand, the countries held a bilateral Space Dialogue in Washington, D.C. on March 23 and on March 26 to strengthen bilateral space cooperation. The Space Dialogue demonstrates the robust and growing cooperation between the United States and New Zealand in outer space.

The U.S. delegation was led by Valda Vikmanis, Director of the Office of Space Affairs of the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, and by Eric Desautels, Director of the Office of Critical Domains for the Bureau of Emerging Threats. The New Zealand delegation was led by Andrew Johnson, Deputy Head of the New Zealand Space Agency. Chris Seed, New Zealand’s Ambassador to the United States, delivered opening remarks that underscored priorities of strengthening commercial space ties, enhancing space security cooperation, and advancing scientific collaboration. Both delegations included whole-of-government participation.

The participants welcomed the holding of the Dialogue during a period in which the United States and New Zealand share a close cooperation on space which has had mutual benefits for both countries. In October 2024, New Zealand became the third most frequent launcher of orbital rockets, with U.S. headquartered and New Zealand founded company Rocket Lab propelling New Zealand to these new heights.

A significant focus of the Dialogue was the evolving role of the commercial space sector in supporting both economic growth and shared security interests. Discussions covered the changing role of government in enabling commercial activity and the expanding range of applications, with both sides expressing their intent to continue cooperation on spaceflight safety, launch, payloads, science and innovation, and associated technology security measures. Both sides also discussed opportunities for further cooperation to address space-related threats to shared security interests, including military space cooperation and managing the risks to ground-based space infrastructure.

The delegations recognized the potential for expanded cooperation on policy and regulatory interoperability related to commercial space, including space situational awareness, launch and reentry, and commercial remote sensing. They decided to work closely together to address regulatory constraints that hinder effective cooperation, commercial engagement, and mutual benefits.

Participants welcomed the open and productive nature of the Dialogue, which included discussion on space cooperation grounded in the principles of the Artemis Accords, to which New Zealand was an early signatory. Both sides emphasized the importance of promoting peaceful and transparent behavior in outer space.

Participants acknowledged New Zealand’s geographic advantages have enabled frequent and responsive launches for U.S. industry and government agencies, adding strategic resilience to launch capacity. New Zealand’s location has enabled hosting of ground-based space infrastructure to enhance both space situational awareness and communications with spacecraft. The United States noted New Zealand’s recently passed, world‑first legislation on the operation of ground-based space infrastructure, which strengthens its ability to protect New Zealand’s national interests and values.

New Zealand’s growing focus on space security has opened new avenues for cooperation, strengthening the United States and New Zealand partnership and advancing practical efforts to promote stability, resilience, and the responsible use of space.

New Zealand’s Space Scholarships program, where New Zealand funds post graduate students to complete a three-month internship at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, where they contribute to cutting-edge space technology projects, was acknowledged as a way to create enduring space connections between New Zealand and the United States.

Participants also welcomed the announcement of the first round of joint research projects between New Zealand research institutes and NASA centers, focusing on Earth observation. These projects lay the foundation for future collaborations in other research areas, including potential contributions to the Artemis program following the March 24-25 Ignition events and announcements at NASA headquarters.

Both countries resolved to continue working together in these areas and to explore other opportunities for strengthening bilateral cooperation, including facilitating bilateral commercial connections.

Source: https://nz.usembassy.gov/

MARS Bioimaging gains FDA clearance for portable photon-counting CT scanner

Mike Hearn — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 21:15:03 GMT

MARS Bioimaging Extremity Scanner System is designed for premium musculoskeletal imaging in the community
Advanced photon-counting CT technology delivers high-resolution 3D X-ray images with clear material differentiation
MARS Bioimaging, a New Zealand–headquartered medical device company, has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for its portable photon-counting CT scanner for upper extremity imaging.

Designed for use in community and point-of-care settings, the MARS Bioimaging Extremity Scanner System delivers premium, high-resolution 3D X-ray images that visualise soft tissue, bone, blood vessels and metallic implants with clear material differentiation.

Chris Stoelhorst, Chairman of MARS Bioimaging, said:

“With FDA clearance, we can now scale clinical adoption of our scanners in the United States, the world’s largest CT market. This milestone supports our mission to enhance health economics and equity by expanding access to premium photon-counting CT imaging in community-based settings.”
Mark Figgitt, Group COO of MARS Bioimaging, who led the FDA process, added:

“Achieving FDA clearance validates the safety and effectiveness of our portable photon-counting CT scanner, purpose-built for community based settings, including clinical offices, sports medicine clinics and ambulatory service units. It is designed for clinicians to use across the diagnostic pathway, including pre- and post-surgical planning, assessment of fracture healing, and identification of implant-related complications.”
The scanner leverages advanced photon-counting detector technology developed originally through particle physics research at the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN), home of the Higgs boson discovery. MARS Bioimaging holds the exclusive licence from CERN to commercialize this Medipix3 technology for medical imaging.

Rafael Ballabriga, Spokesperson for the Medipix3 collaboration at CERN, said:

“It is very rewarding to see a technology developed initially for High Energy Physics transferred to the medical field for the benefit of society. It was a long journey starting with the adaptation of the technology to spectroscopic X-ray imaging by the Medipix3 Collaboration. MARS then built a ground-breaking medical product around the device and overcame the many hurdles associated with achieving this major milestone of FDA approval. We congratulate them!”
Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City, the world's leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health and a MARS Bioimaging collaborator, welcomed the FDA clearance news.

HSS Managing Director, Business Development, Vijay Nair said:

“We are excited to see MARS achieve this important milestone. At HSS, our physicians and innovators are committed to continuously improving patient outcomes through our work with new technologies. Our collaboration with MARS on the portable photon-counting CT scanner for upper extremities is evidence of this and has allowed us to support the development of imaging technology aimed at enhancing diagnostic patient care.”
Dr Roland Toder, Partner at Pacific Channel, said:

“Pacific Channel is proud to have backed MARS Bioimaging through its Series A and to have supported the company at board level through pivotal inflection points on its commercialisation pathway. FDA clearance is a defining milestone, providing independent validation of the technology and establishing a clear route into the U.S. clinical and reimbursement ecosystem. Our role extends well beyond capital. Through rigorous diligence and active board engagement, we work with companies to sharpen execution, align regulatory and reimbursement strategy, and position for global scale. MARS has delivered on each of these dimensions.”
Dr Ojas Mahapatra, Group CEO, MARS Bioimaging, said:

“FDA clearance represents a pivotal milestone for MARS Bioimaging. In addition to enabling commercial rollout in the United States, it provides important validation that supports regulatory pathways and market adoption globally.”
IMAGES & VIDEO: For all photo options, view OneDrive

About MARS Bioimaging
MARS Bioimaging Limited is a Christchurch, New Zealand–based medical imaging company developing portable imaging technology that delivers premium imaging in community-based settings. MARS imaging systems leverage advanced Medipix detector technology developed at the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN) by the Medipix3 Collaboration, which includes the University of Canterbury. MARS Bioimaging holds the exclusive licence from CERN to deploy this technology for medical imaging in point-of-care settings. For more information, see https://www.marsbioimaging.com/

Media contact:
Sandra Lukey, Shine Group (PR for MARS Bioimaging)
Cell: +64 21 2262 858
Email: sandra@shinegroup.co.nz

Feb/March success stories with the USA

Mike Hearn — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:52:31 GMT

US steel leader Herrick backs Tectonus

Sydney will become Anthropic’s fourth office in Asia-Pacific

HEALWELL AI Announces Multi-Million Dollar U.S. Health Information Exchange Contract and AI-Driven Pipeline Momentum

Mint Innovation collaborates with HP to produce industry-first closed-loop recycled copper

TrackGrip’s Rock-Solid Growth Across North America

Whip Around Announces Majority Investment from Accel KKR to Accelerate Growth and Innovation

Freedom Boat Club Expands Its New Zealand Presence With The Launch Of Queenstown Location

Capture The Bug strengthens advisory board as it expands into the US

From protein-packed snacks to gut-health breakthroughs, the future of food was on full display at Natural Products Expo West 2026 in Anaheim

When we launched Free AF in the US, there was one retailer at the top of our list. Today, we're finally on their shelves and it's exciting AF!

T#FreeAF #WholeFoods #GetDrunkOnLife #WomenInBusiness #WomensHistoryMonth #IWD2026

Congratulations to the team at Harker Herbals for officially kicking off the United States retail expansion, starting with PCC Community Markets

FileInvite has completed first close on a $2M bridge round ahead of our Series B as we scale our work in US complex lending.

Autex Acoustics North America has announced a landmark partnership with Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering, the largest supplier of textiles and wallcoverings in the U.S., marking the first time Momentum has partnered with a New Zealand-grown company.

Two million Americans are about to see Auckland like never before A US TV show featuring a US star learning about Matariki is about to go live in the US and worldwide. We supported the production, in the hopes that it will capitalise on the tourism growth from the US recently and attract even more visitors!

The show is called Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi and reaches 2 million viewers per episode. Mickela spent time in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland last year learning about Māori culture through haka, poi and waiata.

Two New Zealand episodes, Māori in Aotearoa (aired on 22 Dec) and Matariki in Aotearoa (aired on 29 Dec), highlight both traditional and contemporary Māori cultural practices in Tāmaki Makaurau. The episodes are anchored by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei with Dane Tumahai as their kaitiaki.

Crash Champions has completed a full-scale deployment of Orderly™ by PartsTrader across its network of 650+ repair center in 38 states and Washington DC. This collaborative integration solidifies Crash Champions as the first MSO to pioneer Orderly™, which is already delivering smarter, faster, and more accurate parts procurement at scale and redefining how technology empowers repairers.

USTR Initiates 60 Section 301 Investigations Relating to Failures to Take Action on Forced Labor including New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 05:41:00 GMT

WASHINGTON — Today, the United States Trade Representative initiated investigations of 60 economies under Section 301(b) of the Trade Act of 1974. The investigations will determine whether acts, policies, and practices of each of these economies related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a ban on the importation of goods produced with forced labor are unreasonable or discriminatory and burden or restrict U.S. commerce. The list of economies subject to these investigations—60 of the largest trading partners of the United States—is below.

“Despite the international consensus against forced labor, governments have failed to impose and effectively enforce measures banning goods produced with forced labor from entering their markets. For too long, American workers and firms have been forced to compete against foreign producers who may have an artificial cost advantage gained from the scourge of forced labor,” said Ambassador Greer. “These investigations will determine whether foreign governments have taken sufficient steps to prohibit the importation of goods produced with forced labor and how the failure to eradicate these abhorrent practices impacts U.S. workers and businesses.”

Background

Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 is designed to address unfair foreign practices affecting U.S. commerce. Section 301 may be used to respond to unjustifiable, unreasonable, or discriminatory foreign government practices that burden or restrict U.S. commerce. Under Section 302(b) of the Trade Act, the United States Trade Representative may self-initiate an investigation under Section 301.

An investigation under Section 301(b) of the Trade Act examines whether the acts, policies, or practices of a foreign country are unreasonable or discriminatory and burden or restrict U.S. commerce. After considering the advice of the inter-agency Section 301 Committee, and consulting with appropriate advisory committees, the United States Trade Representative has initiated these investigations.

Upon initiation of an investigation, the United States Trade Representative must seek consultations with the economies whose acts, policies, or practices are under investigation. USTR has requested consultations with the governments of these economies in connection with these investigations. USTR will hold hearings in connection with these investigations on April 28, 2026. To be assured of consideration, interested persons should submit written comments, requests to appear at the hearing, along with a summary of the testimony, by April 15, 2026.

A pre-publication version of the Federal Register Notice is available here.

A docket for comments regarding the investigation will be available here.

A docket for requests to appear at the public hearing to be held in connection with this investigation will be available here.

Economies subject to these investigations:
1. Algeria
2. Angola
3. Argentina
4. Australia
5. The Bahamas
6. Bahrain
7. Bangladesh
8. Brazil
9. Cambodia
10. Canada
11. Chile
12. China, People’s Republic of
13. Colombia
14. Costa Rica
15. Dominican Republic
16. Ecuador
17. Egypt
18. El Salvador
19. European Union
20. Guatemala
21. Guyana
22. Honduras
23. Hong Kong, China
24. India
25. Indonesia
26. Iraq
27. Israel
28. Japan
29. Jordan
30. Kazakhstan
31. Kuwait
32. Libya
33. Malaysia
34. Mexico
35. Morocco
36. New Zealand
37. Nicaragua
38. Nigeria
39. Norway
40. Oman
41. Pakistan
42. Peru
43. Philippines
44. Qatar
45. Russia
46. Saudi Arabia
47. Singapore
48. South Africa
49. South Korea
50. Sri Lanka
51. Switzerland
52. Taiwan
53. Thailand
54. Trinidad and Tobago
55. Türkiye
56. United Arab Emirates
57. United Kingdom
58. Uruguay
59. Venezuela
60. Vietnam

Source: https://ustr.gov/

IEEPA Tariff Refund System Takes Shape

Mike Hearn — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:37:00 GMT

After the Supreme Court invalidated the tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) on February 20, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) ordered the government to take immediate action to issue refunds.‌

To that end, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in recent days has shared with CIT its plans for an expedited and simplified tariff refund system over the past week. The U.S. Chamber welcomed the initial CBP proposal, and the agency indicated it will be able to launch the system within 45 days (by April 20).

‌Big Numbers: More than 300,000 companies paid a total of approximately $166 billion in IEEPA duties that must be refunded. The system proposed by CBP will refund these duties to importers through CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system. CBP told the CIT on March 6 that it “is confident that it can develop and implement new ACE functionality that will streamline and consolidate refunds and interest payments on an importer basis, rather than issuing 53,173,939 separate entry-specific refunds with multiple payments going to the same importer.”‌

CAPE of Good Hope: In a declaration filed with CIT on March 12, CBP explained that it is developing the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) system to refund duties imposed under IEEPA. This new ACE functionality will have four integrated components:‌

The Claim Portal, which CBP estimates is 70% complete, will allow importers and brokers to submit refund requests to CBP via a web-based interface for processing and validation. Filers will be able to upload summaries of entries for which they are requesting IEEPA refunds in a standard format.
The Mass Processing component, now 40% complete, will remove IEEPA tariff codes and recalculate duties as if those tariffs were never applied. After this, the system accepts the CAPE Declaration.
The Review and Liquidation/Reliquidation component, now 80% complete, will review entries identified in the accepted CAPE Declaration. It will update the entry summaries to reflect the new total duties paid and will automatically calculate interest, schedule liquidations, and direct manual reviews where needed.
The Refund component, now 60% complete, will consolidate and process refunds electronically to designated accounts as established in the CAPE Declaration.‌

Interest Where Due: U.S. law requires payment of interest, which is accrued from the date the importer of record deposits estimated duties until the date of liquidation or reliquidation, for the invalidated tariffs. The interest rate is 6% at present. CIT has noted that “interest is accumulating every day, with approximately $650 million accruing per month,” a fact that hopefully will incentivize expeditious refunds.

‌Source: www.uschamber.com

US steel leader Herrick backs Tectonus

Mike Hearn — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 02:31:24 GMT

New Zealand-founded seismic technology company Tectonus, has secured a minority investment from California-based The Herrick Corporation - one of the United States’ most established structural steel fabricators. The partnership signals growing confidence in Tectonus’ high-performance damping systems for critical infrastructure and commercial buildings in seismic regions.

Originally spun out of the University of Auckland, after the Christchurch earthquakes, Tectonus develops structural solutions for high-importance buildings that reduce total construction cost - while improving seismic resilience.

Tectonus has delivered projects across New Zealand, Canada, the USA and Japan - spanning new builds and complex retrofits. In the United States, its technology has secured HCAI (formerly OSHPD) approval following extensive full-scale testing - positioning it for use in California hospital projects.

Collaborative and non-exclusive partnership
In announcing the partnership, The Herrick Corporation has taken a minority equity stake in Tectonus, forming a collaborative and non-exclusive partnership that should see both parties grow market share.

“Herrick Corporation has an iconic project portfolio spanning over 100 years that includes buildings such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Walt Disney Concert Hall,” says Tectonus CEO Carl Beck. “In New Zealand, through a joint venture with Culham Engineering, Herrick has contributed to major projects such as Commercial Bay and the New Zealand International Convention Centre.”

Steel-braced frames remain one of the most common lateral systems in seismic regions of the United States. Tectonus offers a cost-competitive alternative that delivers improved damping, lower overstrength, and enhanced post-earthquake performance.

According to Carl Beck, Tectonus’ long-term US growth strategy has included securing a strategic partner with deep customer relationships, regulatory influence, and manufacturing expertise. Herrick’s investment directly supports that ambition.

Strong industry signal
“When someone like Herrick invests time and money in a company like Tectonus, it says to the entire industry this is real, and it’s time to take notice”, he says. “Ten years ago, Tectonus set out to change the way the world earthquake-proofs buildings, and this is another step on that journey.”

The Herrick Corporation is equally inspired to be part of the Tectonus’ story. “Herrick has been innovating for over 100 years’, says Bob Hazleton, Herrick CEO. “Supporting Tectonus is no different. We’re both motivated to see project teams and clients get the best out of this technology and change the way the world views seismic proofing.”

The investment represents a significant milestone for New Zealand’s advanced manufacturing and engineering export sector, reinforcing the country’s capability to develop globally competitive construction technologies.

Source: https://www.tectonus.com/

Sydney will become Anthropic’s fourth office in Asia-Pacific

Mike Hearn — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 22:12:06 GMT

Anthropic is expanding to Australia and New Zealand. In the coming weeks, we will open an office in Sydney—our fourth office in Asia-Pacific, alongside Tokyo, Bengaluru, and Seoul. The expansion reflects strong demand from businesses in Australia and New Zealand and will help us better serve the countries’ unique AI ecosystems.

In addition to hiring a team in Sydney, we plan to deepen our engagement with Australian institutions, as well as collaborate on projects that advance Australia’s national interests and priority sectors. Our executive team will visit Australia at the end of March to formalize some of these partnerships and meet with customers and policymakers.

“We’re excited by the ways organizations in Australia and New Zealand are applying AI to areas of national importance—financial services, agricultural technology, clean energy innovation, healthcare delivery, cutting-edge deep tech and scientific research, along with AI transformation in the enterprise,” said Chris Ciauri, Managing Director of International, Anthropic. “Establishing a local presence will help us to develop strong partnerships in ANZ and ensure Claude is built with respect for the unique goals, opportunities, and challenges of the region.”

Our initial focus will be supporting our enterprise, startup, and research customers. Anthropic already works with some of Australia and New Zealand's most innovative organizations—from enterprises like Canva, Quantium, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, to startups pioneering new AI applications across diverse fields such as AgTech, physical AI, climate tech and more.

Australia and New Zealand rank 4th and 8th globally in Claude.ai usage, relative to population, according to our latest Economic Index. Both countries show strong use of Claude for computer and coding tasks, along with educational instruction and research, and we’ve already begun building out a local team and partnerships aligned with these trends.

We're also exploring opportunities to expand our compute capacity in Australia—a natural fit given our longstanding belief that democracies should lead in AI development, and one that aligns with the Australian government's own ambitions to become a trusted destination for sustainable AI infrastructure. We're exploring adding local capacity through our third-party partners in Australia, using infrastructure already in place. This is among the most consistent requests we hear from Australian enterprises and government agencies, particularly those with data residency requirements. Beyond that, we're in early conversations about longer-term infrastructure in the region, and we'll share more as those plans take shape.

For information about career opportunities at our new Sydney office, visit anthropic.com/careers.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing for Mr. Jared Novelly Nominee for U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand, the Independent State of Samoa, the Cook Islands, and Niue

Mike Hearn — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:26:37 GMT

Thank you Chairman Ricketts, Ranking Member Coons, and distinguished Members of this Committee for the opportunity to appear before you today. It is an honor to be nominated as United States Ambassador to New Zealand, the Independent State of Samoa, the Cook Islands, and Niue.

What may be lost on many of us in the private sector is the level of dedication that can be witnessed by those in government. During the lead up to this hearing, I have been exposed to a number of wonderful, bright, and dedicated people in the State Department, and I can honestly tell you that I have been incredibly impressed by the almost selfless determination that I have witnessed.

I wish to express my admiration for all of those who have helped me by thanking them for their service.

So too must I express my admiration for all of the Members of this Committee for your service as well. If confirmed, I hope to, at least, match the dedication to the American people manifested by each of you Members of this committee.

Thank you for your service and I look forward to serving our country with a similar zeal that I have witnessed.

If confirmed as Ambassador, I will work tirelessly to advance President Trump’s and Secretary Rubio’s foreign policies.
In advancing the President’s agenda, we have few better partners than New Zealand. The government of New Zealand consistently supports our goals in the region and beyond.
If confirmed, I will do everything in my power to take our relationship to new heights. Specifically, I intend to focus on three priorities:

1. partnering with New Zealand, Samoa, Cook Islands, and Niue to promote a free and open Pacific;
2. expanding our defense partnership with New Zealand; and
3. promoting opportunities for U.S. business entities.

Few countries understand the darkening security environment in the Pacific better than New Zealand. Last February, China conducted live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea. I was in the region at the time, and it was very concerning. The exercises led to flight diversions and represented an example of alarming, even destabilizing behavior in the Pacific.

If confirmed, I would prioritize expanding our defense partnership with New Zealand.

I know the critical role our Embassies and Consulates play in ensuring a fair playing field for U.S. entities. Whether it be through tearing down trade barriers or opening new markets, all U.S. businesses will have a friend in the Ambassador’s office if I am confirmed.

In Samoa in recent years, the government in Apia has adopted a prudent approach to managing relations with the West and China, taking on foreign debt with caution.

If confirmed, I would encourage the government in Samoa to continue this approach and ensure it is never pressured into a deal that would compromise its sovereignty.

In the Cook Islands, establishment of formal diplomatic relations in 2023 enabled us to take our longstanding relationship to the next level.

If confirmed, I would expand our collaboration with local authorities to promote the responsible development of seabed mineral resources. The Cook Islands' EEZ contains possibly the largest cobalt deposit in the world – a key component in batteries and high-strength alloys. A strong partnership with the Cook Islands means a strong supply chain of critical minerals. This is good for all parties.

In Niue, I would likewise focus on strengthening our bilateral relationship. We have, and under my watch will continue to, closely engage with Niue on economic, cultural, and other programs. I hope to continue to grow this relationship.

Thank you for considering my nomination. I look forward to your questions.

Source: https://www.foreign.senate.gov/

HEALWELL AI Announces Multi-Million Dollar U.S. Health Information Exchange Contract and AI-Driven Pipeline Momentum

Mike Hearn — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 04:45:19 GMT

TORONTO, ON, March 5, 2026— HEALWELL AI Inc. (“HEALWELL” or the “Company“) (TSX: AIDX) (OTCQX: HWAIF), a healthcare artificial intelligence company focused on preventative care, today provides a strategic update on its Software Business Unit, reflecting continued infrastructure expansion, renewal momentum and advancing AI integration across its global platform.

Expansion and U.S. HIE Contract

HEALWELL’s software division has signed a multi-million dollar U.S.-based Health Information Exchange (HIE) software contract following a competitive procurement process, expanding the Company’s enterprise data interoperability footprint in the world’s largest healthcare market. The contract will support the secure aggregation and exchange of healthcare data for millions of patient lives, connecting multiple hospital systems, clinics, laboratories, public health agencies and community providers across a U.S. state. By aggregating and normalizing clinical data from disparate systems, the platform delivers timely admission, discharge, and transfer alerts, lab results, care summaries, and other critical records directly into provider workflows. This will improve care coordination, reduce duplication, support population health and public health reporting, and ensure clinicians have a more complete view of a patient’s health history at the point of care.

This contract win followed a coordinated bid effort across the Company’s Orion Health and VeroSource businesses, with HEALWELL selected based on its proven ability to deliver large-scale HIE infrastructure, manage complex and fragmented healthcare data environments, and execute successfully at state- and nation-wide scale, with integrated AI capabilities that could further strengthen the platform over time. This award reinforces HEALWELL’s position as a provider of critical digital health infrastructure supporting secure, large-scale data aggregation and exchange.

In parallel, HEALWELL’s software division continues to gain momentum across all stages of the software pipeline, including existing customer extensions and bidding on new opportunities, across Canada, the Middle East, Europe and other core jurisdictions, supporting recurring revenue visibility and long-term customer relationships.

Dr. Alexander Dobranowski, President of HEALWELL AI, commented, “The progress in our software division is exciting to see. We recently updated the market on the benefits the Orion distribution network is having on our AI and data science sales pipeline, so it is very pleasing to see how that positive momentum is also driving demand in our software division. As we advance renewals and expand coordinated bid activity, we are building a strong foundation for long-term growth across the United States, Canada, the Middle East and other key markets.

I Integration Across the Orion Amadeus Platform

HEALWELL has integrated its SMART Identify, SMART Search and SMART Summary capabilities into the Amadeus AI platform, creating a unified infrastructure-and-AI offering. These AI modules are clear differentiators and are driving the pipeline growth across both existing and new healthcare environments in the United States, Canada and the Middle East, enabling improved patient identification, intelligent data retrieval and clinical summarization within live interoperability networks.

This builds on recent deployments and success stories, including HEALWELL’s first AI contract with a major governmental health system in the Middle East; active deployments of SMART Identify in the United States, and deployment of SMART Search and SMART Summary in a provincial healthcare system in Canada.

The integration of clinically validated AI directly into the Orion platform strengthens the Company’s competitive positioning, enhances data liquidity across HEALWELL’s distribution network and creates scalable pathways for enterprise AI commercialization.

Integrated Bid Strategy and Enterprise-Scale Opportunities

HEALWELL continues to pursue larger and more strategic procurement opportunities through coordinated bids that leverage capabilities across its software portfolio. Orion Health’s global footprint is enabling the Company to compete for enterprise-scale programs that combine interoperability, analytics and AI-enabled workflows.

The Company reports growing participation in multi-capability bids across North America and international markets, reflecting increasing demand for integrated infrastructure and AI solutions within healthcare systems.

Brad Porter, Chief Commercial Officer of HEALWELL AI, commented, “Our strategy was to build two key levers of growth for our company. The Company’s recent progress is validating that HEALWELL can both drive expansion of our AI solutions through the Orion distribution network and expand our distribution network through a differentiated product set. We are demonstrating the power of integrating durable interoperability infrastructure with clinically validated AI. We believe the practical application of AI has the most potential impact on Healthcare IT, and that HEALWELL is demonstrating that rather than being a headwind for our sector, it is a clear tailwind.”

James Lee
Chief Executive Officer
HEALWELL AI Inc.

About HEALWELL AI

HEALWELL is a healthcare artificial intelligence company focused on preventative care. Its mission is to improve healthcare and save lives through early identification and detection of disease. Using its own proprietary technology, the Company is developing and commercializing advanced clinical decision support systems that can help healthcare providers detect rare and chronic diseases, improve efficiency of their practice and ultimately help improve patient health outcomes. HEALWELL is executing a strategy centered around developing and acquiring technology and clinical sciences capabilities that complement the Company’s road map. HEALWELL is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “AIDX” and on the OTC Exchange under the symbol “HWAIF”.

To learn more about HEALWELL, please visit https://healwell.ai/.

U.S. Chamber and CTA Ask Court for Efficient, Orderly Tariff Refund Process

Mike Hearn — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 21:20:48 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. —The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) filed an amicus brief today in a suit brought by small businesses seeking tariff refunds in the Court of International Trade.

The brief argues that an efficient, orderly process to deliver refunds is in the best interest of all parties – the Administration, the courts, and American businesses.

“As a matter of law, it is now settled that IEEPA tariffs were collected unlawfully,” said Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of businesses, especially small businesses, that are now owed refunds, the Chamber and CTA are asking the court to establish an efficient, orderly process to deliver refunds en masse.

“We are particularly concerned that third parties will become involved in this process for their own interests,” Bradley continued. “The last thing our system needs is for the trial bar to be profiting off refunds owed to small businesses.”

The organizations previously filed a joint amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to find the tariffs exceed congressionally delegated authority.

“American innovation needs certainty to thrive, and the U.S. government could boost our economy by delivering on the commitment to full refunds for the thousands of businesses who paid these tariffs,” said Ed Brzytwa, Vice President, International Affairs, CTA. “The refund process should be as swift and easy as possible. While this matters for every American company, refunds are existential for the many smaller businesses and startups who shouldered the tariff burden.”

The case is V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump (CIT).

About the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business organization representing companies of all sizes across every sector of the economy. Our members range from the small businesses and local chambers of commerce that line the Main Streets of America to leading industry associations and large corporations.

They all share one thing: They count on the U.S. Chamber to be their voice in Washington, across the country, and around the world. For more than 100 years, we have advocated for pro-business policies that help businesses create jobs and grow our economy.

About the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®

As North America’s largest technology trade association, CTA is the tech sector. Our members are the world’s leading innovators – from startups to global brands – helping support more than 18 million American jobs. CTA owns and produces CES® – the most powerful tech event in the world. Find us at CTA.tech. Follow us @CTAtech.

Source: https://www.uschamber.com/

Mint Innovation collaborates with HP to produce industry-first closed-loop recycled copper

Mike Hearn — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 01:38:37 GMT

Certification validates Mint’s world-first metal recovery technology capable of returning traceable, certified copper from electronic waste for reuse in new products.

Read more about the news as covered by Fast Company, Resource Recycling and NBR, or see the full press release below.

Mint Innovation, an e-waste technology company, today announced it has successfully produced the industry’s first batch of certified closed loop recycled copper through an industry-first collaboration with HP Inc. The milestone demonstrates Mint’s proprietary biosorption technology, which recovers high-purity copper from HP’s end-of-life printed circuit boards (PCBs) for reuse in HP PC manufacturing starting with the HP EliteBook X G2 Series laptops and HP EliteBoard G1a Next Gen AI PC.

The announcement comes as the world grapples with a mounting e-waste crisis. According to the United Nations, humanity generates a record 62 million tonnes of e-waste annually, a figure on track to rise to 82 million tonnes by 2030, with less than a quarter formally recycled. Most current recycling methods involve smelting, which is extremely energy intensive and burns off valuable components.

By contrast, Mint Innovation’s metal recovery process uses chemistry and patented biosorption technology to recover and refine metals locally. During the initial validation phase at Mint’s Sydney facility, HP PCBs are processed to produce high-purity copper sheets; the recovered material received third-party certification from TÜV Rheinland.

"We are the only company in the world capable of tracing individual batches of metal from the waste pile back to the new product at commercial scale, a level of transparency that traditional smelting simply cannot provide," said Matt Bedingfield, President of Mint Innovation. “This collaboration with HP is more than just recycling; it is a blueprint for the future of supply chain security. We have proven that critical metals can be recovered, certified, and reused locally, eliminating the need to ship waste halfway across the world.”

Validating the Circular Supply Chain

The certification addresses a critical gap in the global electronics market: the lack of traceable, recycled-content verification. An independent audit by TÜV Rheinland confirmed that Mint’s recovered copper meets rigorous quality and chain-of-custody requirements across ISO 14021, EN 15343, and ISO 22095 standards.

This batch-processing capability also allows Mint to offer "Recycled Metal as a Service" (RMaaS), giving manufacturers the ability to retain ownership of their strategic resources.

As part of the validation process, HP provided representative electronic waste materials and worked across its supply chain to support traceability and testing requirements. The learnings from this process help inform how recycled materials could be evaluated and integrated more consistently across future manufacturing programs, supporting broader efforts to scale circular manufacturing.

“We’re focused on finding practical ways to increase the use of recycled materials in our products, and that starts with the ability to verify where materials come from and how they perform,” said Stacy Wolff, Senior Vice President of Design & Sustainability, HP Inc. “Independent certification like Mint’s innovative process helps validate what’s possible and builds confidence as circular manufacturing continues to scale.”

Expansion to the United States

Following the success of its commercial scale prototype in Sydney, Mint Innovation is accelerating its global expansion. The company is currently constructing its first U.S. commercial facility in Longview, Texas, scheduled to launch in 2027. The new site will serve as a hub for North American customers, strengthening domestic access to critical materials.

About Mint Innovation

Founded in 2016, Mint Innovation is an e-waste technology company pioneering the recovery of critical and precious metals from complex waste streams, including electronic waste and lithium-ion batteries. Mint’s low-carbon biosorption process recovers metals in city-scale facilities, offering a sustainable, domestic alternative to traditional smelting. The company was recognized as a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer in 2022, won the 2023 InnovationAus Awards for Advanced Manufacturing, and was a runner-up in Mission Innovation's Net-Zero Awards at COP28.

Source: https://www.mint.bio/

Whip Around Announces Majority Investment from Accel KKR to Accelerate Growth and Innovation

Mike Hearn — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 01:30:40 GMT

San Diego, CA & Menlo Park, CA — Tue March 3, 2026 — Whip Around, a leading fleet maintenance and compliance software provider, today announced that it has received a majority investment from Accel‑KKR, a global technology‑focused private equity firm. The partnership marks a major milestone in Whip Around’s growth journey and positions the company to accelerate innovation, scale its platform, and expand its market reach through both organic initiatives and strategic acquisitions.

“We’re entering one of the most exciting chapters in Whip Around’s history,” said Noah Hickey, CEO of Whip Around. “Accel‑KKR stood out for their deep software experience, growth orientation, and strong cultural alignment. Their investment gives us the ability to double down on our product roadmap, expand our team, and pursue strategic M&A opportunities that enhance our value to customers.”

Strategic Partnership to Fuel Innovation, Expansion, and Future M&A

With Accel‑KKR’s backing, Whip Around will increase investment in its platform capabilities and continue scaling its go-to-market functions.

Importantly, the partnership is expected to enhance Whip Around’s ability to evaluate and pursue potential strategic acquisition opportunities. Accel-KKR has experience supporting mergers and acquisitions across its portfolio companies and is expected to provide Whip Around with strategic guidance and operational resources as the company assesses acquisitions that it believes may complement its offerings and support its growth strategy.

“We are thrilled to partner with Whip Around at this stage of their evolution,” said Park Durrett, Managing Director at Accel‑KKR. “The team has built an exceptional product, and we see opportunity to help accelerate their growth—both organically and through strategic acquisitions. Whip Around has the vision, discipline, and commitment to customer value that we look for in a long‑term partner, and we’re excited to support them as they scale.”

“This partnership gives us the flexibility to invest in our roadmap and explore acquisitions that help us scale even faster,” added Hickey. “As fleet technology needs evolve, we see opportunities to bring together complementary capabilities and talent—accelerating our impact for customers and strengthening our competitive position.”

Raymond James served as financial advisor to Whip Around.

About Whip Around

Whip Around is a cloud-based inspection and maintenance platform that digitizes workflows for vehicles, equipment, and job sites. By connecting drivers, mechanics, and managers in real time, it replaces paper-heavy processes with a streamlined digital ecosystem.

The platform is highly customizable for any industry— from construction to logistics—utilizing real-time mobile reporting, automated scheduling, and AI-driven insights to improve safety and reduce downtime. By leveraging AI to identify patterns and predict maintenance needs, Whip Around ensures daily operations stay compliant and efficient, allowing businesses to focus on their core goals. For more information, visit whiparound.com.

About Accel‑KKR

Accel-KKR is a technology-focused investment firm with over $23 billion in cumulative capital commitments. The firm focuses on software and tech-enabled businesses, well-positioned for topline and bottom-line growth. At the core of Accel-KKR’s investment strategy is a commitment to developing strong partnerships with the management teams of its portfolio companies and a focus on building value alongside management by leveraging the significant resources available through the Accel-KKR network. Accel-KKR focuses on middle-market companies and provides a broad range of capital solutions, including buyout capital, minority-growth investments, and credit alternatives. Accel-KKR also invests across various transaction types, including private company recapitalizations, divisional carve-outs, and going-private transactions. Accel-KKR’s headquarters is in Menlo Park, with offices in Atlanta, Chicago, and London. Visit accel-kkr.com to learn more.

Source: https://www.accel-kkr.com/

US Chamber of Commerce International Policy update on changes to US tariffs

Mike Hearn — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 22:38:57 GMT

Ruling Against the Tariffs: The Supreme Court issued a ruling on February 20 vacating all U.S. tariffs imposed under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA), including tariffs labeled “baseline” (10% on most countries), “reciprocal” (higher than 10% and varying by country), and “trafficking” or “fentanyl” tariffs imposed on Canada, Mexico, and China. The tariffs may no longer be collected, and those collected over the past year must be refunded.

‌The 6-3 decision was written by Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote: “Had Congress intended to convey the distinct and extraordinary power to impose tariffs [under IEEPA], it would have done so expressly.”

‌President Trump on Friday evening issued an executive order (“Ending Certain Tariff Actions”) declaring the IEEPA tariffs “shall no longer be in effect and, as soon as practicable, shall no longer be collected.” CBP announced on Sunday it will stop collecting the IEEPA tariffs at 12:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, February 24.

‌The Chamber Responds: The Chamber welcomed the news in a press statement by Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer. He noted the economic damage inflicted by the tariffs, especially for small businesses; and he called for swift refunds: “We encourage the administration to use this opportunity to reset overall tariff policy in a manner that will lead to greater economic growth, larger wage gains for workers, and lower costs for families.”

‌The Chamber filed an amicus brief in Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc. arguing that the challenged tariffs were enacted in excess of statutory authority and are causing irreparable harm to businesses of all sizes.

‌Temporary Tariffs Coming: In a midday Friday press conference, President Trump criticized the decision and said he would use other authorities to largely replicate the invalidated tariffs. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer had earlier said that, if the IEEPA tariffs were invalidated, the administration would prioritize “continuity” by maintaining lists of covered and excluded products.

‌In a Friday evening proclamation entitled “Imposing a Temporary Import Surcharge to Address Fundamental International Payments Problems,” the White House set in motion effective Tuesday, February 24, new tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. President Trump said on Friday that these would be set at 10%, but in a social media post the next day he said he intended to raise the rate to 15%. Section 122 allows the executive to set duties at a rate no higher than 15% for 150 days. As of Monday at 3:30 p.m., the proclamation just cited has not been updated to reflect this 15% rate.

‌Familiar Exceptions: The proclamation lays out a wide range of carveouts. Similar to the IEEPA tariffs, the Section 122 duties do not apply to energy products, certain minerals and metals, many agricultural products, goods subject to Section 232 investigations or tariffs, and USMCA-compliant goods from Canada and Mexico. However, the exceptions are not identical to those under the IEEPA tariffs; for instance, textiles and apparel products from the six CAFTA-DR countries that comply with the terms of that agreement are not subject to Section 122 tariffs, though it appears the changes are few. The proclamation links to an Annex and Annex 2, which detail these exceptions.

‌More Legal Questions? Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 allows tariffs up to 15% for no more than 150 days to address “large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficits.” It has no requirement for notice and comment and thus may be applied as soon as CBP can make necessary changes to its systems.

‌However, questions over the legality of Section 122 tariffs have quickly come to the fore. Of note, the Trump administration’s Department of Justice argued before the U.S. Court of International Trade that the IEEPA tariffs “did not identify or focus on balance-of-payments concerns of the type addressed by Section 122. Instead, the concerns the President identified in declaring an emergency arise from trade deficits, which are conceptually distinct from balance-of-payments deficits.”

‌Indeed, economic commentators spent the weekend explaining that Section 122 was crafted to address balance-of-payments problems that can only arise under a fixed exchange rate regime of the kind that had just collapsed at the time the Trade Act of 1974 was enacted. These commentators avow no balance-of-payments crisis as described in the statute exists today.

‌A Short-Term Fix: Section 122 tariffs may remain in place for more than 150 days only with congressional assent, but support in Congress for an extension appears insufficient at present. It isn’t clear if litigation over tariffs of such relative brevity will materialize, though the duties are expected to generate approximately $40 billion in revenue for the Treasury in this period—and the possibility of securing reimbursement may prove attractive to some litigants.

‌And a Third Wave of Tariffs: With that in mind, USTR is expected on Monday to initiate Section 301 tariff investigations that will take a few weeks at least. Greer said in the Friday afternoon presser that Section 301 tariffs are “very durable” legally; to that point, the Section 301 tariffs on imports from China implemented beginning in 2018 have withstood legal challenge. The administration appears to see these Section 301 tariffs as the core of what they hope will be a more durable tariff regime.

‌Most of these new Section 301 investigations are not expected to be country-specific but instead will assume a global scope across “areas of concern such as industrial excess capacity, forced labor, pharmaceutical pricing practices, discrimination against U.S. technology companies and digital goods and services, digital services taxes, ocean pollution, and practices related to the trade in seafood, rice, and other products” (according to a statement by Greer). The administration will also continue its existing Section 301 undertaking on China and its investigation relating to Brazil.

‌“Reciprocal Trade” Deals: The administration has said the so-called “agreements on reciprocal trade” that have been signed with a number of countries are legally binding. Greer has said they will remain in place even as the related U.S. tariffs are imposed under other legal authorities (and possibly to lower rates for some countries).

‌However, it isn’t clear how the Section 122 tariffs will interact with those trade deals. The EU negotiated an all-in ceiling of 15% tariffs (including MFN duties), but the new proclamation would appear to stack the 15% Section 122 tariffs with MFN duties; Japan and Korea have similar arrangements. The exceptions in the proclamation may not align with those negotiated in the country-by-country “agreements on reciprocal trade.” Further, for many countries, the 15% Section 122 tariffs loom as a sudden and unexpected increase from 10%: This includes FTA partners such as Australia as well as many Latin American and African countries that had previously faced a 10% headline rate.

‌It’s important to bear in mind that only half a dozen countries (e.g., El Salvador, Indonesia) have signed “agreements on reciprocal trade.” Only one, Cambodia, has implemented its tariff-reduction and NTB-related commitments. Many other countries have signed Joint Statements with the United States that are precursors to these somewhat more elaborate agreements.

‌China is Different: China is a different position given the Section 301 undertaking dating back to 2018. The tariffs imposed beginning in that year on select Chinese goods—and modified several times since then, including expansions in scope during the Biden administration—can be altered on short order.

‌This procedure requires publishing a proposed modification in the Federal Register, conducting a 30-day comment period, completing a rapid review, and issuing a final notice with an effective date 15-30 days later. This process can be concluded in approximately eight weeks and affords a relatively simple way to replicate the IEEPA tariffs on goods from China.

‌The Trump administration also holds two legacy Section 301 proceedings—one covering legacy semiconductors and one tied to Phase One commitments—but both are effectively paused. Attempting to activate or expand either as a substitute for lost IEEPA tariffs could be seen as upsetting the trade truce with China reached in October in Busan, Korea—and the administration is keen to avoid doing so as the president prepares to travel to China from March 31 to April 2.

‌Process for Refunds: The president’s comments on Friday suggested the administration will not take a cooperative stance on tariff refunds. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in media appearances over the weekend said refunds would amount to the “ultimate corporate welfare,” but he also said: “The Supreme Court remanded it down to a lower court. And, you know, we will follow what they say, but that could be weeks or months when we hear them… [It’s] not up to the administration, it is up to the lower court.”

‌Department of Justice attorneys had earlier declared that “If tariffs imposed on plaintiffs during these appeals are ultimately held unlawful, then the government will issue refunds to plaintiffs, including any post-judgment interest that accrues.” CBP must pay importers of record interest on refunds of customs duties and tariffs, and the current interest rate on overpayments to 6% and is calculated from the entry date to the date paid.

‌The U.S. Court of International Trade will play a key role, but it appears the administration could expedite the lawfully required reimbursement of all the IEEPA duties collected over the past year—or complicate it. As a reminder, tariff refunds are not at all unusual (e.g., after a tariff preference program lapses and is reauthorized retroactively), and CBP has recently shifted to an entirely electronic refund process. The Chamber has published a fact sheet on refunds for small businesses. It will be some days before next steps here are better understood.

‌Where the Tariffs Fall: Given the breadth of tariff exceptions, the Section 122 tariffs apply to approximately 34% of U.S. merchandise imports (per the Tax Foundation) or as high as 37% by other estimates. Goods imports subject to Section 232 tariffs or investigations represent another 17%, and goods imports from China subject to Section 301 tariffs represent about 6% of all U.S. imports. A little more than 40% of goods imports thus enter the U.S. market duty-free or at MFN rates (two-thirds of which are USMCA-compliant goods from Canada and Mexico).

‌What Will Be Different? The White House may be able to recreate many of the IEEPA tariffs under other authorities—for a few months or more durably. However, IEEPA appealed to the executive as an easy-to-use, point-and-shoot tariff tool——what one commentator has called his “magic tariff Sharpie.” However, it proved “too good” to be true.

‌The administration has not issued new tariffs since September, but the president has issued at least a dozen tariff threats in that time, and all appeared to depend on IEEPA (e.g., tariffs on any country “doing business” with Iran or on any country selling oil to Cuba). Other tariff statutes generally have procedural guardrails such as requirements for notice and comment, and this represents a useful period for assessment and reflection. As a result, the loss of IEEPA as a tariff tool may signal a less volatile tariff regime. Time will tell.

Source: https://www.uschamber.com/

U.S. Chamber Welcomes Supreme Court Decision on Tariffs

Mike Hearn — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 18:54:31 GMT

WASHINGTON, d.c. — Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, issued the following statement today on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA):

“The Supreme Court’s decision is welcome news for businesses and consumers. Over the past year, the Chamber has been working with small and midsize businesses around the country that have seen significant cost increases and supply chain disruptions as a result of these tariffs. Swift refunds of the impermissible tariffs will be meaningful for the more than 200,000 small business importers in this country and will help support stronger economic growth this year.

"We encourage the administration to use this opportunity to reset overall tariff policy in a manner that will lead to greater economic growth, larger wage gains for workers, and lower costs for families."

The Chamber filed an amicus brief in Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc. arguing that the challenged tariffs were enacted in excess of statutory authority and are causing irreparable harm to businesses of all sizes.

Source: www.uschamber.com

Biz travel body warns of ‘chilling effect’ if USA’s ESTA proposals adopted

Mike Hearn — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 19:27:54 GMT

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), part of the $1.57 trillion global business travel and meetings industry, is urging US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to adopt a balanced and practical approach as it evaluates proposed changes to Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) requirements.

GBTA filed formal comments with CBP last week outlining potential competitive, operational and economic consequences of the proposed revisions. It says overly burdensome data collection measures and restrictive application processes could disrupt global business travel, undermine corporate mobility, and weaken USA’s position as a premier destination for international travel and meetings – with negative impacts on business travellers and the organisations that depend on them.

‘Security and efficient business travel are not mutually exclusive. While GBTA strongly supports efforts to protect US borders and enhance traveller security, the proposed changes pose significant risks and could undermine the benefits that business travel brings to organisations who send their employees on international trips to the US and the American destinations who welcome them,’ says Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA.

Business travel is central to global economic health, enabling trade, innovation, investment and person to person collaboration. According to 2022 GBTA data, business travel had an economic impact of $484 billion in the US and supported six million American jobs.

GBTA warns of a ‘chilling effect’ on US-bound travel, potentially diverting meetings, events and investments to other markets.

Proposed ESTA changes could introduce unintended consequences that ripple through the travel ecosystem.

These include a greater administrative burden due to new requirements to provide data for multiple years for social media accounts, phone numbers, email addresses, expanded family details, and potential biometric submissions.

Barriers to travel created by a mobile only application system, and longer processing and approval windows are other potential outcomes.

GBTA’s January 2026 industry poll reflecting feedback from 571 travel industry professionals across 40 countries shows concern about the proposed ESTA changes is substantial.

Some 78% of travel professionals representing organisations that regularly send employees to the U.S. are very (42%) or somewhat (36%) concerned.

Proposed requirements could shift travel patterns significantly – 43% say their companies are more likely to hold meetings outside the US and 19% plan to revise travel policies to limit US trips.

As well as this, 29% expect a near term decrease in US business travel, while 25% anticipate long term decreases.
Among European travel professionals, 67% say employees would prefer not to travel to the US if required to disclose extensive personal information.

Source: www.travelinc.co.nz

Freedom Boat Club Expands Its New Zealand Presence With The Launch Of Queenstown Location

Mike Hearn — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 22:12:17 GMT

Freedom Boat Club, the world’s largest boat club and a business within Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), announced its opening in Queenstown, the third location in Freedom Boat Club New Zealand, following successful launches in Auckland and Christchurch. The new location brings Freedom Boat Club’s signature hassle-free boating experience to the beautiful waters of Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, reinforcing strong momentum in the New Zealand market and offering members unparalleled access to one of the country’s most aspirational boating environments.

“Queenstown is a globally celebrated destination for outdoor adventure and natural beauty,” said David Kurczewski, General Manager, Boating Services Asia-Pacific. “With the addition of a Queenstown location, we’re providing members across New Zealand and the wider Asia-Pacific region with a world-class boating lifestyle in a setting that truly embodies the spirit of exploration on the water.”

Freedom Boat Club Queenstown will offer members access to a diverse fleet of premium boats, reflecting the versatility and quality synonymous with the Freedom Boat Club network. Members will enjoy hassle-free boating, with all maintenance, storage, insurance, and cleaning handled by the club, plus the ability to reserve vessels via an intuitive, user-friendly app.

The Freedom Boat Club model is designed to welcome boaters of all skill levels. Members receive comprehensive training from licensed captains, ensuring confidence behind the helm, and benefit from reciprocal access to more than 400 locations worldwide, enabling unforgettable boating experiences both locally and across the globe.

“This is a significant milestone for Freedom Boat Club New Zealand,” said Scott Williamson, Owner, Freedom Boat Club New Zealand. “Queenstown’s lakes and alpine waterways deserve a boating experience that is easy, accessible, and world-class, and that’s exactly what we’re delivering. We look forward to welcoming both seasoned boaters and newcomers to the water.”

As part of Freedom Boat Club’s continued expansion across New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region, the Queenstown location builds on the strong interest and growing membership uptake the brand has experienced locally, solidifying New Zealand as a key market in the company’s global footprint.

To learn more about Freedom Boat Club Queenstown and membership opportunities, visitfreedomboatclub.co.nz or contact the club at 0508 322 322.

Source: https://thefishingwire.com/

Joint Statement on the New Zealand-United States Strategic Dialogue

Mike Hearn — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:50:04 GMT

United States Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and New Zealand Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Bede Corry met in Washington, D.C. on February 2, 2026, for the New Zealand-United States Strategic Dialogue.

Deputy Secretary Landau and Secretary Corry reaffirmed the enduring partnership between the United States and New Zealand and the two countries’ shared commitment to expanding cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in support of a free, open, and prosperous region. The Deputy Secretary welcomed New Zealand’s recent decision to select Lockheed Martin’s MH-60R Seahawk helicopters as its preferred option to replace its maritime helicopter fleet. Both agreed on the importance of further investing in interoperable defense capabilities and committed to exploring new opportunities to expand security cooperation with regional allies and likeminded partners.

Deputy Secretary Landau and Secretary Corry underscored the shared U.S. and New Zealand goal of working alongside Pacific Islands countries to support their resilience and prosperity. Both committed to further expanding this partnership, including in infrastructure, economic investment, and the maritime domain. Secretary Corry welcomed the Deputy Secretary’s hosting of the U.S.-Pacific Investment Summit in Honolulu later this month, emphasizing that the Summit’s inclusion of all Pacific Island Forum members recognized the centrality of the Forum in the region’s affairs. The two also welcomed investments by likeminded partners to support a prosperous and resilient region.

Deputy Secretary Landau and Secretary Corry affirmed their shared interest in expanding the mutually beneficial trade and investment relationship between the United States and New Zealand. They noted discussions on a U.S.-New Zealand Critical Minerals Framework, and welcomed New Zealand’s participation at the Critical Minerals Ministerial to be hosted by the United States this week. The two committed to explore further opportunities to expand cooperation on critical minerals, energy, critical and emerging technologies, and the digital economy to ensure economic resilience and mutual prosperity. They also commended the advanced collaboration between New Zealand and the United States on space issues, including growing commercial links, and welcomed the upcoming 2nd U.S.-New Zealand Space Dialogue to be held in March 2026 in Washington, D.C.

Deputy Secretary Landau and Secretary Corry affirmed the vital importance of preserving Antarctica for peace and science and committed to continuing the longstanding cooperation between the United States and New Zealand on Antarctic research, policy, and logistics. Deputy Secretary Landau expressed deep appreciation for New Zealand’s long history of logistical support to the United States Antarctic Program (USAP) and support for U.S. inspections of foreign research stations in Antarctica.

Both Deputy Secretary Landau and Secretary Corry expressed optimism about the future of the U.S.-New Zealand relationship and welcomed upcoming opportunities for engagement, including at Ministerial level.

Source: https://www.mfat.govt.nz/

Western United States Economic Pulse Check – January 2026

Mike Hearn — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 04:00:08 GMT

This report provides a pulse-check of economic conditions in the Western United States at a complex juncture. The outlook is highly mixed - while some sectors are performing strongly despite ongoing uncertainty and disruption, others have been significantly affected by tariffs, the flow on effects of immigration enforcement, and persistent cost of living pressures. Tariffs are starting to hit consumers in the pocket now, as a period of massive inventory front-loading (tactically timed to avoid them) comes to an end. With household finances under increased pressure, the economy is likely to remain a defining issue in the lead up to the 2026 midterm elections.

On the upside, as tariff related distortions ease and start to settle into a new normal, some New Zealand businesses may find they have an improved context in 2026 (relative to 2025) from which to make strategic medium term decisions relating to the United States market (e.g. on market entry, price-positioning, investment/expansion, and supply chain arrangements).

Americans are richer than ever, but still don’t feel positive about the economy

The US economy remains fundamentally strong, yet public sentiment here on the ground in the Western United States tells a more pessimistic story. The US economy has been described as having delivered high wages and low poverty over the past decade, alongside increasingly substantial levels of national debt. This is leading to a growing paradox in which many Americans have never been richer yet never felt poorer – and a belief that economic conditions are worse than they are. This perception is reinforced by factors such as lifestyle inflation and pressure to “keep up with the Joneses”, alongside genuine cost of living challenges. This apparent disconnect between lived experience and macroeconomic indicators plays a major role in shaping both consumer behaviour and political attitudes.

On the financial markets, illiquidity in the United States is not only limiting investment activity but also reinforcing broader pessimism about the near term outlook. Increasingly pessimistic investor sentiment in the United States may be having a positive impact on New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus (AIP) programme. With reduced confidence in potential investment returns at home, and broader geopolitical instability, American investors are widening their horizons. In addition to much needed capital, applicants would bring with them considerable expertise and skills in areas of value to New Zealand - representing a ‘Brain Gain’ for our economy.

Tariffs - Businesses are adjusting to the certainty of uncertainty…

Ongoing uncertainties around tariff policy has emerged as a consistent theme for businesses. Unclear tariff policy settings, conflicting advice from consultants, and high storage costs associated with front loaded imports had a chilling effect on US business decision making throughout 2025.

Having worked through high inventories from earlier front-loading, many New Zealand companies are now adjusting to a market where tariffs are an ongoing constraint rather than a temporary disruption. This has prompted a shift toward more sustainable, longer term commercial approaches. Underscoring this new-normal, data highlights the strategic phase of tariffs front-loading at the Twin Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles has concluded, with most excess inventory now cleared.

Despite tariff-related disruptions under the current Administration, overall cargo volumes at the Twin Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach (which together handle approximately 40% of US maritime trade) have remained resilient, buoyed by the front-loading. Both ports closed out 2025 with cargo records that either matched or exceeded the year prior.

…but this has led to an increasingly bifurcated ‘K-shaped’ economy

While some firms are adapting successfully to tariffs, broader economic uncertainty is reinforcing a K shaped trajectory in the US economy. Businesses and households able to capitalise on volatility continue to accumulate wealth, while middle and lower income Americans lag behind. However, many Americans remain unsure whether they are economically better or worse off than under previous Administrations. This uncertainty is compounded by the residual effects of the longest-ever federal government shutdown late last year and gaps in economic data, which continue to obscure assessments of household financial well being.

Comment

Although some sectors are adapting to the tariffs, economic uncertainty remains prevalent across the Western United States and is poised to feature a central issue in the 2026 midterm campaigns. Uncertainty is the new certainty, and businesses are adjusting, with several large multinational companies -including Apple – now appointing Chief Geopolitical Risk Officers as part of their normal operating models.

You can view the complete list of market reports published to date here: www.mfat.govt.nz/market-reports

Capture The Bug strengthens advisory board as it expands into the US

Mike Hearn — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 02:48:56 GMT

Hamilton-founded cybersecurity company Capture The Bug has strengthened its Executive Advisory Board with senior technology leaders based in the United States, as demand grows for modern security testing models that can keep pace with rapid software development.

The new advisors are based across San Francisco, Silicon Valley (Palo Alto), and Greater Philadelphia, and bring experience from global organisations including Reddit, Microsoft, GitHub, Azure, Copilot, and Visa. The appointments signal Capture The Bug’s intent to accelerate growth in North America while continuing to build its platform from New Zealand.

Founded by Ankita Dhakar, Capture The Bug provides Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) - replacing traditional point-in-time penetration testing with continuous, expert-led security testing integrated into development workflows. The company commercially launched its platform in 2024 after years of operating as a cybersecurity consultancy and validating the model with CTOs and CISOs across ANZ.

Dhakar said the advisory board expansion reflects both customer demand and the company’s next phase of growth.

"Our customers are shipping software globally and releasing new code regularly," Dhakar said. "Annual or one-off penetration tests no longer reflect how risk actually changes. These advisors have built platforms at global scale, and their experience helps us grow into the US market while staying focused on outcomes that matter to engineering and security teams."

Advisory board brings global scale and operational experience

The new advisors will play active roles across platform scale, enterprise readiness, governance, and US market entry:

Ninad Narkhede - Strategic Board Partner at Capture The Bug; former Global Head of Cloud Engineering at Visa and current CTO at Apoddo. He supports CTB’s enterprise readiness, governance maturity, and security expectations for large, regulated organisations.

Ellen K. Pao - Former CEO of Reddit, technology investor, and author of Reset. Pao advises on leadership, governance, and organisational resilience, supporting Capture The Bug as it scales internationally.

James Tramel - Former Microsoft product leader across GitHub, Azure, and Copilot. Tramel has joined as Strategic Advisor and US Commercial Lead, supporting enterprise adoption, partnerships, and commercial growth in North America.

They join existing advisors Dr Vimal Kumar, Senior Lecturer and Head of the Cyber Security Lab at the University of Waikato, and Sarah (Forbes) Webb, former Amazon leader and COO of legal technology company LawVu.

Trusted by ANZ technology and enterprise customers

Since launching, Capture The Bug has worked with a growing list of fast-growing SaaS companies and listed organisations across New Zealand and Australia, including LawVu, Paysauce, EROAD, Parkable, Yabble, Whip Around, Cotiss, Blackpearl Group and many more. The platform has supported more than 200 security engagements across New Zealand and overseas, helping organisations transition away from annual penetration testing toward continuous security coverage aligned with modern CI/CD pipelines.

Customers using Capture The Bug report vulnerabilities being resolved around 40 percent faster, driven by real-time collaboration between engineers and security experts rather than delayed, post-audit reports. The company says this approach also reduces repeat findings during audits and lowers long-term security costs.

Scaling a global security platform from New Zealand

Capture The Bug’s expansion into the US comes less than two years after its commercial launch and builds on Dhakar’s earlier recognition as a finalist for the NZ Hi-Tech Young Achiever Award. The company is headquartered in New Zealand and continues to develop its platform locally while supporting customers across Australia, the United States, and India.

"There’s a perception that global cybersecurity platforms need to be built in Silicon Valley with large teams and deep pools of capital," Dhakar said. "We’re proving that you can build a world-class security company from New Zealand with a small, focused team - by earning trust, staying relentlessly close to customer problems, and solving them well enough to compete globally."

With US-based advisors now supporting product scale, enterprise adoption, and governance, Capture The Bug is positioning itself for its next stage of growth as a globally relevant cybersecurity platform built from New Zealand.

About Capture The Bug

Capture The Bug is a New Zealand-founded cybersecurity company providing Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) for SaaS companies and global enterprises. The platform delivers continuous, expert-led security testing, real-time vulnerability management, and audit-ready reporting aligned with frameworks such as SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Capture The Bug works with organisations across New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and India.

Source: https://www.capturethebug.xyz/

Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Heads Stateside

Mike Hearn — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 20:05:50 GMT

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, the touring series between the Springboks and the All Blacks held every four years, has announced Baltimore, Maryland, USA as the host city for the 2026 series’ historic fourth Test.

Rugby’s most iconic international rivalry is going to the United States for the first time, with the home of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens welcoming the two teams on Saturday 12 September 2026.

The rugby match-up at M&T Bank Stadium concludes the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour, which includes games between the All Blacks and South Africa's four franchise rugby teams, and three Tests between the Springboks and the All Blacks on South African soil. Fans will also get to witness a double header in Johannesburg between the Black Ferns and Springbok Women before the tour comes to the US.

Both the Springboks and the All Blacks have a history of playing matches on US soil. New Zealand have played numerous games in Chicago in recent years taking on Ireland and USA, as well as in San Diego (v Fiji) and Washington DC (v USA). South Africa faced the USA in Houston in 2001 and visited Washington DC in 2018 to face Wales.

The announcement reflects the collective ambition of New Zealand Rugby, SA Rugby, and World Rugby to grow the game in the United States. As the region builds toward hosting Rugby World Cup 2031 (men’s) and 2033 (women’s), World Rugby and member unions are partnering to strategically position premium international rugby in key U.S. markets.

Bringing two of the sport’s most storied teams to Baltimore, a Rugby World Cup 2031 applicant city, highlights this collaborative approach to developing new audiences, accelerating fan engagement and inspiring the next generation of rugby supporters.

Interim CEO of New Zealand Rugby Steve Lancaster said: “Having the opportunity to once again play in the US, less than a year after our last game, is exciting for the All Blacks and for New Zealand Rugby. The US is an important market for us and for rugby more broadly, as we look ahead to Rugby World Cup 2031. This will mark the fourth time the team has played in the US in five years, so it’s great to be in another new city to show sports fans the spectacle and excitement of rugby.

“Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry aims to be unlike any other, and playing in a city with the potential to form a part of the 2031 Rugby World Cup just adds another layer to this tour. We look forward to welcoming fans of the All Blacks and the haka in Baltimore in September.”

"Taking the Springboks to new audiences and territories is a key objective for South African rugby and the opportunity to do so in a ground-breaking match against our fiercest rivals was a major determinant in where the fourth Test would be played," said Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby.

"With fans getting the opportunity to see the Boks in action against the All Blacks in three home Tests, the chance to share the excitement in the US is an exciting one, compounded by the fact that both men’s and women’s Rugby World Cup will be heading to the US in a few years' time. While the All Blacks have played in the USA often in the past, the Boks have only played there twice this millennium, and we're very excited to take them to Baltimore and engage with a developing rugby ecosystem."

World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin added: "Partnering with unions to bring world class content to key US cities is at the heart of the sport’s strategy to grow the market on the road to hosting men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in the US in 2031 and 33.

“There are few bigger rivalries than New Zealand v South Africa, and to be able to showcase the best of our sport in Baltimore, one of 27 super engaged cities and regions in the Rugby World Cup hosting process, is an exciting prospect, inspiring more sports fans in the US to fall in love with rugby.”

The 71,000 capacity M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens, has established itself as one of the premier sporting venues in North America. This will provide a dramatic backdrop for one of international sport’s most intense rivalries. The event is expected to attract fans from across the US and overseas, delivering a significant boost to the local economy and reinforcing Baltimore’s credentials as a global sports destination.

"The All Blacks–Springboks rivalry is one of the most iconic matchups in international rugby, and we’re thrilled to host these legendary teams at M&T Bank Stadium,” said Ravens president Sashi Brown. “Our incredible partnership with the State of Maryland, including its support for our ongoing stadium renovations, has helped position M&T Bank Stadium as a world-class venue. As one of a handful of premier global sporting events, this rugby match underscores our shared commitment to bringing world-class experiences to Baltimore.”

Fans can register for pre-sale access to all matches via greatest-rivalry.com. Pre-sale tickets for every fixture, including the fourth Test, will be available from Thursday 29 January, with general sale opening Monday 2 February. All Blacks Travel and Hospitality packages are available here.

Source: https://www.nzrugby.co.nz/

Brand USA selects The Walshe Group to lead PR in Australia and New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 03:45:24 GMT

Brand USA, the official destination marketing organisation for the United States, has appointed The Walshe Group as its public relations representative for Australia and New Zealand, effective immediately.

The appointment reinforces Brand USA’s commitment to two of its most important international source markets. Australia and New Zealand consistently rank among the top overseas contributors to U.S. visitation and play a critical role in driving tourism-related economic impact.

“We’re pleased to appoint The Walshe Group as our new public relations representative for Australia and New Zealand. Their deep expertise in destination storytelling and strong media relationships make them the ideal partner to help us elevate the USA’s presence in these vital markets,” said Chris Heywood, Senior Vice President, Public Relations & Chief Communications Officer at Brand USA. “I'm looking forward to expanding our PR opportunities as we harness all of the mega-events and endless 'demand generators' that will inspire Australians and New Zealanders to choose the USA in the years ahead.”

Working as an extension of the Brand USA team in market, The Walshe Group will deliver a strategic PR program focused on increasing awareness of the breadth and diversity of U.S. travel experiences, inspiring visitation and strengthening Brand USA’s positioning as a leading global destination brand for Australian and New Zealand travellers.

Kristine George, who brings more than 30 years’ experience in tourism public relations, will lead the account as PR Account Director.

The Walshe Group, which will mark 50 years in business in 2026, is one of the most established tourism representation agencies in Australia and New Zealand. The agency is the long-standing representative for New York City Tourism + Conventions and Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania), with deep expertise in destination storytelling and driving visitation growth in this market.

Jacqui Walshe, CEO and Managing Director of The Walshe Group, said: “Following a highly competitive RFP process, we are thrilled to be appointed as Brand USA’s PR representative for Australia and New Zealand. As we celebrate 50 years in business in 2026, welcoming a client of Brand USA’s calibre to The Walshe Group’s portfolio is particularly meaningful for our team.

As two of the most vital international markets for the United States, we look forward to working closely with Gate 7, Brand USA’s in market travel trade representative, to raise awareness of travel offerings in the U.S. to media and travel professionals in Australia and New Zealand through compelling storytelling surrounding key U.S. moments from Route 66’s Centennial, FIFA World Cup 2026 and America250.”

Since joining The Walshe Group in 2022, Kristine George has led PR strategy for New York City Tourism + Conventions and Delta Air Lines, securing extensive top-tier coverage across Australia and New Zealand. She was also a finalist for PR of the Year at the 2023 Women in Tourism Awards.

Kristine commented: “I’m very proud to be taking on this high-profile role with Brand USA and bringing nearly 30 years of destination PR experience to one of the world’s most iconic travel brands. As a dual Canadian-Australian citizen with deep ties to North America, I am uniquely positioned and excited about the opportunity to connect with my top tier media contacts to share compelling stories that inspire travel to the United States from Australia and New Zealand.”

About Brand USA:
www.TheBrandUSA.com | www.VisitTheUSA.com

Brand USA is the nation’s destination marketing organization, dedicated to attracting legitimate international inbound travel to strengthen the U.S. economy, increase exports, create quality jobs, and promote community prosperity. By running data-driven campaigns and unifying messaging across industry and government, Brand USA positions the United States as a top global destination while providing current visa and entry information.

Since 2012 Brand USA, in collaboration with travel industry partners, has been responsible for attracting an additional 10.3 million visitors who spent nearly $35 billion in the United States, generating $76 billion in economic output, and sustaining nearly 40,000 jobs per year. Without any cost to taxpayers, these efforts have generated $10 billion in tax receipts and returned $20 to the U.S. economy for every dollar spent.

About The Walshe Group: https://walshegroup.com/

Marking 50 years in business in 2026, The Walshe Group is the most established tourism representation companies in Australia and New Zealand, with a long-standing track record representing many of the world’s leading airlines, tourism boards, and travel brands. The Walshe Group has worked with 14 tourism boards over the past five years alone.

Rocket Lab Awarded $816M Prime Contract to Build Missile- Defense Satellite Constellation for U.S. Space Force

Mike Hearn — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 03:11:40 GMT

Rocket Lab’s largest contract to date solidifies its position as a disruptive force in national security space, redefining the speed and efficiency of satellite production and challenging legacy aerospace primes.

Long Beach, California. December 19, 2025 – Rocket Lab USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a leading launch and space systems company, today announced it has been awarded a landmark prime contract by the U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA) to design and manufacture 18 satellites for the Tracking Layer Tranche 3 (TRKT3) program under the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). The award is Rocket Lab’s largest single contract to date and underscores its growing reputation as a trusted prime in national security space.

Under the $816 million contract, Rocket Lab will deliver satellites equipped with advanced missile warning, tracking, and defense sensors to provide global, persistent detection and tracking of emerging missile threats, including hypersonic systems. The award includes a $806 million base contract plus up to $10.45 million in options. Each satellite will feature Rocket Lab’s next-generation Phoenix infrared sensor payload, a wide field-of-view (WFOV) solution designed to meet the evolving missile defense needs of national security space. To ensure mission resilience, the satellites will be equipped with Rocket Lab’s advanced StarLite space protection sensors, designed to safeguard the constellation against directed energy threats. Notably, StarLite sensors have also been adopted by other prime contractors developing TRKT3 satellites, further expanding Rocket Lab’s role in the program and unlocking additional contract value beyond its own satellite production. In addition to the $816M prime contract award value, as a leading merchant supplier into the other TRKT3 prime contractors, there are additional subsystem opportunities that could take the total capture value to approximately $1 billion for supplying items such as payloads, solar solutions, attitude determination and control components, software, and other solutions from our broad portfolio of capabilities.

Disrupting Traditional Defense Primes with Vertical Integration

Rocket Lab’s satellites will be built on its proven Lightning platform, leveraging the Company’s vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities to deliver an unmatched combination of speed, cost efficiency, and quality. All major components – from solar arrays, reaction wheels and star trackers to propulsion systems, avionics, payloads, and launch dispensers – are designed and produced in-house. This end-to-end approach enables Rocket Lab to rapidly scale production while maintaining control over cost and schedule, a critical advantage in meeting the urgent demands of national security missions.

“The Tranche 3 Tracking Layer constellation is part of the U.S. Space Force’s strategy to counter rapidly evolving global threats, ensuring the nation’s defense capabilities remain ahead of adversaries. Rocket Lab is honored to play a role in enabling this,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck. “Demand for resilient, scalable, and affordable space systems continues to grow, and this award demonstrates that Rocket Lab is uniquely positioned to lead the charge in delivering solutions that meet the needs of national security. As the only commercial provider producing both spacecraft and payloads in-house for the SDA Tracking Layer, Rocket Lab is delivering a truly disruptive solution that combines speed, resilience, and affordability. This contract underscores that Rocket Lab’s vertically integrated approach isn’t just a competitive advantage – we’re enabling a fundamental shift in how national security space programs are executed.”

Building on Momentum: $1.3 Billion in SDA Contracts Awarded

This contract builds on Rocket Lab’s existing $515 million award to deliver 18 satellites for SDA’s Transport Layer-Beta Tranche 2 program, which provides secure, low-latency communications across the PWSA. The more than $1.3 billion in contract value now awarded to Rocket Lab by SDA demonstrates strong confidence in Rocket Lab’s ability to execute on large-scale, high-stakes national security programs.

Rocket Lab’s growing role as a prime contractor for the U.S. Space Force highlights its emergence as a formidable competitor to legacy aerospace primes. By combining technology, vertical integration, and a proven track record of delivering results, Rocket Lab is redefining what’s possible in national security space.

+ About Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab is a leading space company that provides launch services, spacecraft, payloads, and satellite components serving commercial, government, and national security markets. Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is the world’s most frequently launched orbital small rocket; its HASTE rocket provides hypersonic test launch capability for the U.S. government and allied nations; and its Neutron launch vehicle in development will unlock medium launch for constellation deployment, national security and exploration missions. Rocket Lab’s spacecraft and satellite components have enabled more than 1,700 missions spanning commercial, defense and national security missions including GPS, constellations, and exploration missions to the Moon, Mars, and Venus. Rocket Lab is a publicly listed company on the Nasdaq stock exchange (RKLB). Learn more at www.rocketlabcorp.com.

+ Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and space systems operations, launch schedule and window, safe and repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational expansion and business strategy are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of our website at www.rocketlabcorp.com, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.

Source: https://rocketlabcorp.com/

Aeroqual has been acquired by Industrial Scientific, a division of Fortive Corporation.

Mike Hearn — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 03:03:47 GMT

Announcement of the Sale of Aeroqual

I’m proud to share that Aeroqual has been acquired by Industrial Scientific, a division of Fortive Corporation.

This milestone represents a fantastic outcome for our team and a well-earned reward for the hard work and dedication of our staff, advisors, and supporters. My sincere congratulations and thanks to everyone involved.

A special acknowledgement goes to Geoff Henshaw and our shareholders, whose vision and commitment built a New Zealand business that now exports nearly 100% of its products and services to customers around the world.

I’m excited for the next chapter and look forward to working with our new owners as we continue the Aeroqual journey.

Source: LinkedIn - Andrew Moorby, Group CFO, Aeroqual Ltd

PartsTrader Announces Agreement to Be Acquired by Enlyte, Accelerating Innovation Across the Collision Industry

Mike Hearn — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 23:52:19 GMT

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PartsTrader today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Enlyte, the parent company of Mitchell’s Auto Physical Damage (APD) division. The planned acquisition marks a major milestone in PartsTrader’s evolution and creates a powerful combination designed to drive new levels of efficiency, transparency, and intelligence across the collision-repair ecosystem.

Under the agreement, PartsTrader will become an independent, wholly owned subsidiary of Enlyte, operating with its own leadership and continuing its long-standing commitment to remain an open, neutral platform. PartsTrader will maintain full connectivity with all information providers, estimating systems, suppliers, and partners across the industry—while also establishing a deeper strategic partnership with Mitchell to deliver enhanced value to customers.

“This moment represents the next phase of PartsTrader’s incredible growth story,” said Steve Messenger, Chief Executive Officer of PartsTrader. “We’ve built an open marketplace that provides real and measurable value for repairers, insurers, and suppliers every day. Enlyte is the ideal landing spot to accelerate that momentum, and I couldn’t be more excited for what this combination will unlock for the industry.”

The collaboration between PartsTrader and Mitchell is expected to strengthen workflows, streamline parts selection, and expand data-driven capabilities for all stakeholders—while preserving the open ecosystem that repairers, insurers, and suppliers rely on.

“We are thrilled to welcome PartsTrader to the Enlyte family,” said Alex Sun, CEO of Enlyte. “PartsTrader’s open marketplace model is a powerful complement to Mitchell’s technology. Together, we can bring greater clarity, speed, and choice to the industry—while ensuring PartsTrader continues to operate independently and serve the entire market.”

Mark Lindner, President of PartsTrader, noted, “This partnership gives us the best of both worlds: the independence our customers trust, and the resources and strategic alignment that will help us deliver even more value. Our customers should expect continuity where it matters most—and meaningful progress where it creates real impact.”

William Blair acted as the exclusive financial advisor to PartsTrader in connection with the transaction.

The transaction is scheduled to close in 2026, subject to customary closing conditions. A more detailed announcement will be provided upon closing.

About PartsTrader

As the world’s leading parts procurement marketplace, PartsTrader brings together repair shops, parts suppliers, and insurance carriers on one efficient, market-driven platform. PartsTrader helps repair shops make more accurate decisions regarding part-type, price, and availability. Suppliers can quickly grow their market presence and instantly reach thousands of new shops while improving the way they serve their current customers. Insurance carriers gain transparency into the parts procurement process and access to valuable market data, allowing them to increase accuracy and efficiency on every claim. PartsTrader LLC, based in Chicago, is privately held. For more information, visit partstrader.com

About Enlyte

Enlyte (www.enlyte.com) is a P&C industry leader providing claims technology innovations and connectivity solutions, specialty networks, case management, pharmacy benefit and disability management services. Serving over 2,000 entities, including a majority of Fortune 500 employers, Enlyte leverages its portfolio of solutions to simplify processes and improve outcomes for auto, workers’ compensation and disability claims.

About Mitchell

Mitchell International, Inc. (www.mitchell.com) is a leader in the development of innovative auto physical damage technology solutions. Combining decades of experience with an open platform, proprietary data and intelligent, cloud-first applications, we help insurance carriers, collision repairers and vehicle manufacturers protect dreams and restore lives. Each day, more than 20,000 organizations turn to Mitchell to support efficiently managing claims and safely returning consumers to the road. For more information, follow Mitchell on Facebook or LinkedIn.

Source: https://www.businesswire.com/

Overseas investment reform enables more jobs and growth

Mike Hearn — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 22:09:38 GMT

Associate Finance Minister David Seymour is welcoming the passing of the Overseas Investment (National Interest Test and Other Matters) Amendment Act. The changes mean most overseas investment decisions must be made in 15 working days and New Zealand businesses will have more opportunities to receive new investment, grow and pay higher wages.

“New Zealand has been turning away opportunities for growth for too long. Having one of the most restrictive foreign investment regimes in the OECD means we’ve paid the price in lost opportunities, lower productivity, and stagnant wages. We are fixing that,” says Mr Seymour.

“Under the new law, decisions on all investments except residential land, farmland and fishing quota must be made within 15 working days, unless there is a potential national interest concern. That compares with a 70-day statutory timeframe for the current benefit test.

“International investment is critical to ensuring economic growth. It provides access to capital and technology that grows New Zealand businesses, enhances productivity, and supports higher paying jobs.

“New Zealand’s productivity growth has slowed down because workers haven’t had enough capital behind them. Over 2013–2023, our capital-to-labour ratio grew by just 0.7 per cent a year, compared with 2.2 per cent in the previous decade. As a result, productivity growth fell from an average of 1.4 per cent annually between 1993 and 2013 to just 0.2 per cent from 2013-2023.

“This law change builds on previous improvements. Last year I directed the Overseas Investment Office to speed up consent processing timeframes under the Overseas Investment Act. The letter set my expectation that LINZ will process 80 per cent of consent applications in half the statutory timeframes for decisions.

“LINZ has since taken a risk-based approach LINZ take to verifying information and streamlining consent processes. This recognises that the majority of consent applications are low-risk and should be processed more efficiently.

In the 12 months to 30 November:

LINZ has processed almost 82.6 per cent of consent applications in half the statutory timeframe

Processing times are 60 per cent faster than in financial year 2024. The average timeframe has reduced from 71 working days to 28 working days.

“The act also consolidates and simplifies the screening process for less sensitive assets by introducing a modified national interest test that replaces the existing benefit to New Zealand test and investor test and enables the regulator to triage low-risk transactions. If a national interest risk is identified, the regulator and relevant Minister will have a range of tools to manage this, including through imposing conditions or blocking the transaction,” says Mr Seymour.

Current screening requirements will stay in place for investments in farmland, fishing quota and residential land (except for investments in residential land from qualifying investor visa holders).

“New Zealand has been turning away opportunities for growth for too long. International investment is critical to ensuring economic growth. It provides access to capital and technology that grows New Zealand businesses, enhances productivity, and supports high paying jobs.”

The bill also ensures overseas-based investors with a New Zealand investor resident visa will be allowed to buy a house here, to encourage more investment to grow the economy.

“The Government is focused on smart immigration settings that bring additional investment, skills, and connections to New Zealand. The Active Investor Plus residency visa is critical to that and our economic growth. If a migrant invests a minimum of $5 million to help grow the economy, passes a good character test, and has acceptable health, they will now be able to buy or build a home,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says.

“The home must be valued at least $5 million, less than 1 per cent of New Zealand houses, providing greater connection into local communities.

“New investors don’t just bring their capital, they bring skills, knowledge and experience that will drive future economic development. We are open for business,” Ms Stanford says.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Government boosts Kiwi space ventures

Mike Hearn — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 22:11:03 GMT

Space Minister Judith Collins today launched a $1.8 million pilot programme through which Kiwi space companies can develop their technologies, that could ultimately form part of a future national space mission.

“The Kiwi Space Activator will help more Kiwi businesses and universities move novel space technology and concepts from the laboratory to the skies, further boosting New Zealand’s reputation as a hub for space innovation,” Ms Collins says.

“Capability developed through these innovative projects could feed into a future national space mission, with potential applications for resource management or monitoring illegal fishing, among other areas.

“We want to turn big ideas into big impact, and this is the first step in our journey.”

The New Zealand Space Agency will administer the pilot programme which will have two rounds of funding. Up to $600,000 will be offered for each successful project, with a total of $1.8 million available over two years. The pilot will support a minimum of three projects.

“Round one projects need to be ‘ready to fly’ - meaning they have technology that can be tested on a rocket, satellite, or high-altitude platform within 18-24 months,” Ms Collins says.

"The Kiwi Space Activator is designed to support projects that align with challenges identified by government agencies, such as maritime security, space situational awareness, biosecurity, and ecosystem health.

“Projects can also meet a New Zealand Space Agency challenge for delivering core components of a satellite in an innovative way – for example power supply or communications systems.

“This pilot programme will help shape future government support for the space sector and ensure New Zealand remains at the forefront of global space innovation.”

The Kiwi Space Activator is open to New Zealand-based organisations only. Round one applicants must contribute at least 30 percent of project cash costs, while in-kind and cash co-funding will be accepted for round two.

Applications are open and close on 1 March 2026. For more information on eligibility and how to apply see the New Zealand Space Agency website.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Investment agency focus set to seek growth & opportunity

Mike Hearn — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:47:22 GMT

Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today set the scope of the country’s investment agency, Invest New Zealand, announcing strategic growth areas and launching three investment prospectuses.

“New Zealand has underachieved in attracting foreign investment, and this dedicated agency is key to us achieving more. More capital means stronger business, more jobs and a growing economy,” Mr McClay says.

New Zealand’s stock of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) amounts to 37% of GDP compared to an OECD average of 53%. Annual net inflows of FDI are 1.4% of GDP, placing New Zealand 31st out of 38 OECD countries.

InvestNZ will target investments in the range of $100 million to $1 billion as well as projects from $20 million that have the ability to scale. It will act as a bridge for local investors, connecting domestic business with high-value investment opportunities, and ensuring the Active Investor Plus scheme delivers for the New Zealand economy.

“The agency will also advise the government on policy and regulatory settings to support New Zealand as a globally competitive place to invest,” Mr McClay says.

InvestNZ will prioritise six new strategic growth areas:

Private infrastructure,

Renewable energy

Data infrastructure

Digitisation and Artificial Intelligence

Technology including AgTech, MedTech, and SpaceTech

Advanced manufacturing and processing facilities

Speaking to a business audience hosted by the Auckland Business Chamber, Mr McClay launched three investment prospectuses supporting strong regional sectors of the economy: Tourism; Wood Processing; and Innovative Food Production.

“These are sectors where New Zealand has a competitive edge and a compelling growth story.

“The prospectuses are demonstrating to the world’s investors we are open for business, ready to scale up and take advantage of new opportunities.”

The prospectuses are available on the InvestNZ website via: https://www.nzte.govt.nz/page/wood-processing

https://www.nzte.govt.nz/page/tourism

https://www.nzte.govt.nz/page/food-and-beverage

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Rocket Lab Successfully Launches HASTE Mission for Defense Innovation Unit, Missile Defense Agency

Mike Hearn — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 22:49:51 GMT

Long Beach, California. Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it successfully launched a suborbital mission with its HASTE launch vehicle for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and Missile Defense Agency (MDA) - advancing national interests in safeguarding the homeland through the testing of advanced technologies for missile defense.

The launch on HASTE – Rocket Lab’s commercial launch vehicle for regular and reliable hypersonic test flights – took place from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 on Wallops Island, Virginia, at 13:00 UTC/08:00 a.m. ET on November 18, 2025. Led by MDA, the mission deployed a government-provided primary payload developed by the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, and multiple secondary payloads by federal and industry partners, which tested key technologies for missile defense applications.

The mission was contracted to Rocket Lab through the DIU’s Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities (HyCAT) program, an initiative supporting test and evaluation of new and emerging hypersonic technologies through low cost, responsive and long endurance flight testing. The mission launched within 14 months of contract signing, demonstrating streamlined operational benefits for government customers through Rocket Lab’s commercial speed, innovation, and efficiency. The mission also exemplified the cost and schedule savings that commercial liquid launch vehicles can bring to the MDA test community for developmental testing, non-traditional targets testing, and risk-reduction payload testing activities.

Rocket Lab’s Vice President Global Launch Services, Brian Rogers, says: “HASTE is an important platform for accelerating hypersonic technology readiness for the nation, and we’re proud to be delivering this mission for DIU and MDA.”

LtCol Nicholas Estep, Director of DIU’s Emerging Technology Portfolio, says: “Accessing the commercial and non-traditional ecosystem is a key enabler to accelerating progress in the hypersonics community of interest, particularly for closing mission timelines and driving towards mass and affordability. Working with MDA to demonstrate commercially-focused sub-orbital launch services is a great example of that axiom.”

The mission was Rocket Lab’s sixth launch of its HASTE rocket since the launch vehicle’s debut in 2023. A suborbital variant of Electron - the world’s most frequently launched small orbital rocket - HASTE includes much of the same innovative technology as Electron, including carbon fiber composite structures and 3D printed rocket engines, but has a modified upper Kick Stage tailored for hypersonic technology tests and a larger payload capacity. HASTE can deploy technologies at speeds of more than 7.5km per second to test air-breathing, glide, and ballistic payloads, as well as technologies to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere from space. Combined, the HASTE and Electron launch vehicles have deployed 200+ payloads for government and commercial customers to date.

Media Contact
Murielle Baker
media@rocketlabusa.com

About Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab is a leading space company that provides launch services, spacecraft, payloads and satellite components serving commercial, government, and national security markets. Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is the world’s most frequently launched orbital small rocket; its HASTE rocket provides hypersonic test launch capability for the U.S. government and allied nations; and its Neutron launch vehicle in development will unlock medium launch for constellation deployment, national security and exploration missions. Rocket Lab’s spacecraft and satellite components have enabled more than 1,700 missions spanning commercial, defense and national security missions including GPS, constellations, and exploration missions to the Moon, Mars, and Venus. Rocket Lab is a publicly listed company on the Nasdaq stock exchange (RKLB). Learn more at www.rocketlabcorp.com

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and space systems operations, launch schedule and window, safe and repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational expansion and business strategy are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of our website at www.rocketlabcorp.com, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.

Source: https://rocketlabcorp.com/

Trade Minister cautiously welcomes US tariff relief on key exports

Mike Hearn — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 03:44:31 GMT

Minister for Trade and Investment; and Agriculture, Todd McClay, has cautiously welcomed the United States announcement this week removing the additional reciprocal tariffs on a range of New Zealand agricultural products, including beef, offal, and kiwifruit.

These products represent around 25 per cent of our exports to the United States, worth approximately NZ$2.21 billion annually.

“The US remains an important trade partner for New Zealand and the decision to lift these tariffs is a step in the right direction and will be welcomed by exporters who have faced months of uncertainty and higher costs,” Mr McClay says.

The additional tariffs were first introduced in April at 10%, and increased to 15% in August based on New Zealand running a modest trade surplus with the US.

“Returning to the pre-reciprocal tariff access we had before April provides some much-needed stability for our farmers and processors. We estimate this is a saving of around $330 million in additional tariff duty.

“However, this is only a partial rollback. Tariffs remain in place on other important New Zealand products, and the broader reciprocal tariff framework continues to create cost and uncertainty for our exporters.

“New Zealand has a balanced and complementary trade relationship with the United States. US goods imported by New Zealand only face on average a 0.3% tariff rate with very few restrictions.

“I have spoken directly with my US trade counterpart USTR Jamieson Greer a number of times over the last few months and will continue to make the case that New Zealand’s trading relationship with the US is balanced and that the additional reciprocal tariffs on other New Zealand exports should also be removed.”

Note to editors:

Main New Zealand exports covered by the tariff reduction announcement: Beef, prepared meats, offal, kiwifruit, misc. fresh fruit, berries, avocados.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Costco announcement great news for shoppers

Mike Hearn — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 04:37:28 GMT

News that US supermarket giant Costco is planning to open a second New Zealand store in South Auckland is great news for Kiwi shoppers, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says.

“Today’s announcement follows the introduction to Parliament last week of legislation creating a consenting express lane so that new supermarkets can be approved and built more quickly.

“The Government is working with Costco to ensure that we are doing everything possible to make consenting as quick and efficient as possible,” Nicola Willis says.

Property company Kiwi Property announced this morning that it has reached conditional agreement to sell Costco 6.4 hectares of land next to its 53ha residential, commercial and retail development at Drury.

The Kiwi Property development, which received Fast-track approval last week, is projected to inject over $1.45 billion into the Auckland’s economy over the next 11 years and deliver about 3420 full-time jobs in construction and related services.

“Costco’s planned expansion will add to that boost by creating more construction jobs,” Nicola Willis says.

“It is also fantastic news for shoppers. More competition means more choice and lower prices.

“Costco’s West Auckland store has already improved competitive dynamics in that local area and created a new export pathway for several New Zealand food suppliers.

“Costco Westgate has 250,000 members who value the choice it offers. The store employs hundreds of staff.

“The establishment of another store in South Auckland will give more Aucklanders - as well as people in Waikato access to the same choice.

““Today’s announcement is a vote of confidence in New Zealand and, hopefully, the first of several such announcements from Costco.

“Developments like this benefit from the steps the Government has taken to make it easier to build supermarkets in New Zealand. They are:

explicitly allowing developments that improve grocery competition to access fast-track approvals, giving greater certainty of costs and timeframes
establishing a nationwide building consenting process for grocery developments so they only need to deal with a single, expert consenting authority; and
changing the requirements for MultiProof to allow standardised designs for multiple supermarkets to be consented faster.”

2025 TIN Report

Mike Hearn — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 20:59:38 GMT

New Zealand tech exporters generated NZ$20 billion in revenue in FY2025, up 9.9% on the previous year

Key highlights from the 2025 TIN Technology Industry Analysis Report:

NZ’s top 200 technology export companies by revenue (TIN200 companies) generated $20B in total revenue for FY2025, up $1.80B or 9.9% on FY2024.

Total TIN200 exports were $15.31B, up $1.69B or 12.4% on FY2024. Tech constitutes NZ’s third largest export earner behind dairy and tourism.

40 companies recorded revenue of $100m+, an increase from 19 in FY2015 – and 67 companies now record revenue of more than $50m.

Total TIN200 employment was 61,369, up 778 or 1.3% on FY2024.

NZ early-stage capital investment was a total of $467m across 146 deals, up from $349m across 144 deals in FY2024.

High-Tech Manufacturing companies were the primary growth driver in FY2025, recording a 11.5% increase in revenue to $9.80B.

Auckland leads the regions, with $10.5B in revenue earned, and Wellington coming second with $5.2B revenue earned.

Xero and F&P Healthcare are the first two TIN200 companies to reach $2B in revenue.

AUCKLAND, 5 November 2025 – Technology Investment Network (TIN) has released the 2025 TIN Report, revealing a resurgent year for New Zealand’s technology export sector as revenues climbed 9.9% to a record $20 billion. Exports rose 12.4% to $15.31 billion; the TIN tech sector now represents New Zealand’s third-largest source of offshore revenue, behind dairy and tourism, underscoring its role as the country’s leading high-value export industry.

TIN Head of Research, Narjis Adnan, says “Reaching $20 billion in total revenue marks a major milestone for New Zealand’s tech sector. The data shows an industry that’s truly hitting its stride – powered by record R&D investment, rising profitability, and strong offshore demand. What we’re seeing is a globally competitive ecosystem that’s established, resilient, and firmly positioned at the centre of Aotearoa’s economic future.”

Launched at The Cloud in Auckland amongst many industry leaders, investors and founders, the report marks the 21st edition of TIN’s annual ranking of New Zealand’s top 200 technology export companies (TIN200). This year’s theme – “New Rules, No Limits” – reflects the sector’s bold shift toward new markets, technologies and models of growth.

“The tech export sector continues to defy the economic headwinds that have slowed other industries,” said Greg Shanahan, Managing Director of TIN. “We’re seeing a more diverse, globally connected ecosystem of Kiwi companies competing at scale – from advanced manufacturing and aerospace to AI and fintech. This growth has been driven by a long-term focus on innovation, R&D investment and high-value jobs that are reshaping New Zealand’s economic future.”

The report shows employment increased to 61,369, reflecting continued high-value job creation and strong productivity gains. High-Tech Manufacturing remained the largest contributor, expanding 11.5% to $9.8 billion in revenue, reflecting solid performance by medical device and advanced engineering firms. ICT followed with 8.9% growth to $8.93 billion, driven by software, SaaS and fintech leaders such as Xero, Datacom and Windcave. Biotech also rose 4.9% to $1.25 billion, underscoring New Zealand’s strength in health and life sciences.

“After 21 years of tracking New Zealand’s tech economy, we’re seeing a sector that has matured without losing its agility,” Shanahan added. “These companies are writing their own rules – innovating through uncertainty, expanding into new markets and creating opportunities that go beyond traditional economic boundaries. That mindset of ‘no limits’ is what continues to propel Aotearoa’s tech success story.”

There has been a decade of unprecedented expansion. Over the past ten years, TIN200 revenue has grown 123% from $8.95B in 2015 to $19.99B today. The number of home-grown companies earning $200 million or more has sextupled from 3 in 2005 to 19, and those above $100 million have tripled to 40. Global employment within the TIN200 has expanded by nearly 24,000 people, with offshore job creation outpacing domestic growth nearly three-to-one. Fintech and Healthtech have emerged as dual powerhouses, together contributing almost $6 billion in annual revenue, while new entrants in cleantech, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing point to the next generation of high-growth exporters.

As the TIN200 enters its third decade, it stands not only as a measure of industry performance but as evidence of a national transformation – one where technology has become central to Aotearoa New Zealand’s future prosperity.

Download the 2025 TIN Report, which is sponsored by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), Absolute IT, BNZ, ASX and Hamilton City Council, and can be ordered here.

Source: https://tin100.com/

Zenno Partners With Portal Space Systems For 2026 Demo Of Record-Breaking Magnet In Space

Mike Hearn — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 19:51:12 GMT

New Zealand’s Zenno Astronautics has secured a ground-breaking partnership with Seattle-based company Portal Space Systems – bringing the world’s most powerful magnetic actuator into its first free-flying mission.

Zenno’s technology is on track to become the backbone of next-generation space infrastructure, revolutionising how spacecraft manoeuvre and interact in orbit.

With Zenno’s flagship product – the Supertorquer – onboard, Portal Space Systems will launch the Starburst-1 mission, a highly manoeuvrable spacecraft in late 2026. The purpose of the mission is to demonstrate the effectiveness of the technology in a year-long mission.

The Supertorquer is a world-first system that uses superconducting electromagnetics to control a spacecraft’s attitude (orientation/pointing) without using chemical fuel. It interacts with the Earth’s magnetic field to vastly enhance satellite manoeuvrability.

Auckland-based Zenno Astronautics co-founder and chief product officer Sebastian Wieczorek says, “I am very excited to partner with Portal Space Systems to deliver record-setting magnetic performance on board a spacecraft using Zenno’s Supertorquer. As a Kiwi founder, I am proud that this New Zealand-designed and built product will be featured on the world stage at the cutting edge of technology. This milestone will also be instrumental in proving New Zealand’s sovereign capability in space.”

Portal Space Systems' Starburst-1 mission will spend a year in sun-synchronous orbit and will demonstrate rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO), rapid retasking, and rapid orbital change for national security and commercial use cases, including Supernova's high-performance reaction control system (RCS) thrusters, which will serve as the main translational propulsion for the Starburst vehicle.

Portal Space Systems chief executive Jeff Thornburg says, “Zenno’s superconducting magnet technology introduces a new class of precise, fuel-free control that unlocks real mission value – especially for operations like RPO, inspection, and orbital servicing. I’m especially excited about the potential for radiation shielding. These are exactly the kinds of capabilities that Starburst is built to support. Pairing Starburst with the Zenno Supertorquer, set to be the most powerful magnetic actuator ever flown, is a natural fit. This mission gives both teams the opportunity to demonstrate a combined capability that’s directly relevant to defence and commercial operators alike.”

Zenno is building next-gen hardware for manoeuvrability in space, leveraging solar energy and Earth’s magnetic field to drive real impact.

“New Zealand is punching above its weight in both space and superconductivity, delivering real value to the industry. Zenno is proud to be at the forefront of this with a vision building for life in space.” Wieczorek concluded.

About Portal Space Systems

Portal Space Systems is a next-generation spacecraft company headquartered in Washington state. The company builds reconfigurable, maneuverable spacecraft designed to support defense and commercial missions on operational timelines.

Portal emerged from stealth in 2024, earned STRATFI support, raised one of the largest publicly announced seed rounds in the sector, and was named a Via Satellite “Top 10 Startup to Watch.”

Source: https://www.zenno.space/

Grant Thornton Advisors expands multinational platform by welcoming Grant Thornton New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 21:39:09 GMT

CHICAGO and AUCKLAND — Grant Thornton Advisors LLC (Grant Thornton Advisors) today announced that its multinational platform is growing to include Grant Thornton New Zealand — a move that extends the platform’s reach across 20 time zones into the Asia Pacific region.

The New Zealand firm is a recognized leader in its region, with US$40+ million in annual revenue and a team of more than 300 dedicated professionals. It is known for its strength in key markets and its reputation for delivering leading audit, tax and advisory services.

Grant Thornton Advisors launched its platform earlier this year with the support of an investor group led by New Mountain Capital — and is already bringing more than a dozen high-performing firms across the Americas, Europe and the Middle East into an integrated advisory and tax practice, complemented by independent audit practices.

The platform currently includes Grant Thornton firms in the US, Ireland, France, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, the Channel Islands and the Cayman Islands. Additionally, it previously announced transactions with Grant Thornton firms in Spain, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Belgium and Luxembourg, which it anticipates closing in the coming weeks. Further, it has added top firms serving strategic markets and industries, including Auxis, a pioneer in outsourcing and business modernization — and Stax, a specialist in commercial due diligence and value creation.

“Modern businesses demand seamless service and consistent quality — whether they’re operating in New York, Auckland or locations in between,” said Jim Peko, CEO of Grant Thornton Advisors LLC. “By welcoming Grant Thornton New Zealand to our platform, we’re expanding our multinational reach into a vital region with a firm that shares our ambition and values. Together, we’re building a truly borderless one-of-a-kind platform that delivers exceptional outcomes across industries and geographies.”

According to Russell Moore, CEO of Grant Thornton New Zealand: “This is an extremely exciting time for Grant Thornton New Zealand — for our business, our people and for the clients we work alongside. As our market continues to evolve, businesses are looking for smarter solutions, deeper expertise and global connectivity. By joining Grant Thornton Advisors, we can deliver all three — bringing world-class technology, insight and capital to help our clients grow with confidence, both in New Zealand and beyond.”

The transaction is expected to close later this year.

The expanded platform will continue to be part of the Grant Thornton International Limited network, which comprises member firms in more than 150 markets worldwide.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and MinterEllisonRuddWatts provided transaction services to Grant Thornton Advisors. Major advisors to Grant Thornton New Zealand included Tompkins Wake.

About Grant Thornton

Grant Thornton delivers professional services in the US through two specialized entities: Grant Thornton LLP, a licensed, certified public accounting (CPA) firm that provides audit and assurance services ― and Grant Thornton Advisors LLC (not a licensed CPA firm), which exclusively provides non-attest offerings, including tax and advisory services.

In January 2025, Grant Thornton Advisors LLC formed a multinational, multidisciplinary platform. The platform offers a premier advisory and tax practice, as well as independent audit practices. With offices across the Americas, Europe and the Middle East, the platform delivers a singular client experience that includes enhanced solutions and capabilities, backed by powerful technologies and a roster of more than 18,000 quality-driven professionals enjoying exceptional career-growth opportunities and a distinctive cross-border culture.

Grant Thornton is part of the Grant Thornton International Limited network, which provides access to its member firms in more than 150 global markets.

Grant Thornton LLP, Grant Thornton Advisors LLC and their respective subsidiaries operate as an alternative practice structure (APS). The APS conforms with applicable laws, regulations and professional standards, including those from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

“Grant Thornton” refers to the brand under which the member firms in the Grant Thornton International Ltd (GTIL) network provide services to their clients and/or refers to one or more member firms. Grant Thornton LLP and Grant Thornton Advisors LLC serve as the U.S. member firms of the GTIL network. GTIL and its member firms are not a worldwide partnership and all member firms are separate legal entities. Member firms deliver all services; GTIL does not provide services to clients.

About Grant Thornton New Zealand

Grant Thornton New Zealand is a leading professional services firm providing audit, tax, and advisory services to dynamic organisations across key sectors of the New Zealand economy. With 37 partners and more than 300 professionals and in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, we combine local insight with global reach through the Grant Thornton International network, spanning more than 150 markets.

We’re known for our collaborative, client-centred approach and invest the time needed to understand each client’s ambitions, challenges and opportunities. Our teams combine deep technical expertise with fresh, commercial insight to deliver practical solutions that create real impact. Agile and responsive, we work alongside clients to achieve the outcomes that matter most - whether that’s improving performance, growing value, or building investor and stakeholder confidence.

About New Mountain Capital

New Mountain Capital is a New York-based investment firm that emphasizes business building and growth, rather than debt, as it pursues long-term capital appreciation. The firm currently manages private equity, credit and net lease investment strategies with approximately $55 billion in assets under management. New Mountain Capital seeks out what it believes to be the highest quality growth leaders in carefully selected industry sectors and then works intensively with management to build the value of these companies. For more information on New Mountain Capital, please visit newmountaincapital.com.

Source: https://www.grantthornton.com/

ParkHelp Acquires Cleverciti, Creating the World’s Most Advanced Platform for Parking Guidance and Curb Management

Mike Hearn — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 21:19:34 GMT

A Single Intelligent Portal Now Connects Any Parking Space— Indoor Or Outdoor, Off-Street Or On-Street—Worldwide.

Los Angeles, CA and Auckland, New Zealand – (November 3, 2025) – ParkHelp, the global leader in parking guidance solutions, announced today its acquisition of Cleverciti Systems GmbH, the worldwide leader in AI-powered curb management, on-street parking guidance, and guided enforcement solutions. The acquisition creates the industry’s most comprehensive, end-to-end platform—a unified ecosystem of technologies that reduces traffic congestion, increases revenue, and maximizes compliance and efficiency.

“Cleverciti brings world-class AI, data intelligence, and sensor technology to the ParkHelp ecosystem,” said ParkHelp’s CEO Poojitha Preena. “Together, we’re the only global provider able to manage every parking space—on-street or off-street, indoor or outdoor—from one unified, cloud-based platform.”

“For years, operators have had to piece together fragmented parking technologies,” said Cleverciti CEO David Parker. “Now, with our unified Portal, they can have a single source of truth for all occupancy, curbside activity, payments, and enforcement data. Whether managing a city’s entire curb network, an airport, or a university campus, clients can deliver a seamless, data-driven experience to drivers and enforcement teams alike—indoor or outdoor, on-street or off-street.”

Cleverciti’s curbside, on-street, and open-air off-street technologies are used in over 100 cities across the globe to reduce congestion, increase compliance, and enhance the driver experience using patented AI-enabled overhead sensors, real-time occupancy detection, state-of-the art LED digital signage, and guided enforcement. These technologies perfectly complement ParkHelp’s off-street sensor-based guidance systems and digital signage solutions, and the two platforms will now be combined to offer city operators and private asset owners a single, cohesive solution.

The combined platform will enable clients to:

Monitor and manage every parking space in real time—across streets, garages, and open-air lots.

Guide drivers intelligently to available spaces with dynamic signage and app-based wayfinding.

Guide enforcement officers to increase compliance and reduce operational costs.

Optimize curb zones for delivery, ride-hail, EV charging, ADA, and more.

Leverage powerful analytics to maximize ROI, reduce congestion, and achieve sustainability goals.

This strategic acquisition marks a major milestone in ParkHelp’s 20-year history of innovation and positions the company as the go-to global provider for cities, airports, shopping malls, universities, and parking operators seeking a unified, intelligent parking and curbside management solution.

“Municipal parking and curb management remain among the most untapped opportunities in urban mobility,” said Andy Bess, Managing Director of TrueNorth Capital Partners, who advised Cleverciti on the transaction. “This combination creates a powerhouse uniquely positioned to shape the future of smart, connected cities.”

With a combined direct presence in six countries—The United States, Germany, Spain, Brazil, New Zealand, and Ecuador—and a global network of certified distributors, the group now supports over 600,000 monitored parking spaces across over 700 locations in 50 countries.

In addition to this strategic acquisition, ParkHelp announced that it is actively pursuing additional partnerships and acquisitions to further expand its technology offerings and global footprint.

“We’re just getting started,” said Poojitha Preena. “This deal represents a pivotal step in our growth strategy, but we’re already exploring additional opportunities to bring even more innovation to the mobility and smart city space. As we close out our second consecutive year of over 100% year-over-year growth, we continue to hear from clients that the ability to drive ROI and offer flexibility in business models to accommodate any budget is a key reason they are adopting our Hardware-as-a-Service and Software-as-a-Service offerings.”

The integration process is already underway and ParkHelp occupancy data is already available in the Cleverciti platform for existing mutual clients. ParkHelp and Cleverciti clients can expect uninterrupted service and support, with new integration options enhancing the value of existing deployments.

Cleverciti becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of ParkHelp and the entire Cleverciti team will remain in place following the acquisition, ensuring continuity for clients and partners. The combined company will continue to grow globally, investing in product innovation, AI development, and operational scalability. This continuity underscores the strong cultural, technical, and strategic alignment between the two organizations.

Cleverciti was advised by TrueNorth Capital Partners and DLA Piper. ParkHelp was advised by Lupp+Partner.

Source: https://www.parkhelp.com/

Scott Technology secures $44 million in automation contracts across the Americas

Mike Hearn — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 23:55:36 GMT

New Zealand automation and robotics specialist Scott Technology has announced $44 million in new contracts with major multinational appliance manufacturers across the United States and Brazil, marking a major milestone in the company’s global growth strategy.

The new wins, including the largest-ever appliance contract in Scott’s history within the US, were secured in the first month of the new financial year and provide what the company calls “a strong start to FY26.”

“These contracts reflect a large-scale shift in how global manufacturers are competing,” says Mike Christman, CEO of Scott Technology.

“Manufacture reshoring, evolving supply chains, and ongoing labour scarcity are driving the industry to reimagine production. Automation is at the heart of this transformation, and Scott is uniquely positioned to deliver the scale, reliability, and innovation our customers need to succeed long-term.”

Under the new deals, Scott will design and deliver large-scale automation systems for the precision manufacture of household laundry appliances. The systems will integrate high-speed production, advanced diagnostics, and servo-electric clinching technology to improve efficiency, quality, and reliability.

According to Scott, these solutions support customers’ confidence in long-term manufacturing by delivering consistent performance and enhanced production visibility — a growing priority as global manufacturers seek to onshore or diversify supply chains.

The announcement follows the recent launch of Scott Technology’s Destination 2030 strategy, which was unveiled at the company’s inaugural Investor Day in Auckland last month. The five-year plan outlines a path toward sustainable, profitable growth, targeting revenues of $530 million by 2030 and anchored by four strategic enablers: Customer First, Leading-Edge Technology, One Scott, and High-Performing Teams.

“These contracts show that our strategy is already delivering results,” Christman says.

“They reinforce the strength of our Appliances domain, particularly in the USA where we are developing a strong pipeline of opportunities. By bringing together the focus of Destination 2030 with the expertise of our high-performing teams, we are delivering innovation, customer focus, and execution that create speed to market, production quality, and long-term value for our customers worldwide.”

While the company did not disclose the specific clients or values of individual contracts due to commercial sensitivity, the wins highlight the growing global demand for automated manufacturing solutions, and underscore the strength of New Zealand’s advanced engineering sector on the world stage.

Scott Technology, headquartered in Dunedin, designs and builds automation systems for sectors including appliances, meat processing, materials handling, and mining, with operations spanning New Zealand, Australia, Europe, the Americas, and China.

Source: https://exportertoday.co.nz/

OIO approval for sale Synlait North Island assets to Abbbott Inc received

Mike Hearn — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 01:49:28 GMT

Synlait Milk Limited (Synlait) advises that the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) has granted global healthcare leader, Abbott consent under the Overseas Investment Act 2005 to acquire the company’s North Island assets.

Synlait announced the conditional sale last month. The North Island assets include the Pōkeno manufacturing facility, along with the company’s Auckland sites (assets held at the blending and canning facility on Richard Pearse Drive and the warehouse facility on Jerry Green Street), and associated inventory and leasehold arrangements.

The sale price totals US$178 million (NZ$307 million), with targeted completion on 1 April 2026.

The sale remains conditional on Synlait obtaining customary consents and shareholder approval. Synlait’s majority shareholder, Bright Dairy Holding Limited owns 65.25% of the company, and has confirmed that it has received Bright’s vote in favour of the transaction ahead of Synlait’s annual meeting on Friday 21 November 2025.

Source: https://www.nzx.com/

Topcon Healthcare, Inc. Signs Acquisition Agreement for Toku, Inc. to Expand Fast, Non-Invasive Chronic Disease Screening

Mike Hearn — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 00:08:41 GMT

LA JOLLA, CA — Topcon Healthcare, Inc., a global leader in digital health and ocular data solutions, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Toku, Inc., a San Diego-based artificial intelligence (AI) health technology company originally founded in New Zealand. Toku’s innovative platforms CLAiR™, BioAge™, and MyKidneyAI™ leverage standard color fundus photographs (retinal images) to deliver real-time assessments of cardiovascular risk, biological aging, and chronic kidney disease. Powered by one of the world’s largest retinal-image datasets, these solutions advance Topcon Healthcare’s vision of Healthcare from the Eye™, expanding oculomics to empower primary care and eyecare with preventive medicine.

Advancing Preventive Healthcare with AI

By integrating Toku’s advanced algorithms into its connected care ecosystem, Topcon Healthcare will make non-invasive, AI-driven risk screening widely accessible across primary care, eyecare, and telehealth environments. Utilizing its vendor-inclusive digital platform, Harmony®, Topcon Healthcare will deliver AI health assessments based on routine retinal imaging, creating a scalable global network to advance Healthcare from the Eye. In collaboration with the Alliance for Healthcare from the Eye, this initiative seeks to improve population health outcomes, expand access, and reduce overall healthcare costs.

According to the WHO, cardiovascular disease caused an estimated 19.8 million deaths in 2022, with 85% due to heart attack and stroke. By identifying elevated risk years before conventional tests, Toku’s platform has the potential to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease through earlier intervention, tailored care pathways, and improved resource allocation across populations.

Equally important, the integration of Toku’s algorithms within Harmony® establishes a regulatory and commercial pathway for other innovators and startups to deliver oculomics-based solutions to patients, accelerating the growth of the broader field.

A Mission-Driven Partnership

“Toku was founded on the principle of early disease detection, even before patients develop symptoms,” said Dr. Ehsan Vaghefi, CEO of Toku, Inc. “Becoming part of Topcon Healthcare, Inc. enables us to realize our mission of delivering heart and kidney health screening at an unprecedented scale, potentially saving lives with each scan worldwide.” To date, Toku has analyzed more than 4.3 million de-identified retinal images linked to clinical data, fueling predictive models that can identify individuals at high risk for serious disease years before traditional tests, often before any noticeable symptoms appear.

“This partnership accelerates not only regulatory clearances and commercialization of new imaging-based health screening solutions, but also the growth of the broader oculomics field,” said Ali Tafreshi, CEO & President of Topcon Healthcare, Inc. “As Toku transforms every eye exam into a comprehensive health assessment, Topcon’s global infrastructure will help deliver scalable, affordable AI diagnostics to clinicians and patients worldwide.”

Dr. Vaghefi also noted that, “Toku is grateful for the foundational support provided by National Vision, Inc., whose strategic, early investment and partnership has been instrumental in helping Toku refine its breakthrough AI technologies. We are deeply grateful to the National Vision team and look forward to their continued support in our next chapter.”

About Topcon Healthcare, Inc.
Topcon Healthcare, Inc. is part of Topcon Corporation, a pioneer in ophthalmic and digital health solutions. Guided by its Healthcare from the Eye™ philosophy, Topcon Healthcare connects advanced imaging devices, AI-powered analytics, and cloud-based information systems to improve access, quality, and cost-effectiveness of care worldwide.

For more information, please visit topconhealthcare.com

About Toku, Inc.
Toku develops AI-based diagnostic platforms that use routine retinal imaging to detect systemic health risks, including cardiovascular disease, accelerated aging, and chronic kidney disease. Its mission is to make early diagnosis accessible, affordable, and actionable to help clinicians intervene earlier and improve patient outcomes.

For more information, visit tokueyes.com/usa/.

About National Vision Holdings, Inc.
National Vision Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EYE) is one of the largest optical retail companies in the United States with over 1,200 stores in 38 states and Puerto Rico. With a mission of helping people by making quality eye care and eyewear more affordable and accessible, the company operates four retail brands: America’s Best, Eyeglass World, and Vista Opticals inside select Fred Meyer stores and on select military bases, and an e-commerce website DiscountContacts.com, offering a variety of products and services for customers’ eye care needs.

For more information, please visit www.nationalvision.com.

Karbon Acquires Aider to Deliver the Future of AI-Powered Accounting and Bookkeeping

Mike Hearn — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 20:11:43 GMT

The acquisition brings automation and AI insights to help firms close books faster, cut workloads, and focus on higher-value client work.

SAN FRANCISCO, Sep. 30, 2025 — Karbon, the global leader in practice management software for accounting, bookkeeping, tax and audit firms, today announced its acquisition of Aider, a pioneer in AI-powered advisory and reporting technology. The acquisition accelerates Karbon’s vision to transform the accounting profession through AI.

Aider’s cutting-edge solution is already trusted by firms across the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand for automating time-consuming bookkeeping and advisory workflows like reconciliations and period close, while delivering real-time client insights and predictive reporting. By integrating Aider’s capabilities into Karbon, firms will gain powerful tools to eliminate repetitive work, expand advisory services, increase profitability, and automate period close.

“This is a defining moment for the future of accounting practice management,” said Mary Delaney, CEO of Karbon. “With Aider, we’re accelerating the shift from administration to automation—giving firms the ability to automate the mundane, scale without added overhead, and deliver richer advice to their clients.”

“Aider is incredibly proud to join Karbon,” said Brendan Roberts, CEO and Founder of Aider. “We share a bold vision for the future where accounting is proactive, data-driven, and deeply client-centric. Karbon is the ideal partner to scale that vision and deliver even more value to our customers.”

The acquisition will deepen the recently launched integration between the two platforms, with an AI-powered period close experience built directly into Karbon’s practice management platform. This brings firms closer to intelligent, automated operations where repeatable workflows don’t just get tracked, they get completed with confidence.

With Aider integrated into Karbon, firms will benefit from:

Automated period close with task coordination, follow-up and inline editing of uncategorized transactions with the most popular general ledgers

AI-generated management reports featuring real-time insights, KPIs, and executive commentary

An AI-powered advisory assistant for data analytics, client meeting preparation, and internal upskilling

Firm-wide dashboards that surface proactive advisory opportunities across the client base

AI agents that execute tasks and streamline workflows (coming soon)

“Our research shows that firms using AI at an advanced level are saving up to 40 hours per employee each month,” added Delaney. “With Aider, we’re helping firms reclaim even more time to reinvest in high-value client work alongside stronger work-life balance for their team members.”

The acquisition of Aider builds on Karbon’s recent innovations—including automated tax workflows, Karbon for Clients, and new partner integrations—and reinforces Karbon’s position as the backbone of AI-powered accounting firms.

About Karbon
Karbon, a global leader in practice management software for accounting firms, provides an award-winning, collaborative cloud platform focused on streamlining work and communications. Karbon drives unprecedented value for its customers evidenced by its #1 ranking on G2 and customer-reported savings of 18.5 hours per week per employee. Founded in 2014, Karbon has customers in 45 countries with employees across the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines. Karbon is well-funded and backed by Tidemark, Five Elms, and Blackbird.

About Aider
Aider is an AI-powered advisory platform designed for modern accounting and bookkeeping firms. Founded in New Zealand in 2018, Aider delivers intelligent software solutions that turn raw accounting data into actionable insights. Its technology automates key workflows such as period close and reporting, enabling firms to shift from manual processes to strategic advisory at scale.

Source: https://www.aider.ai/

AgriZeroNZ steps up support for ‘holy grail’ methane vaccine

Mike Hearn — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 22:23:35 GMT

AgriZero^NZ is investing a further USD $3.5 million (approx. NZD $5.9 million) in ArkeaBio, one of the leaders in the global race to develop a methane vaccine for livestock.

The Boston-based agricultural bioscience company is the first to have demonstrated methane reduction in cattle from a vaccine.

AgriZero^NZ chief executive Wayne McNee says its follow-on investment recognises ArkeaBio’s progress and the immense opportunity for New Zealand’s pasture-based farmers.

“A vaccine has the potential to reduce agricultural emissions at scale by providing a low cost, high-impact solution for a range of farming systems,” says McNee.

“As an export-reliant country, New Zealand farms need to stay ahead of the curve and step up to the challenge of meeting the global demand for climate action.

“We’re pleased to continue backing ArkeaBio as part of our efforts to provide Kiwi farmers with a toolkit of options to reduce emissions and retain access to high-value markets.”

Wayne McNee, AgriZeroNZ chief executive

Since AgriZero^NZ’s initial investment of USD $6M in 2024, ArkeaBio has made significant scientific progress.

The company’s been working with researchers at Texas A&M University, with trials showing ArkeaBio’s vaccine successfully reduces methane emissions from cattle. The vaccine works by stimulating a cow’s immune system to produce natural antibodies that neutralise methane-producing microbes in the rumen (a part of the stomach).

Newly-appointed CEO Frank Wooten says the team has advanced to a second-generation vaccine formulation, focusing on increasing commercial viability and animal productivity.

“With our vaccine advancing toward real-world deployment, we’re focused on delivering measurable emissions reductions, as well as tangible value to farmers and producers worldwide.”

Wooten says the company is aiming to produce a vaccine that’s effective for 6 months or more and is on track to achieve its target methane reduction of 20%.

The Series A1 funding round was co-led by AgriZero^NZ and Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a US fund with US $3.5 billion in committed capital. ArkeaBio’s strong progress resulted in an increased company valuation, boosting AgriZeroNZ’s initial investment.

Wooten says the new funding will allow ArkeaBio to continue refining its vaccine and carry out further animal trials, including its first in New Zealand.

“We’re prioritising making our vaccine available to New Zealand farmers and are hoping to launch the first product in 2028,” he says.

During visits to New Zealand, ArkeaBio has met with ministers and a range of AgriZero^NZ’s investors, including the Ministry for Primary Industries, to discuss its path to market.

"New Zealand’s special combination of public-private collaboration, and track record of agricultural innovation make it an ideal place for us to launch,” says Wooten.

“Trialling our vaccine in New Zealand is an exciting next step to prove its effectiveness and safety in the pastoral farming conditions. We’re excited to have AgriZeroNZ’s support to bring this solution to farmers.”

Frank Wooten, ArkeaBio CEO

To date, AgriZero^NZ has invested in 14 companies and research initiatives to accelerate the development and commercialisation of tools, including Kiwi company Lucidome Bio which is also developing a methane vaccine.

“We’re backing a range of options – probiotics, inhibitors, vaccines and pastures – because we know farmers will want choices, and some early-stage ventures may not make it to the farm at all,” says Wayne McNee.

“This follow-on investment in ArkeaBio reflects AgriZero^NZ’s commitment to global collaboration and the development of practical solutions that help farmers reduce emissions and protect New Zealand’s competitive edge.”

Source: https://www.agrizero.nz/

Air New Zealand serves up the ultimate DoorDash, from NY to NZ

Mike Hearn — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 21:05:31 GMT

DoorDash has joined the Air New Zealand Airpoints™ programme, and the pair are celebrating the collaboration with a world-first DoorDash delivery

This week, Air New Zealand and DoorDash turned the airline’s flagship New York–Auckland route into the stage for the ultimate Dash, delivering iconic Levain Bakery cookies from Manhattan’s Upper West Side all the way to Aotearoa.

The 14,000-kilometre global dash marks the start of the exciting partnership. From today DoorDash members can now earn one Airpoints Dollar™ for every $60 spent on DoorDash, from mid-week dinners to late-night dessert runs.

Air New Zealand General Manager Loyalty Alex Larsen says the world-first dash reflects the ambition of the partnership.

“We wanted to do something bold to launch this partnership, and a global dash from New York to New Zealand felt like the perfect way to show it. At Air New Zealand, we’ll always go the extra mile for our customers. By partnering with DoorDash, our Airpoints members can now turn everyday food deliveries into travel rewards, bringing them one step closer to their next adventure – whether that’s a quick trip to Wellington or a once-in-a-lifetime journey to New York.”

DoorDash New Zealand General Manager Bradley Thomas says the partnership reflects DoorDash’s focus on making everyday life easier and more rewarding. “It gives New Zealanders even greater value from the meals and essentials they already enjoy - with every eligible order from weekly essentials to weekend treats now earning Airpoints Dollars.”

Following the special celebratory delivery from New York to Auckland, Kiwi will have the chance to taste the world-famous Levain cookies this Thursday at Commercial Bay, Auckland. From 11am to 3pm, Airpoints members who show they’ve added their Airpoints number to their DoorDash account can pick up a Levain cookie as part of the celebration, while stocks last.

Air New Zealand and DoorDash have proven that when it comes to rewarding Kiwi, the sky is not the limit.

With more than 4.8 million members, Airpoints™ is one of New Zealand’s most valuable and widely used loyalty programmes. From groceries and fuel to investments and travel, members can now earn Airpoints Dollars™ in more parts of their everyday lives than ever before.

Editor’s note: This was a one-off delivery to celebrate the launch of the partnership. Levain cookies will only be available at the Commercial Bay giveaway event on Thursday 11am–3pm, strictly while stocks last.

You can view and download the global dash here

Source: www.airnz.co.nz

Media Design School Joins Strayer

Mike Hearn — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 00:50:23 GMT

Move benefits students and creates a new global leader in creative tech education

Media Design School (MDS) has joined Strayer, a university based in the United States, becoming Media Design School at Strayer.

This exciting move follows regulatory approvals from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and Strayer’s accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education* (MSCHE).

Established in New Zealand in 1998, MDS has grown from an early leader in developing web and eCommerce talent to a preeminent tech school with deep industry and employer relationships, dedicated to the creative sector including gaming, animation and visual effects.

Strayer, headquartered in Washington, D.C., has a legacy of delivering flexible, student-focused education that spans over 130 years.

With MDS as part of the Strayer family, we’re able to expand our portfolio in technology and creative arts, serve more learners globally and grow our alumni community,” said Dr. Toni Farmer-Thompson, President of Strayer. “Strayer and MDS share a strong commitment to innovation, preparing students for the future and providing new opportunities for students, alumni and faculty.”

As part of Strayer, MDS is tapping into new resources, international networks and future-focused tools that will help it strengthen its impact and potentially expand to new locations.

By joining Strayer, students will maintain the benefits of a globally recognised creative tech school in New Zealand while gaining access to new collaborations and educational pathways through the Strayer network,” said Steve Dorner, Executive Dean of Media Design School. “While MDS’s name has changed, the experience provided and recognition that MDS students represent the very best talent in the world, will remain the same.”

Going forward, Strayer’s leadership team will work closely with MDS faculty and staff to ensure a successful transition, and to create a much greater force in educating future leaders in technology, creative and design fields.

* MSCHE is recognised by the U.S. Secretary of Education to conduct accreditation and pre-accreditation (candidate status) activities for institutions of higher education including distance, correspondence education, and direct assessment programs offered at those institutions. Strayer does not meet all of the characteristics and roles of universities as defined in the Education and Training Act 2020. Media Design School at Strayer remains a New Zealand Private Training Establishment (PTE).

Source: https://www.mediadesignschool.com/

Heki Mission—taking superconducting innovation into orbit

Mike Hearn — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 05:51:15 GMT

The Hēki Mission is an ambitious test of a superconducting magnet and power supply in space.

The Hēki Mission is a landmark demonstration of superconducting magnet technology in space, developed by Paihau—Robinson Research Institute in collaboration with domestic and international partners. Launched on 15 September 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 as part of Northrop Grumman’s NG-23 resupply flight to the International Space Station (ISS), Hēki marks the first time a high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet of this class has been tested in orbit.

Hēki is more than a technology payload—it is a key step towards realising Kōkako, a revolutionary electric plasma thruster that aims to transform satellite propulsion.

About Hēki

Hēki (meaning egg in te reo Māori) is a compact superconducting magnet system, roughly the size of a small doughnut, designed to validate the performance and resilience of critical components for next-generation electric propulsion. The name symbolises potential and emergence—appropriate for a mission that seeks to ‘hatch’ new knowledge in space.

The Hēki payload contains:

a high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet, capable of generating strong magnetic fields comparable to those in MRI systems

a flux pump power supply, which energises the magnet using very low power, is crucial for spacecraft with limited energy budgets

custom-built control electronics

radiation sensors to assess how the magnet’s field interacts with the space environment.

The entire system has been engineered to withstand launch conditions, orbital temperatures, and electromagnetic compatibility with surrounding ISS systems. Once installed on the Japanese Experiment Module—Exposed Facility (JEM-EF), it will operate outside the ISS for approximately 15 weeks, gathering data for post-mission analysis.

The Kōkako thruster—a new era of satellite propulsion

The Kōkako thruster, named after the endemic New Zealand bird known for its striking blue wattles and rich song, is an advanced electric propulsion system under development at Paihau–Robinson Research Institute.

Unlike chemical rockets, electric thrusters use plasma—a high-energy state of matter—to generate continuous, efficient thrust. Kōkako takes this further by integrating superconducting technology, aiming to outperform conventional electric propulsion systems in multiple ways.

At the heart of the Kōkako thruster are two core components:

a plasma generator that creates and accelerates ionised particles

a superconducting magnet, which guides and further accelerates the plasma stream, enhancing efficiency and control.

Thanks to the zero-resistance properties of superconductors, the system can produce strong magnetic fields using minimal electrical power. This is especially beneficial in space, where every watt must be carefully allocated.

Why superconductivity matters in space

Superconductors are materials that, below a certain temperature, conduct electricity without resistance. For propulsion, this means:

more powerful magnetic fields without increased energy demands

compact, lightweight hardware, ideal for mass-sensitive space missions

extended operational lifetimes, since superconductors can maintain performance without significant degradation.

However, space presents harsh and unpredictable conditions. Before superconducting systems can be integrated into propulsion platforms, they must be proven to operate safely and reliably in orbit. That is the purpose of the Hēki mission.

Mission objectives

The Hēki mission is a technology validation flight. Its primary goals are to:

demonstrate the viability of using HTS magnets and flux pumps in space

validate thermal and electromagnetic performance in the orbital environment

test compatibility with the ISS’s power and control systems

evaluate the radiation shielding effects produced by the magnet's field

enable future testing and refinement of the Kōkako propulsion concept.

Hēki’s successful operation will provide the data needed to refine the design of the Kōkako thruster and to scale up these technologies for practical, commercial use.

Advantages of the Kōkako thruster

Once matured, the Kōkako system offers a number of technical and commercial advantages:

High efficiency—Capable of producing high thrust per unit of power, enabling faster transit and longer missions.

Fuel flexibility—Able to operate with various propellants, including options that are safer and more cost-effective to store and handle.

Scalability—Suitable for small satellite manoeuvring, space debris mitigation, and long-range missions — including to the Moon, Mars, or deep space.

Sustainability—Lower power requirements and extended lifetimes support more sustainable and cost-effective space operations.

Together, Hēki and Kōkako represent Aotearoa New Zealand’s contribution to the future of sustainable space travel.

A collaborative achievement

Hēki and Kōkako were conceived, designed, and built at Paihau–Robinson Research Institute in Lower Hutt. But this mission is the result of close collaboration with Voyager Technologies, IDS Consulting, Asteria Engineering, the University of Auckland, University of Canterbury, and the Czech Technical University in Prague.

The names Hēki and Kōkako were gifted by Professor Rawinia Higgins, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Māori), and the Hēki payload is protected by a cover featuring original artwork by Māori artist Reweti Arapere, symbolising the fusion of cultural identity and scientific exploration.

Next steps

Following the mission, Hēki will be returned to Earth for detailed inspection. The insights gained will inform the next stage of development for the Kōkako thruster, including future in-space testing and eventual commercial application.

As a small institute from Aotearoa New Zealand, we are proud to contribute to the global space sector—and to demonstrate the potential of superconductivity in orbit.

Source: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/robinson/research/space-research/applications/heki-mission

Windcave take out supreme award at the 26th AmCham-DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards for companies doing business with the USA.

Mike Hearn — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 04:22:00 GMT

Windcave took out the Supreme award at last night’s 26th AmCham-DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards for companies doing business with the USA.

Founded in New Zealand in 1999, Windcave has consistently led the way in the innovation of payment technology. Today, the company’s footprint extends across over 40 countries and supported by a dedicated team of over 400 experts. Windcave specialises in various payment solutions - from in-store and unattended to online transactions. The Judges were particularly impressed by Windcave’s approach to innovation and delivery of quality solutions, and the ambition demonstrated through the growth of their business in the United States.

All winners received an airfare to anywhere in the USA on United Airlines, and the supreme winner also receives US$5,000 of advisory services from Sweeney Vesty, introductions to venture capitalists, economic development agencies in the USA as well as to other valuable connections. Over the last twenty-five years our sponsors have provided over $400,000 worth of prizes to our award winners.

Selina Deadman, Vice President, Commercial, DHL Express, who announced the Supreme Winner, said: “Windcave NZ has built a strong reputation as an innovator, with their commitment to continuous improvement driving their success. Their impressive expansion into the US market highlights the strength of their insights and strategy. DHL is proud to congratulate them on this well-deserved award."

The Hon Todd McClay, Minister for Trade & Investment spoke at the dinner about his recent US visit and the work the government is doing to maintain a strong relationship with the USA in spite of the recently introduced tariffs.

Other winners included specialists in servicing aircraft engines; a plant-based, non-synthetic dietary supplement designed for appetite and weight management; travel; investment in one of New Zealand’s leading crime prevention companies; and a charity (Kiwibots) that helps students to learn science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

The award winners:
Exporter of the Year to the USA – Technology Windcave

Exporter of the Year to the USA – Services Pratt & Whitney Air New Zealand Services t/a Christchurch Engine Centre

Exporter of the Year to the USA - Consumer Goods
Calocurb Ltd

Investor of the Year to or from the USA Axon Enterprise Inc for investment in Auror

Bilateral Connections with the USA
Rob Coneybeer for the Far Out Foundation

Contribution to Tourism with the USA Travel USA Ltd

Social Impact with the USA The NZ Robotics Charitable Trust Inc/Kiwibots

Supreme winner - Windcave.

The AmCham Supporter of the Year – ANZ Bank

In addition to AmCham, DHL Express, United Airlines, the awards are supported by: ANZ Bank, Auckland International Airport, Insprie Labs, Ironside McDonald Intellectual Property, Lockheed Martin New Zealand and SweeneyVesty.

Media supporter - The Business.
Wine sponsor - Constellation Brands
Event Manager and sponsor - Event Revolution

Previous winners of the Supreme Award have included Peace Software; Airways Corporation; HumanWare; Tenon; Orion Health; Zeacom; SMI Group; Fonterra; Pratt & Whitney Air New Zealand Services t/a Christchurch Engine Centre; Buckley Systems; Greenshell New Zealand; Vista Entertainment; Fisher & Paykel Healthcare; Douglas Pharmaceuticals, Zespri International; Tourism Holdings; Peter Beck, Seequent Ltd, Oritain Global, Auror Ltd and Toku Eyes.

Immigration Minister travels to US to meet investors and boost economic growth

Mike Hearn — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 22:57:53 GMT

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford will head to the United States this week to lead a delegation of immigration and investment private sector participants to promote our Active Investor Plus visa, with events hosted by Invest NZ who have organised the delegation.

“Since our changes were implemented on 1 April, the Active investor Plus visa has generated significant new proposed investment in New Zealand of over $1 billion, with US investors submitting the most applications.

“Heading to the US will provide an opportunity to meet with potential investors who want to know more about what New Zealand has to offer.

“We’ve said that New Zealand is open for business, and investor migrants are clearly attracted to our growing reputation as a safe, pro-business, high-potential economy.

“Attracting investment to New Zealand is crucial to boosting economic growth. It will also support our businesses to expand, hire and grow – and that means more opportunities for New Zealanders.

“It’s fantastic to see this response so far. We welcome investors’ capital, knowledge, contribution to New Zealand’s economic growth, and I am pleased to have the opportunity to meet with them.”

The delegation will travel to meet potential investors in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco at events hosted by Invest NZ.

Minister Stanford will travel to the United States on 15 September and return on 21 September.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

California Polytechnic State University Makes History: First U.S. Research Payload Flies on Dawn Aerospace's Reusable Aurora Spaceplane

Mike Hearn — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 01:37:25 GMT

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand – Sept 11th, 2025 – Dawn Aerospace has successfully flown the Aurora spaceplane carrying California Polytechnic State University’s student-built payload, reaching Mach 0.79 and an altitude of 37,000 feet.

This flight on June 24th—Aurora’s first from Dawn’s newly operational launch facility at Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre—carried Cal Poly’s payload, making it the first U.S. student-built experiment to fly aboard Aurora and marking a major milestone for university-led research in reusable spaceplane development.

“This mission is putting student-built hardware on the frontlines of aerospace innovation,” said Dr. Kurt Colvin, Cal Poly professor and payload advisor. “Working with a next-gen spaceplane like Aurora gave our team firsthand experience integrating a payload for a reusable commercial spaceplane — a paradigm shift from traditional expendable rocket launches.”

Cal Poly’s payload was designed to test whether student-built hardware could withstand the rigors of high-altitude, spaceflight-like environments. Using a modified data system from Bolder Flight Systems, the mission focused on proving that the team could build and operate a payload ready to integrate with a commercial spaceplane. Just as importantly, it served as a training mission—giving students hands-on experience and laying the groundwork for future Cal Poly launches from the upcoming Paso Robles, California Spaceport.

Aurora’s horizontal launch architecture — taking off and landing like a conventional aircraft — offers unparalleled benefits for academic institutions:

Rapid, repeatable operations enabled by true reusability, cutting turnaround time from months to days.

Dramatically lower infrastructure costs by eliminating the need for costly vertical launch pads and fixed facilities.

Expanded university access through commercial partnerships that open new pathways for research and innovation.

This mission builds on Dawn’s recently announced partnership with the State of Oklahoma and the Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics (formerly Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority), to bring the Aurora spaceplane to the Oklahoma Air & Space Port in Burns Flat—operations set to begin with first flights in 2027. This collaboration underscores a major leap forward in scaling reusable suborbital spaceflight across the United States with operations at the Oklahoma Air & Space Port set to extend Aurora’s flight profile to 338,000 ft (100 km). By teaming with Cal Poly, Dawn is demonstrating how academic institutions can help lead this transformation while highlighting the opportunity for U.S. research units to leverage Oklahoma’s forward‑looking spaceport as a national hub for innovation and direct access to space.

“Flying on Aurora is of serious strategic importance,” said Colvin. “It’s hands-on access to the future of commercial spaceflight.”

This mission underscores Cal Poly’s expanding leadership in space research — spanning microgravity pharmaceutical development, regenerative medicine, space health, advanced materials testing, and defense readiness. With reusable operations and fast turnaround, Aurora enables iterative development cycles that would be impractical with traditional rockets — accelerating innovation across industries. By providing recoverable payloads and real-world testing environments, Aurora helps billion-dollar sectors such as biotech, semiconductors, and national security iterate faster and more cost-effectively.

“Aurora is the perfect tool for students to not only learn the theories of aerospace, but also design, build, qualify, and operate in the real world,” said James Powell, Spaceplane Chief Engineer and Co-founder. “Because we recover the payload, customers gain deeper insight into performance and can more easily modify and upgrade for future flights.”

As the pharmaceutical industry increasingly looks to space for breakthroughs — like those planned for the upcoming Starlab space station, expected to launch on SpaceX — Cal Poly is ensuring its students are trained on platforms that keep their research at the frontier.

About Dawn Aerospace

Dawn Aerospace, founded in 2017, is developing the fastest and highest-flying aircraft ever to take off from a runway. Their spaceplane Aurora combines the extreme performance of rocket propulsion with the reusability of conventional airplanes to enable high-frequency, low-cost access to high altitudes and space. In 2024 its flagship aircraft, the Mk-II Aurora spaceplane, broke the sound barrier (Mach 1.12) climbing to 82,500 feet, and set a record for the fastest climb to 20 kilometers (65,600 feet).

In July 2025, Dawn Scout Space flew a SDA payload onboard Aurora also at supersonic speeds. Dawn Aerospace is set to deliver its next-gen Aurora in 2027 to Oklahoma Spaceport, which will fly speeds up to Mach 3.5 (2,270 mph) and altitudes up to 100 km (328,000 ft).

In addition to its spaceplane program, Dawn Aerospace is a leading provider of propulsion systems for satellite developers, with its technology currently on 38 operational satellites.

https://www.dawnaerospace.com/

NZ Post Resumes Most US Parcel Sending Services Following Tariff Changes

Mike Hearn — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 00:42:58 GMT

NZ Post has resumed most parcel sending services to the United States and US territories, including gift sending for personal customers as well as full services for most businesses.

NZ Post General Manager of Export and International Solutions, Jared Handcock, says "We know how important it is for our customers to stay connected with friends, family and customers in the US. We’ve worked quickly to make the necessary changes to meet new customs requirements and get services moving again."

Personal sending: gifts can be sent with digital customs forms

Gift sending to the US has resumed today in selected stores, using digital customs forms. Paper customs forms will only be accepted for letters and documents with no commercial value.

Gifts under NZD $150 can be sent via Economy, Courier or Express without being subject to taxes and duties, when using a digital customs form. Items over this value, or items which are not gifts, must be sent using our Express service and any duties and taxes will apply and be charged to the receiver.

Customers will be asked to provide more detailed item descriptions and contact information for the sender and receiver when completing the digital customs form, to meet US customs requirements.

Business sending: services resume with simplified customs process

Most businesses can now also send to the US, with Economy, Economy Tracked, Economy Plus, Courier and Express services. These are now available with “Delivered Duty Paid” for on-account NZ Post business customers, allowing the sender to cover duties and taxes. This is in addition to our new Courier Select_US for business senders, as announced last week.

To meet US customs requirements, business senders will need to provide more detailed information and use electronic labelling. It’s important that all senders refer to the new requirements for sending items to the United States. Please visit our website at nzpost.co.nz/international-delivery-updates.

We're continuing work to update our other online tools which will enable all business customers to resume sending, and personal senders to send all items, not just gifts.

“We know how important this is for our customers, and we are very happy to see the majority of US sending back up and running.” says Handcock.

www.nzpost.co.nz

Amazon Launches Infrastructure Region in New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 22:21:09 GMT

AWS Asia Pacific (New Zealand) Region gives customers more choice to run workloads and securely store their content in New Zealand while serving end users with even lower latency

Amazon plans to invest more than NZ$7.5 billion and support an average of more than 1,000 full-time equivalent jobs annually in New Zealand, adding approximately NZ$10.8 billion to New Zealand’s GDP

Active AWS customers in New Zealand include AMP New Zealand, Kiwibank, Ministry of Transport, New Zealand Post, One New Zealand, TVNZ, University of Auckland, Wellington City Council, Xero, and more

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced the launch of the AWS Asia Pacific (New Zealand) Region. The new AWS Region will give developers, startups, entrepreneurs, and enterprises, as well as financial services, retail, education, government, and nonprofit organizations, greater choice for running their applications and serving end users from data centers located in New Zealand. As part of its long-term commitment, Amazon is planning to invest more than NZ$7.5 billion in New Zealand to support the construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of its data centers in the country. For more information about AWS Global Infrastructure, visit aws.amazon.com/about-aws/global-infrastructure.

"The new AWS Region in New Zealand will help serve the growing demand for cloud services across the country and empower organizations of all sizes to accelerate their digital transformation," said Prasad Kalyanaraman, vice president of Infrastructure Services at AWS. "With this launch, businesses can now leverage advanced AWS technologies, from core cloud capabilities to artificial intelligence and machine learning, all while meeting local data residency requirements. By investing in New Zealand's digital infrastructure, we're proud to support the country's economic growth, foster innovation, and help position it as a technology hub in the Asia Pacific region."

“The launch of the AWS Region in New Zealand is an exciting moment. This investment in digital infrastructure and Amazon’s commitment to digital skills can accelerate New Zealand technology businesses and help New Zealanders to move into highly skilled, secure, and well-paid technology jobs—which exist right across the economy, from tech companies to various sectors including agriculture, finance, retail, professional services, government, and many more,” said Graeme Muller, CEO at NZTech.

The AWS Asia Pacific (New Zealand) Region consists of three Availability Zones at launch, giving AWS 120 Availability Zones across 38 AWS Regions globally.

With today’s announcement, AWS has plans for 10 more Availability Zones and three more AWS Regions in Chile, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the AWS European Sovereign Cloud.

The AWS Region in New Zealand is sovereign-by-design, just as the AWS cloud has been since day one.

AWS offers the broadest and deepest portfolio of services, including analytics, compute, content delivery, database, generative AI, machine learning, networking, storage, and other cloud technologies.

To support the growth in cloud adoption across Asia Pacific, Amazon continues to invest in upskilling students, local developers and technical professionals, nontechnical professionals, and the next generation of IT leaders in New Zealand through offerings like AWS Academy, AWS Educate, and AWS Skill Builder. Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the New Zealand government, Amazon has committed to train 100,000 people in New Zealand in cloud skills and has already provided training to more than 50,000 individuals. As part of its commitment to contribute to the development of digital skills, AWS will hire and develop additional local personnel to operate and support the new AWS Region in New Zealand.

Organizations in New Zealand that choose AWS to run their workloads include AMP New Zealand, AsureQuality, Contact Energy, Education Perfect, Foodstuffs South Island, Halter, Kiwibank, MATTR, Mercury NZ, Les Mills, Ministry of Transport, Mitre 10 New Zealand, New Zealand Post, One New Zealand, Sharesies, Steel & Tube Holdings, Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand, TradeMe, TVNZ, University of Auckland, Vector, Wellington City Council, Xero, and more.

AWS Partners in New Zealand include Accenture, Arcanum, CustomD, CyberCX, Datacom, Deloitte, The Instillery, Lancom, MongoDB, Westcon-Comstor, and more. For the full list of AWS Partners, visit aws.amazon.com/partners.

Amazon is committed to becoming a more sustainable business and reaching net-zero carbon across its operations by 2040 as part of The Climate Pledge. Amazon co-founded The Climate Pledge and became its first signatory in 2019.

The AWS Asia Pacific (New Zealand) Region will be underpinned by renewable energy from day one, supported by a long-term project with Mercury NZ for the Turitea South wind farm. This project supports the development of new renewable energy capacity in New Zealand and advances Amazon’s sustainability goals. The partnership with Mercury NZ, an AWS customer, demonstrates how digitalization and decarbonization can advance together to support a sustainable future for New Zealand.

Amazon investment in New Zealand

The AWS Asia Pacific (New Zealand) Region is the latest Amazon investment in New Zealand to provide customers with advanced and secure cloud technologies.

In 2016, AWS enhanced New Zealand’s connectivity to the global AWS network by establishing diverse, high-capacity subsea cable connections, improving network reliability and performance for customers.

In 2020, AWS launched two Amazon CloudFront edge locations in Auckland. Amazon CloudFront is a highly secure and programmable content delivery network that accelerates the delivery of data, videos, applications, and APIs to users worldwide with low latency and high transfer speeds.

In 2023, AWS established an AWS Direct Connect location in Auckland, allowing customers to establish private connectivity between AWS and their data center, office, or colocation environment.

In 2023, AWS expanded its infrastructure footprint in New Zealand with the launch of an AWS Local Zones location in Auckland. AWS Local Zones are a type of AWS infrastructure deployment that places compute, storage, database, and other select services closer to large populations, industry, and IT centers, enabling customers to deliver applications that require single-digit millisecond latency to end users.

Amazon estimates the ongoing operation of the new AWS Region will add approximately NZ$10.8 billion to New Zealand’s gross domestic product (GDP) and support an average of more than 1,000 full-time equivalent jobs, including facility maintenance, engineering, telecommunications, and others, at external businesses annually.

Secure, reliable, and energy-efficient cloud infrastructure

AWS Regions consist of Availability Zones that place infrastructure in separate and distinct geographic locations. Availability Zones are located far enough from each other to support customers’ business continuity, but near enough to provide low latency for high availability applications that use multiple Availability Zones. Each Availability Zone has independent power, cooling, and physical security, and is connected through redundant, ultra-low-latency networks. AWS customers focused on high availability can design their applications to run in multiple Availability Zones to achieve even greater fault tolerance.

AWS is constantly working on ways to increase the energy efficiency of its data centers—optimizing data center design, investing in purpose-built chips, and innovating with new cooling technologies. A report by Accenture, commissioned by AWS, estimates AWS infrastructure is up to 4.1 times more efficient than on-premises, and when workloads are optimized on AWS, the associated carbon footprint can be reduced by up to 99%. For more information about AWS sustainability efforts, visit aws.amazon.com/about-aws/sustainability.

The AWS Asia Pacific (New Zealand) Region will enable customers with data residency preferences or requirements to store their content securely in New Zealand, enable customers to achieve even lower latency, and serve demand for cloud services across Asia Pacific. Customers from startups to enterprises to government organizations and nonprofits will be able to use advanced technologies from the world’s leading cloud provider to drive innovation, reduce costs, and accelerate transformation.

About Amazon Web Services

Since 2006, Amazon Web Services has been the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud. AWS has been continually expanding its services to support virtually any workload, and it now has more than 240 fully featured services for compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, security, hybrid, media, and application development, deployment, and management from 120 Availability Zones within 38 geographic regions, with announced plans for 10 more Availability Zones and three more AWS Regions in Chile, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the AWS European Sovereign Cloud. Millions of customers—including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies—trust AWS to power their infrastructure, become more agile, and lower costs. To learn more about AWS, visit aws.amazon.com.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

Amazon.com, Inc.
Media Hotline
Amazon-pr@amazon.com
www.amazon.com/pr

Source: Amazon.com, Inc.

Market Intelligence Report MFAT Report: Arizona Snapshot - September 2025

Mike Hearn — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 23:48:12 GMT

Arizona is central to US security interests. It is a rising economic powerhouse that is strategically positioned between two of the world’s largest economies California (fifth), and Mexico (twelfth), providing easy access to consumers (86 million+ within a one-day trucking radius), labour (skilled and unskilled), and capital.

Arizona benefited disproportionately from Biden-era industrial policy initiatives (especially the CHIPs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act). Arizona’s international trade flows increased 12% in 2024 to over NZ$56.33 billion, compared to average export growth of just 2% in other US states.

Key industries include defence, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare. Following TSMC’s March 2025 announcement of a further $100 billion investment, Arizona has attracted $NZ$359 billion+ investment into the semiconductor industry - the highest anywhere in the US.

You are welcome to share, distribute, re-use and re-publish this report as you see fit, as long as no substantive changes are made, and it continues to be attributed to the Ministry.

Read report

You can view the complete list of market reports published to date here: www.mfat.govt.nz/market-reports

New Zealand provides global climate monitoring security as NASA satellite dies

Mike Hearn — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 22:04:30 GMT

The world’s ability to forecast extreme weather events will be extended and enhanced with a $12m NZ Government grant to Te Whai Ao — Dodd-Walls Centre researchers in photonic and quantum technologies.

The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Endeavour funding announced today by Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti, comes just in time as NASA’s EOS-Aura satellite runs out of fuel in 2026. The grant means a quarter of a century of uninterrupted space-based climate monitoring will be continued, and cutting-edge space-ready photonic technologies will be advanced.

Team lead, Dodd-Walls Centre Principal Investigator, Professor Harald Schwefel, says the move will preserve a key environmental data series that forecasters and climate scientists are very concerned about losing.

“We estimate the public and private global costs of its loss could be greater than $1B per annum and tens of millions of dollars for New Zealand,” he says. “It is difficult to even imagine the true global costs of loss of this data. For New Zealand alone, the value of our forecast system is of the order of a billion dollars per annum and the accuracy of the forecasts from short-term weather to long-term climate is critical”, he says.

The NASA satellite detects the faint microwave/THz signal of climate gases from the earth’s atmosphere, including above Antarctica during polar winters. This is when other satellites can’t operate due to the lack of light. While in general, the Ozone Hole has been recovering, some of the largest recorded holes have formed in the last decade. Scientists are only just beginning to understand how poorly information about climate gases is being captured in climate models and how their interactions affect local weather

Despite the risk to global infrastructure and human life without the EOS-Aura satellite, there are no follow-up missions with this capability planned by other countries, due to the prohibitive costs.

Kiwi Ingenuity

Professor Schwefel says the research programme provides an amazing “tech-in-a box” alternative to the giant NASA satellite.

“Integrating NZ’s capabilities in quantum technology, photonics and atmospheric science with innovations in the NZ aerospace industry, our device will cost less, be more compact, more energy efficient, and detect the wide range of atmospheric gases that the previous satellite did,” Dr Schwefel says.

The team, led by experts in photonics and atmospheric science at the University of Otago, is building critical capability for space-based climate monitoring with next generation photonics. Together withindustry partners such as Paihau–Robinson Research Institute and Earth Science New Zealand as well as international counterparts from the United States, Finland, Australia and Spain, the group is using a technique called quantum-inspired non-linear frequency conversion.

A previous MBIE Smart Ideas grant enabled them to convert relevant microwave/THz radiation frequencies into the optical domain. This meant they could launch very compact, energy-efficient radiometers (radiation measurement devices) on low-cost CubeSats.

Now they will be able to develop the device to improve its sensitivity and to measure a wider range of gases. They will explore the use of Rydberg atoms - enormous, human-made atoms which are highly sensitive to external electric and magnetic fields. They plan to prove the device using high altitude balloons launched with the help of Kea Aerospace. Then they will develop a space-ready payload to fit into a CubeSat for ongoing measurement.

Economic Value

Professor Schwefel says as well as using the information on atmospheric gases to improve forecasts of extreme weather events, the grant will have far-reaching economic benefits.

“This will create opportunities for new commercial enterprises and new precision engineering outputs. It will also grow New Zealand’s precision instruments and aerospace industries. The photonic technology alone provides a platform for other high-value applications from quantum networks to breath analysis and spectroscopy,” he says.

Te Whai Ao – Dodd-Walls Director, Professor Frédérique Vanholsbeeck backs that view.

“A large proportion of our spin-out companies got their start with a Smart Ideas grant. Both the Smart Ideas and the MBIE Endeavour Funds have provided a pathway to commercial success in high-value areas which the private sector wouldn’t risk. This project is a real example of how years of dedicated research can culminate in significant business opportunities,” she says.

Background

The project team is led out of the University of Otago, with key individuals placed at the Earth Science New Zealand (formerly NIWA/MetService), Paihau-Robinson Research Institute, and the Universities of Auckland, Canterbury, and Waikato. Key international partnerships include NASA/JPL, the Finnish Meteorological Institute, ANCDF Canberra, UC3MMadrid, and Colorado School of Mines, USA. Key industry partners are Kea Aerospace, Whitika-LuxFidelity and Shamrock Industries. Community engagement will be led by Tūhura Otago Museum and Aerospace NZ.

Source: https://www.doddwalls.ac.nz/

Market Intelligence Report Colorado: The hub for New Zealand business in the Western United States

Mike Hearn — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 06:29:08 GMT

Denver, the capital of Colorado, has become one of the primary hubs for New Zealand businesses in the United States, employing around 400-500 people, reflecting deepening commercial and investment ties between our two countries. Colorado State is an economic heavyweight, ranked 6th in the US for economic performance. With key industries including aerospace and technology, and with strong people to people links, Colorado holds significant relevance for New Zealand’s priorities.

The signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between New Zealand and the State of Colorado in April 2025 underscores a shared commitment to advancing collaboration in science, innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship, and signals a mutual intent to further deepen these. The MoC represents New Zealand’s second state-level arrangement with a US state, following the signing of the New Zealand-California MoC on climate cooperation in 2022.

You are welcome to share, distribute, re-use and re-publish this report as you see fit, as long as no substantive changes are made, and it continues to be attributed to the Ministry.

You can view the complete list of market reports published to date here: www.mfat.govt.nz/market-reports

Colorado: The hub for New Zealand business in the Western United States

Change announced for overseas investors

Mike Hearn — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 04:12:39 GMT

Coalition parties have agreed that overseas-based investors with a New Zealand investor residence visa will be allowed to buy a house here, to encourage more investment to grow the economy, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.

“The ban on foreigners buying residential housing will remain. However, the Government wants to bring additional investment, skills, ideas and connections to New Zealand, and the Active Investor Plus residency visa allows that.

“It offers residency to a migrant who invests a minimum of $5 million to help grow the economy, passes a good character test, and has acceptable health.

“But, because Active Investor Plus residency visa-holders do not have to be in New Zealand for six months of a year, the foreign buyer ban means some do not meet the threshold for buying a house under the Overseas Investment Act.

“The Government has therefore decided that people with an Active Investor Plus residency visa will be allowed to buy or build one home.

“The minimum value of the house that can be bought or built will be set at $5 million – which equates to less than 1 per cent of New Zealand houses.

“This change navigates a path between those who do not want foreign ownership opened up, and the desire to attract high net worth investors by deepening their connection to our country to help grow the economy.

“There have been more than 300 applications for the Active Investor Plus residency visa since it was re-launched on April 1.

“If all these applications are approved and proceed, it means a potential total minimum investment of $1.8 billion in the New Zealand economy.

“Globally, New Zealand has a deserved reputation as a great place to live and we want to grow our economy. By opening our door just a little to allow significant investors to own a home, we will help attract more of those who want to contribute to the community and country.”

Note:

Individuals who received residence visas under the previous Investor 1 & 2 visas will also be eligible.

The Active Investor Plus categories are:

The Growth category focuses on higher-risk investment, including direct investments in New Zealand businesses. It requires a minimum investment of $5 million for a minimum period of three years.
The Balanced category focuses on mixed investments, with the ability to choose ones that are lower risk. The minimum investment in $10 million over five years

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

SHOTT Beverages: Scaling with REAL Flavor in the U.S.

Mike Hearn — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 01:43:11 GMT

Shott Beverages Ltd a New Zealand company producing real fruit and coffee syrups. They are passionate about product quality, known for using only the finest ingredients and picking fruits at the peak of their season. SHOTT’s concentrates are cold brewed to lock in authentic flavors and are naturally non-GMO. Their commitment to quality and innovation just earned them a prestigious FABI Favorites award at the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show. This recognition underscores their growing influence on the Food & Beverage (F&B) industry both today and in the years ahead.

With standout products in hand, SHOTT Beverages started their export journey about ten years ago in South Korea and several other smaller markets before entering the U.S. Now, three years into their U.S. expansion and fresh off their celebrated FABI award win, we sat down with their CEO,David Shearer, to hear his reflections, lessons and key wins from growing in this competitive market.

This is a must-read for Kiwi F&B companies eyeing the U.S. market:

The power of the pivot:When Shearer reflected on the early days of SHOTT Beverages entering the U.S., he noted that their strategy has done quite the pivot, all for the better. There is no single path to success. Each business outcome or win can be reached multiple ways. Pivoting isn’t just necessary at times; it’s essential. Don’t just embrace the pivot, own it. It can be the key to even greater success. More than three years into the U.S. market, SHOTT Beverages continues to learn and adapt, refining their strategy and approach as they uncover new insights.

Local teams as strategic assets:With more than 340 million people, the U.S. offers scale like few other markets. From coast to coast, there are a variety of cultural nuances and market dynamics at play. Therefore, SHOTT Beverages developed a deliberate strategy to hire local teams. They hired people who understood the communities they were serving, could find loyal customers and knew the nuances of the local market. This approach has not only been successful for SHOTT Beverages in the U.S. but is a winning strategy they’ve stuck to across all their export markets.

Turning booths into business:According to Shearer, SHOTT Beverages got their start in the U.S. by “putting their flag in the soil” at a local tradeshow three years ago. Since then, they’ve attended 17 tradeshows varying in size. Whether it was a small or large tradeshow, they leveraged these events as a form of marketing and sales to generate brand awareness and leads. As a B2B brand, tradeshows became their way of making connections, finding customers and making a name for themselves. This method helped them sharpen their tradeshow strategy, one where they can now focus on a few key tradeshows each year that yield the best return on investment. What began as quantity over quality, has evolved. Another lesson in the art of pivoting.

Logistics, logistics, logistics:Nailing logistics has been the biggest learning for SHOTT Beverages. The U.S. is vast, not just in its population, notes Shearer, but in its geography too. It’s like Australia with its distinct dynamics across its East and West Coasts. Unlike other markets where one distributor is sufficient, the U.S. requires two, resulting in longer delivery times and higher prices. They strategically combatted this by moving their distribution warehouse to Houston, Texas, allowing them to shave weeks off their supply chain movement. They also prioritized a more sustainable, long-term strategy to manage costs, maximize profitability and to ensure they had the right supply chain.

For Shearer, the U.S. market represented the “holy grail” and NZTE played a pivotal role in making that vision a reality. From the start of their export journey in South Korea to today as they continue to expand their business across the U.S., NZTE has supported SHOTT Beverages with their Go-To-Market strategy, co-funding projects, business advice and more. This support enabled them to invest heavily upfront, attack the market aggressively, and achieve strong growth in the U.S.

FollowSHOTT BEVERAGES LIMITED to watch their export story unfold and to celebrate their continued, rising success in this sector and market.

New Zealand in North America

NZ firm’s world-first wine cooler exports soar in record US heatwave

Mike Hearn — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 02:09:14 GMT

A Kiwi company that started life in a Taranaki farm shed less than a decade ago is now riding a global heatwave, with exports of its world-first wine cooler technology surging across the Northern Hemisphere.

Huski, the homegrown brand behind an ice-free Champagne cooler, has climbed to number one in its category on Amazon in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. The business is on track to double its eight-figure annual revenue this year, with sales spiking as extreme temperatures grip major export markets.

This summer, Europe and the US have seen record-shattering highs – Spain reached 46°C, Portugal hit 46.6°C, France logged its hottest June day since records began in 1947, and the UK and US endured prolonged heatwaves with cities like Phoenix, Las Vegas and Houston sweltering above 40°C for consecutive days.

Almost a million Huski beer and wine coolers have now been exported to more than 50 countries, including Germany, Japan and the UAE. The company also recently secured its largest-ever commercial order – 76,000 units to the UK.

What began with a PVC pipe prototype is now a patent-pending product range stocked in over 500 retail stores across New Zealand, Australia, Japan and the US, and has been featured by global outlets including Rolling Stone, Vogue, GQand Oprah’s Favorite Things.

Co-founder Simon Huesser says the inspiration came from a simple observation: Champagne has been enjoyed since the 1600s, yet little had changed in how it’s kept cold.

“Sparkling wines like Champagne and Prosecco are particularly sensitive to temperature and experts recommend serving them between 6°C and 10°C,” he says.

“Our Champagne cooler maintains that ideal range for up to six hours without ice, and features the patent-pending BubbleLock Bottle Stopper, which slows the loss of bubbles. We believe it’s a world-first feature.”

Huesser says their journey began by recognising a gap in the market for a universal solution.

“US beer cans are 355ml, Australia’s are 375ml and New Zealand’s are mostly 330ml. There was no one-size-fits-all, so we literally collected bottles and cans from recycling bins to get the sizing right.”

After building a following with its beer cooler, customer demand pushed the team to develop solutions for wine and sparkling. “Designing for sparkling wine came with new challenges – bigger bottles, varied shapes, and the need for something that matched the sense of occasion,” he says.

The result was a vacuum-insulated stainless steel cooler with a built-in, removable stopper.

“It’s not complicated, but it’s thoughtful,” says Huesser. “And because the stopper lives in the base, it’s always on hand – not lost in a drawer.”

The design won international acclaim, securing a 2025 Red Dot Design Award. “It puts us in the company of Apple, Dyson and Ferrari,” says Huesser.

“Being recognised by more than 40 international experts has been a career highlight.”

But with growth has come challenges – especially around intellectual property.

“As a design-led business, we’ve had to be proactive about IP protection from day one. We now run monthly sweeps to identify copycats and have successfully taken down hundreds of infringing listings,” Huesser says.

In one case, that vigilance led to opportunity. “We intercepted a shipment of 15,000 design-infringing coolers headed to Australia. After a conversation with the importer, it turned into a much larger legitimate order.”

Huski’s go-to-market strategy leans heavily on direct-to-consumer sales. “We typically enter new markets through Amazon, then expand through e-commerce, retail partners and loyalty programmes,” says Huesser. That model has seen sales double in the UK and Australia in the past year.

From a farm shed prototype to more than 1.5 million products sold worldwide, Huski’s growth has been rapid.

“More than three-quarters of our business now comes from overseas,” Huesser says. “And that growth shows no signs of slowing.”

Source: https://exportertoday.co.nz/

NZ Post recommences US parcel service for businesses amid tariff changes

Mike Hearn — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 01:59:19 GMT

NZ Post General Manager of Export and International Solutions, Jared Handcock, says “we know how important it is for businesses to stay connected with their US customers, and we’ve worked quickly to bring on this new option, following the temporary suspension to parcel sending into the US announced last week."

“While this sending option is available for new and existing businesses with an NZ Post account, NZ Post is committed to continuing the work needed to restore all sending options."

NZ Post is also developing solutions for sending personal gifts to the US, which is one of the exceptions under the new tariff structure. Gifts valued at $100 USD or less, sent from one individual to another, will be allowed to enter the US without any taxes or duties applied.

“We’re doing everything we can to make sending gifts and other items through our retail stores possible again soon. We will update customers as soon as we have this available. We expect this to be in the next week or so,” says Handcock.

Customers can stay up to date with the latest delivery updates at nzpost.co.nz/international-delivery-updates.

More about the new service to the US for business customers

This solution is available to all on-account NZ Post business customers, including new sign-ups. While this new service provides a pathway for businesses or commercial operators, NZ Post acknowledges that personal senders, such as individuals sending parcels to friends or family, are still waiting for a solution. Currently, they can send letters and documents to the US, but parcel sending remains unavailable.

This follows NZ Post’s temporary suspension of selected parcel services to the US last week, triggered by new US tariffs and removal of the duty-free (de minimis) threshold. These changes require multiple updates to how items are declared, processed, and taxed. To ensure compliance, sending was suspended while the required changes are made across our processes and systems. From 29 August 2025 (US Eastern Standard Time), items sent from New Zealand to the US will be subject to duties and taxes, regardless of value, with the exemption of gifts.

Businesses interested in opening an account with NZ Post can find more information at nzpost.co.nz

Business Investor Visa offers new immigration options for investors

Mike Hearn — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 23:32:07 GMT

The Government has announced the closure of the Entrepreneur Work Visa and introduced a new Business Investor Visa to attract experienced investors who will help grow New Zealand’s economy by actively running businesses.

About the Business Investor Visa

The Business Investor Work Visa will open for applications in November 2025 and offer 2 investment options:

NZD $1 million investment in an existing business, for a 3-year work-to-residence pathway

NZD $2 million investment in an existing business, for a 12-month fast-track to residence pathway

Applicants can purchase a business outright on either visa pathway or acquire at least 25% of the business, provided they meet the minimum $1 million or $2 million investment thresholds.

Applicants may also include their partner and dependent children in their application. 

Both options lead to eligibility to apply for the Business Investor Resident Visa.

A Business Investor Visa may be granted for up to 4 years.

The cost of the Business Investor Work Visa will be NZD $12,380. This includes the visa application fee and immigration levy. 

The Business Investor Work Visa complements the Active Investor Plus Visa, which was refreshed in April 2025, and is part of a broader update to business immigration settings to attract investment, talent, and international connections.

Eligibility 

To be eligible for the Business Investor work visa, applicants must:

meet the minimum investment threshold

show they have at least NZD $500,000 to support themselves (and their family if they are including them in their application) while establishing their business

be aged 55 or younger when they apply

meet English language requirements (IELTS 5.0 or equivalent)

meet health and character requirements

meet business experience requirements

invest in a business that meets the financial threshold and employs at least 5 full-time equivalent staff.

Business investment requirements

The following business types are not acceptable business investments under this visa:

businesses involved in:
- drop-shipping
- gambling
- the manufacturing of tobacco or other nicotine-based products, including vaping
- adult entertainment

convenience stores (for example, corner dairies)

businesses that offer immigration advisory services, or that were purchased from a Licensed Immigration Adviser (LIA), or where an LIA is materially involved

discount or value stores (for example, NZD $2 shops)

fast food outlets

franchised businesses

home-based businesses (businesses only operating from a residential address).

Entrepreneur Category closure

The Entrepreneur Category is now closed to new applications for the Entrepreneur Work Visa.

If you have applied for an Entrepreneur Work Visa

If you have recently submitted an application for an Entrepreneur Work Visa, we will process it following the rules that were in place when you applied.

If you withdraw your application, you will not be eligible for a refund of any fees or levies already paid, regardless of the reason for your withdrawal.

If you currently hold an Entrepreneur Work Visa

Entrepreneur Work Visa holders will still be able to apply for residence, as the Entrepreneur Resident Visa will remain open.

If you need more time to meet Entrepreneur residence requirements, you can still apply for an Entrepreneur Work Visa renewal to maintain your pathway to residence.

Entrepreneur Work Visa

Entrepreneur Resident Visa

If you want to apply for a Business Investor Work Visa, you will need to submit a new application when the visa opens and pay the fees and levies.

More information

We will be sharing more information about the Business Investor Visa in October. This will include information to help compare it with the Active Investor Plus Visa for those considering both options.

You can read more details on the Business Investor Visa announcement on the Beehive website:

New Business Investor Visa to support growth — Beehive.govt.nz

Source: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/

Win for global mobility and investment: proposed NZ tax changes you should know about

Mike Hearn — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 23:28:25 GMT

The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2025–26, Compliance Simplification, and Remedial Measures) Bill introduces reforms long championed by AmCham and the international business community.

FIF – Revenue Account Method

A practical elective for new and returning residents that taxes dividends plus part of realised gains (with loss relief). This simplifies compliance for globally mobile executives and investors—especially those with pre‑residency, unlisted holdings.

The proposals will provide welcome relief to eligible taxpayers, but could have gone further to capture a broader scope of situations. We are hopeful there will be a chance for further changes as the Bill progresses, to ensure the proposals meet the needs of a wider range of taxpayers.

Visitor & remote work settings

Targeted exemptions linked to Visa timeframes mean short‑term business visitors and remote workers can operate from NZ without triggering full income tax or PAYE obligations for themselves or their offshore employers. Optional GST registration and integrity measures keep the system robust.

These changes reduce friction for cross‑border talent and capital—supporting NZ’s competitiveness as a hub for international business and mesh well with the US tax systems for individuals and venture capital.

Paul Dunne, Chair AmCham Tax Committee & Partner, EY.

Tariff outcome for timber and lumber products exported to the U.S. still in limbo

Mike Hearn — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 22:44:32 GMT

Tariffs on wood products exported to the United Sates remain at ‘0’ percent as the section 232 Investigation aimed at determining the global effects imports of timber, lumber and their derivative products pose to the U.S. supply chain continues.

Although the ‘0’ percent tariff rate is a welcome relief for wood product exporters, the uncertainty of what may eventuate from the section 232 Investigation is causing nervousness across New Zealand wood processers and manufacturers who export over NZD$370 million of value-added wood product to the United States.

Developments over the weekend included President Trump announcing on a Truth Social post that a major new tariff investigation on furniture (incl. wooden furniture) coming into the United States will be completed within 50 days at a tariff rate to be determined. This was followed by release of the draft EU and U.S. Trade Agreement Framework which promptly ensures that the tariff rate applied to section 232 actions on lumber does not exceed 15 percent.

‘These announcements create further uncertainty, with a survey of our main U.S. exporters of wood products to the U.S. highlighting that a tariff rate of 5 percent or over will have a significant hit on their profitability in the longer-term.’ Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association (WPMA) Chief Executive, Mark Ross, said. ‘The U.S. is a growing market for our value-added wood products and with a drop off in NZ domestic demand, profitable export markets are critical to growing our industry.’

Having our Trade Minister, Todd McClay, speaking up in support of the NZ wood processing industry on the section 232 Investigation in his recent Washington negotiations with U.S. Trade Representatives, is highly valued by WPMA members and we thank the Minister and his negotiation team for backing our exporters.

‘The key is to present a united face across industry and government to the U.S. decision makers as to the value of our wood products to the U.S. and that our products are not a threat to their domestic timber manufacturing or supply chain,’ said Ross.

With the outcome of this section 232 investigation expected no later than early December, WPMA will continue to engage with our allied U.S. Associations, who are lobbying the U.S. Administration to keep imported timber and lumber products tariff free as a means of levelling recent domestic U.S. house price rises and maintaining robust supply chains.

New Zealand is known in the U.S. for providing high value and high-quality wood products, most of which is sold into the DIY end user’s market, such as Home Depot, Lowes and Menards. As a small niche supplier of wood products that are needed by the U.S. domestic building market, such as long clear Radiata pine boards, mouldings and primed product, there is a strong argument for keeping New Zealand timber and lumber imports tariff free.

With comments from exporters such as customers in the U.S. are already pressurising us to reduce product price, it will be a tough ask to pass any additional tariff costs on should they prevail.

‘While the section 232 Investigation continues WPMA will do what we can to advocate to keep New Zealand imported timber, lumber and their derivatives into the United Sates tariff free’, said Ross, ‘But, at the end of the day the U.S. President will be the final tariff rate decision maker, and we know from experience we need to be ready to expect the unexpected.’

WPMA’s survey of timber and lumber exporters to the U.S, key findings included:
• Due to the small profitability margins, anything over a 5 percent tariff would cause 50 percent of exporters to rethink as to the value of exporting to the U.S.
• If a tariff was introduced, most exporters would both pass tariff costs onto their customer and absorb the cost, while a small percentage would look at diverting product to other markets.
• Half indicated that higher tariffs on other competitive countries, should they eventuate, may provide an advantage to their business.

Media Contact: Mark Ross, Chief Executive, Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association of NZ 027 442 9965 mark@wpma.org.nz

Defence helicopter, plane decisions announced

Mike Hearn — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 04:50:53 GMT

Seahawk helicopters and Airbus planes are set to replace aging New Zealand Defence Force aircraft in the first major investment decisions to be made as part of the Government’s Defence Capability Plan (DCP).

Defence Minister Judith Collins and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced investment decisions of $2.7 billion, with the MH-60R Seahawk the preferred option to replace the existing maritime helicopters. The Airbus A321XLR (extra long range) aircraft will replace the aging 757 fleet.

“This decision will ensure New Zealand has a critical combat capable, interoperable and dependable fleet,” Ms Collins says.

“The MH-60R Seahawk is a great aircraft for what New Zealand needs and fulfils our objective of having a more integrated Anzac force, and the new planes will give us reliable aircraft to deploy personnel and respond to international events.”

Mr Peters says these decisions show how the Government is responding to the sharply deteriorating security environment.

“Global tensions are increasing rapidly, and we must invest in our national security to ensure our economic prosperity.

“The DCP provides the foundation for our uplift in defence spending, and two-yearly reviews of the plan will allow us to adapt to an ever-changing security environment.”

The $2 billion plus investment in maritime helicopters and $700 million investment in the new Airbus A321XLRs are both part of the $12 billion in planned commitments outlined in the 2025 DCP announced in April.

Ms Collins says the maritime helicopters are versatile and add combat and deterrent capability to our naval fleet.

“These five Seahawks will increase the offensive and defensive capability and surveillance range of New Zealand’s frigates and ensure we are interoperable with our ally Australia and other partner defence forces,” she says.

“We will now move at pace to procure helicopters directly through the United States’ Foreign Military Sales programme instead of going to a wider tender, with Cabinet expected to consider the final business case next year.

“The two new Airbus A321XLR aircraft will be acquired on a six-year lease to buy arrangement, with capital costs of $620 million and four-year operating costs of $80.86 million.

“New Zealand needs reliable aircraft to deploy our personnel, deliver military equipment and humanitarian aid, support the evacuation of civilians, and transport government trade and diplomatic delegations quickly, over long distances, and often at short notice.

“The decision to acquire the extra long range aircraft reflects the importance of having an aircraft capable of such things as returning safely from Antarctica if it is unable to land due to conditions on the ice.

“Our Defence Force personnel have proven time and time again they do an outstanding job and we must ensure they have the tools that are up to the task.”

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Statement following NZ-US Trade and Agriculture discussions

Mike Hearn — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 22:31:37 GMT

Agriculture, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, in Washington this week to express New Zealand’s concerns over US tariffs, and the disadvantage this creates for Kiwi exporters in relation to other countries, many of whom subsidise their production.

Ambassador Greer recognised New Zealand applies low tariffs against US goods. He confirmed that the additional 5 per cent tariff imposed on New Zealand exports last month was in relation to New Zealand’s balance of trade surplus and represented a new bottom tariff rate of 15 per cent, or higher, for all countries that sold more to the US than they bought.

Product-specific trade investigations in areas including steel and aluminium, pharmaceuticals, and timber were also discussed.

Ambassador Greer and Minister McClay agreed that trade officials would meet over the coming months to discuss the impact of tariffs on New Zealand-US trade and consider practical ways to give exporters greater certainty.

Minister McClay recognised New Zealand’s relationship with the United States is important. Two-way trade is well balanced and complementary with New Zealand applying an average tariff rate of just 0.3 per cent on US goods imports. At different times, each side has enjoyed a trade surplus, reflecting the dynamic nature of the trade relationship.

Ambassador Greer and Minister McClay agreed to next meet during the ASEAN Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Malaysia in September and again at the APEC Leaders’ Summit in Korea in October where they would consider any next steps to strengthen trade.

Minister McClay, Secretary of Agriculture Rollins and Ambassador Greer discussed shared concerns about the harm that heavily subsidised, trade-distorting practices of some countries are causing to the New Zealand and US dairy industries.

They agreed that dairy farmers were important to both governments and that they shared significant concerns over the effect these trade-distorting practices have on our respective dairy industries.

They agreed to explore ways to jointly combat these harmful practices and support our dairy farmers.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

From handcrafted to high-tech: MEA acquires Happy Moose to deliver seriously good photo prints

Mike Hearn — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 23:51:59 GMT

NZ's best photo print studio joins leading software firm, paves way for global growth

MEA, the software specialist powering the world’s largest photo retailers, has acquired leading photo print studio, Happy Moose. The partnership unites MEA’s e-commerce capability and global retail reach with Happy Moose’s expertise in premium production and handcrafted products. Together, they aim to deliver premium photo printing at scale — raising the bar for customers and paving the way for international expansion.

Happy Moose has built a loyal following in New Zealand for its seriously good photo prints and a playful brand personality. From archival-quality papers to true-to-life colour, every order is crafted to make photos look their best. Based in Connecticut, USA and Hamilton, New Zealand, MEA’s technology connects thousands of photo labs and retail stores worldwide — including major US retailers — making it one of the most widely used photo printing platforms.

By acquiring Happy Moose, MEA offers customers the best of both worlds — high-tech convenience and handcrafted quality — while preserving the unique character that has made Happy Moose a local favourite.

We’re pairing powerful technology with premium printmaking,” stated Rod Macfarlane, Executive Director at MEA, “MEA’s technology underpins one of the world’s largest photo printing networks, and Happy Moose is New Zealand’s best photo lab. Together we can create premium print experiences at a scale the industry hasn’t seen before.

Happy Moose will continue producing orders from its studio in Dunedin, New Zealand – including collage posters and photo books - while MEA integrates its catalogue into its platform, with select products rolling out in new markets such as the USA and Australia over time. No immediate changes for existing Happy Moose customers are expected.

Key Highlights:

Photo software specialist MEA has acquired New Zealand's best photo print studio, Happy Moose.

The partnership pairs MEA’s global reach with Happy Moose’s seriously good photo prints.

Together they aim to deliver premium photo prints at scale, paving the way for international growth.

The acquisition builds on MEA’s history of innovation in photo printing, including leading print-on-demand apps Printicular and Photo Prints Now. These connect millions of customers to fast, convenient printing - and now, with Happy Moose in the family, MEA can also offer premium handcrafted products alongside its high-volume services.

Deal terms were not disclosed. The acquisition closed on 8 August 2025.

Monty the Moose is triple-checking customers’ orders," added Macfarlane. "He’s a bit of a perfectionist.

For more information contact MEA at USA: 203.599.1111, NZ: 07.838.2325, AU: 02.909.85.909 or at info@we-are-mea.com.

Press kit with photos and full release available here.

About MEA

MEA develops software for photo printing and fulfilment used by labs and retailers worldwide. Its apps, including Printicular and Photo Prints Now, make it easy to order prints and personalised products for pickup or delivery. MEA operates globally with teams in Connecticut, USA and New Zealand. Learn more at www.meaphototech.com.

About Happy Moose

Happy Moose is a New Zealand print studio known best for photo prints and personalised photo products, produced with meticulous colour and materials. The team handcrafts every order from its Dunedin base with a touch of moose-inspired charm. Learn more at www.happymoose.nz.

Minister to visit Saudi Arabia & United States for trade talks

Mike Hearn — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 01:35:19 GMT

Agriculture, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Saudi Arabia and then to the United States (US) next week to meet with his trade and agriculture counterparts.

In Riyadh, Mr McClay will meet with Minister of Commerce, HE Dr Majid bin Abdullah Al-Kassabi, and Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, HE Eng Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, to advance bilateral trade and investment opportunities, including in food and agritech cooperation.

The visit will also be an opportunity discuss how best to leverage the New Zealand-Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement, for which negotiations concluded last year.

Mr McClay will then travel on to Washington D.C. at the invitation of United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer. He will also meet with U.S. industry representatives, think tanks, and his agriculture counterpart, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.

“Following the United States’ 1 August decision to apply a 15 per cent, or more, tariff to ever country with a trade surplus, this visit will be an opportunity to discuss the impact of that decision and better understand the factors that may influence future U.S. tariffs,” Mr McClay says.

“New Zealand and the United States have a long-standing, well-balanced trading relationship, with periods where the US has enjoyed a surplus and times, like now, when New Zealand has a modest one. Overall, our trade is complementary and reflects the strength of a long-standing partnership.

“I will be seeking to understand the effect of any change in trade flows for example, if New Zealand’s current surplus shifted to a deficit, and what that might mean for our exporters,” Mr McClay says.

“The US currently faces an average tariff of just 0.3 per cent when exporting to New Zealand, far lower than what we face into their market.

“It’s important that we raise these concerns constructively, while reaffirming our commitment to the strong, cooperative relationship we have with the United States,” Mr McClay says.

Meetings in Washington will cover wider bilateral trade, investment and agricultural priorities.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Next New Zealand Ambassador to the United States of America announced

Mike Hearn — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 20:40:26 GMT

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Chris Seed will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America.

“New Zealand’s strategic partnership with the United States is one of our most important and long-standing relationships,” Mr Peters says.

“It is therefore essential that New Zealand’s Ambassador to the United States has the necessary experience, judgement and influence to effectively represent our country in Washington DC and navigate the range of important and pressing issues that are vital to New Zealanders.

“Mr Seed is one of New Zealand’s most senior and accomplished diplomats and is accordingly the right person for this vital role,” Mr Peters says.

Mr Seed served as Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 2019-2024 and has previously led New Zealand High Commissions in Canberra and Port Moresby. He will take up the role in January 2026.

Mr Seed succeeds Rosemary Banks, who will shortly complete her second term as Ambassador in Washington DC.

“Ms Banks has had a most distinguished diplomatic career, having led New Zealand missions in Paris, New York and Washington,” Mr Peters says.

“Twice Ms Banks has been asked by her Government to serve in Washington DC and we are enormously grateful to her that twice she answered that call to serve with distinction as New Zealand Ambassador to the United States.

“Ms Banks’ long diplomatic experience and her elevated standing amongst her US counterparts, during such a challenging time in global affairs, has seen her contribute greatly to one of New Zealand’s most critical bilateral relationships,” Mr Peters says.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Bay of Plenty beverage company Wai Mānuka expands in New York, prepares for Amazon launch

Mike Hearn — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 02:42:52 GMT

A Bay of Plenty beverage company continues to make waves across high-end venues in New York City, preparing to launch on Amazon while navigating trade tariffs in the process.

Demand for the premium non-alcoholic beverage, Wai Mānuka, is rising rapidly and just four months after launching, the company has secured its third order - a full 20-foot container - more than doubling its two previous shipments.

By the end of August, Wai Mānuka will be stocked in over 100 premium restaurants, cafés, and boutique retailers across the city, with containers now ordered every two to three months.

“To navigate US tariffs, we have to go big,” chief executive Joe Harawira said.

Their US distribution partner is covering most of the 15% tariff, a move Harawira said reflected confidence in market-fit and product potential.

Wai Mānuka is also preparing to launch on Amazon in New York City, giving 10 to 12 million local users the option to have the non-alcoholic elixir delivered directly to their doors.

“This will give us an opportunity to engage directly with customers, build loyalty, and expand our reach,” Harawira said.

Interest is also growing from other key states, including Texas, Chicago, and Los Angeles. But for now, the focus remained on building a strong foundation in New York before expanding too quickly.

Wai Mānuka is seeking investors who bring not only capital but strategic value to help accelerate growth.

“It’s capital-intensive to grow a brand in the US,” Harawira said.

“We’re gaining 25 new accounts every month, and the key is consistent sell-through at scale.”

To reduce landed costs, minimise environmental impact, and navigate tariff hurdles, the company is exploring US-based manufacturing.

Harawira is working closely with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, his US partners, and other industry leads to assess the opportunity.

In a further boost, Harawira has been selected to join a New Zealand trade delegation meeting with native American investors and executives, exploring new pathways for indigenous business collaboration.

He will meet them later this month.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

NZTE: Talking Tariffs webinar with HE Rosemary Banks and Vangelis Vitalis.

Mike Hearn — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 05:44:25 GMT

There were a number of questions asked during the webinar that we provide answers to below. Some of these were answered during the webinar but we provide answers again below given their broad relevance.

For more information, please see NZTE’s Talking Tariffs page, MFAT’s FAQs, and if you haven’t already we encourage you to sign up to MFAT’s Market Intelligence reports – see an example here.

Should you have further questions, please feel free to email us at this address. Alternatively, if you feel like your question is best addressed to NZ Customs their email address is copied.

Questions and answers below are grouped thematically under the following headings:

Tariffs

Section 232

Exemptions

Rules of Origin/Customs/De minimis

New Zealand’s approach

Miscellaneous

Click here for Tariff related questions/answers.

Source: www.mfat.govt.nz

Finalists announced for the 26th AmCham-DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards for companies doing business with the USA.

Mike Hearn — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 00:29:06 GMT

The American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2025 AmCham-DHL Express Success and Innovation Awards, the 26^th year of these awards celebrating success and innovation for companies doing business with the USA.

AmCham Executive Director, Mike Hearn said that “over the last year trade with the US has continued to grow, with the US becoming New Zealand’s second largest trading partner, however the recently announced 15% tariffs will cost New Zealand exporters round $1.4billion. The effect of these tariffs is still to be felt”

“This year’s exporter finalists again come from a more diverse background to previous years, coming for consumer goods, technology and the services sectors”

The supreme winner also receives an airfare to anywhere in the USA on United Airlines, US$5,000 of advisory services from Sweeney Vesty, introductions to venture capitalists, economic development agencies in the USA as well as to other valuable connections. Over the last twenty-five years our sponsors have provided over $400,000 worth of prizes to our award winners.

Selina Deadman, Vice President Commercial, DHL Express New Zealand, commented, “It’s our privilege to help deliver the 26^th AmCham-DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards for 2025. As an express international logistics provider, DHL observes firsthand the ingenuity and innovation required by local Kiwis competing in the US market. This year’s finalists all demonstrate the continued value in exporting to this market, and we know that a successful landing in the USA can be the catalyst for some of the best business success stories in this country. On behalf of DHL, I’d like to congratulate all our 2025 finalists.”

This year’s awards and finalists are:

Exporter of the Year to the USA – Technology
ADInstruments Ltd
Lumin
Windcave NZ Ltd

Exporter of the Year to the USA – Services
Crimson Education Ltd
Pratt & Whitney Air New Zealand Services t/a Christchurch Engine Centre

Exporter of the Year to the USA - Consumer Goods
Calocurb Ltd
Moxx Int Ltd
The Better Packaging Co. Ltd

Investor of the Year to or from the USA
Axon Enterprise Inc for investment in Auror
Bridgewest Group
Motion Capital Management Ltd

Bilateral Connections with the USA
Auckland Council
American Universities International Programs Ltd
Rob Coneybeer

Contribution to Tourism with the USA
International Working Holidays
Travel USA Ltd

Social Impact with the USA
The NZ Robotics Charitable Trust Inc/Kiwibots

One of the above will be selected as the Supreme winner.

One other award will be presented on the night: The AmCham Supporter of the Year

The awards will be presented at a black-tie gala dinner at the Pullman Hotel Auckland on 18th September for details and tickets see www.amcham.co.nz

The keynote speaker will be The Hon Todd McClay, Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Forestry, Minister for Trade and Investment and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs.

In addition to AmCham, DHL Express, United Airlines, the awards are supported by ANZ Bank; Auckland International Airport; Insprie Labs; Ironside McDonald Intellectual Property; Lockheed Martin New Zealand; and SweeneyVesty. Media sponsor - The Business. Wine sponsor - Constellation Brands. Event Manager and sponsor – Event Revolution.

Previous winners of the Supreme Award have included Peace Software; Airways Corporation; HumanWare; Tenon; Orion Health; Zeacom; SMI Group; Fonterra; Pratt & Whitney Air New Zealand Services t/a Christchurch Engine Centre; Buckley Systems; Greenshell New Zealand; Vista Entertainment; Fisher & Paykel Healthcare; Douglas Pharmaceuticals, Zespri International; Tourism Holdings; Sir Peter Beck; Seequent Ltd; Oritain Global; Auror Ltd; and Toku Eyes.

MFAT Market Intelligence Report US trade update – 8 August 2025

Mike Hearn — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 23:57:20 GMT

New tariffs announced on New Zealand exports

On 31 July (US time) US President Trump signed Executive Order 14326 which raised the additional tariff on much of New Zealand goods exports to the US from 10% previously, to 15% (in addition to the US's standard MFN tariff). See the Fact Sheet here.

The revised tariffs took effect on 7 August, with goods already en route subject to the previous tariff rates, provided they arrive by 4 October (see Sec. 2. Tarff Modifications. (a) of the Executive Order linked above).

Separately, sectoral tariffs continue to apply for some products:

25% for autos and auto parts (NZ$56 million - 1.8% of US goods imports from NZ)

50% for steel and aluminium (NZ$157 million - 0.6% of total US imports from NZ)

50% for copper (NZ$15 million – 0.2% of total US imports from NZ)

There are some exceptions where New Zealand exports just face the MFN tariff. This is primarily for those sectors facing ongoing section 232 investigations.

The Tariff Finder sets out the total tariffs for each US tariff line, including where higher sectoral tariffs apply or where there is an exception.

Should you have further questions, please get in contact with us at us.exports@mfat.govt.nz

Read full report

Statement by Minister McClay following US tariff announcement

Mike Hearn — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 20:43:20 GMT

The United States has confirmed that tariffs on New Zealand exports will increase from 10 per cent to 15 per cent from 7 August, placing us alongside other key US trading partners including Japan and South Korea.

Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay says, this decision appears to be based on a calculation of trade deficits, with countries running a surplus with the US moved to the higher rate. In New Zealand’s case, the surplus is modest, around US$500 million, and is not overly significant in the context of the US economy.

Over the past decade, our trade relationship with the US has seen periods where the US enjoyed a significant surplus and times, like now, when New Zealand has a modest one. Overall, our trade is balanced and complementary, reflecting the strength of a long-standing partnership.

“I am seeking an urgent call with the US Trade Representative to make New Zealand’s position clear: this increase risks harming exporters and consumers of both countries. The US currently faces an average tariff of just 0.8 per cent when exporting to New Zealand, far lower than what we face into their market,” Mr McClay says.

“New Zealand exports around $9 billion of goods to the US annually. At 15 per cent, the impact will be considerable for exporters, many of whom absorbed or passed on the earlier 10 per cent rate. At 15 per cent, that becomes much harder.

“Our focus now moves to engaging directly with the US on this current announcement to seek changes to this decision.

“New Zealand has always stood for open, rules-based trade. We will continue to advocate strongly for a resolution that supports our exporters and maintains the strength of our trading relationship with the United States.”

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Kegstar seeks clearance to acquire assets of Konvoy kegs

Mike Hearn — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 01:55:48 GMT

The Commerce Commission has received a clearance application from Kegstar New Zealand Limited to acquire kegs, beacons attached to those kegs or held in inventory, and New Zealand keg records, from Konvoy New Zealand LimitedKegstar and Konvoy both supply beer kegs to breweries on a rental basis, as well as providing logistics services.

Kegstar is owned by MicroStar Logistics, LLC which operates a keg services business across Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the US.

Konvoy is owned by Konvoy Holdings Pty Limited, which operates a keg services business in Australia and New Zealand. Konvoy was placed into receivership in March 2025 and went into liquidation on 30 May 2025.

A public version of the clearance application will be available shortly on the Commission’s case register.

Source: https://comcom.govt.nz/

AgriZeroNZ’s probiotic portfolio grows with new US investment

Mike Hearn — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 22:09:55 GMT

AgriZeroNZ has invested US $3.5 million (NZ $6.3 million) in biotech company BiomEdit to accelerate its development of a probiotic-based feed additive to enhance productivity and reduce methane emissions from dairy cows.

The public-private partnership’s latest investment follows recent backing of two other companies developing probiotic-based solutions: Hoofprint Biome Inc (US) and Bovotica (Australia).

AgriZeroNZ chief executive Wayne McNee says probiotic solutions are an important part of its expanding investment portfolio, which also includes a bolus, vaccines, inhibitors and pasture.

“We’re investing in local and global companies to give us the best chance of providing New Zealand farmers with access to a range of affordable, effective mitigation solutions to choose from.”

McNee says early investment in global companies ensures products are developed for pasture-based systems and making those tools available in New Zealand, which is a relatively small market on a global scale, is a priority.

“Probiotics are of particular interest to us because they’re naturally occurring and have the potential to deliver a productivity benefit alongside a methane reduction – benefits that are likely to be powerful drawcards for farmer uptake.”

Indiana-based BiomEdit are specialists in microbial discovery to address major challenges in animal health.

Their unique scientific approach identifies microbes that improve an animal’s health and performance, which enables development of probiotics to effectively feed these beneficial microbes to animals.

“BiomEdit’s team is highly experienced with proven ability to take a product from discovery to commercialisation. We’re pleased to support them to leverage this expertise to help Kiwi farmers reduce methane emissions without compromising productivity and profitability.”

Wayne McNee, AgriZeroNZ chief executive

BiomEdit CEO, Aaron Schacht, says their approach enables them to ‘make life difficult for methanogens’, the methane-forming microbes ruminant animals produce in their rumen while they digest their food.

“We’ve discovered naturally occurring microbes that inhibit methanogen activity and simultaneously increase production by repurposing that energy to improve rumen function.

“Our early lab trials have shown promising results and this support from AgriZeroNZ will help us continue to test and refine the product to ensure its long-lasting enough to be effective in grazing systems and, importantly, safe for cattle.”

Animal trials are currently underway in the US, with plans to do larger-scale trials in New Zealand later this year.

Schacht says they’re targeting a 30% reduction in methane emissions from its natural probiotic, and future products could see a 50% reduction with the use of engineered probiotics.

“To improve the methane-inhibiting properties of the naturally occurring microbes, we’re exploring how we can engineer certain strains to express safe molecules – either peptides or proteins – that directly target methanogens. The goal would be even greater levels of enteric methane reduction and higher performance.”

While BiomEdit’s natural probiotic should have a straightforward pathway to get regulatory approval in New Zealand, McNee notes the process for any future engineered products will be dependent on the outcome of the Gene Technology Bill.

“With global markets starting to demand lower-emissions products, cutting-edge innovations could be the solution to help New Zealand farmers stay ahead, meet those expectations, and keep delivering high-quality food.”

AgriZeroNZ’s investment was part of BiomEdit’s Series B funding round which raised more than US $18 million. It was led by Anterra Capital, with follow-on investment from Nutreco and new participation from Indiana’s Elevate Ventures, and Betagro among others.

Source: https://www.agrizero.nz/

Investment company Morrison’s secret link to OpenAI’s Project Stargate

Mike Hearn — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 02:16:07 GMT

One of New Zealand’s most prominent investment firms has made a US$1 billion ($1.7b) investment linked to one of the largest technology infrastructure projects in the world – OpenAI’s US$500b Project Stargate.

Morrison, the firm that manages Infratil, acquired an American underground fibre cable company called FiberLight in 2022, but its connection to the project was not known until now.

“FiberLight, being a Texas-based network, has been supporting the Stargate initiative from a backbone standpoint,” Morrison executive director Robert Huang told Markets with Madison at its office in New York.

“We’re really excited to be a part of all of that.”

FiberLight had 32,000km of cabling underground in Virginia and Texas, cities where some of the largest clusters of data centre compute were being built to power artificial intelligence.

“If you were to replace that network, conduit by conduit, strand by strand, it would probably cost you about US$3b today.”

Stargate was a new company set up by OpenAI, Softbank, Oracle and MGX this year to build critical infrastructure required to train and power AI models such as ChatGPT, which absorbed enormous amounts of compute.

Its first investment was under way in Abilene, Texas.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced his company would also spend hundreds of millions of US dollars to build its own infrastructure as it raced to catch up to leading AI players OpenAI, Anthropic and Google.

“My hope is that the trend will continue for at least five years,” Huang said of the investment cycle.

In today’s episode of Markets with Madison above, he explains how and why Morrison is investing in all aspects of AI infrastructure – and if it’s too late to make big returns.

Madison Malone travelled to the United States with support from the NZUS Council Media Fellowship programme. The council is committed to advancing New Zealand’s shared interests with the United States. Find out more about the NZUS Council here.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

Blackpearl Acquires US AI Platform to Accelerate Growth

Mike Hearn — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 23:44:30 GMT

Blackpearl Group Limited (NZX: BPG) has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in B2B Rocket Inc, a US-based AI sales automation company.

B2B Rocket (www.b2brocket.ai) specialises in automating outbound sales processes for small to mid-sized businesses using AI-powered agents that generate, qualify, and engage leads on behalf of customers. With approximately US$2.1 million (NZ$3.4 million) in annual recurring revenue (ARR), the business has already achieved product market fit and continues to scale rapidly across the US SMB segment.

Blackpearl CEO Nick Lissette said B2B Rocket is a compelling and immediately synergistic addition to the group. “B2B Rocket’s agentic technology is a perfect fit alongside both Pearl Diver and Bebop. I’ve personally sat in on customer demos for Pearl Diver where we’ve been asked, ‘Can you integrate with B2B Rocket?’ Leveraging AI agents for customer outreach – across email, LinkedIn, and AI-driven phone calls – opens up new, ultra-affordable channels to help our customers find more customers. B2B Rocket is experiencing impressive growth on its own. With the integration of Blackpearl Group’s proprietary data engine, the Pearl Engine, we see a clear opportunity to act as a force multiplier to further accelerate that momentum. Coupled with cross-sell opportunities, this is a classic 1 + 1 = 3.”

Under the terms of the agreement, the consideration payable includes a completion payment of US$4 million in cash and 1.725 million BPG shares

In addition, the agreement includes performance-based payments of up to US$8 million over five years, including up to US$2.5 million in BPG shares (issued at the prevailing market price of BPG shares). The payments are linked to B2B Rocket hitting defined revenue milestones and are structured to reward sustained performance through to a maximum payout upon B2B Rocket reaching approximately US$20 million (NZ$34 million) in ARR.

Completion of the acquisition remains subject to the conversion of certain equity interests in B2B Rocket, BPG having its shares quoted on the ASX market, and other customary conditions for a transaction of this nature. Subject to satisfaction of these conditions, the transaction is expected to complete in August 2025.

BPG is evaluating a full range of funding options for the acquisition, including a mix of cash, debt and equity initiatives. The company will update the market once a final funding structure has been finalised.

In parallel with this transaction, Blackpearl confirms it is preparing to file an application for a foreign exempt listing on the ASX. The company’s primary listing will remain on the NZX.

Contact: Released for and on behalf of BPG, Karen Cargill Chief Governance Officer and Interim CFO

https://www.nzx.com/

$1.2m In ARR In 45 Days - Silicon Valley Sales Giants Under Threat As Bebop Takes Aim

Mike Hearn — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 00:41:28 GMT

Wellington, New Zealand – Black Pearl Group Limited (NZX:BPG) has announced that Bebop, its latest AI-driven sales enablement product, has reached $1.2 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) in just 45 days - making it the fastest-growing product in the company's history. Bebop achieved this milestone at twice the speed of Pearl Diver, itself a standout performer with $10 million of ARR within 24 months.

Most SMEs have been locked out of high-quality sales intelligence - legacy platforms like ZoomInfo, Clearbit, and Apollo are built for enterprise and priced accordingly. Bebop changes that. In just seconds, this AI sales agent scans millions of US-based companies to deliver a hyper-targeted list of verified decision-makers, complete with personalised strategic dossiers.

“Bebop is like ChatGPT, but specifically built for sales and revenue growth. This is one of the fastest go-to-market trajectories we’ve seen across the SaaS and AI landscape, and customers have rapidly validated our value proposition. We hit it out of the park with Pearl Diver, so it’s extremely exciting to see Bebop overtake its impressive early adoption. Bebop’s traction validates our core thesis: that speed, usability, and value drive adoption. And our platform was built to scale these advantages, fast” comments Nick Lissette, Chief Executive Officer

Faster and more intelligent for a fraction of the cost

Bebop delivers enterprise-grade sales intelligence at a fraction of the cost of other platforms - finally making AI-powered sales intelligence accessible to the SME market.

“There’s rising demand for AI-native, cost-effective sales tools that solve real SME challenges. With Bebop, we imagined unlocking unlimited revenue opportunities and cutting-edge business intelligence. Early customer feedback highlights Bebop’s ability to “save hours in research,” “generate customers effortlessly,” and “bring the power of AI to the everyday business owner”. That’s real results; and a real threat to Silicon Valley sales giants,” believes Lissette.

He adds that this previous generation of B2B tools relies on SQL queries over large databases, with apps designed to make that experience as seamless as possible. “Bebop has intelligence at its core - genuinely understanding what a business provides and exactly who needs it. Our product delivers a fundamentally different experience that unlocks deep insights that fuel measurable revenue growth.”

Doubling down on AI’s potential

Bebop was developed and taken to market in just 90 days. This was only possible because of years of investment into Blackpearl Group’s proprietary software and data platform - formally known as Pearl Engine - a testament to the company’s rapid innovation and robust technology infrastructure.

“That conviction has been validated. The results show Bebop is not just viable – it’s a force multiplier for BPG’s revenue growth. It now stands alongside Pearl Diver as a key driver in our product portfolio, reinforcing our strategy of building scalable, high-impact tools for customer acquisition,” reiterates Lissette. “Bebop’s rapid market-fit means our line of sight on $20M ARR is even clearer. And this also will greatly contribute to our medium target of $50M ARR.”

“We have deliberately invested since our capital raise intovplatform development and talent acquisition. The vision and engine is working. Our investment and market timing have aligned. With two products both demonstrating scale and demand, we’re well positioned for sustained growth,” concludes Karen Cargill, Interim Chief Financial Officer

About Blackpearl Group

Blackpearl Group (BPG) 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), BPG consistently delivers exceptional value to its customers. Our mantra is simple: ‘Better Growth Together’. When our customers win, we win.

Founded in 2012, BPG is based in Wellington, New Zealand, and Phoenix, Arizona.

www.Blackpearl.com

Tariffing New Zealand Timber And Lumber Products To The U.S. Would Be Troublesome

Mike Hearn — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 00:35:37 GMT

With a population of 5.2 million people spread over a land area slightly less than the state of Colorado, New Zealand has a strong story to tell about free trade, farming and renewable forestry resources. No more so than when it comes to endorsing our high-quality softwood timber and lumber products that have gained popularity among American consumers in the home construction industry due to their appearance, superior machining properties and premium quality.

Forests thrive in New Zealand’s climate and the sector supports a year-round harvest – with responsible production central to the industry. Plantation forests are sustainably managed (with large areas under global certification programmes), and are dominated by radiata pine, a productive and fast-growing softwood species. Processed outputs from our forest estates range from lumber, pulp and paper, panels, to engineered wood and remanufactured products.

The strength of New Zealand pine compares favourably with that of most traditional construction lumber species. Appropriate conversion processes ensure that the higher-strength wood fibre near the outside of the log is sawn for building and construction. Our radiata pine is versatile and is excellent for an impressive range of structural and appearance applications. It is easily kiln dried or chemically treated to produce stable and long-lasting products.

Due to limited domestic demand for our wood products, we have always taken great pride in developing relationships and exporting our timber and lumber to overseas markets, such as the United States. In 2024, we exported $US215 million of radiata pine products from New Zealand to the United States making the U.S. our third largest export market for forest products behind China and Australia. Although the $US215 million is minor when compared to the total global imports of $US2.3 billion of timber and lumber products into the United States, this trade is valued by both the New Zealand producers and the American DIY customers.

New Zealand timber and lumber exporters are known for providing high value wood products into the United States, most of which is sold into the DIY end user’s market, such as Home Depot, Lowes and Menards.

Given the healthy relationship between the United States and New Zealand on the trade front, the temporary relief of tariffs on timber and lumber imported into the United States has been welcomed. Though we realise that this tariff exemption could be short lived based on the outcome of the Section 232 investigation aimed at determining the global effects imports of timber, lumber and their derivative products have on the United Sates supply chain.

As a small niche supplier of wood products that are needed by the U.S. domestic building market, there is a strong argument for keeping New Zealand timber and lumber imports tariff free to avoid any additional price hikes and further supply chain disruptions.

If tariffs are added to imported New Zealand wood products, this will have a direct impact on the American consumer through price increases and supply availability on articles like clear pine boards, moldings, solid wood sidings and primed product. As one customer in the United States commented “a lot of what we buy from New Zealand we can’t get elsewhere easily, so expect we may have to pay extra, resulting in higher prices for the consumer”. As an example, clear radiata pine boards are unable to be produced in the United States as no domestic species come from a pruned forestry resource.

There is a realisation that due to our low trade barriers and the minimal effect we have on global imports into the United States, that New Zealand is not the target of any new tariffs. However, there is a chance that we will be unintentionally caught up in the tariff effects should they be implemented. With high shipping and production costs, it is anticipated that should a tariff on New Zealand timber and lumber products be imposed then this will lead to higher prices at a time when other building material costs are also on the rise.

From a New Zealand perspective we look upon the temporary tariff exemption on timber and lumber products as a blessing, and we thank our kindred organisations in America, such as the National Association of Home Builders and the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association, for their support in making this happen. Like many, we now wait for completion of the section. 232 Investigation as to what the future holds for imported New Zealand timber and lumber products entering the United States.

Mark Ross

Chief Executive

Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association of NZ

https://wpma.org.nz/

Welcoming PAE New Zealand to the Switched On Group Whānau

Mike Hearn — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 21:23:51 GMT

Kā te Rama Switched On Group has signed a Sales and Purchase Agreement with PAE New Zealand.

As a respected leader in commercial facilities and asset management, PAE NZ will bring valuable expertise that will strengthen and expand our Group's capabilities. This strategic acquisition will build on our established strengths in construction and social housing facilities management, supporting Switched On Group’s aspiration to be national leaders in comprehensive, end-to-end facilities management solutions. At this stage, the timing for welcoming PAE NZ to the Group is forecasted to be the end of June.

Stronger Together: A Shared Vision for Aotearoa

“Bringing PAE NZ’s legacy, capability and solid track record alongside our Group’s 40-plus years in construction and social infrastructure will help us build partnerships with a range of property owners who need a total facilities management solution. This acquisition aligns with our Group’s vision of enhancing people’s environments across Aotearoa,” says Board Chair Paul Rogers, Ngāti Porou ki Hauraki.

The purchase will enable Switched On Group to extend its reach and have a larger impact on whānau, businesses, and communities with the ability to service a wider client base across the residential, commercial and government property sectors.

“Our Group has operated in community housing facilities management for more than 40 years, complemented by construction services such as fit-outs, refurbishments, and new builds. Coming together with PAE NZ will mean we can offer full facilities management, asset management, and maintenance across sectors, while maintaining the local service focus that both our organisations value," says Group Chief Executive Chris Hughes.

A New Chapter for PAE NZ
Becoming part of Kā te Rama Switched On Group will represent an exciting new chapter for PAE NZ. Previously owned by global corporations, the acquisition will represent a change to 100% New Zealand shareholding for PAE NZ, which has been New Zealand led and operated for more than 30 years.

Local whānau and iwi ownership, which is forecasted to take effect in late June, is a strategic move to grow the business further nationally, while maintaining delivery of longstanding mahi for kiwi clients such as the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), Fonterra, University of Auckland, Contact Energy, PGG Wrightson, and DB Breweries.

“Our commitment to our clients and service delivery remains unchanged, but we can now collaborate nationally with a Group that shares our local focus on excellence in facilities and asset management, and maintenance. We are stronger together, and combining creates a one-of-a-kind, kiwi-owned, comprehensive facilities management provider for New Zealand,” says PAE NZ Chief Executive Chris Pile.

About Kā te Rama Switched On Group
Kā te Rama Switched On Group is a whānau and iwi-owned construction and facilities management business, founded by the Hughes family in Christchurch in the 1980s. The Group has deep roots in social housing and has grown to deliver construction, fit-outs, refurbishments, new builds, and maintenance services across Aotearoa. In 2021, Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira became shareholders, making the Group majority Māori-owned and Amotai registered.

About PAE New Zealand
PAE NZ is a commercial facilities and asset management specialist, established in 1991. With a legacy of long-term partnerships, including with the New Zealand Defence Force, the company manages over 4,000 buildings and completes more than 230,000 maintenance jobs annually.

More: www.pae.co.nz

Invest in NZ MedTech Going Global: OptiRTP’s Breakthrough Wellness System

Mike Hearn — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 03:22:01 GMT

After a decade of research & development, NZ medtech company OptiRTP is taking its non-invasive, sound-based digital therapeutic global. Optimum Bio Sound Therapy (OBST) delivers proprietary, precision-tuned, ultra-low frequency signals through a cutting-edge in-home medical platform—activating the body’s innate systems for recovery, resilience, and cellular regeneration.

FDA-registered as a Class I medical device and Medsafe-listed in New Zealand, OBST has delivered over 200,000 therapy hours to 1,100+ users. It is trusted by over 35 respected high-performance industry professionals including Olympic medalists, Paralympians, World Cup athletes and national coaches - each of whom has experienced meaningful outcomes:

Sir Graham Henry, former All Blacks Head Coach, reported improved sleep and waking feeling better;
Grant Sharman MNZM, Wheel Blacks Player, Coach and towering figure in the disability sports community, used OBST for both pain and accelerated wound repair;
Sarah Hirini MNZM, NZ Women’s Sevens Rugby Captain, remains a committed OptiRTP advocate for accelerated recovery, health, and resilience.
Corbin Hart, Paralympic canoe sprinter, reported elimination of ghost pain and improved performance and recovery;

A Real-World Data study—developed with U.S.-based partner Lindus Health—will evaluate OBST’s impact in five key wellness areas using validated PROMIS measures:

Pain interference, fatigue, sleep quality, physical function, and emotional well-being.

With global foundations in place, OptiRTP is now inviting investment to scale this breakthrough New Zealand health technology—bringing next-generation recovery and wellness into homes worldwide, with initial expansion focused on the United States, India, and Japan.

Discover the opportunity: OptiRTP.com/Opportunity

Smartpay Enters into Scheme Implementation Agreement at NZ$1.20 in Cash per Share

Mike Hearn — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 01:40:59 GMT

Smartpay Holdings Limited (NZSX:SPY, ASX:SMP, “Smartpay” or “the Company”) has entered into a Scheme Implementation Agreement (“SIA”) under which Shift4 Payments, LLC (“Shift4”), or wholly-owned subsidiary, will acquire all of the shares in Smartpay for NZ$1.20 per share in cash, by means of a scheme of arrangement under Part 15 of the Companies Act 1993 (the “Scheme”). Shift4 is an American payment processing business.

Highlights
• Following a comprehensive process and a thorough consideration of strategic options, the Smartpay Board has assessed the Scheme as providing the most compelling value for shareholders.
• Under the Scheme, Smartpay shareholders will receive a cash price of NZ$1.20 per share.
• The proposed consideration of NZ$1.20 per share in cash represents: o o o o a 46.5% premium to Smartpay’s 90 trading day volume weighted average price to close of 20 June of NZ$0.82 per share 1 an implied equity value of A$274.1 million / NZ$296.4 million;2 an enterprise value of A$282.8 million / NZ$305.8 million;3 and an acquisition multiple of ~14.2x based on FY25 Normalised EBITDA pre-NZ investment of NZ$21.5 million.
• Following the culmination of negotiations between the parties, Shift4 has stated that the offer price under the Scheme of NZ$1.20 per share represents its best and final price, in the absence of a Competing Proposal.
• The Scheme is subject to the approval of Smartpay shareholders, consent under the New Zealand Overseas Investment Act 2005, approval of the New Zealand High Court, there being no Material Adverse Change and other customary conditions as detailed in the Scheme Implementation Agreement. The Scheme is not subject to any financing condition.
• Smartpay shareholder approval will be sought at a special meeting of shareholders expected to be held in Q3 2025. Smartpay shareholders do not need to take any action at the current time.

The Directors unanimously recommend that shareholders vote in favour of the Scheme, subject to the Scheme price being within or above the Independent Adviser’s valuation range for Smartpay shares and in the absence of a Superior Proposal. Subject to the same qualifications, the Directors intend to vote, or procure the voting of, all of the Smartpay shares that they hold or control in favour of the Scheme.3

The Scheme has support from Smartpay’s substantial shareholder Microequities Asset Management

As at the date of this announcement, Microequities Asset Management Group Limited (ACN: 110 777 056) (“Microequities Asset Management”), its associated entities and funds of, or managed by, Microequities Asset Management or its associated entities hold or control 32,109,979 Smartpay shares (representing approximately 13.3% of the Smartpay shares on issue). Microequities Asset Management, its associated entities and any funds of, or managed by, Microequities Asset Management or its associated entities intend to vote all Smartpay shares held or controlled by them as at the time of the Scheme Meeting in favour of the Scheme (noting that Microequities Asset Management, its associated entities and any funds of, or managed by, Microequities Asset Management or 1Period of 90 days of trading on the NZX between February 10 2025 to 20 June 2025, excluding New Zealand public holidays 2Using an NZD:AUD FX rate of 0.9248 as at 19 June 2025 , net debt of NZ$9.5 million as at 31 March 2025, and ordinary shares outstanding of 241,943,464 (excluding 169,931 shares held as treasury stock) and Share Performance Rights of 5,024,541. 3In the case of Carlos Gil, the representative director of one of Smartpay’s largest shareholders, Microequities Asset Management, such intention to vote, or procure the voting of, all of the Smartpay shares that he holds or controls in favour of the Scheme does not extend to any shares held or controlled by Microequities Asset Management, its associated entities or any funds of, or managed by, Microequities Asset Management or its associated entities. See the separate statement included in this announcement in relation to Microequities Asset Management. its associated entities reserve the right to sell any Smartpay shares held or controlled by them at any time), in the absence of a Superior Proposal and subject to the Independent Adviser concluding (and continuing to conclude) that the Scheme price is within or above the Independent Adviser’s valuation range for the shares.

Background to recommendation Following a comprehensive process to review expressions of interest and test a broad range of other potentially interested parties, the Smartpay Directors have assessed the Scheme as providing compelling, risk-adjusted value and, if the Scheme completes, certainty for shareholders.

Chairman of Smartpay, Gregor Barclay, said, “Following the receipt of various unsolicited, non-binding expressions of interest to acquire the Company, the Board formed an Independent Committee comprising the Company’s independent directors, appointed external advisers and undertook a comprehensive process, with a view to exploring opportunities to enhance shareholder value.”

“In considering the options, including the possibility of continuing to implement the Company’s growth strategy as a publicly listed company, the Directors have carefully considered the risks and rewards of the various alternatives.

After a thorough assessment, the Directors believe that the Scheme currently represents the most compelling value for shareholders. Although the Directors remain confident in the future of Smartpay, the transaction will accelerate the realisation of value for Smartpay shareholders and mitigates the risks that would otherwise be involved in delivering Smartpay’s strategic plan over time. Accordingly, the Directors are pleased to unanimously recommend the transaction to shareholders, in the absence of a Superior Proposal and subject to the Independent Adviser Report concluding (and continuing to conclude) that the Scheme price is within or above the Independent Adviser’s valuation range for the shares.”

Marty Pomeroy, CEO of Smartpay, said, “Smartpay remains focused on being the payments partner of choice, investing and adding scale to our existing Australian and New Zealand business. The proposed transaction, if completed, will see Shift4 partner with Smartpay to deliver an enhanced value proposition to our customers, employees and other stakeholders while delivering immediate and derisked value to our current shareholders.”

Details of Scheme, including key conditions and exclusivity
The Scheme is subject to the approval of Smartpay shareholders, consent under the New Zealand Overseas Investment Act 2005 and approval of the New Zealand High Court. It is also subject to other customary conditions, including the absence of a Material Adverse Change.

The Scheme Implementation Agreement contains customary exclusivity provisions, including “no-shop”, “no-talk”, and “no due diligence” obligations. The latter two restrictions are subject to exclusions which permit the Smartpay Board to engage in relation to a competing proposal which is (or is reasonably likely to become) a Superior Proposal and where their fiduciary obligations require them to do so, subject to notifications being made to Shift4. Shift4 also has an opportunity to match any Superior Proposal. The Scheme Implementation Agreement also contains break fee and reverse break fee provisions (with each being approximately $2.96 million).

A copy of the SIA is attached to this announcement. The Appendix to this announcement sets out a summary of the Scheme process and a summary of key certain key aspects of the SIA.

Indicative timetable and next steps
Smartpay will, with the approval of the Takeovers Panel, appoint an independent firm to prepare an Independent Adviser’s Report to assist shareholders to assess the merits of the Scheme.

A Scheme Booklet containing information relating to the Scheme, the Independent Adviser’s Report, the reasons for the Directors’ unanimous recommendation, and meeting information is currently expected to be sent to Smartpay shareholders in Q3 2025. Smartpay shareholders will have the opportunity to vote on the Scheme at a meeting likely to be held in Q3 2025. If all the conditions are satisfied, the Scheme is expected to be implemented in Q4 2025.

The Directors encourage shareholders to carefully consider the materials that will be sent to them and to exercise their right to vote at the special meeting that will be called to consider the Scheme. If shareholders have questions or if they propose to buy or sell Smartpay shares before receipt of those materials, they are encouraged to seek their own professional advice.

Note that these dates are indicative and subject to change.

Capitalised terms used but not otherwise defined in this announcement have the meanings given to them in the SIA.

About Shift4
Shift4 Payments, LLC is a subsidiary of Shift Payments, Inc., a global leader in financial technology, providing solutions for every aspect of the commerce ecosystem to deliver a seamless and streamlined payments experience to customers.

Shift4 provides integrated payments solutions and commerce technology, processing over US$260bn in transactions each year in over 45 countries and servicing more than 200k customers across more than 100 payment methods. Shift4 partners with the leading brands in every industry across travel & hospitality, food & beverage, retail, sports & entertainment, casinos & online gaming, eCommerce and specialty sectors.

Shift Payments, Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

Source: https://www.smartpayinvestor.com/stock-information/updates/

NZ-NASA partnership launches five new projects

Mike Hearn — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:52:23 GMT

Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti and Space Minister Judith Collins have today announced that in partnership with the US, the Government is investing $5.6 million to support five new joint NZ-NASA research projects in the field of Earth observation.

Researchers from New Zealand and NASA will work in partnership to tackle challenges such as disaster resilience and environmental management over the next three years.

“These projects will combine some of New Zealand’s best research talent with NASA’s world-leading scientific expertise and technology, driving innovation in space science and environmental monitoring,” Dr Reti says.

“Advancing Earth observation science helps us better understand our natural environment and enables us to manage our natural resources more effectively. For example, we can use satellite data and AI algorithms to accurately measure water movements, which helps manage freshwater and mitigate floods.

“These projects will create a more resilient economy and drive productivity in some of our most valuable export industries, such as forestry and agriculture. They will also grow our science and innovation sector by positioning us in global growth markets such as remote sensing,” Dr Reti says.

“The US is an indispensable space cooperation partner for New Zealand and our engagement with NASA is a key part of our bilateral relationship. These projects will further entrench our ongoing and positive relationship with NASA,” Ms Collins says.

“NASA will contribute Earth observation satellite data, access to advanced tools and technology, as well as approximately $1.9 million in direct staff time and expertise."

The projects are the second stage of the NZ–NASA research partnership through the Catalyst Fund, following an earlier round of feasibility studies. The selected projects span a range of high-impact areas:

Te Mātai Pū o te Kea – High Altitude Coastal Remote Sensing – advances remote-sensing technology using Kea’s Atmos high-altitude uncrewed aircraft.

Satellite Multi-Scale Hydrologic Framework for Te Hiku ō Te Ika Wairere Ngahere – develops tools to measure terrestrial water flux via satellite data.

Monitoring Vegetation–Geothermal Interactions from Space and Airborne Platforms – Integrates multiple Earth observation data streams to measure chemical and physical changes via vegetation.

Near Real-Time Fuel Moisture System for Wildfire and Drought – builds a predictive fire model using remote sensing.

Integrating Machine Learning and Remote Sensing for Dynamic Forest Mapping – develops predictive forest mapping using satellite imagery.

Further information about the projects can be found on the MBIE website: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/catalyst-strategic-new-zealand-nasa-joint-research-programme-in-earth-observation

BioLumic's first-to-market seed treatment tech goes commercial in US

Mike Hearn — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 02:53:33 GMT

Business Desk profiles BioLumic’s leap from R&D to its first commercial contract in the United States. Field-trialed on 6,000 Midwest plots, light-activated hybrid corn averaged a 7.3% yield lift, with some second-generation plots hitting 77%. Partnering with US seed producer Gro Alliance, BioLumic is now selling light-activated seed at scale while moving its Light Recipe platform into ryegrass for New Zealand dairy, backed by fresh funding from Fonterra’s Ki Tua Fund and AgriZeroNZ. Founder Jason Wargent explains the science: precise light signals toggle existing plant genes, accelerating trait gains without genetic modification and sidestepping regulatory delays. Commercial machines housing 3,600 UV LEDs can already treat 2.5 tons of seed per hour, positioning BioLumic to capture a slice of the USA’s vast corn-seed market and to launch enhanced ryegrass by 2028.

Read the full article from Business Desk here: https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/startups/biolumics-first-to-market-seed-treatment-tech-goes-commercial-in-usa

Air New Zealand boosts long haul travel with more premium and North America seats this summer

Mike Hearn — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 02:50:06 GMT

Air New Zealand is turning up the volume on long haul travel from October 2025 to March 2026, with more choice and comfort on key international routes.

Customers travelling to North America will have access to more than 34,000 additional seats, alongside a boost of 20,500 premium seats across the wider long haul network. The airline is also bringing up to seven newly retrofitted 787 Dreamliners into service by the end of the year, offering a completely refreshed inflight experience from nose to tail.

Overall, the airline will operate 8% more seats to the United States and Canada compared to the previous year, including a 15% increase in premium seating.

With premium demand continuing to rise, Air New Zealand is delivering, with an additional 4,300 premium seats on Asia services alone.

Air New Zealand Chief Commercial Officer Jeremy O'Brien says New Zealanders' desire for travel is strong, and international visitor demand continues to grow.

“We’re seeing strong demand, including growing popularity of our premium cabins. Customers want a more comfortable and seamless experience, and we are responding by increasing premium availability and growing flight frequencies across our long haul network.

“As we move through the year, more of our newly retrofitted 787 aircraft will enter service, bringing a refreshed experience to destinations such as San Francisco, Honolulu, Vancouver, and Shanghai. The feedback so far has been fantastic, with customers loving the new seating — particularly the additional space and comfort in premium cabins.

"With strong summer demand on the horizon, we are pleased to be offering even more options to our customers, whether they are travelling for business, leisure, or reconnecting with friends and whānau.”

North America: More flights, more comfort

Customers heading to the United States and Canada later this year will spot additional flights added to key routes and more opportunities to book in premium cabins:

· Auckland to Los Angeles will see 11–12 flights per week between December and March, adding nearly 24,000 more seats than the same period last year (16% increase), including an additional 6,800 premium seats.

· Auckland to Houston returns stronger this summer, with Air New Zealand adding 4,500 seats between January and March.

· Auckland to Vancouver maintains up to seven services per week with the larger 777 added to the schedule over the December to early February peak, just in time for the Canadian snow season. Premium seating will increase by 25%, including a 30% increase in Premium Economy and an 18% increase in Business Premier.

· Auckland to San Francisco will see 1,800 additional seats (3% increase) and 2,700 more premium seats (21% increase), as daily services continue into mid-February and March frequencies rise from five to six flights per week.

Asia: Premium growth and increased capacity

Customers flying to and from Asia will benefit from increased availability and schedule refinements this summer, resulting in more premium seats to key destinations:

· Auckland to Taipei expands from three to four flights per week between December and February, adding 11,800 seats (27% increase), timed to serve both the Christmas peak and Chinese New Year travel.

· Auckland to Bali sees a 49% increase in premium seats (an additional 2,400 premium seats on the route).

· Auckland to Hong Kong will see a 28% rise in premium seats, adding 3,700 Business Premier and Premium Economy seats on the route.

· Auckland to Shanghai will see 35% more premium seats compared to the same period last year.

Increased capacity on Air New Zealand flights to North America and Asia are available to book now at www.airnewzealand.co.nz

Projectworks raises $12M to expand its project automation platform

Mike Hearn — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 02:45:33 GMT

New Zealand professional services automation startup Projectworks announced today that it has raised $12 million in new funding to expand its product development, go-to-market and customer success teams.

With the funding, the company is particularly focusing on developing generative artificial intelligence tools for the platform, such as time tracking and proposal generation.

Founded in 2019, Projectworks offers a cloud-based professional services automation platform designed to streamline project management for consulting firms, architects, engineers and software teams. The platform integrates core functions like time tracking, invoicing, resource planning, forecasting and reporting into a single system to help firms reduce administrative overhead and focus on delivering high-value work.

Notable features of the company’s platform include real-time project intelligence that provides teams with live visibility into project health, financials and resource capacity. The insight helps firms identify potential issues such as scope creep or budget overruns before they escalate to allow for timely interventions to keep projects on track.

The platform also offers forecasting tools that allow users to anticipate future project and staffing needs. The offering allows firms to make informed decisions about hiring, resource allocation and business development by analyzing current workloads and financial data.

Projectworks integrates with various popular business tools, including QuickBooks, Salesforce Inc., HubSpot Inc., Jira and Zapier Inc. to ensure that data flows smoothly between systems, reducing duplication and enhancing overall efficiency.

The company has seen strong growth, including achieving 140% compound annual revenue growth since launch and has a customer base of more than 600 companies with tens of thousands of users operating across more than 50 countries.

Notably in 2024, the company opened a new headquarters in Silicon Valley to accelerate its expansion into North America, the U.K. and other global markets.

The Series A funding round was led by Ten Coves Capital, with existing investors including Bridgewest Group and Punakaiki Fund Ltd. also participating.

“With the latest advances in project intelligence, specialists with lean teams and deep experience can go toe-to-toe with larger firms — and win,” said Steve Piaker, managing partner at Ten Coves Capital. “Projectworks is the first end-to-end solution built for consultants from the ground up. It breaks down silos that get in the way of growth and gives firms the tools to bid for and manage projects from a position of strength.”

As part of the funding deal, Piaker is joining Projectworks’ board.

Source: https://siliconangle.com/

Tracksuit raises $25M Series B to scale global brand tracking ambitions

Mike Hearn — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 02:35:49 GMT

San Francisco-based VMG Partners led an oversubscribed round for Tracksuit's Series B alongside existing investors Altos Ventures, Footwork, The Icehouse and Blackbird.

This milestone also marks us surpassing 1000 incredible customers globally and 240% YoY growth in the U.S.

Our overall dataset includes 10,000 brands, and we plan to double this figure to 20,000 by the end of 2025.

We're thrilled to today announce a $25 million Series B funding round led by commerce enablement and consumer brand investor VMG Partners, opens in new tab, with participation from existing backers Altos Ventures, Footwork, Blackbird, and Icehouse Ventures.

Since first launching in 2021, we've scaled our brand tracking platform to serve 1000 brands, including Athletic Brewing Company, Opendoor, Turo, Steve Madden, and The RealReal, enabling them to track critical brand health metrics like awareness, consideration, usage, preference, and perceptions across major global markets.

We delivers this data through a live, AI-powered dashboard that makes brand tracking intuitive and actionable.

“Historically, brand tracking has been expensive, outdated, and inaccessible,” said Connor Archbold, Co-Founder and CEO of Tracksuit. “We built Tracksuit to change that, giving teams a simple, affordable, and always-on way to measure brand performance.

"When brand data is visible and actionable it drives smarter decisions and stronger performance. Our goal is to bring brand data into every boardroom, and with VMG, we gain a partner who truly understands scaling consumer brands, and their support will be key as we accelerate growth.”

Our advantage in a changing market

There are two converging shifts in the marketing landscape that we believe we're at the forefront of.

As brands increasingly recognize that long-term growth depends on what consumers think and feel, there is a renewed focus on brand-building and the need for sophisticated understanding of brand impact.

At the same time, advances in technology and AI are democratizing consumer insights, making high-quality data and actionable intelligence accessible to brands of all sizes, not just those with enterprise budgets.

We're gaining traction as the powerful B2B SaaS startup solution for marketers, product teams, and executives to make smarter, faster decisions. Whether shaping a five-year strategy, testing new products, or optimizing brand campaigns, organizations now have access to insights that were once only available through time-intensive, expensive research reports.

With plans to expand tracking across Europe and Asia in 2025, we're rapidly scaling to support global teams and international brand campaigns at a fraction of the $1M+ per year typically spent by enterprise brands today.

“In working with Tracksuit, we’ve observed first-hand the impact that accurate and reliable always-on brand tracking can have on our marketing efforts,” Matthew Kerbel, Global Brand Strategy Director at Turo, said.

“We’re celebrating this milestone investment for Tracksuit and are looking forward to the platform’s continued journey of making brand tracking even more accessible and powerful for businesses like ours.”

The future of brand measurement

The new funding will fuel our mission to become the common language for brand tracking. We're currently tracking 10,000 brands, and plan to double this figure to 20,000 by the end of 2025. This growing dataset will underpin several new product launches expected later this year, many of which are already underway.

“Tracksuit solves one of the hardest problems in marketing: quantifying brand performance in a clear, continuous, and cost-effective way,” said Sam Shapiro, Partner at VMG Partners. “Brand is a company’s most important asset, and Tracksuit enables businesses to make faster, more data-oriented decisions toward building durable brand leadership.”

The Track team has more than doubled since our Series A, and we now have 150 employees across New York, London, Sydney and Auckland. We plan to hire at least 50 more in the coming year as we scale globally. Fancy joining us?

Source: https://www.gotracksuit.com/

Dawn Aerospace Partners with Oklahoma Spaceport to Launch U.S. Based Spaceplane, Unlocking Daily Access to Space

Mike Hearn — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 22:14:55 GMT

Caption: Dr. George Nield (Chairman, Global Spaceport Alliance), Jim Bridenstine (Managing Partner of the Artemis Group and Former NASA Administrator), Stefan Powell (CEO, Dawn Aerospace), and Khaki Rodway (Spaceplane Sales & Operations Director, USA, Dawn Aerospace) unveil the future—literally in hand—with a sub-scale Aurora spaceplane at the Oklahoma Breakfast during Space Symposium 2025 in Colorado Springs. Photo credit : Dawn Aerospace.

Dawn Aerospace’s Breakthrough – The fastest, highest-flying rocket-powered aircraft to launch from a runway, the Aurora is set to be the first aircraft to reach the Karman line - 100 km altitude - twice in one day
Space-Accessible State – Dawn Aerospace to establish operations at the Oklahoma Air and Space Port in Burns Flat, transforming the State into a launch point for microgravity research in the United States
Proven Performance – Aurora has flown 58 times and went supersonic in Nov 2024 (Mach 1.12 at 82,500 ft) and set a ‘time to climb’ world record (118.6 seconds to 20 km altitude)

Oklahoma, USA - June 12, 2025 – Dawn Aerospace and the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority (OSIDA) have signed a binding partnership to bring a Mk-II Aurora spaceplane to Oklahoma. As part of the agreement, Dawn will deliver and operate Aurora at the Oklahoma Air and Space Port. The Aurora is scheduled for delivery in 2027, with flights to space commencing that same year.

“Our mission is to push the boundaries of aviation all the way to space, and Oklahoma is a perfect place in the United States to make that happen,” said Stefan Powell, CEO, and founder of Dawn Aerospace. “By developing a rapidly reusable aircraft, we’re bringing the efficiency of aviation to spaceflight—dramatically increasing flight frequency, cutting costs, and accelerating breakthroughs in science and space research that deliver critical insights and services for a better future.”

A rocket-powered, remote-piloted aircraft, the Aurora is designed to carry payloads of up to 11 lbs (5 kg) to altitudes of 330,000 feet (100 km). With a rapid turnaround time of just four hours, it would be the first aircraft to reach above the Karman line twice in one day. This cutting-edge capability at the Oklahoma Spaceport builds on OSIDA’s decades-long commitment to aerospace innovation and economic growth since its founding in 1999. With this new era of spaceflight, the spaceport is set to become one of America’s busiest suborbital launch sites, solidifying its role as a hub for microgravity research, atmospheric studies, and satellite technology testing.

“The next industrial revolution is happening in space, and the scientific research and commercialization opportunities that exist in microgravity are transformational. Operating Dawn’s Aurora spaceplane at the Oklahoma Air and Space Port will both reduce costs and increase access to microgravity throughout the space industry. This important partnership positions the state of Oklahoma at the center of American space innovation”, said Jim Bridenstine, managing partner of the Artemis Group and former NASA administrator (2018-2021).

“Oklahoma is positioned to be at the forefront of the next space frontier and a hub for national defense,” said Oklahoma Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell. “With targeted investment, the state is moving to secure frequent and reliable space access and is set to become America's busiest suborbital launch site. Launching from Burns Flat will unlock a new class of microgravity research, national security applications, and commercial innovation.”

Microgravity research is critical because it allows scientists to study physical and biological processes in ways that are impossible on Earth. In a weightless environment, fundamental forces like convection and gravity-driven fluid motion disappear, providing new insights into material science and biomedical research. Frequent and low-cost access to microgravity will significantly accelerate discoveries, with potential breakthroughs in areas such as cancer and liver disease drug development, and advanced materials research.

Under the terms of the agreement, Dawn will supply the aircraft, ground control station and an operations team. Flights on Aurora are expected to cost, on average, low hundreds of thousands of dollars per flight. Campaigns of multiple flights will redefine the landscape of space launch and enable researchers to conduct experiments in rapid succession, accelerating scientific progress while keeping costs low. Oklahoma colleges and universities will have free access to the aircraft for research purposes for the first year of operations.

Reaching an altitude of 82,500 ft and achieving Mach 1.12, Aurora set a new benchmark for the fastest ‘time to altitude’ for an aircraft, surpassing a record held by the modified F-15 Streak Eagle set in 1975.

The Aurora's development will continue through 2027, with manufacturing and flight testing conducted at Dawn’s R&D facilities in Christchurch, New Zealand.

About Dawn Aerospace
Dawn Aerospace is developing the fastest and highest-flying aircraft ever to take off from a runway, combining the extreme performance of rocket propulsion with the reusability of conventional airplanes to enable high-frequency, low-cost access to high altitudes and space. In 2024 its flagship aircraft, the Mk-II Aurora spaceplane, broke the sound barrier, reaching Mach 1.12 at 82,500 feet, and set a record for the fastest climb to 20 kilometers (65,600 feet).

Dawn’s remotely piloted aircraft are certified under New Zealand’s CAA Part 102 and the New Zealand Space Agency's High Altitude License, allowing flight from the ground to beyond 60,000 feet—well above conventional airspace limits.

Dawn’s founders recognized the potential of applying aviation-style operations to spaceflight —delivering routine, runway-based access to space with rocket-powered aircraft. In addition to its spaceplane program, Dawn Aerospace is a leading provider of propulsion systems for satellite developers, with its technology currently on 25 operational satellites.

Source: https://www.dawnaerospace.com/

Space scholarships for seven university students

Mike Hearn — Sun, 08 Jun 2025 02:49:08 GMT

Seven university students have been awarded New Zealand Space Scholarships to intern at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these incredibly capable students. They will gain invaluable experience working on projects alongside scientists and engineers who are part of world-leading NASA missions,” Ms Collins says.

“These three-month internships will equip them with real-world skills to kick-startexciting careers in New Zealand’s fast-growing space industry."

The students, Asif Rasha (Auckland University of Technology), Shivam Desai (University of Auckland), Felix Goddard, Jack Patterson (University of Canterbury), Mark Bishop, Sofie Claridge and Taran John (Victoria University of Wellington), received their scholarships at a ceremony today.

The students will work on projects across the space spectrum, from deep space communication, the Big Bang and the early universe, to mission analysis.

“These scholarships, along with the Prime Minister’s Space Prizes, help us encourage the next generation of talent to ensure we have an aerospace-capable workforce. This is a key part of our plan to double the size of our space and advanced aviation sectors by 2030,” Ms Collins says.

“Last month I released an economic report that shows New Zealand’s space and advanced aviation sectors are thriving – growing by 53 percent in the five years to 2024. The space sector contributed $2.47b to the economy in the 2023-24 financial year, while the advanced aviation sector, which overlaps with the space sector, contributed $480 million.”

More information about the 2025 NZ Space Scholarship recipients and the projects they’ll work on is available on the MBIE website.

Applications are open now for the 2025 Prime Minister’s Space Prizes, which recognise and encourage innovative expertise through the Professional Excellence category and the Student Endeavour category.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

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Kiwibots teams bring back 4 world titles from the Robotics Education Competition Foundation (RECF) VEX World Championships

Mike Hearn — Fri, 30 May 2025 21:54:10 GMT

As chair of the NZ Robotics Charitable Trust/Kiwibots it gives me great pleasure to report back to you on our students incredible success at the Robotics Education Competition Foundation (RECF) VEX World Championships, during the first two weeks of May in Texas, USA.

Please take a couple of minutes to read the attached full results. KIWIBOTS at World Champs; USA. 2025.pdf

We brought home another FOUR WORLD TITLES! We also had more teams than ever before making it into the final play-offs of their divisions. One team even interviewed for USA television!

KIWIBOTS are super proud of this mahi and once again proved that we are “punching well above our weight” on the world stage of robotics. Staying in the top 1% of the world and proving our KIWIBOTS robotics STEM programme is innovating and life changing.

Thank you to our sponsors:
Smales Farm; F&P Healthcare Foundation; University of Auckland ; Tait Communications; TechStep; Faceton; PowerCo; Paly2Win; Eaton Industries; Caliber Design & SMC.

www,kiwbots.co.nz

AFT and Hikma extend US Maxigesic Cooperation

Mike Hearn — Thu, 29 May 2025 22:54:22 GMT

AFT Pharmaceuticals (NZX:AFT, ASX:AFP) today announces it has extended its US Maxigesic® licensing agreement with Hikma Pharmaceuticals. The new agreement is aimed to maximise the commercial and patient care benefits that come with following the intravenous form of the pain relief medicine (marketed as Combogesic® IV in the US) in postoperative care with the tablet form of the medicine (Combogesic Rapid).

The agreement will see Hikma take over all channels for Combogesic Rapid in the US — apart from the license granted to Alexso for certain specific market categories — allowing both forms of AFT’s patented medicines to be marketed across the entire US market. The US is the world’s largest market for pain relief1.

AFT and Hikma have also agreed to a restructure of the profit share arrangements for Combogesic IV and tablets. The agreement amends the previous profit share which featured a fixed specified profit amount before sharing commenced, to now being a regular quarterly profit share payment. AFT will be more involved in the sales and marketing planning for Combogesic IV and Rapid, also making a contribution towards marketing.

AFT sees potential for the new agreement to deliver greater commercial benefits than envisaged by the original agreements with Hikma2, one of the largest suppliers of injectable medications by volume in the US.

AFT Pharmaceuticals Managing Director Dr Hartley Atkinson said: “We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Hikma. Since the launch of Maxigesic IV last year, feedback from the market is that clinicians wish to follow non-opioid intravenous relief of mild to moderate pain with the tablet therapy – an approach that offers non opioid relief through all stages of recovery.

“The extension of the agreement with Hikma will allow delivery of this therapeutic option more effectively across the US. In so doing, we can not only help clinicians to offer comprehensive non-opioid pain relief, but we can also maximise the opportunity we see for both medicines in this market.”

Dr Atkinson said he looked forward to progress with the two medicines in the US.

“US healthcare costs associated with opioid abuse are estimated at US$11 billion a year3. With 6% of patients administered an opioid postoperatively going on to consume the medicine chronically4, the two forms of Combogesic offer clinicians an opportunity reduce the risks associated with the effective management of post operative pain.”

1 https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/pain-management-market
2 The intravenous licensing agreement provided for upfront, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments of up to US$18.8 million (of which US$6 million was received in 2024) for the commercialisation of Combogesic IV as well as a profit share from in market product sales. Milestones remain unchanged. These payments were to be shared with AFT and it development partner Hyloris Pharmaceuticals. AFT did not disclose commercial terms other than a profit share arrangement for the Combogesic Rapid agreement with Hikma.

Source: https://investors.aftpharm.com/

Bay of Plenty’s Wai Mānuka sees growing demand in New York market

Mike Hearn — Mon, 26 May 2025 03:43:17 GMT

A Bay of Plenty beverage company is making strides in New York, receiving a second order only two weeks after the company’s first landed.

Wai Mānuka chief executive Joe Harawira said the demand from New York was growing at a rapid rate.

Last week, Wai Mānuka launched into high-end retail chain Citarella Gourmet Market, with seven locations across the city.

The brand has also attracted interest from more than 200 luxury cafés and restaurants through its premium United States brand partner Finesaler.

According to the company’s website, Wai Mānuka is a non-alcoholic beverage infusing Mānuka honey with a touch of lemon juice and sparkling water.

“We shipped over four pallets of Wai Mānuka, which landed two weeks ago, and we’re now in discussions to manufacture and send a full container ahead of the US summer months,” Harawira said.

A single container of Wai Mānuka holds more product than the company has sold through New World supermarkets across New Zealand in the past 15 months.

“In our original plan, we expected to ship our first container within 12 to 18 months – not as part of our second order,” Harawira said.

He is feeling positive about the future and is already in discussions with a US-based global beverage investment company.

“We’re building the foundations to scale rapidly into the wealthiest city in the world.

“The key is staying grounded, fostering sustainable growth, and playing to our strengths – especially in a time of global uncertainty and geopolitical tension,” Harawira said.

“My hope is that our journey inspires young people from Whakatāne to raise the bar and back themselves to pursue bold goals.

“Our greatest strength lies in our uniqueness and in our ability to create meaningful impact.”

He said Finesaler had reported the Wai Mānuka brand resonated with high-end customers in New York.

“Wai Mānuka is a unique heritage brand from New Zealand, grounded in Māori culture and values. Their customers choose brands that reflect their beliefs – prioritising both personal health and the health of the planet.

“Purpose-driven consumption is shaping purchasing decisions, and Wai Mānuka delivers on that through both its story and its product,” Finesaler said.

Meanwhile, exports to Japan have been building steadily, reflecting growing interest and long-term potential.

“We’re taking a long-term approach with Japan, that’s how business is done there, and we’re really pleased with how things are progressing.

“The opportunity to expand into two high-value markets at the same time is exciting, both from a business development and investment perspective.”

Harawira has even begun talks with a chief executive of a sports entertainment company in China who is interested in bringing Wai Mānuka into some of the country’s luxury hotels.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post

Market Intelligence Report US Trade Update – 22 May 2025

Mike Hearn — Thu, 22 May 2025 04:56:28 GMT

The US – China announcement

On 12 May, the US and China agreed to reduce their additional ‘reciprocal’ tariffs from the high levels of 145% and 125% respectively, for a 90-day “pause” – through to mid-August (see White House Fact Sheet here(external link)).

Since 14 May, the US now applies a 30% additional tariff on most imports from China (consisting of 10% ‘reciprocal’ tariff, plus a 20% ‘fentanyl’ tariff), and China will apply a 10% additional tariff on most imports from the US (plus an additional 10% or 15% tariff on specific sectors responsible for approximately one quarter of China’s imports from the US, imposed in response to the US’s ‘fentanyl’ tariffs). These tariffs are additional to each side’s standard ‘MFN’ tariffs.

In addition to the tariff reductions, China agreed to “suspend or remove the non-tariff countermeasures taken against the United States since April 2, 2025”.

The Agreement commits both sides to “establish a mechanism to continue discussions about economic and trade relations”, led on the US side by Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and on the Chinese side by Vice Premier He Lifeng, with participation by Li Chenggang from China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).

The US – UK announcement

On 8 May 2025, during a press conference in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump, on a phone call with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, announced the two countries had reached a “trade deal.” This was the first deal announced since President Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on 2 April. Full details of the deal are not yet available, and both leaders acknowledged it has yet to be finalised. Both the US(external link)and the UK(external link)have released high-level details of the deal, with sector specific outcomes covering beef, ethanol, autos, steel and aluminium, and airplane engines.

US Truth Social post on imported films

On May 5, President Trump posted on Truth Social that he was authorising various US departments to institute a 100% tariff on movies “that are produced in foreign lands.”

The White House subsequently noted that “no final decisions have been made” and at this stage there is no tariff on New Zealand made or produced films.

Section 232 investigation into imports of commercial aircraft, engine and parts

On May 5 2025, the US Department of Commerce published a notice (link here) that it had initiated an investigation to determine the effects on the national security of imports of commercial aircraft and jet engines, and parts for commercial aircraft and jet engines.

As part of the investigation there is a call for public comments from interested parties and in the case of this investigation comments must be received by June 3, 2025.

This is the latest in a series of section 232 investigations that are under way. This includes:
- Copper
- Timber
- Processed critical minerals
- Pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients
- Semiconductors and semiconductor-manufacturing equipment
- Trucks
- And, commercial aircraft, parts and jet engines

Recap: Current status of New Zealand exports to the US

A 10% additional tariff applies to most New Zealand goods entering the US, on top of existing US tariffs, as per Executive Order 14257(external link).
- After a ’90-day pause’ on the higher tariffs on 56 countries/economies wasannounced(external link)on 9 April, the same tariff currently applies to US imports from almost all countries, with the exception of:
- China (145% additional tariff),
- Canada and Mexico (0% under the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement [USMCA], 25% outside USMCA; sectoral tariffs apply)
  It is not clear what will happen at the end of the 90-day ‘pause’ for countries whose ‘reciprocal tariff’ was above 10%.

The Tariff Finder(external link)has been updated to set out the total tariffs applicable to New Zealand goods trading into the US, for each US tariff line. It specifies, on a tariff line basis, whether the 10% additional tariff applies, or a 25% sector-specific tariff, or the tariff line is currently exempt from additional tariffs (noted below). Please contact us with any questions.

Current exceptions to the 10% additional tariff are as follows (as set out in Sec. 3(b) of Executive Order 14257):
- a 25% additional sectoral tariff applies to imports of steel(external link), aluminium(external link), including products and derivatives; and automobiles and some automobile parts(external link), instead of the additional 10% tariff.
- Products currently exempt from the 10% additional tariff are: copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, lumber/timber, certain critical minerals, and energy and energy products listed in Annex II of Executive Order 14257(external link), plus the additional semiconductor-related products specified by tariff code in Presidential Memorandum of 11 April(external link), ‘Clarification of Exceptions Under Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025, as Amended’.
  - Please note that these products may be subject to sector-specific tariffs in future; the US has already commenced national security investigations into:
  - Copper (in all forms)(external link) (announced 25 February)
  - Timber, lumber, and derivative products(external link) (1 March)
  - Processed critical minerals and derivative products(external link) (15 April)
  - Pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients(external link) (16 April)
  - Semiconductors and semiconductor-manufacturing equipment(external link) (16 April)

There have been no changes to shipments of low value/de minimis goods from New Zealand – these are still eligible to enter the US duty free if valued under US$800.

However, the US has removed the de minimis exemption for Chinese goods since 2 May, and instead, a 54% tariff (or a US$100 fee) applies per shipment.

Please contact us with any further questions on us.exports@mfat.govt.nz

We have recently updated our FAQs about US tariffs(external link).

Source: www.mfat.govt.nz

$577 million to support film and TV production

Mike Hearn — Fri, 16 May 2025 02:52:14 GMT

The Government is providing certainty to New Zealand’s film industry by providing the funding needed to sustain the International Screen Production Rebate, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis announced today.

“This funding will help bring investment, jobs and income to New Zealand, boosting our economic growth.

“We are sending a clear message to the world: New Zealand is the best place in the world to make movies. Bring your productions here to take advantage of our talent and locations.

“The Budget increase of $577 million across this year and the next four takes total funding for the rebate scheme to $1.09 billion over the forecast period, better reflecting expected demand for the scheme. Settings remain unchanged,” Nicola Willis says.

“The rebate scheme is working and we want New Zealand’s film industry to know the Government is backing them to grow into the future.

“At last count our screen sector provided work for about 24,000 people and generated about $3.5 billion in annual revenue.

“While industry incentives are not generally our favoured approach, the reality is we simply won’t get the offshore investment in our highly successful screen sector without continuing this scheme,” Ms Willis says.

“New Zealand competes with more than 100 territories world-wide that provide screen incentives, including countries like Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom that provide more generous incentives than ours.

“Eligible productions can access a 20 per cent cash rebate on qualifying New Zealand production expenditure where production costs are more than $15 million for feature films and $4 million for TV productions.

”A further 5 per cent rebate is available to productions spending more than $30 million which meet additional criteria for industry and economic growth.

“Inbound productions invested nearly $7.5 billion in New Zealand in the past 10 years, supported by $1.5 billion in rebate payments.

“Following a review of the rebate settings completed in late-2023, 10 big international productions have been attracted here, including eight from the major Hollywood studios. They include A Minecraft Movie, the second highest-grossing film of 2025 so far, and Taika Waititi’s Klara and the Sun now in production.

“Along with investment and jobs, New Zealand has benefited from acquiring a highly skilled screen industry workforce. Film production companies provide work for thousands of people and create fantastic opportunities for young New Zealanders.

“The Government will continue to work with the New Zealand Film Commission to ensure we continue to attract high-value productions from around the world.”

Notes for editors

Through Budget 2025, the Government is increasing baseline funding for the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate – International so it better reflects current forecast demand for the rebate.
Previously the Government was regularly called on to provide time-limited funding on top of baseline funding for the scheme.
The changes mean that funding for 2024/25 is increasing to $250 million, and to $210 million from 2025/26 onwards, which better reflects the expected costs of the rebate based on registered productions and current forecast demand.

Top

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Trade Minister to meet US Trade Representative at APEC in Korea

Mike Hearn — Fri, 16 May 2025 02:51:25 GMT

Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay travels to Korea today for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Trade Ministers meeting where he will meet with APEC and CPTPP trading partners including a first in person meeting with United Stated Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

“These meetings are an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand exporters, discuss our strong and mutually beneficial trade relationships, and restate New Zealand’s opposition to high tariff regimes," Mr McClay says.

While in Jeju, Minister McClay will meet with Ministers from: Australia, China, Chile, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Peru, Singapore and the United States where he will talk about the need for certainty for consumers and exporters.

APEC’s 21 economies receive over 75 per cent of New Zealand’s exports and represent nearly 60 per cent of global GDP.

"Open and fair market access remains a priority for our Government as we look to double the value of exports in 10 years and grow the economy," Mr McClay says.

“This meeting is an opportunity to deepen our connections with these major economic partners and support New Zealand exporters.”

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Rocket Lab Partners With U.S. Air Force for Neutron Launch for Re-Entry Mission

Mike Hearn — Thu, 08 May 2025 22:58:55 GMT

Neutron launch contract for U.S. Air Force - Flying on a return-to-earth mission NET 2026

Long Beach, CALIF. May 8, 2025. Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it will launch its new medium-lift reusable rocket Neutron for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for a Rocket Cargo mission that supports point-to-point cargo transportation, establishing a new era of commercial launch capability to advance global defense logistics for the nation. The mission is scheduled for a return-to-Earth Neutron launch no earlier than 2026.

The launch contract will see Neutron execute a Rocket Cargo survivability experiment under the AFRL Rocket Experimentation for Global Agile Logistics (REGAL) solicitation, an effort by the Department of Defense to create a rocket-based point-to-point transportation system to quickly and rapidly deliver cargo around the world with commercial launch providers. AFRL’s experiment will be launched by Neutron and re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, in a demonstration of re-entry capability for future REGAL missions.

Rocket Lab’s Neutron medium-lift reusable launch vehicle will provide both government and commercial customers with an alternative and reliable launch service capable of deploying 13,000 kg to low Earth orbit. Neutron is tailored to deploy constellations and national security missions as well as science and exploration payloads. In addition to serving customers with greater affordability in the medium-launch market, Neutron is key to Rocket Lab’s strategy as an end-to-end space company preparing to deploy its own constellations and deliver services from space in the future.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, says: “Neutron is a powerful new launch option that will set a new standard for performance, affordability, and reliability for government and commercial space users in medium launch. This opportunity for the U.S. Air Force not only helps to advance space logistics, it also demonstrates a high degree of confidence by the DOD in Neutron’s capabilities. Anticipation is high for Neutron’s inaugural flight this year, and we’re excited to showcase Neutron as a platform for R&D for point-to-point logistics for the DoD.”

Neutron is strongly positioned to capitalize on the medium-lift launch requirements for future government and commercial missions. Recently Significant progress continues to be made at the rocket’s launch pad on Wallops Island, Virginia, with the site’s completion expected in the next few weeks. Production, infrastructure scaling, and both Archimedes engine and full-scale components testing is continuing at pace across Rocket Lab’s various production and test facilities in the United States. Neutron’s debut remains on track for first launch in the second half of 2025.

About Neutron

Rocket Lab’s new reusable medium-lift rocket Neutron is a next-generation challenger to deliver a cost-effective, reliable, and responsive launch service for commercial and government missions. The advanced design of Neutron includes carbon composite for all of the rocket’s major structures and an innovative upper stage that enables high-performance for complex satellite deployments, including the deployment of satellite mega-constellations. The Neutron launch vehicle is a reusable launch vehicle leveraging the technology and infrastructure pioneered by the Electron launch vehicle, which has launched 63 times to date and provides the US government and commercial customers frequent, affordable access to space. Neutron utilizes a unique design that brings the Stage 1 and payload fairings back to Earth as a single, integrated stage. This maximizes cadence in a 13-ton to orbit reusable performance capability. Neutron is powered by nine Archimedes engines on Stage 1, and one vacuum-optimized Archimedes engine on Stage 2. Neutron operates from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 3 (LC-3) located at Wallops Island, Virginia from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS).

About Rocket Lab

Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier, and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle, a family of flight proven spacecraft, and the Company is developing the large Neutron launch vehicle for constellation deployment. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered 200+ satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab’s family of spacecraft have been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a third launch pad in Virginia. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabusa.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and space systems operations, launch schedule and window, safe and repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational expansion and business strategy are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of our website at www.rocketlabusa.com, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.

Source: https://www.rocketlabusa.com/

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Acquires First Capital Financial Services

Mike Hearn — Thu, 01 May 2025 01:03:50 GMT

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., April 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. today announced the acquisition of New Zealand-based First Capital Financial Services (First Capital) and its affiliate First Capital Wealth Management. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

First Capital is a financial advisory firm providing wealth management, risk management and employee benefits services to corporate clients and individuals throughout New Zealand from offices in Christchurch and Auckland. Hugh Percy and the First Capital team will operate under the direction of Graham Campbell, head of Gallagher's employee benefits and HR consulting operations in Australia and New Zealand.

"First Capital has a client-focused culture like our own and offers an excellent opportunity to expand our benefits consulting capabilities in the region," said J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., Chairman and CEO. "I am excited to welcome Hugh and his associates to our growing, global team."

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG), a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Gallagher provides these services in approximately 130 countries around the world through its owned operations and a network of correspondent brokers and consultants.

Source: https://investor.ajg.com/

AgriZeroNZ boosts support for methane-cutting feed additive with US $5M follow-on investment

Mike Hearn — Thu, 01 May 2025 01:00:28 GMT

Industry-government partnership AgriZero^NZis investing an additional US $5 million (approx. NZ $8.7M) in Hoofprint Biome Inc., a US company developing natural enzymes and probiotics to improve cattle health while eliminating methane.

AgriZero^NZ chief executive Wayne McNee says the follow-on investment underscores the importance of natural, microbiome solutions in its $61 million investment portfolio as part of its efforts to provide farmers with a range of affordable, effective mitigation solutions.

“We invested in Hoofprint Biome Inc. at an early stage because we saw its potential to develop a powerful emissions reduction tool to help Kiwi farmers meet market demands for lower emissions products, with the added benefit of productivity gains.

“The team has since made a number of exciting technical breakthroughs and is aiming to launch its first product for dairy cows in early 2027, subject to regulatory approvals.”

The Series A funding round saw a host of global venture capital firms come onboard including SOSV, Amazon Climate Pledge Fund, Alexandria Venture Investments, and Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Fellows. The round was led by SOSV with an increased company valuation, boosting AgriZeroNZ’s initial investment.

“We’re pleased to see reputable VCs come on board and ultimately give the team the best chance of bringing their product to market,” says McNee.

Dr. Kathryn Polkoff, Hoofprint Biome Inc. co-founder and CEO, says this boost in funding will enable the company to fast track its product development, with animal trials in New Zealand planned for early next year.

The enzyme blend, which would be mixed into supplementary feed, aims to reduce enteric methane emissions by over 80 per cent while simultaneously improving digestion to increase milk and meat yield by over 5 per cent.

Animals would only need to be fed one mouthful per day, making it easy to use with in-shed or pasture-based supplementary feeding systems.

Polkoff says the enzymes reduce methane emissions in cattle by re-shaping the rumen microbiome.

“These enzymes can prevent methane from being released in the rumen while also increasing nutrient flows to the animal.

“Delivering a feed efficiency benefit alongside a reduction in methane is really important. To us, the word sustainability includes what happens to a farmer’s bottom line.”

Dr. Kathryn Polkoff

Polkoff says their approach is unique because it’s based on nature’s own tools.

“Enzymes and probiotics are digested by the animal, leaving no milk or meat residues. We think these products will build on the strengths of Kiwi farm systems in sustainability and efficiency.”

Hoofprint Biome Inc. is also working on a probiotic-based delivery method for its enzymes, which could reduce dosing frequency to weekly or even monthly, making it a practical option for beef and dairy farmers who don’t feed supplements daily.

McNee says these types of microbiome solutions are an important part of its expanding investment portfolio, which also includes a methane-inhibiting bolus, vaccines, and low-emissions pasture.

“We’re investing in a range of potential mitigation solutions to give us the best chance of providing farmers with options so they can choose what’s best for their farm.

“Getting these tools into farmers’ hands is critical to help safeguard the future of New Zealand’s primary sector and export economy,” says McNee.

Hoofprint Biome Inc. is now AgriZero^NZ’s largest investment to date, totalling US $7.5 million (approx. NZ $13M).

Other investors in Hoofprint Biome Inc.’s funding round included existing seed investors Good Growth Capital, Twynam, and Ponderosa Ventures.

Source: https://www.agrizero.nz/

NZC partners with Major League Cricket franchise

Mike Hearn — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 21:43:09 GMT

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has agreed terms with US-based company True North Sports Ventures (TNS) to launch a new Major League Cricket (MLC) franchise, set to debut in the 2027 season.

MLC co-founders Sameer Mehta and Vijay Srinivasan are the majority owners of entities which hold exclusive rights to own and operate two MLC expansion franchises, the first of which will be launched by TNS in 2027.

TNS is exploring several key markets across North America, including Toronto and Atlanta, to base the new franchise.

NZC also has the opportunity to partner with Mehta and Srinivasan on other strategic opportunities, such as the second franchise planned for 2031.

The first-of-its-kind agreement between a full member of the ICC and a franchise in a leading professional cricket league will see NZC provide high-performance and operational support, including coaching, management, and support staff, as well as integrating the franchise into NZC’s domestic high-performance ecosystem.

In the second phase of development, NZC will offer expertise in cricket infrastructure and turf management.

Additionally, NZC has become a foundation investor in TNS, with the ability to make a more substantial equity investment before the end of 2025.

NZC chief executive Scott Weenink said the partnership would position his organisation at the forefront of cricket’s global transformation, as well as strengthening its presence in the world’s most lucrative sporting market.

“This agreement marks a unique and exciting milestone for NZC,” he said.

“As franchise cricket grows globally, NZC needs to adapt to seize strategic opportunities that ensure the sustainability of our cricket network.

“This helps diversify our revenue streams, expands our global brand and fan base, and creates new talent development and retention pathways for both our players and coaches.”

Weenink noted MLC was a world-class T20 tournament, and said he was proud to align with Messrs. Mehta and Srinivasan and the TNS investor group, to drive cricket’s growth in North America.

He said NZC would be joining an array of world-class, global sports, high net worth, and private equity investors in TNS, including 49ers Enterprises (the investment arm of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers) which boasts an enviable portfolio of global sports assets, including recently promoted English Premier League side, Leeds United.

Mehta and Srinivasan are serial entrepreneurs who co-founded Willow TV, North America’s premier cricket broadcaster, after which they co-founded the MLC and led its successful launch in 2023.

“TNS is delighted to partner with NZC, an organisation admired for its sustained success despite limited financial and playing resources compared to other international cricketing bodies,” said Mehta.

“As founders of start-ups that have rapidly grown to established businesses, we see NZC as a perfect fit for our new franchise.

“With NZC’s expertise, our expansion franchise will elevate MLC’s world-class T20 product and support cricket’s rapid growth in our region.

“The potential for cricket in North America is immense, and we look forward to working with NZC to deliver on both our ambitions and theirs, including broader strategic and corporate opportunities globally.”

MLC, which achieved “List A” status ahead of its 2024 season, is a leading global T20 tournament played in North America over three to four weeks during June and July, broadcast in the US via Willow TV, and in major global markets, including New Zealand.

Currently comprising six foundation franchises featuring players such as top BLACKCAPS Matt Henry, Rachin Ravindra, Finn Allen and Trent Boult, and overseas stars like Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Steve Smith, and David Miller, MLC plans to expand to eight teams by 2027 and ten by 2031.

The league also supports a robust youth cricket system and a semi-professional minor league in the US.

The yet un-named NZC-backed franchise, set to be formally announced later this year, will tap into a 25 million strong cricket fan base that is driving the sport’s rapid growth in North America, evidenced by the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup and cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 LA Olympics.

About True North Sports

TNS is set to launch an expansion Major League Cricket franchise in a major North American market in 2027. Majority-owned by MLC co-founders Sameer Mehta and Vijay Srinivasan, TNS is backed by global investors.

About Major League Cricket

Major League Cricket is the USA’s premier T20 competition, featuring world-class players and coaches. Launched in 2023, MLC has achieved “List A” status and is broadcast globally, with plans to expand to ten franchises by 2031.

Source: https://www.nzc.nz/

Scales increases investment in Shelby Foods

Mike Hearn — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 05:19:57 GMT

Scales Corporation Limited (NZX:SCL) today announced it has acquired a further 7.5% holding in subsidiary Shelby JV LLC (Shelby) for USD 24.4 million.

Scales Corporation’s Managing Director, Andy Borland says “We are delighted to lift our investment in Shelby. Since the time of our initial investment in the business in 2018 we have been looking for an opportunity to increase our holding.”

“Shelby’s performance has been fundamental to Scales’ success in recent years, with earnings growth since our initial investment materially exceeding expectations. We are excited by the platform that exists for further expansion through the various initiatives that have been put in place.”

“We are also pleased to be able to recognise our joint venture partner, Brett Frankel, for his contribution to this success, and we are aligned in our commitment and motivation to take this business into its next phase. That phase includes refreshed commitments to the business by Shelby’s founder, including to long-term succession planning within the management team”

The valuation and corresponding purchase price reflects:
• The strong historical and forecast earnings growth
• The improved structure of the business, which includes longer term contracts across its supply network and processing arrangements
• A more diversified and robust customer base, which we are leveraging across our global business
• The strategic importance of this business in realising our global single brand strategy
• The positive underlying macro trends for natural protein petfood ingredients businesses, as evidenced by recent M&A transactions.

Scales Corporation Chair, Mike Petersen commented “This investment is very positive for Scales and aligns with our stated aspiration of increasing our share in the Global Proteins division’s joint ventures over time. It is very pleasing to be able to increase our presence in the US petfood ingredient market, particularly at this time. Shelby’s sales are almost exclusively to US customers and raw material supply is domestically sourced.”

The transaction will be funded via USD term debt raised from Scales’ current bank partners, with post settlement gearing remaining at low levels. Settlement is on 16 April, with the earnings impact of the transaction applied to the full FY2025 year.

As a result of the investment, directors advise an increase in FY2025 earnings guidance for Underlying Net Profit after Tax Attributable to Shareholders, to between $37 million and $42 million. Guidance for FY2025 Underlying Net Profit after Tax reduces to between $51.5 million and $58.5 million, whilst Underlying EBITDA guidance remains unchanged.

About Scales Corporation Scales Corporation is a diversified agribusiness group. It comprises three operating divisions: Global Proteins, Horticulture and Logistics. The company’s diverse spread of activities gives Scales broad exposure to the agribusiness sector. Scales Corporation was founded in 1897 as a shipping business by George Scales. Today it has operations across New Zealand, Australia, United States and Europe. Find out more at http://www.scalescorporation.co.nz

Free AF, the Kiwi beverage company known for its non-alcoholic cocktails, will introduce a taste of New Zealand to Coachella this weekend.

Mike Hearn — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 01:03:12 GMT

More than 250,000 people are expected to attend the California music festival over two weekends, with a stacked line-up of acts such as Lady Gaga, Charli XCX, Travis Scott and Post Malone.

Festival-goers will now be able to sip on the brand's range of alcohol-free cocktails at The New Bar, Coachella's exclusively non-alcoholic bars.

Free AF founder Lisa King said the brand was "thrilled" to bring a taste of New Zealand's "vibrant alcohol-free culture" to one of the world's most iconic festivals.

"It's an incredible opportunity to showcase our non-alcohol cocktails to a global audience."

Interest in non-alcoholic beverages has surged in recent years, with one survey saying sales were growing by around 30% each year.

Free AF has already broken into the US market, with products stocked in major retailers such as Walmart and Target.

The brand also gained visibility earlier this year when Khloé Kardashian and Kris Jenner promoted the drinks during Dry January.

King said the non-alcoholic landscape was "evolving massively".

"More people around the world are choosing to drink less or abstain from alcohol altogether."

And it's not just the punters choosing not to drink at the festival either, she said.

"More than a dozen artists performing at Coachella this year have publicly stated they don’t drink.

"Being at Coachella marks our biggest activation of the year, aligning perfectly with our mission – to make not drinking cool AF."

Source: https://www.1news.co.nz/

Netflix shoot a success with locals in Devonport, Auckland

Mike Hearn — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 23:05:48 GMT

A large cast and crew who filmed on location in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland for Netflix have been praised by locals for their creativity and communication.

The four-day Auckland shoot took place in Cheltenham in late February to film part of the streaming giant’s adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic novel, East of Eden, following filming in Ōamaru and Central Otago.

The production, which has a working title of Timshel and stars Florence Pugh and Mike Faist, saw up to 200 cast and crew on set in Cheltenham, with local streets transformed to resemble California’s Salinas Valley in the early 20th century.

Ahead of filming, the production’s Auckland-based location managers arranged to paint selected houses in era-appropriate colours, including a notable villa on Cheltenham Road, built in 1906. Its owner, John O’Toole, said in a 31 January Devonport Flagstaff article that the location team and production company had been “great to work with”.

As reported in the Flagstaff, the production company arranged and paid for landscaping and for the house to be painted yellow for filming and then back to its original colour. “I can’t complain – we’re getting our house repainted for nothing,” O’Toole said in the article.

Devonport Flagstaff shared in a follow-up story that filming saw part of Cheltenham Road and nearby streets covered with gravel, with vintage cars, horses and extras in early 20th-century costumes attracting groups of spectators. Location workers on set told the Flagstaff that locals seemed happy and excited about the production.

This was confirmed by feedback from residents that location managers shared with Screen Auckland, the region’s film office delivered by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited on behalf of Auckland Council.

Screen Auckland worked closely with the Timshel team to ensure the production process was smooth, and disruption was kept to a minimum for local residents and businesses.

Here is a selection of the feedback:

“Thanks for being creative in our community of Cheltenham. Enjoyed the cars and horses and having you around.”

“It’s been a pleasure having you all in the neighbourhood. Crew have all been great and we will miss you.”

“I and some neighbours I spoke to were impressed (and pleasantly surprised) with the activity and organisation related to filming in and around Cheltenham Road. It was clearly a massive project yet there was little disruption…and there was minimal or no noise. Everybody we spoke to or met, from the location managers to those who were on security duties, were friendly, ready to answer questions, and accommodating of onlookers. The atmosphere was friendly, very respectful and disruption minimal and communication keeping us up to date could not have been better.”

As a thank you for their help, the production company hosted residents at a wrap-event at local beachside venue, McHugh’s of Cheltenham.

Netflix is due to release its East of Eden adaptation, a seven-part limited series, in 2026. Matt Horrocks, Screen Auckland Manager, says the series will showcase Cheltenham and its historic charm to an international audience, and brings significant benefits to Tāmaki Makaurau.

https://screenauckland.com/

Global investment firm Brookfield announced as partner for Ruakura Superhub

Mike Hearn — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 22:30:45 GMT

Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) and global alternative asset manager Brookfield Asset Management (Brookfield) have entered into a long-term joint venture (JV) to supercharge the development of Ruakura Superhub in Hamilton, New Zealand.

The JV will initially purchase four existing industrial/logistics buildings on long-term ground leases at Ruakura Superhub, which are tenanted by Kmart, Big Chill, Refrigafreighters and PBT Express.

The JV intends to develop out a further 70ha of logistics development assets at the intermodal logistics precinct with a forecast completion value of more than NZ$1 billion, and will consider further investment opportunities that present strong risk-adjusted returns.

Ruakura Superhub is in New Zealand’s major supply chain corridor, servicing around 45 per cent of New Zealand’s population, 42 per cent of the nation’s freight and 55 per cent of the country’s GDP. The site provides optimal connectivity and cost efficiencies, with a 30 hectare (ha) inland port connected via rail to New Zealand’s two largest commercial ports – Auckland Port and Port of Tauranga – and direct access to State Highway 1.

Tenants can also leverage sustainability benefits, which include the inland port facilitating cargoes off road and on to rail, a social procurement programme to create work and training opportunities for iwi members, and TGH’s track record in gaining high Green Star ratings for its buildings.

Under the terms of the JV, all whenua (land) will remain in Waikato-Tainui ownership across the full 610ha Superhub precinct. TGH will provide investment, property management and development services to the JV.

Chair of Te Arataura, the executive committee of Waikato Tainui, Tukoroirangi Morgan said:

“The new JV reflects the strength of the Maaori economy and signals that the iwi is open for global business. As an iwi our horizon is intergenerational; we are about building a legacy for future generations. Brookfield, which we selected for its aligned goals, values and fit, understands that. Together we will create real opportunities for economic growth that will reverberate for our people, Brookfield’s investors, and our city, region and country.”

Brookfield Co-Head of Australia and New Zealand Real Estate Ruban Kaneshamoorthy said:

“We are honoured to partner with TGH to further activate the major logistics and industrial precinct within Ruakura Superhub, bringing global capital at scale and unparalleled expertise as one of the world’s most active real estate investors.”

He continued: “A core pillar of our investments is to create meaningful benefit to the communities in which we operate. It is energising to invest alongside an organisation whose values are aligned with our own and where we share a drive to deliver long-term economic and social benefits such as job creation. Brookfield is a long-term investor in Aotearoa and we look forward to committing further capital to the country while working alongside local partners such as TGH. We’re encouraged by the New Zealand government’s approach to planning and infrastructure, which supports global investment in New Zealand.”

TGH Chair Hinerangi Raumati Tu’ua said:

“Our decision to partner with Brookfield is built on our experience over many years of partnering to bring in external capital, skills and networks to help us accelerate growth. Partnership is a proven strategy for TGH that has achieved success across a broad range of investments over the long term.”

She continued: “Our shared vision to invest at Ruakura Superhub will bring a suite of benefits to the Waikato and Aotearoa and in particular economic growth. TGH looks forward to a successful partnership with Brookfield and unlocking the full potential of the Superhub to deliver for our iwi over many generations.”

The Superhub has experienced strong growth over the past 30 months since its official opening in September 2022, including opening the first 12ha of the inland port and meeting high demand from national and global tenants for large, new-generation distribution centres.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025.

https://www.ruakura.co.nz/

NZ, Colorado to cooperate on space, science

Mike Hearn — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 03:46:38 GMT

New Zealand and the State of Colorado have agreed to deepen relationships and offer opportunities in aerospace, quantum and geothermal technologies and beyond, Space Minister Judith Collins says.

Ms Collins signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Colorado State Governor Jared Polis while attending the 40th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs.

“Today marks a significant moment in the strengthening of ties between New Zealand and Colorado,” she says.

“When Mr Polis and I first met a year ago we agreed to work to strengthen our partnership to further cooperation in science and technology, including in aerospace, quantum and geothermal technologies.

“This Memorandum of Cooperation formalises that we’re on the same page when it comes to the things that will drive economic growth, including research and development, company exchanges, regional technology hubs and innovation ecosystems that advance strategic industries,” Ms Collins says.

The Memorandum of Cooperation encourages increased collaboration between New Zealand and the State of Colorado across multiple areas including:

Aerospace technologies and applications;
geothermal technologies, including conventional and enhanced geothermal systems, geothermal direct use;
quantum technologies; and
entrepreneurship, venture capital, and startups.
New Zealand and Colorado have strong people-to-people links, historically through tourism. These links have to led to an important collaboration in new weightless industries and highlight the prospects for enhanced engagement in research, science, and technology spheres.
Our respective ski resort areas, Queenstown and Aspen, have enjoyed a sister-city relationship since 1992.
In September 2024, Auckland and Denver became City2City partners to encourage innovation and increase support to boost the startup ecosystems in both cities.
Two-way trade with Colorado is worth US$61 million (NZ$106 million:

Ms Collins says the agreement encourages engagement, and will deepen New Zealand’s commercial relationships as well as establishing links to develop new ones.

“Increasing collaboration will be a win-win for those looking to invest in New Zealand companies or start-ups, and the same applies for those looking to invest in opportunities in Colorado,” Ms Collins says.

The Memorandum of Cooperation can be found on the MBIE website.

Notes to editors:

New Zealand–Colorado Collaboration

Colorado exports to NZ are US$23m, with the largest contributors being transportation equipment (US$6m), machinery (US$6m), computer and electronic products (US$3m).
Colorado imports from NZ are worth US$38m, with the largest contributors being machinery (US$17m) computer and electronics (US$7m), beverage and tobacco products (US$5m) and processed food (US$5m).
New Zealand was the sixth-largest provider of foreign direct investment in Colorado in 2023. Twenty-nine New Zealand companies, many startups, have a presence in the Denver region alone.
The strength of these ties led to New Zealand appointing an Honorary Consul based in Denver, and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, tasked with growing New Zealand businesses internationally, has representatives in Colorado.

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Multi-billion dollar Defence plan unveiled

Mike Hearn — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 03:30:02 GMT

The Coalition Government today released a multi-billion dollar plan for a modern, combat-capable New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) that pulls its weight internationally and domestically.

“Global tensions are increasing rapidly, and New Zealand has stepped up on the world stage, but our current Defence spending is simply too low,” Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.

“This new Defence Capability Plan contains $12 billion of funding over the next four years, which includes $9 billion of new spending. This will raise New Zealand’s defence spending from just over one per cent of GDP to more than two per cent in the next eight years.

“This blueprint has been designed with a 15-year horizon but deliberately focuses on critical investments needed in the next four years to ensure our Defence Force can adapt as the world around us changes.

“The Government has committed to reviewing the plan every two years. Put simply, this is the floor, not the ceiling, of funding for our Defence Force.

“I want to acknowledge our coalition partners, New Zealand First and ACT, for their unwavering support in advancing this plan – and note New Zealand First previously drove the procurement of our new P-8A and Hercules aircraft.”

Defence Minister Judith Collins says the world is inherently more dangerous and our personnel are at the frontline of New Zealand’s security.

“They cannot do their jobs without the right equipment and conditions.

“This plan outlines what resources, equipment and support we need to modernise the NZDF to operate now and in the future,” Ms Collins says.

The 2025 Defence Capability Plan outlines indicative investments to ensure the NZDF is:

Combat capable with enhanced lethality and deterrent effect: This includes increased strike capabilities which will increase our ability to deter actions counter to New Zealand’s interests.

A force multiplier with Australia and interoperable with partners: New Zealand and Australia have committed to modernise our alliance and further strengthen our bilateral defence relationship, including the development of a more greatly integrated “Anzac” force.

Innovative and has improved situational awareness: Innovation in this plan covers new ways of doing things, as well as exploring new technologies for the NZDF such as uncrewed vehicles, new space technologies, and increased funding for Defence Science & Technology.

Ms Collins says the men and women of the NZDF have endured 35 years of cuts and underfunding.

“They join up to serve the people of New Zealand, however that is needed, and we feel immense pride and gratitude when we see them stepping up and into situations that the rest of us are running from,” Ms Collins says.

“But the way they were used for a prolonged period of time to patrol Managed Isolation Facilities during Covid led to many experienced personnel – those with 10-15 years’ experience – leaving for other career options.

“That has left us with a hollowed-out middle in our personnel, and this plan allows us to address that. Already our attrition has fallen from 15.8 percent in December 2022 to 7.5 percent in February 2025 – but we know we need to rebuild the core of the NZDF so we can fully utilise the ships, aircraft, vehicles and weapons we already have, while looking to what is needed in the future.

“Our personnel are expected to be called upon more often, in more places, and for longer. For this, they must be equipped and trained for a range of operations, to be more combat capable and able to deter actions adverse to our interests while also being ready to provide essential humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

“This plan does that. It gets our NZDF out of the intensive care unit and not just growing but growing where we need it to.”

Note to editors:

Defence Capability Plan 2025 is the Government’s plan to rebuild the NZDF and prepare for an increasingly volatile world.

Major investments 2025-2028:
- Enhanced strike capabilities
- Frigate sustainment programme
- Persistent surveillance (uncrewed autonomous vessels)
- Replacing the maritime helicopters
- Javelin anti-tank missile upgrade
- Network Enabled Army
- Special Operations sustainment
- Vehicles for the NZDF
- Counter uncrewed aerial systems (UAS)
- Long-range remotely piloted aircraft
- Replacing the Boeing 757 fleet
- Space capabilities
- Enhancing cyber security capabilities
- Enterprise resource planning
- Improved intelligence functions
- Updating classified digital services
- Accommodation, messing, and dining modernisation
- Defence estate regeneration
- Defence housing programme
- Future Devonport naval base design
- Ohakea infrastructure programme
- Defence, Science & Technology uplift
- Technology Accelerator
- Information management
- Digital modernisation
- Logistics resilience
- Consolidated Logistics Project infrastructure
- Implementing a workforce strategy

For the full list of indicative investments over the next 15 years, refer to the 2025 Defence Capability Plan.

GDP measure: To allow for international comparison we have aligned our forecast calculation to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reporting, as recommended by The Treasury.

The attached graph shows New Zealand’s historic spend profile on Defence, as a percentage of GDP, and the forecast spend as a result of this Defence Capability Plan. The uplift in spending shown in the graph between 2018 and 2021 reflect the investment made in the P-8A Poseidon and C-130J-30 Hercules aircraft.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

HEALWELL Completes Acquisition of Orion Health, Becoming a Global Leader in Healthcare Data Interoperability and Artificial Intelligence

Mike Hearn — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 04:30:14 GMT

HEALWELL has acquired Auckland, New Zealand-based Orion Health Holdings Limited (“Orion Health”), a global healthcare intelligence platform providing subscription licenses and services to marquee public sector clients with data interoperability and healthcare navigation products.
Orion Health(1) has approximately 400 employees with offices in 11 countries globally. Its software solutions currently support over 70 public and private sector customers representing 150 million patient lives world-wide.
HEALWELL will utilize Orion’s global health systems and deploy its best-in-class AI technology products to deliver actionable insights and drive better healthcare outcomes, deepening its public sector penetration and supporting Orion Health’s long-standing government relationships.
The acquisition was funded through approximately $55 million from subscription receipts financings and up to $50 million in senior bank debt provided by two Canadian Chartered Banks.
Ian McCrae, founder of Orion Health, was appointed to the board of HEALWELL on closing.

TORONTO, ON, April 1, 2025 – HEALWELL AI Inc. (“HEALWELL” or the “Company”) (TSX: AIDX, OTCQX: HWAIF), a healthcare artificial intelligence company focused on preventative care, is pleased to announce the Company has acquired all of the ordinary shares of Orion Health, a global healthcare intelligence platform serving marque public sector clients, for total consideration of approximately NZD$175 million plus a performance based earn-out of up to a further NZD$25 million (the “Transaction”) in accordance with the share purchase agreement dated December 16, 2024, as amended (the “Agreement”), among the Company, HEALWELL New Zealand Limited, Orion Health, McCrae International Limited (“McCrae International”), and McCrae Limited (the “Vendor”).

Dr. Alexander Dobranowski, CEO of HEALWELL, commented, “We are thrilled to welcome Orion Health to the HEALWELL family and are excited at the potential of creating a powerhouse of innovation that will deliver actionable insights and drive better healthcare outcomes globally. The acquisition of Orion Health represents a transformative milestone for the Company, bringing large enterprise customers, recurring revenues, strong operating margins and free cashflow conversion to HEALWELL while providing a significant new channel for the distribution of our best-in-class AI products. In addition, the acquisition strengthens our position in the public sector, enabling us to deepen our reach with government partners, thanks to Orion Health’s strong, long-standing relationships. With the added synergies from WELL Health, we are poised to transform healthcare through AI and data-driven innovation.”
Brad Porter, CEO of Orion Health, commented, “We are delighted to be joining forces with HEALWELL and delivering on our combined mission of revolutionizing healthcare through AI and data driven innovation. AI-driven insights have the potential to revolutionize how healthcare providers interact with data, leading to improved decision-making, better patient outcomes, and more efficient care delivery. By leveraging HEALWELL’s expertise in AI, and Orion Health’s R&D in New Zealand, we will enhance our Virtuoso and Amadeus platforms, ensuring healthcare organizations worldwide have access to the most advanced tools for care coordination and population health management. We are truly excited with the potential of our combined platforms and capabilities and look forward to the bright future ahead.”

The acquisition of Orion Health provides new opportunities for global health systems to access HEALWELL’s best-in-class AI technology delivering actionable insights and driving better healthcare outcomes. It unlocks substantial revenue synergy potential, as well as improved operational efficiencies and cost savings through shared services with WELL Health Technologies Corp. (“WELL Health”) (TSX: WELL). Collectively, these advantages strengthen HEALWELL’s financial profile, creating a larger, scalable business with substantial growth and value creation potential.

Transaction Details

The purchase price for the Transaction was approximately NZD$175 million plus a performance based earn-out of up to a further NZD$25 million. Approximately NZD$105 million was paid in cash and an additional NZD$70 million (converted into Canadian dollars) was paid through the issuance of 35,643,478 Class A Subordinate Voting Shares (each, a “Share”) at an agreed upon price of C$1.61 per Share, of which 78.6% of such Shares are subject to certain voluntary resale and trading restrictions.

The earn-out is a three-year performance-based earn-out of up to NZD$25 million, with up to 50% of the amount payable, at the Vendor’s option, in Shares based on the 10-day VWAP of the Shares prior to the applicable payment date. The earn-out is contingent upon Orion Health’s ability to achieve Normalized EBITDA (as calculated in the Agreement) greater than NZ$20 million for each 12-month period.
The purchase price was partially funded via a subscription receipt equity offering of approximately C$25.5 million at a price of C$2.00 per subscription receipt (the “Equity Offering”), and a subscription receipt convertible debt offering of approximately C$27.3 million at a price of C$910 per debt subscription receipt (the “Debt Offering”), both of which were co-led by Eight Capital and Scotia Capital Inc., as lead underwriters and joint bookrunners, together with a syndicate of underwriters. On closing of the Transaction: (i) the subscription receipts from the Equity Offering converted into 12,737,500 units of the Company (the “Units”), with each Unit entitling the holder thereof to one Share and one-half of one Share purchase warrant, with each whole warrant exercisable at a price of C$2.50 for a period of 36 months following the closing of the Equity Offering, and (ii) the subscription receipts from the Debt Offering converted into 30,000 convertible debentures in the principal amount of $1,000, each bearing interest at a rate of 10% per year, payable semi-annually in arears and maturing on December 31, 2029, all without any further action required on the part of the subscription receipt holders. The principal amount under the convertible debentures is convertible into Shares at a conversion price of C$2.40 per Share.

In addition, the purchase price was financed in part by a senior credit facility for an amount of up to C$50,000,000. The facility was provided by a syndicate of banks led by the Bank of Nova Scotia and inclusive of Royal Bank of Canada (collectively, the “Lenders”) and documented by way of a credit agreement dated March 4, 2025 (the “Credit Agreement”). The Credit Agreement matures on March 4, 2028. Security for the credit facility is comprised of security over all present and after-acquired property of each obligor under the Credit Agreement. The terms of the Credit Agreement are customary for a transaction of this nature.

Following the closing of the Transaction (the “Closing”) and Equity Offering, there were 261,547,371 Shares issued and outstanding on a non-diluted basis (339,778,565 Shares issued and outstanding on a fully-diluted basis).
In connection with the Transaction, the Company granted the Vendor a right to nominate a single member of the board of directors of the Company for so long as the Vendor (including any affiliates) holds over 66.7% of the Shares issued to the Vendor on closing of the Agreement (the “Threshold Share Percentage”). WELL Health has also entered into a Voting Support Agreement to vote its shares in favor of the appointment of the Vendor’s nominee so long as the Vendor holds the Threshold Share Percentage.

New Directors

The Company is excited to announce that it has expanded its board of directors through the appointment of Ian Richard McCrae, and has appointed Tina Raja and Sam Englebardt as directors of the Company following the resignations of Bashar Al-Rehany and Kingsley Ward. The Company thanks Mr. Al-Rehany and Mr. Ward for their services and wishes them success in their future endeavours. Following these changes, the Company’s board is now comprised of six directors.

Ian Richard McCrae
Mr. McCrae is the founder of Orion Health and sole Vendor in the Transaction. He previously worked as a Scientist for the NZ Department of Scientific and Industrial Resource before later completing a Masters in Engineering Sciences. Ian went on to work for Imagineering and Ernst & Young before founding Orion Health in 1993. In 2010, Ian received a World Class New Zealander award and in 2014 Orion Health became the first company to win the NZ Supreme Hi-Tech Company of the Year for the second time. In 2023, Ian was inducted as a Flying Kiwi into the New Zealand Hi-Tech Hall of Fame.

Tina Raja
Tina Raja most recently served as a Partner, and the Head of Business Development and Capital Formation at 26North Partners – a next generation multi-asset class investment platform. Prior to this, she served as a Managing Director at Blackstone in the Tactical Opportunities group, where she led European Business Development & Investor Relations across – Tactical Opportunities, Growth Equity and
Insurance Solutions. Previously, she also served as Head of Co-Investments and Investor Relations at Gemcorp Capital LLP starting in 2015. Ms. Raja began her career in 2008 as an analyst at Goldman Sachs.
Raised in London, Ms. Raja earned a BA(Hons) degree in Economics from the University of Nottingham. In 2017, Ms. Raja was recognized in the inaugural Europe Forbes 30 under 30 list for her contributions to the Finance Industry. She also serves as a Young Advisory Director on the board for The Metropolitan Opera and the Global Council of The American Ballet Theatre.

Sam Englebardt
Mr. Englebardt is a media and technology investor and content producer who is a Co-Founder and Partner at Galaxy Digital Holdings Ltd. (TSX: GLXY), a publicly traded merchant bank focused on the institutionalization of digital assets. Mr. Englebardt is also the founding General Partner of Galaxy’s Interactive division; now investing from its third venture fund, with over $800mm of AUM, Galaxy Interactive invests in opportunities resulting from the convergence of our digital and physical lives, including healthcare. Prior to Galaxy Digital, Mr. Englebardt was a Partner and Managing Director at Lambert Media Group (LMG) from 2007 – 2016, where he sourced and managed a portfolio of media-sector private equity investments including Rave Cinemas (sold to Cinemark in 2013). In addition to several private Boards, Mr. Englebardt is on the Board of Directors of iHeart Media (NASDAQ: IHRT). Mr. Englebardt earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School and studied philosophy, political science and economics at Oxford University and the University of Colorado at Boulder, from which he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.

Early Warning Report Disclosure

This press release is also being issued pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 – The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues (“NI 62-103”) in connection with the issuance of the Shares to the Vendor and McCrae International. In connection with the issuance, McCrae International will file, together with the Vendor and Ian McCrae (the sole shareholder of the Vendor and McCrae International (collectively, the “Vendor Parties”), as joint actors, an early warning report pursuant to NI 62-103 with the securities regulators in each of the provinces of Canada with respect to the foregoing matters, a copy of which will be available under the Company’s profile at www.sedarplus.com. A copy of early warning report may also be obtained by contacting Luke Hills at luke.hills@gowlingwlg.com

Immediately prior to the Closing, the Vendor Parties did not beneficially own, directly or indirectly, or exercise control or direction over, any Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable for Shares. Immediately following the Closing, the Vendor Parties acquired beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, or exercised control or direction, over an aggregate of 35,643,478 Shares (representing
approximately 13.6% of the issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis, and 6.6% of the voting rights attached to the Shares and HEALWELL’s Class B Multiple Voting Shares (the “MVS”), based on 261,547,371 Shares and 30,800,000 MVSs outstanding immediately following the Closing), such aggregate shareholdings being comprised of:

32,079,130 Shares (representing approximately 12.3% of the issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis, and 5.9% of the voting rights attached to the Shares and MVSs, based on 261,547,371 Shares and 30,800,000 MVSs outstanding immediately following the Closing) being beneficially owned by McCrae International; and
3,564,348 Shares (representing approximately 1.4% of the issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis, and 0.7% of the voting rights attached to the Shares and MVSs, based on 261,547,371 Shares and 30,800,000 MVSs outstanding immediately following the Closing) being beneficially owned by the Vendor.

Read the Full Article Here

About HEALWELL AI

HEALWELL is a healthcare artificial intelligence company focused preventative care. Its mission is to improve healthcare and save lives through early identification and detection of disease. Using its own proprietary technology, the Company is developing and commercializing advanced clinical decision support systems that can help healthcare providers detect rare and chronic diseases, improve efficiency of their practice and ultimately help improve patient health outcomes. HEALWELL is executing a strategy centered around developing and acquiring technology and clinical sciences capabilities that complement the Company’s road map. HEALWELL is publicly traded on the TSX under the symbol “AIDX” and on the OTC Exchange under the symbol “HWAIF”. To learn more about HEALWELL, please visit https://healwell.ai/.

About Orion Health

Orion Health is a global healthcare technology company focused on reimagining healthcare for all. Orion Health is leading the change in digital health with health and care organizations to improve the wellbeing of every individual with our world leading Unified Healthcare Platform. Made up of a Virtuoso digital front door, Amadeus digital care record, and Orchestral health intelligence platform – each underpinned by extensive health and social data sets, machine learning, and 30 years of innovation focused purely on improving global well-being. www.orionhealth.com.

For more information:

Pardeep S. Sangha
Investor Relations, HEALWELL AI Inc.
Phone: 604-572-6392 ir@healwell.ai

Statement by Minister Todd McClay following U.S. tariff announcement

Mike Hearn — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 01:07:40 GMT

“Today the U.S. has announced a 10 per cent tariff on all imports of good, with many countries facing much higher tariffs on a reciprocal basis. New Zealand exporters will face a 10 per cent tariff rate from this weekend. While this is a significant development, New Zealand remains competitive against other exporters in the U.S. market.

New Zealand’s interests are best served in a world where trade flows freely. Tariffs have consequences for the global economy – impacting inflation, demand, currency stability, and economic growth.

While these tariffs create additional costs that will largely be passed on to consumers, New Zealand is in a stronger position than many other countries, some who are facing higher tariff barriers. This reinforces the importance of our work to create new trade opportunities and reduce barriers for our exporters in the EU, UK, UAE, GCC and most recently India.

New Zealand’s bilateral relationship with the U.S. remains strong. We will be talking with the Administration to get more information, and our exporters to better understand the impact this announcement will have.

We will continue to advocate for a rules-based trading system.”

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Inside Real Estate Announces Acquisition of ListAssist

Mike Hearn — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 19:55:06 GMT

The acquisition will further the company’s momentum in delivering the industry’s most AI-forward and innovative solution, leveraging ListAssist’s natural language search functionality to improve experiences for both the agent and consumer.

MURRAY, Utah, March 13, 2025 --- Inside Real Estate, one of the fastest-growing independent real estate software companies and trusted technology partner to more than 400,000 agents, teams, brokerages and top franchise brands, announced the acquisition of ListAssist, an innovative AI-powered technology that elevates the real estate experience with intelligent tools for both property searches and marketing efforts.

“We are thrilled to welcome ListAssist to the Inside Real Estate family, and begin delivering this first-of-its-kind capabilities to our clients. This tech leads the way on AI-Search, and this next chapter will revolutionize the entire search experience,” says Joe Skousen, Chief Executive Officer at Inside Real Estate. “Leveraging natural language search, image recognition, and other AI technology, in combination with the extensive experience we have in search across hundreds of thousands of websites, hundreds of millions of consumer experiences and trillions of data points, unlocks a new world of data and insights. The solutions will empower our customers to unlock the most powerful and engaging search experiences for their clients, with unparalleled speed, accuracy and engagement. It’s a huge win for us all.”

ListAssist allows homebuyers to use natural, everyday language to find properties that match their specific needs, providing a tailored search experience without having to input any of the traditional search information, check boxes, or adhere to search parameters, and delivering accurate, hyper-customized results. Search information will be automatically processed in the back end of the system, directly in the BoldTrail CRM, so agents can generate smarter search alerts to boost engagement, foster trust, and deliver a better overall experience. Additionally, the technology automates the creation of property listing descriptions, analyzing property images and MLS details to generate polished, SEO-friendly content that enhances online visibility and draws in potential buyers.

“We are incredibly excited to be joining Inside Real Estate, and we’re proud to have delivered AI solutions to tens of thousands of agents and some of the biggest, most trusted brands in the industry,” said Chris McGoldrick, Founder of ListAssist. “Our New Zealand team is inspired by the big things to come, and we can’t wait to continue providing a market-leading experience for both consumers and agents alike.”

Inside Real Estate will host an Innovation Webinar on March 19th, where clients and prospects can learn more about this and other exciting innovations. Register here.

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About Inside Real Estate:

Inside Real Estate is a fast-growing, independently-owned real estate software firm that serves as a trusted technology partner to nearly 500,000 top brokerages, agents, and teams. Their branded portfolio, BoldTrail, includes BoldTrail front office, BoldTrail BackOffice and BoldTrail Recruit, solutions that create a complete tech ecosystem for clients, and deliver seamless end-to-end operations, to scale success at any level. BoldTrail delivers a unique technology ecosystem through custom branding, robust integrations, and high-quality add-on solutions, and delivers the next generation of the company’s legacy brands, including kvCORE, BoomTown, btPRO, Brokermint, and AmpStats solutions. With an accomplished leadership team and its talented staff, Inside Real Estate brings the resources, scale, and vision to deliver ongoing innovation and success to their growing customer base. To learn more visit insiderealestate.com.

About ListAssist:

ListAssist is an innovative AI-powered technology that elevates the real estate experience by offering smart tools for both property searches and marketing. Instead of the traditional, often tedious search methods, ListAssist allows homebuyers to use natural, everyday language to find properties that match their specific needs. Founded in 2022 by Chris McGoldrick in Auckland, New Zealand, the company has rapidly expanded its influence, particularly in the North American market. ListAssist's innovative approach has garnered significant recognition within the real estate technology sector. In August 2023, the company won the "Crowd Favourite" award at the National Association of Realtors' Innovation, Opportunity & Investment. Summit in Miami. Subsequently, in October 2024, Inman named ListAssist the "Top Real Estate AI Startup" in its inaugural AI Awards.

Source: https://resources.insiderealestate.com/

INVESTMENT SUMMIT: Tax change for incoming talent to boost growth

Mike Hearn — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 09:13:30 GMT

The Government is proposing changes to tax rules which will contribute to encouraging investment in New Zealand, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says.

“We want New Zealand to be a country that attracts and welcomes the sort of talented people who will help grow our economy.

“When we attract Kiwis home or bring in new, smart talent we grow the economy and that means jobs, more opportunities and higher wages for everyone,” Mr Watts says.

“The current foreign investment fund (FIF) rules are a key deterrent for migrants and returning Kiwis, especially in the tech or start-up sector from coming to and staying in New Zealand.”

Proposed changes to the FIF rules involve the addition of a new method to calculate a person’s taxable FIF income, the ‘revenue account method’.

“This will allow new migrants to be taxed on a realisation basis for their FIF interests that are not easily disposable and acquired before they came to New Zealand. For migrants who risk being double taxed due to their continuing citizenship tax obligations, this method can apply to all their FIF interests.

Mr Watts says the change has been positively received by people in the tech and start up sector.

“I have heard from Graeme Muller, the Chief Executive of industry peak body, NZTech that the fast-growing tech sector continues to cry out for experienced high-skilled talent to support global expansion. He says these improvements in tax rules are exactly what we need to make New Zealand more attractive for both investors and global talents.

“I have also heard from Robbie Paul, the CEO of Icehouse Ventures, that this is a stand-up example of Government engaging on a genuine issue so we can all create a brighter future for New Zealand. He suggests foreign investment fund rules have been a deterrent for many of the world’s leading entrepreneurs and investors, including offshore Kiwis. These individuals play an important role in maximising the technology sector’s creation of export revenue and high paying jobs,” Mr Watts says.

The changes would apply to migrants who became New Zealand tax residents on or after 1 April 2024.

“We want to act swiftly to remove barriers for highly-skilled migrants to stay in New Zealand and invest in the growth of our economy, so the proposals will be included in the next taxation Bill, likely to be introduced around August.

“This is an important step and one which the private sector has been calling for, but we need to consider whether more can be done. We are looking more closely at the FIF rules and related international tax settings not only to encourage migration to New Zealand, but also to encourage our own residents to stay and invest in New Zealand.

“The Government will also be looking at how the rules impact New Zealand residents and will have more to say later in 2025,” Mr Watts says.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Rocket Lab Announces Intention to Acquire Mynaric, Leading Laser Communications Provider, in Latest Strategic Step Toward Becoming an End-to-End Space Company

Mike Hearn — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 02:52:38 GMT

Rocket Lab recently executed a non-binding term sheet to acquire a controlling ownership stake in Mynaric subject to completing a previously announced restructuring plan and regulatory review process

LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or the “Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it has entered into a non-binding term sheet with certain lenders (together, the “Lenders”) to acquire, subject to receipt of certain governmental approvals including those described herein, a controlling equity position in Mynaric AG (“Mynaric”). Mynaric is a leading provider of laser optical communications terminals for air, space, and mobile applications. The transaction is expected to close following the completion of Mynaric’s previously announced and pending StaRUG restructuring proceedings under German law, the completion of which would result in certain outstanding debt held by the Lenders converting into 100% of the equity of Mynaric (the “StaRUG Restructuring”) – subject to receipt of applicable regulatory approvals.

The acquisition, if accomplished, is expected to further strengthen Rocket Lab’s proven capabilities as a leading launch provider, spacecraft manufacturer, and supplier of satellite components at scale. Rocket Lab may fund this and other future acquisition opportunities with proceeds from equity offerings.

Strategic Importance of the Deal:

Laser communication has become a pain point for constellation operators, with products not readily available in high volumes at an affordable price. Through previous acquisitions Rocket Lab has proven its ability to take satellite subsystems and components previously only available in subscale quantities with long lead times and make them affordable and available at scale. Rocket Lab intends to do the same with Mynaric’s optical terminals to serve a growing list of customers and large constellations.

With an initial purchase price expected to be approximately $75 million, representing a fraction of the over $300 million invested in Mynaric to-date, Rocket Lab would establish its first European foothold in Munich, Germany, with a team of 300+ talented engineers and staff, opening up incremental European growth opportunities across Rocket Lab’s products and services offerings.

Rocket Lab would acquire extensive production assets, Intellectual Property, product inventory and committed backlog related to satellite-to-satellite optical connectivity solutions for next generation constellations, augmenting Rocket Lab’s already extensive portfolio of satellite components, subsystems and software. This acquisition, if completed, would support Rocket Lab’s ability to further vertically integrate the manufacture and management of its own future high-value satellite application ambitions.

A key driver for this proposed acquisition is that Mynaric is already a subcontractor to Rocket Lab, providing CONDOR Mk3 optical communication terminals for the Company’s $515 million prime contract with the Space Development Agency (SDA) to produce 18 satellites for the Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Beta. Mynaric is also a supplier into other SDA contracts, and Mynaric and Rocket Lab share many customers spanning commercial constellation operators, prime contractors, and defense and civil government agencies. Rocket Lab intends to scale production and introduce efficiencies to Mynaric’s existing manufacturing capability to further support SDA and other opportunities, providing these customers with improved confidence and assurance their terminals will be delivered on schedule and on budget.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck said: “We have been very clear about this strategic direction for several years now – Rocket Lab is pursuing every part of the space value chain. We launch our own rockets, we build satellites in constellation volumes, and now we’re closing in on the final step and most valuable part of the space economy – operating our own constellations to provide data and services from space using our newly announced Flatellite spacecraft. Mynaric has paved the way in developing laser technology. Their team and technologies will make a compelling addition to our satellite component portfolio and we look forward to making the technology available at scale for our own constellations and those of our customers.”

The non-binding term sheet entered into with the Lenders provides for a proposed acquisition of Mynaric by Rocket Lab following the completion of the StaRUG Restructuring on terms acceptable to Rocket Lab. After the completion of the StaRUG Restructuring and subject to execution of a definitive agreement, Rocket Lab would acquire 100% of the outstanding equity interests of Mynaric. The initial purchase price is expected to be $75 million payable in either cash or shares of common stock of Rocket Lab, at Rocket Lab’s option, with the potential for additional earn-out consideration based on future revenue targets of the Mynaric business of up to an additional $75 million in shares of Rocket Lab common stock or cash, at Rocket Lab’s option. The initial closing purchase price will also be increased (and the potential earnout consideration correspondingly decreased) to the extent of any additional cash investment by the Lenders or their affiliates in Mynaric after completion of the StaRUG Restructuring and before the closing of the potential acquisition.

The non-binding term sheet provides for an exclusive negotiating period between Rocket Lab and the Lenders and is subject to completion of customary due diligence by Rocket Lab and the negotiation and entry into a definitive purchase agreement between the parties. The definitive agreement will also include customary covenants and closing conditions, including required regulatory approvals and termination rights. There can be no assurances that Rocket Lab will enter into a definitive agreement or complete the acquisition. Mynaric is not a party to the non-binding term sheet and Rocket Lab is not offering to acquire and will not acquire any of the currently outstanding equity interests of Mynaric AG. Among other conditions, the proposed acquisition will be conditioned on the completion of the StaRUG Restructuring and prior elimination of all such outstanding equity interests without any consideration, as contemplated by Mynaric’s previously announced StaRUG Restructuring plan.

About Rocket Lab

Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier, and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle, the HASTE suborbital launch vehicle for hypersonic tests, a family of flight proven spacecraft, and the larger Neutron launch vehicle for constellation deployment. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually. Rocket Lab has deployed 200+ payloads from its launch sites in the United States and New Zealand for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab’s family of spacecraft have been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a third launch pad in Virginia. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabusa.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential acquisition of Mynaric AG from its existing lenders, the terms and conditions of any such potential acquisition, whether such acquisition will occur on the terms set forth in the non-binding term sheet, if at all, and the impact of the acquisition on Rocket Lab’s current and future product offerings and business are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the risks that Rocket Lab and the Lenders will not be able to negotiate and enter into a definitive purchase agreement for the Mynaric business on terms set forth in the non-binding term sheet or at all, the risk that Mynaric’s StaRUG Restructuring is not approved by the German courts or material modified from current expectations, regulatory and other risks associated with Rocket Lab’s ability to complete such an acquisition even if a definitive purchase agreement is executed, litigation and other risks associated with Mynaric’s StaRUG Restructuring, and other factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of our website at www.rocketlabusa.com, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates and expectations as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.

www.rocketlabusa.com

Teradyne To Acquire Quantifi Photonics

Mike Hearn — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 05:04:27 GMT

Teradyne to acquire Quantifi Photonics to deliver photonic IC testing to the high-performance Compute market.

NORTH READING, Mass., March 10, 2025 – Teradyne, Inc. (Nasdaq: TER) today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Quantifi Photonics, a leader in photonic IC testing. The acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approval.

This acquisition will enable Teradyne to deliver scalable photonic integrated circuit (PIC) test solutions. PIC technology is leveraging wafer-based manufacturing, multi-die integration, and advanced packaging with high-speed I/O interfaces to enable the rapidly evolving high-performance Compute market to support AI workloads.

“The extraordinary growth and complexity driven by Cloud AI will require optical interconnect solutions to support the bandwidth and reduce the power required for next-generation networks,” said Teradyne CEO, Greg Smith. “We are thrilled to welcome the Quantifi Photonics team to Teradyne to accelerate the development of cost-effective, high-throughput test solutions for wafer-level, die/multi-die and co-packaged optical module testing.”

“By combining Quantifi Photonics’ deep expertise in photonic testing and Teradyne’s leadership in semiconductor ATE, we are uniquely positioned to revolutionize photonics high-volume manufacturing,” said Quantifi Photonics co-founder and CEO Iannick Monfils. “The silicon photonics market is at an inflection point that requires innovative, state-of-the-art solutions to unlock its full potential. By combining our strengths, Teradyne and Quantifi Photonics will provide customers with complete turn-key photonic test solutions that allow them to scale. Quantifi Photonics is excited to join the Teradyne family.”

About Quantifi Photonics

Quantifi Photonics provides test solutions to help customers unlock scalable and cost-effective high-volume manufacturing of photonic integrated circuits (PICs), co-packaged optics and pluggable optics. The company’s portfolio includes a wide range of photonic test instruments, and digital sampling oscilloscopes, available as benchtop or the industry-standard PXI format to support cost-effective, high-throughput design verification testing and high-volume manufacturing.

About Teradyne

Teradyne (NASDAQ:TER) designs, develops, and manufactures automated test equipment and advanced robotics systems. Its test solutions for semiconductors and electronics products enable Teradyne’s customers to consistently deliver on their quality standards. Its advanced robotics business includes collaborative robots and mobile robots that support manufacturing and warehouse operations for companies of all sizes. For more information, visit teradyne.com. Teradyne® is a registered trademark of Teradyne, Inc., in the U.S. and other countries.

Source: https://www.quantifiphotonics.com/

Deputy Prime Minister to visit the United States

Mike Hearn — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 01:25:44 GMT

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to New York and Washington DC later this week for discussions on world affairs and to continue to build New Zealand's ties with the United States.

Mr Peters will hold meetings with members of the Trump Administration including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, other US political contacts, and senior representatives of the United Nations.

"The United States is one of New Zealand's closest and most important partners," Mr Peters says.

"This visit provides a chance for the New Zealand Government to engage directly with the Trump Administration in Washington on our mutually beneficial bilateral relationship.

"New Zealand and the United States have a long history of close and broad cooperation in pursuit of shared interests, and we look forward to discussing in Washington how to continue building on that in the months and years ahead."

A wide range of international issues will also be discussed during Mr Peters’ visit.

"Whether Ukraine, Gaza, the Indo-Pacific or security cooperation, there's a lot to discuss - and we look forward to doing so both in New York and in Washington DC."

Mr Peters departs New Zealand on Thursday 13 March and arrives back on Friday 21 March.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

From Franchisee to Master Franchisee: Martin van der Velden Brings Duck Donuts to New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 23:44:38 GMT

Marcel Portmann – Global Development Duck Donuts, Martin van der Velden, Melissa Sweeney – U.S. Consul General, Jonathan Watt – Commercial Specialist, Nathan Bonney – Iridium Partners

Duck Donuts, the beloved U.S.-based donut franchise, is making its way to New Zealand, thanks to the leadership of Martin van der Velden. A successful franchisee himself, Martin has taken the next step in his franchising journey by becoming the Master Franchisee for Duck Donuts in New Zealand. Along with his wife Anita, Martin is set to introduce Kiwi communities to the brand’s famous warm, made-to-order donuts.

With an extensive background in food and beverage franchising, Martin is no stranger to running a successful business. Having previously owned and operated two Bakers Delight stores in the Bay of Plenty, he understands what it takes to build a thriving franchise. Now, he’s channelling that expertise into launching and growing Duck Donuts across New Zealand.

“We’re delighted to welcome Martin and Anita to the Duck Donuts family,” said Devon Mailey, Chief Executive Officer at Duck Donuts. “We look forward to seeing them bring our brand to life across New Zealand and deliver the unique Duck Donuts experience to local customers.”

Martin’s journey exemplifies what comes after franchisee success—a path outlined in the article What Comes After Franchisee Success? by Iridium Partners. Taking on the role of Master Franchisee represents a significant step forward, allowing him not only to operate his own locations but also to support and grow a network of franchisees across the country.

The search for a Master Franchisee was led by Nathan Bonney of Iridium Partners, with support from the U.S. Commercial Service, spearheaded by Jonathan Watt, Commercial Specialist. The recent signing was celebrated under the watchful eye of Melissa Sweeney, U.S. Consul General, marking an exciting milestone in Duck Donuts’ international expansion.

Founded in 2006, Duck Donuts has earned a reputation for its customizable donut experience, where customers can create their perfect donut with a variety of flavours and toppings. With Martin and Anita at the helm, New Zealanders will soon have the opportunity to indulge in this delicious, made-to-order treat.

Stay tuned for updates as Duck Donuts begins its journey in New Zealand—bringing warmth, sweetness, and a taste of something special to our local communities!

Source: https://www.iridium.net.nz/

Going for Growth: Overseas investment changes to drive higher wages

Mike Hearn — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 02:04:21 GMT

Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced the Government’s plan to reform the Overseas Investment Act and make it easier for New Zealand businesses to receive new investment, grow and pay higher wages.

“New Zealand is one of the hardest countries in the developed world for overseas people to invest in businesses, and our productivity growth is woeful. Those two facts are closely linked.

“We are introducing reforms to improve New Zealand’s overseas investment laws. The package will speed up decisions and provide more confidence to investors, while protecting our national interests.

“Overseas investment can support economic growth because when workers work with better tools and technologies, they are more productive and get paid more.

“I’ve seen the difference that overseas investment can make. I once visited two businesses in the same industry on the same afternoon. Both had skilled and passionate people with good ideas. One had overseas investment, though, and benefited in two ways. They had more money for machinery, and they had more know-how for manufacturing and marketing their product by receiving knowledge from their partners offshore.

“New Zealand’s productivity growth has closely tracked the amount of capital workers have had to work with. Our capital-to-labour ratio has seen very little growth in the last 10 years, averaging approximately 0.7 per cent annually. That’s compared to growth of around 2 percent a year in the previous 10 to 15 years. Unsurprisingly, productivity growth averaged 1.4 percent a year between 1993 and 2013, but only 0.2 percent between 2013 and 2023.

“The Government has agreed on a reform package which includes:

better acknowledging the benefits investment can provide to New Zealand’s economy,
for all investments aside from residential land, farmland and fishing quota, making decisions in just 15 days, unless the application could be contrary to New Zealand’s national interest,
strengthening the Government’s ability to intervene on the rare occasion that a transaction is not in the national interest,
giving LINZ more powers to grant consent without involving Ministers.

“High-value investments, such as significant business assets, existing forestry and non-farmland, account for around $14 billion of gross investment each year. Cabinet has agreed to remove the barriers for these investments, while retaining existing protections for residential land, farmland and fishing quota.

“Nearly every other developed country has less obstructive laws than New Zealand. They benefit from the flow of money and the ideas that come with overseas investment. If we are going to raise wages, we can’t afford to ignore the simple fact that our competitors gain money and know-how from outside their borders.”

Overseas investment changes paper

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Banyan Software Acquires Healthcare Technology Leader, Medtech Global

Mike Hearn — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 03:10:05 GMT

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

Microsoft and Spark announce New Zealand’s largest Microsoft public cloud partnership

Mike Hearn — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 23:41:37 GMT

Strategic partnership marks the largest Microsoft Azure agreement in New Zealand

One of the largest Microsoft Copilot deployments in the country

Spark and Microsoft to collaborate on hybrid cloud offerings for Spark’s business customers

Businesses will team up to offer joint skilling academy and support AI learning within Spark.

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:

Spark moving a proportion of its workloads to Microsoft Azure.

One of the largest Microsoft 365 Copilot deployments in New Zealand, supporting Spark’s strategic focus on embedding AI across its business, with an uplift of 1,800 users, reaching a total of 2,500 seats.

A New Zealand first commitment in advanced data residency for Spark’s Microsoft 365 tenant, providing access to onshore capacity.

A unified enablement programme to support Spark’s adoption of Microsoft’s services.

“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.”

Source: https://news.microsoft.com/

Blackpearl Takes Aim At Silicon Valley Sales Giants

Mike Hearn — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 23:28:00 GMT

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

Going for Growth: Unlocking investment in NZ

Mike Hearn — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 23:07:19 GMT

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:

The Growth category will focus on higher-risk investments, including direct investments in New Zealand businesses. It will require a minimum investment of $5 million for a minimum period of three years.
The Balanced category will focus on mixed investments, with the ability to choose ones that are lower risk. There will be a minimum investment of $10 million over five years.

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.

Going for Growth: New rules for visiting tourists

Mike Hearn — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 20:10:43 GMT

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/

Top

Invest New Zealand opens doors to the world

Mike Hearn — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 03:13:55 GMT

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:

Attracting FDI into high-potential sectors to boost productivity and innovation.
Streamlining processes to significantly increase the capital available to invest in new and existing projects and enterprises including, banking and Fintec, critical infrastructure, including roading and energy projects, manufacturing and private sector growth.
Increasing research and development (R&D) investment in New Zealand by multinational companies.
Encouraging skilled professionals to enhance domestic capabilities and global connections.

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.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Enable Acquires Flintfox to Redefine Rebate and Pricing Management

Mike Hearn — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 02:49:10 GMT

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’s Growth in the U.S. Pacific Northwest: A Testament to Perseverance and Adaptability

Mike Hearn — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 21:09:52 GMT

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?

Do your research and know your consumer:WashBar’s journey into Mud Bay stores didn’t happen overnight. It had been the company's goal for two years. By attending trade shows and connecting with industry professionals and retailers, WashBar was able to gain valuable insights into what their customers would want and how their product would be a good fit with the local market. This knowledge enabled them to create marketing material that resonated and stood out with their target retailer and American consumer.This allowed them to have a store-ready product for Mud Bay when the opportunity arose.

Remember that networking is pivotal:Lou Knight, CEO of WashBar, went to an industry trade show called Global Pet Expo in Orlando, FL where she met one of Mud Bay’s buyers. That introduction, where they were able to talk 50% business and 50% personal, propelled them to secure a deal. Attending trade shows and networking events is key to building relationships that lead to business opportunities and deals.

Focus on the local audience:The work didn’t stop once WashBar made it into Mud Bay. NZTE has worked closely with them to create an action plan focusing on U.S.-specific audiences such as developing social media and marketing initiatives. WashBar even sent a representative to every Mud Bay store to train the local staff on their products so they can accurately relay to consumers how to use their products.

The U.S. is a sophisticated market which has significant opportunities for New Zealand companies. WashBar set themselves up for success by doing their research, adjusting when necessary and getting creative.

Source: New Zealand in North America

NZ company AF enlists Khloé Kardashian and Kris Jenner to promote its alcohol-free drinks

Mike Hearn — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 21:01:53 GMT

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/

Final Hercules successfully delivered

Mike Hearn — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 02:21:20 GMT

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/

Craigs Announces Strategic Partnership with TA Associates

Mike Hearn — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 20:09:09 GMT

Craigs Investment Partners (“Craigs” or “the Firm”), a leading wealth management firm in New Zealand, today announced that TA Associates (“TA”), a leading global private equity firm, has signed a conditional agreement to make a strategic investment in the Firm.  Under the agreement, Craigs’ existing employee and director shareholders will retain 50 percent ownership of the Firm, partnering closely with TA. 

“TA is an ideal partner to support Craigs’ growth ambitions and ongoing commitment to client outcomes given its significant global experience investing in wealth management, and its strong understanding of the regional market,” said Simon Tong, CEO of Craigs. “Craigs and TA are aligned on a client-first philosophy and the importance of a personalised approach to wealth management. Client outcomes remain our top priority, and there will be no change in the people or our approach to providing outstanding service to our clients.”

The partnership between Craigs and TA aims to further enhance Craigs’ position as a leader in the New Zealand wealth management market while enabling its continued expansion. Leveraging over 50 years of experience helping high-quality companies grow, TA will provide deep industry knowledge, strategic resources and a robust global network to accelerate Craigs’ growth strategy.

“This is an exciting opportunity that connects our local team with TA’s extensive global experience in wealth management, supporting our ability to deliver enhanced outcomes for clients in an increasingly dynamic environment. Access to TA’s international network, best practices and insights will help us elevate our services while maintaining the personalised approach that sets us apart,” Tong continued.

“Over the past 40 years, Craigs has established itself as one of the largest and most respected wealth management firms in New Zealand, offering a comprehensive range of personalised wealth advice and services to its clients,” said Edward Sippel, head of TA Associates Asia Pacific Ltd. and a Managing Director at TA. “We deeply respect this history and are honoured to support the Firm’s continued growth strategy and commitment to delivering best-in-class client outcomes.”

“TA has a long history of partnering with world-class wealth managers like Craigs” said Lily Xu, Vice President at TA. “We are excited to collaborate with the entire Craigs team to expand the Firm’s reach, continue enhancing its service offerings, and explore strategic M&A opportunities.”

The agreement remains subject to certain approvals being obtained, including Court approval, Craigs’ shareholder approval and Overseas Investment Office (‘OIO’) consent. Settlement is expected to occur late in the first quarter of 2025.  Financial terms were not disclosed.   

https://craigsip.com/

One NZ Satellite TXT begins rolling out to customers on eligible phones and plans at no extra cost

Mike Hearn — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 20:59:02 GMT

One NZ will begin contacting eligible customers today, with the initial service set to expand as more devices are added soonTXT messages will take longer to be sent and received, with the initial service improving as more satellites are launchedOne NZ Satellite TXT provides an additional layer of protection for New Zealand’s traditional communication networks, and is not a replacement for existing emergency tools

Today the One NZ Satellite TXT initial service begins rolling out to customers on eligible phones and plans at no extra cost, helping One NZ to deliver mobile coverage like never before where you have clear line of sight to the sky.

Joe Goddard, Experience & Commercial Director at One NZ, says: “We have lift-off! I’m incredibly proud that One NZ is the first telecommunications company globally to launch a nationwide Starlink Direct to Mobile service, and One NZ customers are among the first in the world to begin using this groundbreaking technology.

“We've worked with Starlink to provide coverage across Aotearoa, including to the around 40% of NZ’s landmass that is not covered by traditional mobile networks – plus approximately 20 kilometres out to sea.

“Right from the start we’ve said we would keep customers updated with our progress to launch in 2024 and as the technology develops. Today is a significant milestone in that journey.”

The first four eligible phones and plans confirmed

Eligible customers with a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and OPPO Find X8 Pro will be contacted directly to let them know they can start using One NZ Satellite from today – with the list of eligible phones set to expand throughout 2025. Current consumer Pay Monthly plans will include One NZ Satellite TXT for no extra charge, including Companion Group Plans, and current Endless Business mobile plans.

“We continue to test the capabilities of One NZ Satellite TXT, and this is an initial service that will get better. For example, text messages will take longer to send but will get quicker over time. We’re beginning with small number of phones as part of the staggered rollout of the technology. And critically, from today customers can send and receive text messages only, but in the future, we expect voice calling and data to also be available.”

One NZ testing indicates in many cases during the initial rollout period, text messages will be sent and received within 3 minutes. However, at times it may take 10 minutes or longer to send and receive a text message via satellite, especially during the first few months. As the service matures and more satellites are launched, we expect text messages to take a minute on average to be delivered via space.

“This is a generational change in mobile technology, just like 4G or 5G. Not only will you be able to message family and friends from parts of our beautiful country that you never thought possible, but soon this will open up new opportunities in IoT (Internet of Things) for sectors like agriculture, tourism, logistics and many more that power our economy here in NZ.

“Furthermore, One NZ Satellite TXT has the potential to provide another layer of resilience in public emergencies when traditional mobile and fixed networks are affected, like what happened during Cyclone Gabrielle,” adds Goddard. “This is still emerging technology, but T-Mobile US tested some of its capabilities during Hurricane Milton in October, which is the only other time this technology has been opened up to customers so far.”

Peak Connection

To showcase the potential of this technology, Sir Edmund Hillary’s grandson, George Hillary has conducted another significant test of the One NZ Satellite TXT service, giving it his seal of approval.

With a clear line of sight to the sky, he sent a message to his brother Alex Hillary, General Manager of the Himalayan Trust, from the top of Mount Head, one of the most remote peaks in the Forbes Mountains in Otago.

George Hillary says: “The potential of this technology is mind-blowing. I’m used to being pretty limited from a communications perspective when hiking or on an adventure. I always take an emergency beacon in case things go wrong, but now also having the ability to send and receive text messages is huge. I can contact a friend for help or give climbing updates to my family while away.

“And if you’re wondering what the text said – I went with the line ‘Knocked another milestone off! Made it up safe.’”

Joe Goddard explains: “Talk about peak coverage! With Earth’s horizon in reaching distance, Sir Edmund Hillary’s mountaineering grandson George Hillary is proving the sky is not the limit on One NZ’s satellite to mobile service. He put our initial satellite service through another test, at an altitude of 8,480ft – a text, quite literally, sent from the middle of nowhere.

“It’s important to note that the One NZ Satellite TXT service is not a replacement for existing emergency tools, and instead adds another communication option.”

As part of the launch, One NZ is donating to the Himalayan Trust, founded by Sir Edmund and Louise Hillary to inspire New Zealanders to support those living in another remote part of the world, the Everest region of Nepal.

Helping to better connect New Zealanders in partnership with Starlink

The One NZ Satellite TXT service is being delivered in partnership with Starlink Direct to Mobile, which is engineered by SpaceX. SpaceX is leveraging its experience in manufacturing and launching the world’s most advanced rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink satellites with the Direct to Cell capability at scale.

This is trailblazing technology that covers dead zones, and One NZ is one of a handful of telecommunications companies globally who has signed up to offer this service to customers, at no cost to the taxpayer.

Joe Goddard outlines: “For New Zealanders who like getting out into our great outdoors – or for people who need to travel along state highways and beyond for work – the reality is that many parts of the country lack traditional mobile coverage.

“The list of eligible phones will start with four handsets at launch and expand soon as we continue our extensive testing. Our teams continue to test the service on additional phones, and we expect hundreds of thousands of customers to be able to use One NZ Satellite TXT by the end of 2025.”

For more information about One NZ Satellite TXT, please visit: one.nz/spacex

Facilitating Bison Group Limited's Market Expansion to the USA

Mike Hearn — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 22:27:40 GMT

New Zealand’s First Hyperscale Cloud is Open for Business

Mike Hearn — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 04:01:09 GMT

First NZ hyperscale cloud region offers local data residency, enhanced security, and reduced latency, empowering New Zealand to leverage technology more efficiently at an unprecedented scale
Microsoft signed a long-term renewable energy contract, and will run the latest water-free technology to cool the datacenter

The age of hyperscale cloud has arrived in Aotearoa, bringing unprecedented opportunities for local organisations. The opening of Microsoft’s hyperscale cloud region marks the most significant milestone in the company’s nearly 40-year history in New Zealand. Microsoft will support New Zealanders to make the most of this opportunity by training 100,000 people over the next two years with AI and digital skills, creating long-term benefits for the economy.

Sustainable growth for New Zealand – carbon-free and water-free cooling

The datacenter region brings the best of Microsoft’s sustainability investments and will be supported by 100% carbon-free electricity as a result of the 10-year agreement that Microsoft signed with Contact Energy (Contact) for the Renewable Attributes produced by Te Huka 3 geothermal power station.

The long-term contract with Microsoft supported Contact’s investment decision to construct the Te Huka 3 power station and can generate 51.4 megawatts of reliable and renewable generation throughout the year. This deal helps add carbon-free energy into the Aotearoa grid.

Microsoft’s Aotearoa datacenter will also use water-free cooling, ensuring data is stored at the right temperature using air cooling.

Microsoft is also supporting Community Waitākere to work alongside the local community to restore the biodiversity values and mauri of the threatened stream, floodplain, and wetland habitats in the Paremuka Stream catchment. Additionally, Microsoft, Community Waitākere and the Society for Ecological Restoration are working together to restore Harbourview-Orangihina Park’s native ecosystems including freshwater wetlands, saltmarsh, and native coastal forest. The project aims to protect rare bird species and preserve the area’s cultural significance, supporting its sustainability for future generations.

Investment means opportunity
The investment offers incredible opportunity for New Zealand. Microsoft’s recent Accenture research identified that gen AI adoption is expected to add $76 billion to the New Zealand economy by 2038, based on a standard trajectory. The report pointed at cloud infrastructure and public cloud adoption as one of the key enablers to making the most of gen AI to boost our productivity and GDP.

“We are a small but mighty nation of visionaries who have propelled our business innovation, incredible sports teams, and amazing entertainment into worldwide brands. So many New Zealand companies are going global, and having this infrastructure here in Aotearoa is going to help many more innovators to realise their ambitions and show the rest of the world how creative and talented we can be,” says Vanessa Sorenson, Managing Director of Microsoft New Zealand.

Skilling Aotearoa for the future: Technology alone is not enough without skilling

We recognise the importance of unlocking the benefits of AI for every New Zealander — at every career stage, in every role, and in every community. We are focused on empowering 100,000 learners by 2027 to build digital and AI skills.

This builds on various skilling programmes and partnerships that Microsoft has supported in New Zealand with local partners, educators and customers since the cloud region was announced.

The 10KWomen Initiative created by a passionate group of volunteers, set out in 2022 to empower 10,000 female students, workers and career-changers to explore careers that require digital skills and to break down the barriers preventing more women from exploring these careers. In September, we had reached more than 10,700 women and girls. 

Microsoft and Te Pūkenga are also partnering to address talent shortages in West Auckland’s creative technology sector by providing upskilling and reskilling opportunities, particularly for underrepresented groups such as Māori, Pacific peoples and women. The initiative supports an inclusive workforce through upskilling kaiako in secondary schools and kura kaupapa, offering micro-credentials to high school students and providing micro-credentials to lifelong learners re-entering the workforce.

Protecting New Zealand data as a local taonga

Having a hyperscale cloud region in Aotearoa enables local organisations to store, process and back-up their data on New Zealand’s shores.

Local customers also benefit from the threat protections afforded by an intelligence network that has visibility of 78 trillion signals per day. This means New Zealand government and businesses can be both locally hosted, and globally protected.

Te Tumu Paeroa, the Office of the Māori Trustee, says this maintains the residency of the Māori data for which they are a kaitiaki in Aotearoa, while enabling them to leverage Microsoft’s advanced security, sustainability and world-leading AI technologies for the benefit of landowners in their role as kaitiaki and administrators for Māori land trusts across Aotearoa.

“We have a whakatauki (proverb): Aho roroa uaua hautū, aho popoto hautū marika – A kite with a short string is easier to control, and a kite with a long string is more difficult to control – but it benefits from the high wind. This agreement means we can have those high winds and the short string, enjoying the comfort and peace of having the data close, while being able to engage more easily with owners and support partners,” says Ruth Russell, Kaitautari Pārongo Matua | Chief Information Officer for Te Tumu Paeroa. 

Supporting more innovation from Aotearoa to the world

Above all, the decision to build a hyperscale cloud region in New Zealand is intended to enable local innovators to grow on a global scale and deliver more to their customers and stakeholders. We’re proud to be supporting a host of New Zealand organisations to modernise and realise their ambitions, including Fonterra, Craigs Investment Partners, ASB, BNZ, ACC, Whakarongorau Aotearoa, Auckland Transport, SMX and The Warehouse Group, alongside trusted partners such as PwC, Veeam, AvePoint and CCL.

Source: https://news.microsoft.com/

U.S. Department of Defense Certifies EndaceProbes

Mike Hearn — Sat, 14 Dec 2024 21:48:03 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand and AUSTIN, Texas – December 2, 2024 – Packet capture authority, Endace, announced today that the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has certified EndaceProbes on its Department of Defense Information Network Approved Products List (DoDIN APL). DISA maintains the DoDIN APL, a single, consolidated list of certified products that meet strict cybersecurity and interoperability standards, as required by the US DoD and other US federal agencies.

DoDIN APL-certified products must pass extensive, rigorous testing to meet stringent military-grade cybersecurity criteria mandated by DISA, including compliance with specified cybersecurity and interoperability best practices. Inclusion on the DoDIN APL means EndaceProbes may be deployed safely on defense networks with no further certification or testing required. All DoD and US federal agencies can now freely adopt EndaceProbe within their network infrastructure and architecture.

“When seconds matter and lives are at stake, analysts need rapid access to definitive packet evidence to quickly respond to, and resolve, cyberthreats. Endace supports this mission with the uncompromised robustness and scale of the EndaceProbe’s always on packet capture, delivering vital evidence to defend against the most serious cyber threats,” said Cary Wright, VP of Products at Endace.

“We are proud to have earned DoDIN APL certification. Achieving the rigorous standards demanded by DISA demonstrates Endace’s dedication to hardening and securing the EndaceProbe platform. Defense, Government and Enterprise customers globally will all benefit from EndaceProbes with military-grade security hardening.”

Many US federal departments, including defense, critical infrastructure, and civilian agencies – as well as many NATO agencies – have deployed EndaceProbes for deep network visibility and 100% accurate, always-on packet capture in their networks. With this APL certification, purchasing and approval becomes more streamlined, and easier, for US federal agencies looking to deploy EndaceProbes on their networks. It also makes it simpler for US federal agencies to comply with mandatory packet capture requirements, such as M-21-31.

EndaceProbes provide scalable, accurate, full packet capture and recording, with zero packet loss so security teams can quickly obtain the irrefutable packet evidence needed to investigate and resolve incidents. With centralized data mining and rapid search, centralized management, and workflow integration, EndaceProbes deliver deep visibility into both North-South and East-West network traffic and 100% accurate recording on network links from 10Mbps to 100Gbps and beyond, with industry-leading speed, density and storage capacity.

Endace will be at NATO Edge in Tampa, Florida from December 3 – 5, 2024, exhibiting at Booth S13 and presenting a session titled “Countering Nation State Cyberthreats with Definitive Forensic Evidence.”

About Endace

Endace’s scalable, always-on packet capture gives Network Operations and Security teams the deep visibility they need for fast, accurate incident investigation with rich forensic evidence at their fingertips from all their tools. EndaceProbes provide enterprise-class packet sniffing in on-prem, public and private cloud environments, with rapid, centralized search and one-click access to full pcap data from leading security and performance solutions (including Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, Cisco, Splunk, Elastic, and many others). Analyze network traffic using a single, unified console across all on-premise, private, or public cloud infrastructure for total hybrid cloud visibility. Capture every packet. See every threat. www.endace.com

For more information see www.endace.com or follow Endace on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Contact: pr@endace.com

Consultation opens on FIF rules

Mike Hearn — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 01:51:01 GMT

The Inland Revenue has launched consultation on policy proposals to address an aspect of New Zealand’s foreign investment fund rules. By imposing tax on unrealised income the current rules could be deterring some people from choosing to settle in New Zealand. The proposal suggests allowing some migrants to pay tax on dividends and realised gains.

Consultation closes on 27 January 2025.

Effect of the FIF rules on immigration: proposals for amendments

DHL Express Makes NZD 42 Million Investment Into New Gateway Facility In Christchurch

Mike Hearn — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 21:24:08 GMT

DHL Express expands footprint with new gateway in the South Island of New Zealand

The new facility represents a NZD42 million (EUR24 million) infrastructure investment and will cater to strong international shipment growth

This gateway will be DHL’s first 100% carbon neutral facility in the country

It supports South Island exporters and importers to grow international trade

Christchurch, New Zealand, 4 December 2024: DHL Express, the world’s leading international express service provider, is investing in a new Christchurch gateway to better support the international trade of New Zealand businesses. Conveniently located airside at Christchurch international airport, the property represents an infrastructure investment of NZD42 million (EUR24 million) over 10 years, the facility is the largest investment made in the country and is a testament to DHL Express’s ongoing commitment to supporting Kiwi businesses in the South Island to trade internationally.

Scheduled to open in 2026, the Christchurch Gateway will measure 8,500 square meters, replacing the previous service point and gateway facility at Christchurch Airport. Combining these two functions under one roof will significantly improve operational efficiency. The new facility will be equipped with a line sorter conveyor system capable of processing up to 6,500 parcels per hour (PPH) for inbound shipments and 5,600 PPH for outbound shipments, along with high-speed X-ray screening capabilities.

The 2024 ExportNZ DHL Export Barometer results also revealed that more than half (58%) of New Zealand-based exporters expect their overseas orders to increase in 2025, a jump from 2023, when only 42% of exporters experienced growth. DHL is forecasting an average growth of 4-5% annually in the Christchurch region over the coming years and the Christchurch gateway will support this international predicted growth.

Commenting on the investment, DHL Express Managing Director, New Zealand & Pacific Islands, Mark Foy said, “Christchurch and the South Island of New Zealand is one of the fastest growing regions for DHL over the last five years. DHL has supported that strong growth with a daily Boeing 767 operation connecting New Zealand's South Island to the world. The new DHL gateway will have direct access to the tarmac which enables us to significantly improve shipment processing speed and help more Kiwi exporters and importers get their products to international markets.”

Sustainability at the core

Designed as a 100% carbon neutral build (CNB), the facility will be created and operated to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions over its entire lifecycle. This includes implementing energy efficiency measures, using renewable energy, offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, and incorporating sustainable building materials. With features like a solar photovoltaic system, electric vehicle charging stations, advanced energy metering, and integration with Christchurch airport’s campus-wide rainwater harvesting system, the facility will set a new benchmark for sustainability in logistics infrastructure. The landscaping will also focus on enhancing biodiversity by using regenerative New Zealand native species.

In addition to this carbon neutral build (CNB) initiative, DHL Express is also helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through GoGreen Plus. Introduced in 2023, the service uses an ‘insetting’ approach to help customers reduce carbon emissions using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Justin Watson, CEO of Christchurch Airport, added, “Our partnership with DHL is built on shared goals of driving international trade and providing world-class logistics solutions. This new facility is an important step forward for our airport as we expand our freight apron and is a testament to the importance of Dakota Park, our freight and logistics precinct, in connecting Kiwi businesses to the world.”

The new facility follows significant investments in ground infrastructure and the expansion of DHL’s air network over the past six years. These include the expansion of the Auckland airport gateway in 2016, the introduction of the Boeing 767-300 freighter flying between Auckland and Sydney in 2018, now operating with an additional stop in Christchurch, the opening of the new Auckland service center in 2019, the dedicated freighter serving the Melbourne–Auckland–Melbourne route introduced in 2020, and the two new service centers at Auckland airport and Hamilton in 2022. These investments mark significant steps DHL has taken to enhance service standards in response to the evolving needs of Kiwi businesses seeking international growth.

Note:

DHL –The logistics company for the world

DHLis the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management.

With about395,000employees in more than220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.

DHL is part of DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 81.8 billion euros in 2023. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. DHL Group aims to achieve net-zero emissions logistics by 2050.

Christchurch To San Francisco Direct – United Airlines Is Back

Mike Hearn — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 21:17:52 GMT

Christchurch Airport is thrilled to welcome the return of United Airlines, with the first flight of the summer season touching down today at 10:35 AM on Friday, 6 December.

Following a positive inaugural season last summer, United's direct service from San Francisco, operated by their Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, will run three times a week, offering unparalleled convenience for Kiwis looking to make the only direct connection from the South Island to the USA. Last year the direct service to Christchurch increased the number of visitors to Te Waipounamu, the South Island, from the USA by almost 80%. The airport predicts similar numbers of American visitors this season; already, bookings are strong.

The return is a real vote of confidence for the South Island from United. The flight is part of a collaboration between United Airlines and Air New Zealand through their joint venture, and its success is down to three specific unique needs:

Tourism: The direct route aligns with the peak tourist season, providing American travellers with easy access to the South Island’s stunning landscapes and endless opportunities for adventure boosting the local tourism industry.

Antarctic Operations: The flight supports the travel of significant numbers of American and international scientists and technicians through Christchurch which is the primary gateway for the US Antarctic Programme.

Exports: The service enhances trade opportunities, cargo space is filling up fast with; New Zealand’s fresh exports like kiwifruit, fish, and meat destined for US markets.

Justin Watson, CE of Christchurch Airport, says:
“United Airlines’ direct service from San Francisco is a game-changer for Christchurch and the South Island. It’s a stepping stone into the US and beyond, supports our exporters, and reinforces our role as a hub for Antarctic operations. We are delighted to see this partnership thrive.”

Tim Wallis, United Airlines Regional Manager, Australia and New Zealand, said:

“After a solid first season last year we are delighted to return this seasonal service to Christchurch, and we are excited to continue that airbridge between the United States and the South Island. This route showcases the demand for travel and trade, and we look forward to another promising season ahead.”

Thanks to United’s partnership with Air New Zealand, US travellers can enjoy easy connections to more than 30 destinations across New Zealand and the South Pacific and Kiwis can make the most of more than 125 destinations within the United States.

This seamless connectivity to San Francisco ensures Christchurch remains firmly on the map for tourism, science, and trade.

About Christchurch Airport: Christchurch Airport is the main gateway to the South Island of New Zealand, serving as a hub for both domestic and international flights. The airport is committed to delivering world-class services, enhancing the region's connectivity, and fulfilling the economic prosperity of New Zealand.

United Airlines in New Zealand

United Airlines has served New Zealand since 1986 and has direct flights to San Francisco from both Auckland and Christchurch giving Kiwis more options to explore the U.S.A. and beyond.

U.S. Consul General’s Remarks to the NZUS Council

Mike Hearn — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 00:18:02 GMT

November 21, 2024

Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa

Good afternoon, everyone. It is a privilege to be here with you today and to talk a bit about the enduring and dynamic partnership between New Zealand and the United States.

As I am sure you are well aware, the American people made their voices heard in the presidential election and re-elected Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States.

While I don’t have a crystal ball, sadly, and can’t speculate on future policies of a new administration, but what I want to stress today is the New Zealand-U.S. relationship is a relationship built on shared values, mutual respect, and a deep commitment to peace, prosperity, and progress.

In addition to the change of administrations at the top in Washington, we will also experience a change in leadership of the U.S. Mission in New Zealand. We have been privileged to have Ambassador Tom Udall for the past three years. Under his leadership we have accomplished much together to strengthen our bilateral relationship and ensure peace, security, and prosperity around the world.

As with any transition, now is a good opportunity to take stock of what we have achieved under his leadership over the past few years.

Since emerging from the dark days of COVID, we have seen the pace of engagement significantly increase, beginning at the top.

Prime Minister Ardern visited Washington in May 2022. Her meeting with President Biden advanced our partnership and set the tone for our work since then.

Likewise, President Biden met Prime Minister Luxon in Washington this past July at the NATO Summit.

Here in New Zealand, we welcomed U.S. Secretary of State Blinken for a visit in June 2023 to strengthen our bilateral ties. And Minister of Foreign Affairs Peters and Secretary Blinken issued a Joint Declaration on our partnership during his visit to Washington in April.

We have seen numerous other visits in both directions from members of our Cabinets, legislators, senior officials, and cultural representatives. I could go on and on.

Over the years, New Zealand and the United States have stood together with our likeminded partners and allies through every major global crisis.

We have worked together to respond to crises around the world like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, attacks against shipping in the Red Sea, the climate crisis, and the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.

Our countries share a deep and long-standing commitment to democratic institutions, the rules-based international order, and respect for international rule of law. We have stood together in the UN and other forums to uphold those principles.

We also share a stake in preserving an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

To support those values and principles, New Zealand and the United States are engaging in practical ways within cooperative frameworks in the region, including the Pacific Islands Forum, Quad, AUKUS’ Pillar 2, and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity.

We have welcomed New Zealand’s increasing engagement with NATO and its partnership with the Indo-Pacific democracies of New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and the ROK.

Our nations also share deep ties and commitments to the Pacific Islands. We have worked together to advance a more prosperous and resilient Pacific region, guided by the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

Now, as PM Luxon has said, national security and economic security are inextricably linked. That’s why we have prioritized working with New Zealand to develop stronger trade links and enhance economic opportunity in both our countries.

New Zealand has been a critical leader and partner in our efforts to build the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for prosperity.

This forward-looking agreement focuses on what’s most important to our shared prosperity:

supply chains,

sustainability,

inclusion,

competition,

and rules we all agree on.

Our efforts to build trade links are paying off. Today, the trade and economic relationship between our countries is robust, and the United States remains one of New Zealand’s largest trading partners. From tourism to agricultural exports, our economic ties are strong and continue to grow, benefiting both our nations in terms of jobs, investment, and opportunities.

In less than five years, trade has grown from NZ$20 billion (US$12 billion) to NZ$27 billion (US$16 billion), led by red meat, wine, tourism.

We have seen New Zealand exports to the United States grow year over year, and the United States is now New Zealand’s second-largest export destination.

While much of that trade is related to New Zealand’s traditional primary industries, we have seen a steady expansion of our high tech and innovation relationship. Trade and investment links in film, aerospace, tourism, and other service industries have flourished, increasing prosperity in both our countries.

To help push this forward, we concluded the U.S.-New Zealand Space Framework Agreement in 2022 and hosted the NASA Administrator for a visit in 2023. And we established new bilateral dialogues, including our Space Dialogue, and the high-level launch of our Critical and Emerging Tech Dialogue this past August.

Looking ahead and building on these advancements in our relationship with New Zealand, I have no doubt that we will continue to work closely together on shared concerns and to advance a shared vision for the world.

While I cannot comment on the specifics of President-elect Trump’s future policies, I can say that our shared values, interests, and view of the world will remain unchanged.

Our strong partnership has continued to strengthen through multiple U.S. Administrations, including the first Trump Administration.

In 2018, President Trump signed the Knowledgeable Innovators and Worthy Investors (KIWI) Act. This granted New Zealanders access to E1 and E2 entrepreneur and investors visas to the United States, boosting our trade relationship.

Since the last Trump Administration, the world has changed in many ways. The world has become more complex and more contested. Against this backdrop, it is more important than ever for free societies to work together in support of a freer, more just world.

As the world faces new challenges, we believe the only solution is to deepen cooperation with likeminded partners.

That has been the essence of our partnership with New Zealand in the past and it will continue to be the basis of our friendship for years to come.

New Zealand and the United States enjoy a close and dynamic relationship—one that spans not only trade but also innovation, education, security, environmental initiatives, and people to people ties.

As we look to the future, I am sure that the relationship between New Zealand and the United States will continue to flourish, underpinned by our shared interests and the close ties between our peoples. By working together, we can continue to drive economic growth, foster innovation, and address the global challenges that impact us all.

I feel very privileged to be here in Auckland supporting the U.S.-New Zealand partnership, and I want to thank you all for your ongoing support and engagement. I look forward to working to continue to strengthen our friendship and partnership as we face the future together.

Thank you, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

Source: https://www.nzuscouncil.org/

IBM unveils watsonx to harness the power of AI for businesses in Australia and New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 03:16:24 GMT

The AI landscape is evolving, and businesses are set to unlock innovative uses of AI to grow their business exponentially. As AI adoption grows across the globe, governments internationally are introducing new regulations to address the risks of AI, with a focus on creating AI guardrails that apply across the AI lifecycle.

Recently, the Australian government introduced new regulations for safe and responsible AI to develop a regulatory environment that builds community trust and promotes AI adoption at scale. To meet this strong demand for scalable, safe and responsible AI, IBM is launching watsonx on IBM Cloud in Australia and New Zealand, significantly enhancing cloud infrastructure in the region.

IBM watsonx™ suite is an enterprise grade platform for generative AI and machine learning solutions offering a state-of-the-art AI studio, data store and AI governance toolkit.

The Sydney, Australia data center will offer several key advantages for clients:

Data sovereignty: Manage and store data locally to comply with Australia’s stringent privacy regulations, ensuring sensitive information remains secure.

Low latency connectivity: IBM Cloud’s high-performance network connectivity significantly reduces latency for users across Australia, essential for real-time data processing.

Scalable AI: The modular design enables businesses to scale operations seamlessly, provisioning resources quickly based on demand.

Access to advanced generative AI models: Clients can leverage a variety of generative AI models hosted in Sydney, including Llama-3-2-11b-vision-instruct and Granite-34b-code-instruct.

Open hybrid cloud strategy: Integrate the best features and functions from any cloud or traditional IT environment and tap the unmatched pace and quality of innovations from the open-source community. Collaboration with Hugging Face will work to bring the best of open-source AI models to the enterprise on the watsonx platform.

IBM watsonx suite provides a comprehensive AI solution catering to all your AI needs in one unified platform. Three products will be launched in Sydney with more to follow.

IBM watsonx.ai™ is an AI studio designed for enterprise-grade AI developers, offering a simplified and scalable development experience for creating AI applications with low-code/no-code tools, preconfigured patterns, and frameworks within development environment of your choice. Access a wide range of IBM and third-party models, along with easy-to-use tools and system prompts for building, deploying, and monitoring AI applications.

watsonx.data is an open data lakehouse designed to serve as a single source for all your organization's data needs. Built with open standards, it allows for seamless integration and access to data from various sources across disparate environments. With support for multiple query engines, watsonx.data optimizes AI and analytics workloads for the best price-performance. Users can easily connect their data to watsonx.ai or other AI tools to enhance the relevance and precision of AI models.

watsonx.governance™ enables companies to deploy AI responsibly by offering a powerful AI governance, risk and compliance (GRC) tool kit built to automate AI lifecycle workflows, proactively detect and mitigate risk, and meet the changing legal, compliance and regulatory landscape. It ensures that AI workflows are transparent, accountable and explainable. Through effective AI governance, business analysts can assess the reliability of their AI solutions. Later this year, watsonx.governance is expected to include model inventory, documentation, evaluation, and monitoring through the lite and essentials plans available on IBM Cloud. Availability of the model risk governance capabilities is planned for a future date available via the IBM Cloud catalog.

Explore how IBM watsonx can help you scale AI with trust. Watch out for these releases and more as we bring additional dimensions to expand our reach in Australia for businesses to harness the power of watsonx to improve productivity and maximize return on investment for their AI initiatives.

Explore the power of IBM watsonx.

Explore how watsonx Developer Hub can help developers scale AI at speed.

Source: https://www.ibm.com/

PM speech at United States Business Summit 2024

Mike Hearn — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 22:17:16 GMT

Ka nui te mihi kia koutou.

Ka mihi ki te mana whenua ko Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.

Kia ora and good morning everyone.

Thank you Fran and Simon for inviting me here today, and importantly your leadership of this forum over several years now.

I want to acknowledge David Gehrenbeck, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy. Thank you for the work you and your team do, each and every day, for the US–New Zealand relationship.

I also want to acknowledge Jonathan Mason, the Chair of the NZ–US Council, and Mike Hearn from AmCham, both wonderful champions for the business relationship.

It’s great to see Todd McClay here, too. The hardest working Trade Minister in the world is making one of his rare appearances here in New Zealand!

One of the things that excites me most about the US is the extraordinary well of energy and innovation that exists in the American business community. That energy, that innovation, is something I passionately believe we can be doing more to tap into.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming together this morning. I intend to talk, first, about the role of the United States in the world and, second, about what my Government is doing to re-energise our relationship with Washington DC. Then, I know Fran wants me to take your questions.

I want to speak candidly about the vital role the United States plays in the world, as there are few countries that matter more to our security and prosperity.

In a world that is more contested and more complicated, New Zealand’s interests are best served by an America that is strongly engaged. A world where the US acts as a force for stability. A world where the US economy, which accounts for over a quarter of global GDP, continues to act as an engine room for growth. A world where the US acts as the standard-bearer for democratic institutions, for the rule of law, and the power of markets.

Perhaps because we were living in more benign times, previous New Zealand governments have not said enough about the importance of the stabilising security role of the US in the Indo-Pacific. During my travel this year, I’ve seen the US furnishing security on several occasions.

It was starkly apparent when I visited Korea and the Demilitarised Zone, accompanied by an American General who commands tens of thousands of US soldiers, sailors and aviators in South Korea.

On one side of the DMZ is one of the world’s poorest countries, a country organised to serve its autocratic leadership’s ambitions. Then, on the side of the Korean border, where I stood, there’s a thriving democracy, the world’s 14^th-largest economy, the home of world-beating technology firms, and the source of a cultural phenomenon called K-Pop. The difference could not be more marked.

But it was a salutary reminder. South Korea would not be the vibrant economy that it is today were it not for the security partnership on the Korean Peninsula. Something furnished by American forces. Supported by other countries too, including New Zealand, but heavily outnumbered by our US friends.

My visit to the DMZ between North and South Korea in September was a clear illustration to me that there is no prosperity without security. A stable and peaceful Indo-Pacific is not just in the interests of the US and New Zealand. Security is also in your interests as businesses: our exporters depend on safe and secure trade lanes; and your companies succeed best when economies are growing rather than fretting about instability.

In contrast, Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, now supported by North Korean munitions and North Korean troops on the frontline, is an example of where conflict has caused higher inflation and significant economic suffering for people all around the world – unbelievably high energy prices in Western Europe, high grain prices in Africa, and high rice prices in the Asia-Pacific.

Ladies and gentlemen, with many old certainties shifting, the United States remains an indispensable economic partner. America is an extraordinary economic machine. It remains the world’s largest economy by quite some distance. And it is an exceptional source of ideas, of innovation, and of investment.

Those who know me will know there is little that energises me more than the vibrancy and inventiveness of American business. With US firms one of our largest sources of Foreign Direct Investment, those businesses are injecting real vibrancy into the New Zealand economy. Whether it's building data centres, as Microsoft has here in Auckland, or Hollywood studios whose productions have created the ecosystem from which the vibrant Kiwi film industry has sprung, or West Coast venture capitalists, enabling frontier firms like Sir Peter Beck’s RocketLab to do extraordinary things on the Mahia Peninsula, or even iconic American firms, like McDonalds, that are responsible for so many Kiwis’ first jobs – including mine!

American businesses are integral to our society and the functioning of our economy, generating prosperity for us here in New Zealand, and paying dividends for America.

I now want to focus on my Government’s ambitions for the US relationship.

You will no doubt all have been waiting for me to comment on the US election and what it means for New Zealand. The bottom line is our relationship is strong and enduring, and will continue to be so, irrespective of changing administrations.

I have the greatest of respect for the Biden Administration’s achievements. At APEC, I thanked the outgoing President for his 50 years of public service and leadership, and for the contribution he made to the relationship with New Zealand.

I was also delighted to speak to President-elect Trump ten days ago, now. What came through loud and clear in that call was his fondness for New Zealand. We spoke about world affairs, but we also discussed the need to build on the very deep foundations of our relationship.

Whoever is in office, whether Democrat or Republican, my Government’s job is to pursue New Zealand’s interests, to fully harness what our two countries offer one other, and ensure the relationship is at its best.

So, you can expect my Government to bring action and urgency across three inter-connected lines of effort with the United States:

Growing both countries’ prosperity;

Strengthening our security; and

Deepening our relationship.

I will address each in turn.

The US recently eclipsed Australia to become our second-largest export market. And it’s growing exceptionally well: two-way trade is 36 percent higher this year than before the pandemic, with a trend towards value over volume. We offer American exporters open access to our market, with the main driver of growth in our exports being the strength and relative openness of their economy.

Our primary sector remains a mainstay, with nearly $6 billion of safe, sustainable and premium agricultural products sold – exports that often compliment US agriculture producers.

We have also seen phenomenal growth in services trade, with tourism and recreation now a bigger export category than beef.

As a company like RocketLab illustrates, the US is also a rapidly growing market for Kiwi entrepreneurs that specialise in technology and other innovative exports. And our products support a range of critical US supply chains and jobs.

My Government will continue to work with colleagues in Washington DC to sustain that trade and, where possible, to increase it, by tackling the non-tariff barriers that snarl up exporters’ trade. We will also work with the Administration to build our economic security agenda.

I am determined that we attract more, quality US Foreign Direct Investment. The US is already our third-largest investment partner. But my Government will improve our regulatory settings to attract more US investment flow. And we are pitching directly to American investors. When I was in the US in July, I met a series of them. And I intend to bring a select group of investors to New Zealand in 2025 to showcase what we have to offer.

As I said earlier, there can be no prosperity without security. Besides Australia, the United States is our most important defence and security partner.

We benefit from that partnership, whether that’s the US role in supporting a stable Indo-Pacific, sharing intelligence, or busting the organised criminal gangs that prey on our communities.

New Zealand, too, is an active partner making a difference for our friends in Washington DC. New Zealand personnel join the US in operations and exercises from the Middle-East to the Indo-Pacific.

I talked earlier about what we do on the Korean Peninsula. We also cooperate with the US (and other partners) to uphold freedom of navigation, whether in the Red Sea or the South China Sea. These are freedoms crucial for ensuring New Zealand’s trade can flow unimpeded.

And our joint membership of the Five Eyes directly contributes to protecting New Zealand’s national security interests.

New Zealand welcomes the step-up in US commitment in the Pacific. We will continue to work with Washington DC as a constructive partner for our region.

New Zealand must also remain a credible strategic partner. That’s why my Government tasked Defence to complete a capability plan. One that ensures the NZDF is fit for purpose and builds on its capability for tomorrow. That is going to take money, and we all know the economic environment is challenging. So, the Government will need to be careful and thoughtful as we come up with the Defence Capability Plan. In coming months, though, we will announce capability priorities out to 2040.

Ladies and gentlemen, with the Trump Administration coming to power, you can and you should expect us to be investing in building connections. Indeed, that is a focus right now. In addition to talking with the President-elect last week, I used my July visit to build connections with influential Republicans on the Hill and elsewhere in Washington DC. Winston Peters has been doing the same and, as the new Administration unfolds, other ministers will be connecting with their new counterparts, too.

I know from my personal experience just how important those relationships are. They enable us to find new areas of opportunity and they also create the bandwidth to deal with areas of disagreement. There will always be areas of difference between Wellington and Washington DC – whoever occupies the White House. Just as we have things on which we do not see eye to eye with Australia, that is true with the US, too. But these differences are dwarfed by our common interests, and so the relationships we build will enable us to manage those differences sensibly

New Zealanders feel they know the US well – whether through tourism, media, popular culture, sports, business, or education. After living and working for many years in the US, I worry that New Zealanders assume too much about America.

It’s imperative that our emerging and future leaders, our entrepreneurs, our scientists, Māori, and people from other walks of life familiarise themselves with what the United States is really about. A young country with one of the fastest growing populations in the OECD, it’s not a monolithic place. Rather its layered with sub-cultures and sub-geographies.

America is growing steadily more ethnically diverse, with the population of a State like California now more than 40 percent Hispanic - even while others on the East Coast remain predominantly White. This is a country where the average resident of Mississippi earns significantly less than half as much as a New Yorker. It’s a country that can embrace the Olympic phenomenon that is Simone Biles, while at the same time sitting at the feet of the Sage of Omaha, Warren Buffett.

And, in a similar vein, we need to increase the number of influential leaders in the US who know New Zealand better and understand our priorities, too.

Ladies and gentlemen, my Government’s focus continues to be on growing New Zealand’s economy and easing the cost of living. That doesn’t happen by looking inward.

The strength of the New Zealand economy depends on the success of our world-leading goods and services exporters – many of you are here today.

Access to foreign markets remains the key to growing our exports. And, yet, the environment in which we operate is more turbulent than it has been for the past thirty years:

Enthusiasm for trade liberalisation has waned.

Efficiency is giving way to caution, resilience and protectionism.

And global stability and security underpinned by international law is fraying.

New Zealand is not unique in wrestling with these changes. Working with friends and partners is key to protect and promote our interests. I am passionate about the United States. But, through our foreign policy reset, we are bringing new energy and new activism to all our partnerships in other parts of the Indo-Pacific, too, whether Southeast Asia, Japan, or India. These are all consequential relations for our security and our prosperity, too. Just as is China, with President Xi Jinping and I agreeing last week on the importance of sustaining our already strong NZ–China relationship, one where we continue to capitalise on areas of cooperation, while not shying away from areas of difference, which we will discuss in a predictable and consistent manner.

Today’s focus is the US, which is and will remain a critical relationship for New Zealand. My Government is primed and ready to work with the incoming US Administration to create new opportunities for both of our countries to benefit. To build the stability and resilience in our region that we both need to safeguard our people, our prosperity, and our freedom of action.

I, for one, am looking forward to that work. Thank you.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

NZ Film Commission Leads Timely Business Delegation To LA

Mike Hearn — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 01:34:52 GMT

As global competition in the film industry intensifies, the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) welcomes the direction of the government’s new draft creative and cultural strategy, Amplify. This strategy aims to grow New Zealand’s creative sector's contribution and aligns with NZFC’s ambitions for our film industry.

Graeme Mason, Chair of the Film Commission, says a delegation of 30 Kiwi businesspeople will visit the United States to promote New Zealand as a world-class destination for screen production. At the same time, an NZFC representative will attend the NFDC Film Bazaarin India to promote New Zealand films, projects and filmmaking talent, as well as co-production and inbound production and post-production opportunities with New Zealand.

“New Zealand should be as well known for its creative and technological innovations as we are for our dairy exports and world-class tourism. There is no better industry than our vibrant film industry for showcasing that on the world stage.”

The upcoming trip to Los Angeles called KIA ORA LA, delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, will facilitate events and meetings for screen sector leaders and assist marketing multi-million-dollar infrastructure facilities.

NZFC’s work with international clients supports, private-sector businesses who rely on attracting offshore production to sustain their operations. The Australian, United Kingdom, and Irish national screen agencies maintain a permanent presence in Los Angeles and compete directly with New Zealand for productions.

NZFC Chief Executive Annie Murray says New Zealand needs to do everything it can to encourage multi-million-dollar film, television and streaming projects to choose to film and/or post-produce here.

“The NZ screen industry contributes over $1 billion annually to the economy, and we are working hard to grow this. New Zealand must remain at the heart of international conversations on the most successful locations for basing film and television productions.”

Murray says NZFC’s upcoming visit to South Asia's premier film market in India also provides compelling opportunities.

“New Zealand has so much to offer the Indian film industry. The major Bollywood film Kannappa wrapped up filming in the Bay of Plenty last year. A local producer supported the production, with significant accommodation and catering contracts also boosting the regional economy. We’re confident this visit will spark interest among other Indian filmmakers in picking New Zealand as their next backdrop.”

NZUS Council Congressional Interns prepare to head to Washington DC.

Mike Hearn — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 00:08:22 GMT

The NZUS Council looks forward to farewelling our 2024 cohort of congressional interns as they head to Washington DC to take part in the NZUS Council Mike Moore Congressional Internship Programme.

NZUS Council Chairman Jonathan Mason said “the internship programme provides a rare opportunity for New Zealand university students to gain firsthand experience of American politics. It is designed to help the next generation of New Zealand leaders build a deeper understanding of the USA through working in Congress as well as gaining a deeper appreciation of the value of the bilateral relationship. It fits very well with our goal of providing platforms for New Zealand and US engagement and fostering close bilateral connections.”

The internship programme is named in honour of former New Zealand Ambassador to the USA, Rt. Hon Mike Moore, who established the programme after the Christchurch earthquakes in 2010-11. Through the programme, exemplary students from across New Zealand are selected to work in the offices of US Members of Congress. Since 2012, 40 students from New Zealand Universities have undertaken internships for up to ten weeks in the offices of various Members of Congress.

This year the Council’s programme partners are the University of Canterbury Law School and the University of Auckland Law School and with support from Air New Zealand and the New Zealand Embassy in Washington DC. This year’s intake are Benjamin Christy (University of Auckland), Isellah Gordon (University of Canterbury, Jessica Wratt (University of Canterbury) and Silas Zhang (University of Canterbury).

“The opportunity to observe the US law making process from the inside, and to build their understanding of America’s politics and culture, is very special for these students” said University of Canterbury Dean of the School of Law, Professor Petra Butler. “It is a unique opportunity that enhances the development of our students and helps prepare them for their careers and making a difference in the world.”

Auckland University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for Strategic Engagement, Dr Erik Lithander, said “This year’s internship programme takes place at a historic moment during the transition from one US Presidency to the next. The interns will gain invaluable insights and forge meaningful connections with Members of Congress and their staff”.

The interns depart in two groups, on 9th and 14th November.

For more information, contact Fiona Cooper, NZUS Council Executive Director: fiona@nzuscouncil.org | +64 21 934 466

RTX’s Pratt & Whitney and Air New Zealand Announce US$150 Million Expansion at Christchurch Engine Centre

Mike Hearn — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 23:33:02 GMT

New maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities for the GTF engine expected in 2026

Pratt & Whitney, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, and Air New Zealand today hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for a US$150 million, 14,000 square meter expansion of its Christchurch Engine Centre. The expansion will add maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities for the Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine in New Zealand, with capacity for up to 140 GTF engine overhauls planned annually by 2032.

Construction of the facility expansion begins this month, and the first GTF engine overhaul is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. The Christchurch Engine Centre was founded in 1948 by Air New Zealand. In 2001, the airline and Pratt & Whitney partnered to develop the joint venture, focusing on the maintenance, repair and overhaul of JT8D then V2500 engines.

Today, the Christchurch Engine Centre employs more than 400 highly skilled staff and has overhauled more than 1,500 IAE International Aero Engines AG V2500 engines.

“This project between Air New Zealand and global aviation leader Pratt & Whitney marks a significant investment to New Zealand’s economy, helps expand our aviation industrial capability, and adds 200 high-value jobs into the Canterbury region,” said Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand.

“The Christchurch Engine Centre has a proven track record of delivering exceptional performance and quality with a highly capable workforce,” said Shane Eddy, president, Pratt & Whitney. “With the Asia-Pacific region projected to experience the highest aviation growth globally over the next 20 years, it is a strategic imperative for us to invest here and partner with Air New Zealand as we continue to expand the GTF MRO network in support of the growing fleet.”

The GTF engine is the most fuel-efficient and sustainable engine for single aisle aircraft available today. GTF engines lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions up to 20% relative to previous generation aircraft and have a 75% smaller noise footprint. Around the world, GTF engines have saved airlines 2 billion gallons of fuel and 20 million metric tons of carbon emissions since entry into service in 2016.

Air New Zealand Chair Dame Therese Walsh said the 14,000 square meter expansion will allow the airline to service its V2500 engines powering the A320ceo aircraft and PW1100G-JM GTF engines on the A320/A321neo aircraft right here in Aotearoa.

“The introduction of new GTF repair capability will be completed in 2026, and the Christchurch Engine Centre will maintain, repair or overhaul both the V2500 and PW1100G-JM engines for many years to come,” said Walsh.

“As our fleet of Airbus aircraft continues to grow, with another four expected to arrive over the next three years, the importance of this facility to our airline also grows allowing us to continue to deliver on our purpose of connecting Kiwis with each other and the world.”

“The investment is a real vote of confidence in the Christchurch Engine Centre and our city. The creation of 200 new jobs is great news for our local economy and further positions Christchurch as a world-class technology and aerospace hub,” said Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger. “I can’t wait to see the new facility take off.”

Christchurch Engine Centre is committed to Pratt & Whitney’s sustainability vision to protect the environment along with the health and safety of its employees and the community around it. The expansion of the facility will continue the journey of this commitment as well as bring in innovations and new initiatives for a greener business and greener world.

Palo Alto Networks Expands CyberFit Nation To Provide Cybersecurity Education And Digital Safety Courses In New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 04:19:40 GMT

Palo Alto Networks, the global cybersecurity leader, announced today the expansion of CyberFit Nation into New Zealand. CyberFit Nation is a free online educational programme that addresses the unique cybersecurity learning needs of key stakeholder groups, from board directors to school children, to make each day safer and more secure than the one before.

Education and awareness of our digital safety and well-being have never been more important. The National Cyber security Centre (NCSC) reported New Zealanders lost $6.8 million to cybercrime in the second quarter of 2024, with the amount lost from incidents involving “unauthorised access” increasing to a cost of $3.6 million.

CyberFit Nation is Palo Alto Networks’ comprehensive education portfolio that aims to make cybersecurity education accessible to all. It features a range of masterclasses and clinics to augment and close gaps in education for a range of audiences, from boards of directors, startups and SMEs to workplace professionals, end users and children.

The educational sessions include:

Board of Directors: Cybersecurity Masterclass is targeted at board members, directors and C-level executives and examines the new requirements under the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018, including the element that requires directors to attest to a company’s risk management practices. The course is designed to lift the proficiency of directors in the field of cybersecurity.

Enterprise and Government: Recent experiences have underscored the need for modern enterprise and government entities to be agile and swiftly adjust their security strategies. In a world where cyber security is paramount, uplifting cyber security programs, controls, and technologies is crucial. This online workshop provides a practical approach to assist enterprise and government entities in bolstering their cyber resilience. Elevate your cybersecurity defences and embrace a safer digital environment today.

Cybersecurity Fundamentals for SMEs & Startups: Online workshops to help owners, operators and managers implement pragmatic cybersecurity strategies to mitigate risks.

Cyber Safe Kids for Parents & Children: A 30-minute interactive online session that provides children aged between five and 10 with the practical skills needed to protect themselves and others, and what it means to be a good digital citizen.

“As technologies advance and cyber threats become more sophisticated, we aim to empower New Zealanders with the skills to stay safe online,” said Misti Landtroop, Managing Director for Palo Alto Networks New Zealand.

“Digital connectivity comes with its risks and vulnerabilities, and our National Cyber Security Centre stated the most commonly reported incidents are phishing and credential harvesting. In response, our CyberFit Nation programme is free and accessible from anywhere, designed to close knowledge gaps so that everyone has the power to be digitally safe. Workshops are tailored to suit everyone from board directors to school children, enhancing the cyber safety and security skills of all New Zealanders is critical to adapting to the rapidly changing digital landscape,” she finished.

This initiative follows Palo Alto Networks recent partnership with Network for Learning (N4L) to deliver Managed Network services to schools and Kura across Aotearoa New Zealand. Palo Alto Networks delivers on-premise firewalls, along with advanced cybersecurity and web filtering services, enabling N4L to better support schools’ evolving digital needs.

About Palo Alto Networks

Palo Alto Networks is the global cybersecurity leader, committed to making each day safer than the one before with industry-leading, AI-powered solutions in network security, cloud security and security operations. Powered by Precision AI, our technologies deliver precise threat detection and swift response, minimising false positives and enhancing security effectiveness. Our platformisation approach integrates diverse security solutions into a unified, scalable platform, streamlining management and providing operational efficiencies with comprehensive protection. From defending network perimeters to safeguarding cloud environments and ensuring rapid incident response, Palo Alto Networks empowers businesses to achieve Zero Trust security and confidently embrace digital transformation in an ever-evolving threat landscape. This unwavering commitment to security and innovation makes us the cybersecurity partner of choice.

At Palo Alto Networks, we're committed to bringing together the very best people in service of our mission, so we're also proud to be the cybersecurity workplace of choice, recognised among Newsweek's Most Loved Workplaces (2021-2024), with a score of 100 on the Disability Equality Index (2024, 2023, 2022), and HRC Best Places for LGBTQ+ Equality (2022).

NZ’s Robotics Plus showcases autonomous vehicle in the US

Mike Hearn — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 21:24:33 GMT

A New Zealand-based agritech company is showcasing its autonomous, multi-use, hybrid vehicle in the United States this week.

Robotics Plus was at FIRA USA, a three-day event for autonomous farming and agricultural robotics solutions, held in Woodland - Sacramento, California.

The agritech company was there to promote Prospr, a vehicle designed to carry out a variety of orchard and vineyard crop tasks more efficiently and sustainably while reducing reliance on labour.

Prospr was launched last year at FIRA and Robotics Plus said it was already transforming orchard and vineyard operations in the US, Australia and New Zealand.

Steve Saunders, co-founder and chief executive officer at Robotics Plus, said the challenge for growers globally was how to produce more food sustainably while reducing their environmental impact.

“That’s why we developed Prospr, a robust autonomous vehicle with unique modular architecture and all-day running that empowers growers to adapt to the jobs they need to do in an ever-evolving agricultural landscape.”

Saunders said Prospr’s design centred on utilisation and flexibility, adapting to different tools for various crop types, growing formats and heights, and applications year-round.

He said Prospr decreased emissions, lowering fuel consumption by 70% with its hybrid diesel-electric system, and also reduced inputs, which enhanced environmental sustainability, cost, and reliance on “increasingly hard-to-find” machine operators.

“It’s great to see Prospr already working in orchards and vineyards globally to elevate operations.”

More about Prospr

Intelligent and targeted spraying

Saunders said Prospr included automated intelligent spraying.

This allows growers to deploy a range of spray configurations, with tower sprayers for grapes, apples, or tree crops already available.

Spray rates and air speed are dynamic and controlled in zones or by individual fans to maximise spray efficacy and enable a more targeted application than traditional sprayers.

The fine mist and turbulent air produced by the sprayers put spray on the backs of leaves; all of this results in superior droplet formation and spray deposition.

Robitics Plus said other attachments were under development and would be released over time.

AI-powered navigation, safety and precision

Prospr houses an advanced AI (artificial intelligence) system, to maximise efficiency, safety, and operational uptime in demanding orchard and vineyard environments.

It has a collision avoidance system, integrating light detection and ranging, (LiDAR) and cameras to detect and identify obstacles.

This allows Prospr to autonomously adjust its speed, avoid obstacles, and stop when necessary, maintaining high operational speeds while ensuring safety.

Intuitive user interface (UI)

Prospr’s intuitive user interface (UI) lets operators manage and monitor tasks remotely and efficiently.

Operators can manage and organise the day’s jobs for multiple machines from a single location, track job status in real-time, remotely and maintain a detailed record of active and completed jobs.

Prospr also has safety and environmental controls, and vehicle stats allow operators to monitor what is happening.

The vehicle can also switch between manual and autonomous functions.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

Deel Expands Immigration Support To Everyone, Streamlining Global Visa Applications

Mike Hearn — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 01:40:02 GMT

Deel, the leading all-in-one payroll and HR platform for global teams, announces the expansion of its immigration support services. Effective immediately, Deel's visa assistance will be available to everyone, not just current customers. This includes individuals seeking digital nomad visas and workers hired by companies through their own entities.

With this expansion, companies can now manage visa support for all their workers—whether employed through Deel or their own entities—on a single, intuitive platform. This streamlined approach simplifies immigration processes between global offices, offering a user-friendly experience refined through processing thousands of visas for clients' employees.

"For many people, securing a visa and moving countries is a life-changing experience. It can be complicated, stressful, and even scary. We want to make that process simpler, and to help connect talent with opportunity, no matter where it is," said Todd Heine, Founder of Legalpad (now Deel Immigration).

"Deel is committed to breaking down barriers to global employment. By expanding our immigration support services, we're making it easier for individuals and companies to navigate complex visa processes, fostering a more connected and mobile workforce."

Global Visa Support

Deel Immigration now supports digital nomad visas in nine countries: Portugal, Spain, Greece, Canada, Japan, Argentina, Colombia, Italy, and the UAE. Additionally, options for permanent residency are available, including the R Visa in Colombia and EB-1A and EB-2 NIW visas in the US.

Key Features

Expert guidance: Access Deel's in-house immigration team, available 24/7 to assist at every step.

Comprehensive documentation: Centralize all required documents on one platform, ensuring applications are complete and accurate.

Real-time updates: Track visa progress with live updates and notes from a dedicated case manager.

Centralized information: Easily access all related application information—from form submission and costs to timelines and case manager updates—in one place. Schedule meetings with the case manager in one click, ensuring support is always just minutes away. Once the visa is approved, securely store it on the platform for easy access and stay compliant with automated renewal reminders.

Immigration support for employees hired through companies’ own entities

Having successfully processed thousands of visas across 50 countries, including recent expansions into India, Argentina, and Uruguay, Deel is now extending its immigration services to support employees hired directly through companies’ own entities (not just Deel’s) in 20 countries. This expansion enables Deel clients using Deel HR or Deel Global Payroll products to manage their team’s relocation across all entities on a single, unified platform, providing a seamless experience for their global workforce.

End-to-end US visa applications, now digitally streamlined on the Deel platform

Until now, applying for a US visa has been manual, requiring multiple touchpoints and off-platform interactions. Deel has integrated the Legalpad app and process into its native platform, adding over 10 US visas and creating the most comprehensive HR, payroll, and immigration software solution available. With this integration, the entire US visa journey is now fully digital and managed within the Deel platform, from eligibility checks to application tracking.

Introducing new mobility partnerships with Heart Relocation and The Build Fellowship

Deel believes that the immigration journey doesn’t end with a visa. The relocation process can be complex and stressful for employees, so Deel has partnered with Heart Relocation to offer a comprehensive solution. With global coverage in over 110 countries, Heart Relocation helps manage every stage of the move—from furniture and home search to school placement and tax support.

The US H-1B lottery has become more competitive in recent years. In 2024, the success rate on the March H-1B lottery dropped to just 11%, making securing visas for skilled international talent harder. To address this, Deel is partnering with The Build Fellowship to offer a cap-exempt H-1B program with a 99% approval rate. This allows new hires to start within 8-12 weeks, smoothly transitioning into full-time roles quickly.

For more information about Deel's expanded immigration support services, visit deel.com/immigration.

About Deel

Deel is the leading global payroll and compliance platform. With Deel, businesses can hire anyone, anywhere, in a simple and compliant manner. Deel's platform offers unmatched payroll, benefits, and compliance capabilities in over 150 countries, providing a seamless and enjoyable experience for both businesses and their international teams.

Smelter alternative gears up for US entrance

Mike Hearn — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 05:27:18 GMT

After several years commercializing its technology, Australia-based hydrometallurgical processing company Mint Innovation is getting ready to build its first U.S. facility, which will provide an outlet for various grades of circuit boards.

Will Barker, CEO and co-founder, launched the company in 2016 with a goal to recover gold and other metals from waste streams or mining residues, not through smelting but through the use of various solvents.

“Very quickly, we realized that applied quite nicely to e-waste in particular and so started scaling the technology with that in mind,” Barker said.

It began proving out its concept with a pilot plant, which raised the capital to fund a demonstration plant in Auckland, New Zealand, that opened in 2019. That, in turn, raised enough capital to build a commercial prototype plant in Sydney, Australia, which completed construction and was commissioned last year.

Mint has been ramping up production there throughout 2024, currently at 3,000 metric tons per year of capacity, and now it’s gearing up for North America.

“We’ve learned a lot of lessons needed to start deploying that elsewhere,” Barker said. “And we are now ready to pull the trigger on the next deployment, which is going to be the U.S. in the not-too-distant future.”

Process produces ‘low-carbon metals’

Mint employs a hydrometallurgical process with a solvent that can go into a dissolved metal solution and act as a sort of sponge, Barker said, to selectively concentrate gold from waste streams that contain many different metals.

“The whole point of the technology is that we are able to downscale to the size where we can actually deploy regionally,” Barker said. He envisions small Mint facilities capable of serving a region of 300 to 600 miles, providing a small-footprint alternative to shipping materials out of the country for commodity recovery.

“What that enables is you’re able to serve businesses locally, you’re able to return metals back into the local economy, so proper, actual circularity,” Barker said. “And you’re able to compete with the smelters in a transparent and local way.”

Mint’s hydrometallurgical process would take in the same materials that would otherwise go for smelting. It dissolves the metals, uses a patented biotechnology to recover the gold and other precious metals, and uses conventional electrochemical processing to recover copper, tin, silver and other base metals.

At its current plant in Sydney, Mint sells the output metals locally. Barker noted one selling point for Mint’s metals is that they are processed with low-carbon technology.

“There is potential for selling them at a premium,” he said. “Our vision is that they are truly circular, so they are going back into the same electronics from whence they came. We’re working with a number of OEMs as to how to get them back into their supply chains.”

Multiple US facilities planned in near future

Barker anticipates building multiple U.S. plants that are similar or slightly larger in scale compared to the Sydney facility, at 4,000 or 5,000 tons per year, since “it’s a bigger market,” he said.

Barker likened the appearance of a Mint facility to a microbrewery, with various holding tanks, pumps, pipes and filter presses throughout. A 4,000-ton-per-year plant will be housed in a roughly 50,000- to 60,000-square-foot warehouse, he said. That small footprint is important given the company’s goal to do local processing.

“The waste streams are produced in urban environments, so we want to slide our plants into those same urban environments and recover the value locally,” he said. “That means you basically have to slide it into an existing warehouse in a city.”

Location details are not finalized yet, but he floated the possibility of building three to five U.S. facilities “in the near term.” Barker said he hopes to announce the first U.S. location before the end of this year, to develop that facility throughout next year, and to have it be operational by the end of 2025.

As part of the growth strategy, Mint in August hired Jason Price as chief operating officer. Price brings significant experience in the e-scrap and ITAD sectors, previously holding positions at Sims and Synergy Electronics Recycling, as well as at Camston Wrather, a company also working on hydrometallurgical e-scrap metals recovery.

In an interview, Price said several points about Mint’s process drew him to the company, including the traceability inherent to Mint’s technology. The company processes circuit boards in 3,000- to 4,000-pound batches, he explained, and Mint can trace the gold from those boards to that specific batch.

“So if a manufacturer says, ‘Here’s X number of boards,’ that gold from that particular batch can go back to that company,” he said.

Mint will not be dismantling devices itself and instead will be looking to buy circuit boards from e-scrap firms. The company can take in a variety of board grades but will shy away from the lower-grade boards found in TVs, for example.

“P4 motherboard and above is where we want to be on the precious metals, the gold content,” Price said. “We can take in any level above that.”

Source: https://resource-recycling.com/

Statement on the Passing of Former U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Thomas J. Donohue

Mike Hearn — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 02:30:42 GMT

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today issued the following statement on the October 14, 2024, passing of former Chamber CEO Thomas J. Donohue:

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American business community, and our nation mourn the passing of Thomas J. Donohue. Throughout his extraordinary life, Tom was many things—friend, mentor, statesman, storyteller, fighter, advocate, and patriot. Above all else, he was a dedicated family man, and our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones.

As a business leader, Tom was a towering figure, and across his decades-long career, his Irish toughness, combined with his genuine compassion, made him a unique and impactful voice in Washington and around the world. He gave business a seat at the table and a voice in the debate in a way it never had before.

In 1997, after 13 years leading the American Trucking Associations, Tom took the wheel of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It is no exaggeration to say he resurrected the Chamber, taking the institution from good to great and from productive to powerful—and standing up for business from the nation’s capital to every corner of the globe. He never backed down from a fight that was necessary for a cause he believed in, leading the American business community and building the Chamber into the largest and most effective business organization in the world. He did it with high energy and absolute integrity, always keeping his promises and keeping his word. Tom’s mantra was simple: ‘If you can, you must.’

By his own admission, ‘retirement’ was never a word in Tom’s lexicon, and even after he stepped down from his storied career as CEO of the Chamber, he continued to be driven by intellectual curiosity and patriotic duty. Through the work of The Donohue Group, Tom remained engaged on the topics he thought most important to the future of our nation. He generously gave his time and service to the boards of the U.S. Chamber, the Hudson Institute, the Center for International Private Enterprise, and Marymount University.

Tom would often say that to serve the business community was to serve our country, and he did it with distinction. Like Tom himself, the spirit of enterprise is strong, it is fearless, and it is enduring—bigger than any of us, and yet a reflection of the best in all of us. Tom Donohue will be deeply missed, but his legacy lives on as we carry that spirit forward.

About Thomas J. Donohue: Donohue took the helm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1997, after 13 years leading the American Trucking Associations. He retired in 2021 but continued to serve on the U.S. Chamber Board of Directors. Earlier in his career, he was deputy assistant postmaster general of the United States and vice president of development at Fairfield University in Connecticut.

Born in New York City, Donohue earned a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University and a master’s degree in business administration from Adelphi University.

Cinnabon confirms expansion to NZ

Mike Hearn — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 02:32:11 GMT

Global Cinnamon Roll brand, Cinnabon® has confirmed that it will be bringing its famed sweet treats to New Zealand soon.

The well-loved brand that believes ‘Life needs frosting’, and aims to deliver just that, says that preparations are well underway for the opening of its first New Zealand store in Auckland’s Westfield Newmarket.

A Cinnabon spokesperson says, “We’re thrilled to introduce Cinnabon to Aotearoa. It’s been incredibly successful in international markets, including Australia, and we’re excited that Kiwis will soon be able to experience the ooey-gooey deliciousness that has won hearts worldwide.”

Cinnabon NZ are confident now is the right time to invest in New Zealand and position the brand for growth, as the economic outlook improves. In recent years, New Zealand has seen a surge of international brands launch here successfully and many New Zealanders will already be familiar with Cinnabon from overseas trips.

“New Zealand is such a promising market for Cinnabon and this is an amazing opportunity to create even more memorable experiences for new and returning customers” said Steven Yang, Senior Vice President, APAC at GoTo Foods International. “Our portfolio of brands offers more than just a business opportunity; it’s a chance to become a part of the daily routines and lifestyles of this community.”

Westfield Newmarket was selected as Cinnabon’s first store location in New Zealand because of its prime position, bustling foot traffic and close proximity to businesses, shopping and transportation hubs.

The Newmarket menu will feature classic Cinnabon treats including:

• The Classic Roll: The world-famous cinnamon roll combining warm dough, legendary Makara cinnamon and the signature Cinnabon cream cheese frosting.

• Caramel PecanBon®: The Classic Roll but even more decadent, with caramel and pecans for the perfect crunch.

• ChocoBon™: The one for the chocolate lovers, with chocolate spread and a rich chocolate drizzle.

They will also be available as the smaller MiniBon® for when you’re in the mood for a more petite treat and in perfect for sharing CinnaPacks™. You’ll be able to pair your Cinnabon with great coffee or a Chillatta®, the Cinnabon blended frozen masterpiece, available in Mango, Strawberry, Cookies and Cream, Caramel Latte and, of course, Cinnamon Roll flavours.

Kathan Parikh, the Director of Cinnabon NZ is excited to be leading the expansion into New Zealand and is looking forward to growing the brand here. The New Zealand launch will increase the number of countries where Cinnabon operates to 54 and will add to the almost 2,000 Bakery-Cafes worldwide including 16 sites in Australia. The aim is to open 10-15 stores across New Zealand, with the potential for more if there’s demand.

More details of the opening will be released soon.

To stay up to date follow Cinnabon New Zealand on Instagram @cinnabonnz or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cinnabonnz.

Source: https://www.fmcgbusiness.co.nz/

NZ Medical Device Company Chitogel Ltd Secures US$6.58M Investment From US Based Investor To Drive US Sales Expansion

Mike Hearn — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 02:24:26 GMT

Chitogel Limited, a New Zealand-owned and Wellington-based medical device company, has announced to its shareholders the signing of a major investment contract with a US-based organisation, McGeever, LLC, headquartered in North Carolina. This investment, made through McGeever’s subsidiary, LCO Capital, LLC and totalling US$6.58 million over 3 years, will be used to establish a dedicated medical sales team across the United States through McGeever’s commercial execution arm, SalesForce4Hire, LLC. The investment is aimed at driving the expansion and growth of Chitogel’s first-to-market hydrogel product for post-operative use following endoscopic sinus surgery.

In addition to this major investment, Chitogel Limited is launching a Series A Capital Raise of NZ$8m. This funding will be instrumental in delivering their second-to-market Otologic Kit for middle ear corrective surgery; advancing new product developments for laminectomy and abdominal surgery; relocating their manufacturing plant to increase capacity; and ensuring sufficient working capital.

Chitogel Limited CEO, Edward Lamb, expressed his enthusiasm for the milestone, stating, “This is a great moment for a NZ owned and based company to establish its own medical sales team in the biggest global market, the United States.” He further added, “Chitogel has been distributed in the US since 2019, so this is a natural progression to enable expansion of customer use. I would like to personally thank Chitogel staff and the investors who have patiently supported us on this journey.”

McGeever, LLC invests in a portfolio of companies aligned to the core purpose of improving the value of their investments through commercial execution. It is a highly experienced medical device commercialisation group with a proven track record of successfully launching and driving rapid sales growth for multinational companies and startups in the US market over the past 20 years.

Recent clinical studies have shown that severe chronic rhinosinusitis patients treated with Chitogel demonstrated significantly lower rates of revision surgery (Barber 2024). Chitogel also promotes a healthy microbiome which decreases postoperative infections (Megow 2022), whilst it is also rapidly haemostatic immediately after surgery and prevents adhesion formation, addressing two of the most common complications of sinus surgery (Valentine 2010).

Chitogel offers unique patient benefits by promoting healthy bacteria in the sinuses leading to improved sinus health and helping patients feel better and stay healthier over the long term. With a trend of reduced health system costs and increase efficiencies, Chitogel has shown a clear reduction in the need for follow up consults and revision surgeries. Given these flow-on benefits and cost savings, Chitogel is viewed as an investment, with the long-term cost-savings and improvements to patient welfare far outweighing the initial cost of the product.

Source: Scoop Media

Experian completes A$820m acquisition of illion

Mike Hearn — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 04:25:10 GMT

Unveils leadership and integration plans for unified business in Australia and New Zealand, offering more choice for customers.

Australia and New Zealand, 1 October 2024

Experian, the world’s leading data and technology company, has today announced the successful completion of its A$820 million acquisition of consumer and commercial credit bureau, illion, in Australia and New Zealand.

The acquisition and integration of illion’s 500 strong team, data, software and intellectual property into Experian will create a unified business that brings together complementary capabilities, assets, people and customers. The combined organisation is set to enhance market choice and deliver powerful, data-driven solutions for businesses and consumers across the region.

Malin Holmberg, CEO Experian EMEA and Asia Pacific region, said: “having successfully led the Australia and New Zealand business for the past seven years, Andrew Black, will take leadership of the combined organisation, overseeing the strategic integration and growth plans, leveraging our global innovations.

Experian A/NZ CEO Andrew Black said Experian’s five-year strategic plan will quickly unlock value of the combined team and capabilities, with the first phase balancing speed and service continuity for customers.

“This is a historic day for our business, our people and our customers - and it’s just the beginning,” Black said. “Through this acquisition we aim to continue our growth trajectory in Australia and New Zealand, significantly expand our market and bring new capabilities to redefine what a data-driven technology business can be.”

“illion has built an impressive product portfolio, data assets and customer base that are diverse and complementary to Experian’s strengths and we have a robust integration plan that will enable our customers to quickly realise the benefits of the combined entities.”

“One of the big wins here is the combined data assets which will provide more choice for our customers. This is going to supercharge our product and service capabilities, in alignment with Experian’s global strategy, in a way that simply hasn’t been possible before.”

Black confirmed that the new combined entity will be rebranded to Experian, likely within the next 12 months, although some of the illion product names that have gained credible market awareness will continue.

“Our people are our greatest competitive differentiator, which is not only recognised by our customers but also leading workplace authorities such as Great Place to Work and Work180. The integration will foster a culture of collaboration, bringing together our best talent to create a unified, empowered and high-performing team,” Black said.

illion CEO steps down

Experian confirmed that John Banfield, CEO of illion, will be stepping down following the successful completion of the acquisition. Banfield played a pivotal role in transforming illion’s performance and culture, culminating in the company’s acquisition by Experian.

Source: https://www.experianplc.com/

‘Very positive’: United Airlines gears up for summer return to Christchurch

Mike Hearn — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 05:31:27 GMT

United Airlines will resume its summer route between San Francisco and Christchurch in December. Some of United’s top brass sat down with Stuff Travel in Auckland to discuss the airline’s future plans.

In December 2023, United Airlines opened up the US to the South Island - and vice versa.

Launching direct flights between Christchurch and San Francisco, the seasonal service is the only one that allows South Islanders to fly direct to the US.

Coming back for a second season in December, the airline will fly the route three times a week, in addition to the daily service to San Francisco from Auckland from October 27, meaning it will operate 10 flights a week to the US hub. United has more combined flights between the US and New Zealand/Australia than any other carrier in the world.

“There’s a lot of interest particularly on the west coast of the US, folks wanting to travel here and see different places so it’s been very positive for us ,” said Doreen Burse, United’s SVP of Worldwide Sales.

“The great thing about San Francisco being one of our biggest hubs is the connectivity we have in getting folks to San Francisco, and then travelling onwards. There’s no particular state off the top of my head that comes to mind but in particular in the west, the western side of the US tends to be the most popular.”

Earlier this year United suspended its Auckland to Los Angeles route, which it had launched at the end of October 2023 with three weekly flights. Now it remains focused on the San Francisco routes to Auckland and Christchurch. Burse said looking ahead to summer, demand on the Christchurch service is “solid”.

“We were happy with the first season performance and are excited to be returning for a second season, with strong bookings trending,” said Burse.

Since the pandemic, United has grown its connections in the Asia Pacific region and is now 10% bigger than in 2019. Burse said New Zealand remains a key market for them.

“Even when you look at New Zealand and Australia together, we’re over 30% larger than in 2019. The region is very exciting if you consider that China hasn’t come all the way back. We’re the largest US carrier transpacifically. It's an incredibly important market to us and we’re going to continue to evaluate where is the demand, where are the places we can travel to that actually help folks, through our Star Alliance partners, get to other places beyond too.”

United’s country manager for Australia, NZ and Tahiti Tim Wallis said NZ’s great outdoors tends to be the key drawcard for Americans travelling here.

“Our peak season for capacity is our summer and that's the season for vineyards, for hiking, for water sports, so all of those activities they've been the reason for people to come down and will continue to be so I think.”

Wallis said while the recent increase to the tourist tax for visitors to NZ is high, it won’t be a deterrent for most US travellers.

“That’s a significant cost of course, but I think New Zealand has so many wonderful experiences and choices for passengers and I think it will always be a bucket list destination.

“And I think a cost like that gets packaged into that total cost of journey, and the reason people are coming down here is the great outdoors, the vineyards, the hiking, the list goes on and I know that that won’t stop them from visiting.”

The San Francisco routes will be flown with a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. United expects to take delivery of about 100 new planes every year for the next five years as part of their United Next growth plan - that’s a new aircraft roughly every three days. Those new aircraft will be about 20% more fuel efficient.

United is the largest purchaser of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and was one of the first airlines to commit to becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

This month the airline announced an agreement with SpaceX to bring Starlink’s high-speed wi-fi to the airline’s mainline and regional aircraft fleet for free. That means passengers will be able to stream video while in the sky, watch live TV, download/upload documents and play live games.

Testing begins in early 2025 with the first passenger flights expected later that year. It’ll be available on passengers’ seat back screens, as the airline plans to retrofit existing aircraft to include a 10-inch screen in every economy seat, or 16-inch HD touch screen in every business class seat.

The new interiors will also include Bluetooth, power and plugs in every seat, bigger overhead bins, and LED lighting.

Burse said they’re always thinking about the traveller experience and how to remove friction from travel.

“It’ll be a gamechanger, I can’t imagine being able to stream and being able to do the things I can currently do at home in the air.”

Source: https://www.stuff.co.nz/

City2City Agreement Signed With Auckland, New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 22:47:40 GMT

DENVER - The City and County of Denver and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited’s GridAKL, Auckland's startup hub fostering technology, innovation and entrepreneurship communities, have signed a City2City agreement. This partnership paves the way for business exchange and collaborative innovation between the two cities, positioning Denver as a prominent technology hub on the global stage.

“Denver businesses are the best in the world and deserve avenues to expand and thrive at home while also leading on the global stage,” said Mayor Mike Johnston. “This new partnership will benefit both cities for years to come by supporting companies as they explore exciting global opportunities, connecting our entrepreneurial ecosystems, fostering innovation, and creating lasting benefits for Denver and Auckland businesses and communities alike."

This City2City agreement was established through Denver Economic Development & Opportunity’s (DEDO) Global Business Development. Under this agreement, eligible businesses from both Denver and Auckland will receive support, including connections to local networks and access to free or discounted workspaces for up to 90 days. Companies looking to scale will benefit from the resources needed to expand successfully, gaining access to co-working spaces, talent, incentives, events, and grants in both markets. These agreements also pave the way for expanded foreign direct investment opportunities.

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is Auckland’s economic and cultural agency and Chief Executive Nick Hill said this agreement “will help technology businesses explore opportunities in both Auckland and Denver, helping them expand their market reach, and get greater access to local resources.”

Denver has signed City2City agreements with London; Brest, France; the State of New South Wales, Australia; Guadalajara, Mexico and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Through these partnerships, Denver is strengthening its position as an innovative leader in a global network that is creating supportive environments for companies to find success in foreign markets.

“As a city, we aim to both attract foreign companies to establish their U.S. operations in our vibrant city and create resources and pathways for Denver’s local businesses and economy to thrive, making this City2City collaboration invaluable in positioning Denver as a global city,” said Adeeb Khan, Executive Director of DEDO. “Denver was recently recognized by ADP Research as having the top job market in the nation, out of 55 metro areas. We are proud to be an entrepreneurial and innovation hub for businesses to access assistance, programs, and networking opportunities.”

In addition to the City2City agreement, Denver is home to a stellar and growing community of New Zealand businesses and government representatives that contribute to the local economy. Through this bilateral agreement, Denver hopes to further support and expand this community, while also showcasing Auckland and its region as an exciting market for Denver companies to explore.

________________

About Denver Economic Development & Opportunity
Denver Economic Development & Opportunity is creating an economy that works for everyone. Learn more at denvergov.org/economicdevelopment.

About Tātaki Auckland Unlimited
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s economic and cultural agency committed to making the region a desirable place to live, work, visit, invest and do business. Learn more at www.aucklandunlimited.com

Unilever Chooses New Zealand Wool

Mike Hearn — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 22:41:51 GMT

New Zealand’s Lanaco has signed a major deal with Unilever-owned air purifier manufacturer Blueair for its world-leading New Zealand, natural, renewable woollen air filter.

The company has hailed the new partnership as a truly significant step in the commercialisation of its Ecostatic® wool filters and a boost for the air purifier market that has previously relied on synthetic air filters.

Lanaco’s Ecostatic® wool filters have made it into outer space on NASA rockets for Moon and Mars missions, and were part of the facemasks that kept the New Zealand team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics free of COVID. Now they have found a home on Earth.

Lanaco founder and chief executive Nick Davenport says the new partnership with Blueair, a leading Swedish air wellness pioneer, represents a step-change in the global air filtration market. Blueair is the first to integrate Lanaco’s natural, renewable New Zealand wool fibre-based EcoStatic® technology into its range of portable air purifiers.

“Blueair's dedication to innovation, sustainability and quality resonates with our core values at Lanaco,” Nick Davenport says.

“Our company has developed wool-based filter media because wool provides both the basis for true performance and the best sustainability credentials. We are thrilled that our partnership with Blueair captures this capability whilst also recognising the environmental benefits of woollen filters as well.

“Just as Icebreaker did for wool clothing, Lanaco is bringing its branded New Zealand wool technology to the global filtration market by partnering with one of Europe’s greatest consumer goods companies.”

Blueair chief executive Andy Lu says partnering with Lanaco to produce the industry's first woollen, biodegradable filter is not just a milestone for Blueair, “but a transformative moment for the entire air purification industry”.

Lanaco’s EcoStatic® electrostatic filter technology is uniquely supported by the established Ovis Global™ Astino® sheep breeding programme, which , which is pivotal in its success as wool with superior filtration performance is being bred for. This initiative presents a long-term growth opportunity for the farming sector, with thousands of tonnes of New Zealand wool potentially benefiting from this scientifically sophisticated application of wool as a novel biomaterial.

Targeting a global filter media market valued at over $US8 billion, Lanaco says the Unilever partnership is the first of several high volume market opportunities that Lanaco is presently progressing to full commercialisation.

About Lanaco

Lanaco is an Auckland-based, predominantly New Zealand-owned company that manufactures woollen-based, natural and renewable materials for use in air filtration. Focused on the principles of sustainability, performance and innovation, Lanaco’s Ecostatic® product range provides superior, natural solutions for use in air conditioning, appliance safety and healthcare products, which all share the principal function of delivering clean air for people to breathe.

The technology is underpinned by extensive wool science and a bespoke New Zealand sheep breeding programme called Astino®, providing the unique data and knowledge of fibre performance, which make its output wool increasingly relevant to Lanaco’s customer needs.

EcoStatic® is a non-woven, natural, wool-rich fibre material which possesses a strong electrostatic charge enabling it to remove the tiniest particles from the air. Filters from this are being used in space by NASA in its trials of vehicles to go to the Moon and Mars.

About Blueair

Founded in Stockholm, Sweden in 1996, Blueair is a world-leading producer of air purification solutions for home and professional use., Blueair delivers innovative, best-in-class, energy-efficient products and services sold in more than 60 countries. The company became a part of the Unilever family of brands in 2016.

www.lanaco.co.nz

New Zealand Startup Shutterspeed Joins Global Stage With Techstars

Mike Hearn — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 22:28:34 GMT

Shutterspeed has been selected for investment by leading global pre-seed venture capital firm, Techstars. Out of the 4,400 companies that have worked with Techstars, it is only the third New Zealand company to be backed by the US global startup network and it’s US$116B portfolio market cap.

Shutterspeed is developing a cutting-edge AI-powered business assistant for content creators and creative professionals. This investment highlights the growing recognition of New Zealand as a hub of technology innovation.

“Henry and I have deep, specialist industry knowledge in production, and an equally large understanding of the struggles that owners in the space have,” says Freddie McKenzie, Co-founder, Shutterspeed. “Production companies need to a better way to understand how time is spent, who is spending it on what, what resources are in use, and what client needs to be billed for it all, so we decided to build Shutterspeed.”

Shutterspeed’s selection for this year’s highly competitive cohort marks a significant win for New Zealand technology on the global stage.

The first tool of its kind
Co-founders Freddie Mckenzie and Henry Collinson designed Shutterspeed with a desire to help content creators and creative professionals remove the burden of administrative tasks and focus on what they do best: creating.

Shutterspeed is the first performance metrics tool that automatically tracks time across different stages of the production process without any manual input from users. It was developed to accommodate the unique and volatile workflows of modern digital creators.

Powered by Contextual Conversational AI, Shutterspeed allows creative professionals to see real-time data on their project timelines, profit margins and productivity, empowering efficient project management.

Key features include:

Automatic time tracking: Tracks production, post-production and revision time seamlessly.

Real-time budget tracking: Provides live updates on production budgets, ensuring creators never go over their allocated costs.

Deadline management: Helps professionals meet project deadlines across all projects with real-time notifications and dashboard tracking.

Specifically developed for creative professionals, Shutterspeed integrates with popular industry-standard tools like Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro and Audition. More integrations will be available soon for Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, Lightroom and more.

Empowering creatives with data
Shutterspeed demonstrates the power of collaboration and innovation within New Zealand’s growing technology sector.

Mckenzie and Collison, who were originally neighbours, bonded over their shared passion for technology and innovation, which eventually led to the development of Shutterspeed. Born out of an existing Auckland-based production company called VIVID Creative, Shutterspeed was officially launched in early 2023 under the fitting company name Nextdoor Technologies.

“Creativity thrives on instinct, but when powered by data, it charts a clear pathway to success. We’ve all under quoted and underestimated a project before, and eating into your own profit margin is never nice. With Shutterspeed being fully automatic, you can simply set and forget the tracker and focus on your creative endeavours,” says Henry Collison.

“We designed Shutterspeed to streamline workflows and improve pricing strategy for creative professionals and content creators. It’s a great honour to be selected by Techstars, and it’s an exciting moment for Kiwi tech startups to be recognised on the global stage. Our country is fast becoming a hub of innovation, and Shutterspeed is proud to be part of that movement.”

Shutterspeed is now in its pre-alpha stage. Creative professionals are invited to book free demo sessions at https://shutterspeed.io/book-a-demo to explore Shutterspeed’s capabilities firsthand.

About Shutterspeed
Shutterspeed is an AI-driven tool designed to help creatives manage their projects more efficiently. By automatically tracking time, budgets and deadlines without manual input, Shutterspeed provides real-time insights into project performance and profitability. Integrated with industry-standard creative tools, Shutterspeed empowers users to focus on creativity while optimising project management. Visit www.shutterspeed.io or follow us onLinkedIn and Instagram.

Americarna Teams Up With Steam Inc. For A 4 Day Heritage Rail Excursion To Taranaki

Mike Hearn — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 21:15:53 GMT

Americarna and Steam Incorporated are excited to announce the addition of a heritage rail experience for Americarna 2025.

A festival first for Americarna, this unique opportunity will provide visitors with a novel travel opportunity as part of this annual celebration of American car-culture. Steam Inc. will operate a special train journey from Wellington to Taranaki in February, offering a nostalgic rail experience alongside the 2025 Americarna event, and the many other stand-out community events and celebrations taking place over the four-day event, 19th - 22nd February.

Departing 20th February 2025, the train will take passengers through the heart of the North Island, allowing them to soak in the scenery before arriving in Taranaki for a weekend of classic American cars, street parades, and lively festivities.

In addition to out-of-region visitors, Taranaki locals will also get the chance to ride the heritage train on the Saturday of the Festival, with short trips departing from New Plymouth’s iconic Wind Wand throughout the day. This provides a unique opportunity for the community to experience vintage rail travel right in their backyard.

John Rae, who founded Americarna in 2007, is extremely pleased that Steam Incorporated is bringing this additional experience to Supercheap Auto Americarna 2025, and says, "Bringing additional people to our region via the rail experience as well as giving locals the opportunity to join in on Americarna is unique. Ride the train Friday, down to Stratford and Hāwera, returning to New Plymouth for the Friday night cruising in the CBD. Locals having the chance to ride the train Saturday morning is a first, I believe this will be hugely popular so do book your Supercheap Auto Americarna 2025 unique rail experience thanks to Steam Incorporated and Venture Taranaki".

"We’re thrilled to see Americarna continuing to evolve its event offering, and thinking of unique and interesting ways to develop their event for locals, and visitors alike. Encouraging out-of-town visitation is important for our region, bringing much-needed support to our accommodation, hospitality, and retail sectors, so we’re thrilled to see the addition of this heritage rail experience, and look forward to welcoming its passengers in February 2025," added Brylee Flutey, General Manager Destination at Venture Taranaki.

"This also serves as a reminder that we’re in for a busy summer, with an influx of visitors across multiple major events like Te Matatini, which kicks off right after Americarna. We encourage locals and businesses to seize this exciting opportunity-be open, stock up, staff up, and showcase the Taranaki manaakitanga we’re famous for," says Flutey.

"Americarna serves as a fantastically unique addition to our excursion programme for 2025," Steam Incorporated’s Tommy Secker said. "We are proud to be bringing our train north as part of the Americarna festival, and to also showcase Taranaki as a region. It is an untapped part of our rail network, and we are excited at the offerings available for the Taranaki community and those coming from other parts of the country."

Key Details of the Americarna Rail Journey:

Dates: February 20th - 23rd, 2025

Departure: From Paraparaumu, with stops in Levin, Palmerston North, and Whanganui en route to Taranaki

Tour Bookings: Contact Steam Inc. at 0800 783 264 or email admin@steaminc.org.nz

More information:

https://www.steaminc.org.nz/book-train-trip/the-americarna-rail-experience/

https://www.steaminc.org.nz/book-train-trip/taranaki-like-no-other-rail-experience/

Bookings for short train trips from the Wind Wand on Saturday 22 February will be available from late October.

About Americarna: Americarna is New Zealand’s premier celebration of American car culture, drawing hundreds of classic, vintage, and custom vehicles to the streets of Taranaki every year. Held annually since 2007, the festival attracts car enthusiasts from across the country and beyond. In 2025, Americarna will again run in Taranaki, 19-22 February, with a series of events around the mountain showcasing the manaakitanga of our communities big and small. www.americarna.com

About Steam Incorporated: Steam Incorporated operates heritage train tours throughout New Zealand, offering passengers the chance to experience the golden age of rail travel on vintage locomotives and carriages that are restored inhouse at their Paekakariki workshops. Led by a passionate team, driven by the desire to share NZ’s rail history with the general public.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the first-ever Americarna heritage rail adventure. Secure your seats now for an unforgettable journey to Taranaki.

For more information and to book your place on the train heading to Taranaki, visit www.steaminc.org.nz

First of five new Hercules aircraft takes flight

Mike Hearn — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 01:38:28 GMT

Defence Minister Judith Collins today welcomed the first of five new C-130J-30 Hercules to arrive in New Zealand at a ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base Auckland, Whenuapai.

“This is an historic day for our New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and our nation. The new Hercules fleet is a significant Government investment in our ability to respond to national and international events, anytime and anywhere,” Ms Collins says.

“In an increasingly volatile world, where NZDF will be called upon more often, it is essential the next generation of personnel is equipped to keep New Zealanders safe, using modern, efficient and fit-for-purpose assets.

“The new Hercules will be a mission critical capability for NZDF and a national asset. It can fly further and faster than its predecessor, and can carry more combat capable personnel, equipment and life-saving aid to communities, whether they be in New Zealand, the Pacific or further afield.”

The remainder of the fleet of five aircraft is scheduled to touchdown in New Zealand by the end of the year. They replace the existing fleet of C-130H Hercules, which have collectively conducted more than 97,000 flights since first being deployed in the 1960s.

“Much like its predecessor, the new Hercules will be the workhorse of the NZDF, regularly deploying combat capable personnel on operations, humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions, and search and rescue deployments.”

The C-130H fleet will be retired early next year after nearly 60 years’ service. In recent years it has been involved in numerous major NZDF operations, such as the evacuation of hundreds of people from Kabul, Afghanistan, the delivery of aid and equipment to communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, and the transport of troops and military aid to the United Kingdom in support of Ukraine.

“The new fleet ensures our ongoing interoperability with international partners. Many of our partners use this aircraft for similar transport missions, including our ally Australia, and partners such as the United States, Canada, France and Germany,” Ms Collins says.

“New Zealand crews have spent the past 18 months in the United States learning how to operate and maintain the Hercules.

“This intensive training programme has further strengthened our relationship with the United States Air Force.”

The new fleet will be operated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s No. 40 Squadron and be based at Base Auckland, Whenuapai.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Checkmate Secures $1.6 Million USD to Transform Pre-Employment Screening

Mike Hearn — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 23:10:36 GMT

Checkmate, the fast-growing provider of comprehensive pre-employment screening solutions, is thrilled to announce the successful completion of its Seed funding round, securing over $1.6 million USD from Wavemaker Partners, Southeast Asia’s leading early-stage VC investing in B2B, Deep Tech, and Sustainability startups. This investment marks a pivotal moment in Checkmate’s journey, enabling the company to expand into new markets and enhance its platform, delivering even greater value to its clients.‍

Founded in 2019, Checkmate tackles critical challenges in HR and recruitment, including lengthy and inefficient hiring processes, high-risk hiring decisions, and the complex compliance requirements of various legal standards.

‍The company has positioned itself as a leader in HR tech by seamlessly aggregating all pre-employment background checks and reference verifications into a single, fast, and simple experience for all stakeholders.

‍“At Checkmate, we’ve made it our mission to turn what is typically an unenjoyable and cumbersome task, such as police vetting, into a streamlined and efficient process,” said Scott Inglis, CEO and Founder of Checkmate. “Our solution significantly reduces the time-to-hire and enhances the candidate experience, ultimately helping businesses acquire top talent more effectively.”

‍Andy Hwang, General Partner at Wavemaker Partners, said: “Checkmate is advancing the HR industry with a platform that integrates pre-employment screening, compliance checks, onboarding, and AI-driven reference checking. This comprehensive solution accelerates hiring, reducing time-to-hire from weeks to a mere three days, while also enhancing compliance and fraud prevention. Additionally, by leveraging referral data for personalized onboarding, Checkmate improves the overall candidate experience–an often overlooked aspect of the process. With over 500 enterprise clients across nine countries, Checkmate enables HR teams to focus on strategic priorities. We are pleased to support the company as they continue to expand to more markets.”

‍The Seed funding will be used to fuel Checkmate’s expansion into existing and new markets, including Australia, as well as US and Southeast Asia. The funds will also support improvements in the company’s technological capabilities and user experience as more organisations seek reliable and efficient pre-employment screening.

‍“We are excited to have secured this funding from Wavemaker,” said Inglis. “They have been incredibly supportive of our vision, and this investment enables us to continue building a solution that our clients love. With Wavemaker’s backing, we are poised to scale our operations, deepen our impact, and continue innovating to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”

Source: https://www.checkmate.tech/

The Wrecking Crew: Auckland unveiled as main location for Amazon MGM production

Mike Hearn — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 22:40:24 GMT

An Amazon MGM Studios production is coming to Aotearoa, with Auckland announced as the primary shooting location for the star-studded project.

The Wrecking Crew will be directed by award-winning film-maker Ángel Manuel Soto and feature an impressive cast including Aquaman’s Jason Momoa, Guardians of the Galaxy’s Dave Bautista, and New Zealand’s own Temuera Morrison and Frankie Adams.

The production will carry a significant economic impact, says Tātaki Auckland Unlimited chief executive Nick Hill, with more than 1400 local cast, crew and extras expected to be employed. As well as contributing to Auckland’s $1.7 billion screen sector, the project will inject a healthy boost into local businesses, including in sectors such as accommodation, hospitality, construction and transportation.

The action-comedy will see Momoa and Bautista star as two half-brothers - one a loose-cannon cop (Momoa) and the other a disciplined Navy Seal (Bautista). After 20-odd years of bad blood, they must work together to unravel the conspiracy behind their father’s murder in Hawaii.

Speaking to the Herald, Hill says he believes the production will be the largest to come to Aotearoa’s shores since Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

“I’m thrilled. It’s setting an extremely strong pipeline for international film productions here in New Zealand,” he says. “Post-Covid and its impacts on tourism, hospitality, the film industry and local business, these opportunities and investment are a real shot in the arm.”

Filming is expected to begin around the Auckland region from October and will take at least a “couple of months”, say Hill.

It’s currently uncertain whether filming will take place in other regions across Aotearoa, with Hill stressing the project will primarily be based in Auckland’s CBD and locations outside of the city.

“The Wrecking Crew will be filmed in iconic locations around the region, transforming public spaces, roads and tunnels into cinematic backdrops,” says Hill.

“Auckland has become an A-grade destination for film-making and this project will highlight its iconic places - people want to go to the locations they see in movies, making this really valuable for Auckland tourism. It really drives the profile of the city.”

The impact of the project on local economy will be “meaningful”, Hill adds, injecting a significant boost not only into the region’s growing screen sector, but local accommodation; an industry that has struggled due to the seasonal drop in tourists. Location costs and services will also benefit local businesses such as hospitality venues, transportation providers, and construction.

“It’s really meaningful,” he says. “Auckland’s film industry is growing - it’s now valued at $1.7b and employs around 8400 people. It’s injecting money into the region, employing people, and is really valuable for the city’s profile.”

Screen Auckland, the region’s film office and a division of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, says it will provide support throughout filming by facilitating film permits and ensuring smooth operations for the production, local businesses and community organisations.

As the project will not be filmed in-studio, there may be some disruption to the public; however, Hill stresses a number of measures will be taken to minimise any disturbances, including communication with potentially affected businesses.

“We look forward to welcoming Amazon MGM Studios and the entire production to Tāmaki Makaurau, and to ensuring they have a special and memorable experience in our vibrant and thriving region.”

The imminent arrival of the project comes three years after Amazon decided to move production of future seasons of The Lord of the Rings to the United Kingdom, cutting thousands of jobs and raising concerns about the impacts on local economy and tourism. An earlier document released under the Official Information Act had warned the franchise would potentially leave New Zealand “should another destination ‘closer to home’ (for example the UK) deliver the same value proposition”, despite Aotearoa’s long-standing reputation as the “home of Middle-earth”.

The news was seen as a nightmare scenario for Aotearoa’s tourism industry, with officials at the time warning the decades of investment funnelled into The Lord of the Rings could evaporate if another country became associated with the franchise.

Meanwhile, Momoa has become something of an “ambassador” for Aotearoa, Hill says, with the action hero often speaking of his love for the country. In April, the Aquaman star shared a heartwarming tribute to New Zealand after filming wrapped for the upcoming Minecraft movie, writing on Instagram: “I love this country. Aotearoa New Zealand, you are magical. Mahalo for letting me film here.”

Momoa had been spotted at various spots across the country earlier this year, popping into Rotorua’s Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa in March and taking co-star Jack Black for dinner at Tanuki’s Cave in Auckland.

Last month, Momoa had a successful gig at Auckland venue the Tuning Fork with his band Oof Tatata, comprising Momoa himself and long-time friends Mike Hayes and Kenny Dale. The band’s merch was stocked at Ponsonby Rd vintage outlet Search and Destroy, a store Momoa called his “favourite place in Aotearoa” on Instagram.

Momoa later announced on the platform that Oof Tatata will be back to play at least nine shows throughout New Zealand later this year, with the gigs slated for weekends off from filming The Wrecking Crew.

The upcoming production marks Momoa’s third in New Zealand in recent years, beginning with the Apple TV+ series Chief of War in 2023 and A Minecraft Movie, alongside Jack Black, last summer.

Frankie Adams, who has been filming the live-action version of the Disney movie Moana in Atlanta alongside fellow Kiwis Rena Owen and John Tui, told her Instagram followers she was grateful to be joining the project, while Once Were Warriors star Temuera Morrison has recently wrapped filming the swashbuckler action drama The Bluff with Priyanka Chopra and Karl Urban on the Gold Coast.

Ángel Manuel Soto, a Puerto Rican filmmaker, is best known for directing the 2023 American superhero flick Blue Beetle, the 14th film in the DC extended universe.

Earlier this year, Wednesday actress Jenna Ortega and a cast of extras were spotted being directed by New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi for the upcoming science-fiction film, Klara and the Sun, on High St in Auckland’s CBD. Filming had initially taken place in the Queenstown area, according to reports, while several local businesses told the Herald the filming process was smooth and disruption was minimal.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

Tax exempt threshold changes to benefit startups

Mike Hearn — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 01:43:16 GMT

Technology companies are among the startups which will benefit from increases to current thresholds of exempt employee share schemes, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Revenue Minister Simon Watts say.

Tax exempt thresholds for the schemes are increasing as part of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2024-25, Emergency Response, and Remedial Measures) Bill, which has had its first reading in Parliament.

The Bill proposes increasing the thresholds relating to exempt employee share schemes to recognise the effect of past inflation and to provide a buffer against future inflation.

“The changes adjust for inflation and lift the tax exempt thresholds of these schemes, which could boost recruitment and help early-stage companies, including startups, to succeed,” Ms Collins says.

“This is the first step towards meeting our commitment of supporting startups by looking at changes to the tax system.

“We are committed to rebuilding the economy, and this is one of the many levers we will use to achieve that.”

New Zealand’s tech sector contributed $22.56 billion to GDP in 2023, employing nearly 119,500 people in 25,500-plus businesses.

“The Bill proposes lifting the maximum value of shares offered to employees under the scheme from $5000 to $7500 a year, and raising the maximum discount an employer can provide on the market value of those shares from $2000 to $3000,” Mr Watts says.

Employee share schemes are arrangements where shares in an employer company are provided in whole or in part in return for services.

They are a tool employers use, particularly in the startup and tech sector, to align employees’ work incentives with the economic goals of their employers.

“We are also looking into aspects of the Foreign Investment Funds regime as we work to grow economic investment and productivity. Public feedback on this will be considered as the Government reviews the Tax and Social Policy Work Programme,” Mr Watts says.

Notes to Editors:

Exempt Employee Share Schemes allow employers to provide exempt benefits to employees. Strict eligibility criteria under section CW 26C of the Income Tax Act 2007 includes, among other things, the following conditions:

the maximum market value of the shares provided to an employee is $5000 a year
the maximum discount an employer can provide on the market value of the shares to an employee is $2000 a year, and
90% or more of full-time permanent employees who are not subject to the securities law of other jurisdictions must be eligible to take part in the scheme.

In recognition of the impact of inflation since the thresholds were last set, and to provide a buffer against future inflation, the proposed amendments in the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2024-25, Emergency Response, and Remedial Measures) Bill would increase:

the maximum market value of the shares provided to an employee to $7500 a year, and
the maximum benefit that can be provided to $3000 a year.

The proposed amendment would be effective for offers of shares made under exempt employee share schemes on and after 1 April 2025.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 01:40:07 GMT

Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment.

“There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months prior. This is an encouraging start to the work being done to bring more investment to New Zealand and grow the economy,” says Mr Seymour.

“On 6 June 2024 I issued a new ministerial directive letter to Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) to make consent processing timeframes faster under the Overseas Investment Act. The directive letter contains an expectation that 80 per cent of consent applications will be processed in half the statutory timeframe.

“This means applicants can expect timeframes for most consent applications to be cut down to between 5 and 50 working days, depending on the application type.

“In order to have a strong growing economy New Zealand needs to be more welcoming to investment. I recognised that long waiting times for applications was creating uncertainty and impacting the attractiveness of investing in New Zealand. This affected New Zealand businesses that rely on overseas investment for capital or for liquidity.

“Since delegating most decision-making to LINZ and directing officials to focus on realising the benefits of overseas investment, there has been a significant improvement in processing times.

“Every consent decision received after the directive letter came into effect has been decided in under half of the statutory timeframe. Between 24 November 2021 and 14 April 2024, only 13 per cent of consent decisions were being made in half the statutory timeframe.

“There has been a large boost in foreign direct investment applications, totalling 16 across July and August, compared with 17 over the previous 6 months at an average of 2.8 per month.

“This Government is introducing a principle that we welcome investment. In order for New Zealand to retain world class public services it needs to be the preferred destination for ideas, investment, talent. This is just one way we’re achieving this; we will also be rewriting the Overseas Investment Act.

“While it is early days, I am confident that this positive trend will continue. I am also pleased to see that decisions not covered by my directive, such as variations and exemptions, are also moving faster.

“Every variation application received since the letter has also been decided in half the timeframe. Before this only 40 per cent were.

“Feedback from investors has been overwhelmingly positive, and they have welcomed the changes to make the application process more efficient, while still giving the right level of scrutiny to high-risk transactions.

“LINZ still has the full statutory timeframe to process 20 per cent of consent applications, which will allow them to manage complex and higher-risk applications.

“Reduced barriers to investment from people and businesses means greater prosperity for Kiwis. If we want world-leading businesses and public services, we need the money to pay for them. We’re making this happen.”

Note to editors: The directive letter is available on the LINZ website: https://www.linz.govt.nz/our-work/overseas-investment-regulation/legislation-ministers-and-delegated-powers/new-ministerial-directives

A link to summary of decisions is here https://www.linz.govt.nz/our-work/overseas-investment-regulation/decisions

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

WSECU invests in Ranqx in support of a better business lending experience

Mike Hearn — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 08:06:18 GMT

Nashville, TN/Auckland, NZ. (Aug 26, 2024) –Ranqxa fully digital small business lending platform announced today that Washington State Employees Credit Union (WSECU) headquartered in Olympia, Wash. has made an initial investment into Ranqx through their holding company, One Washington Financial. Their commitment includes an agreement to implement the Ranqx platform for a community-impacting pilot. This investment will help further the research and development work Ranqx is doing to help credit unions drive community prosperity by ensuring that small and medium sized business have access to the working capital they need to succeed.

“The best way to help communities thrive is to help small and medium sized businesses thrive,“ said Seth Brickman, President of Ranqx.

Brickman went on to share that research performed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes that, 'Small businesses are the engines of growth in our communities, driving wealth creation and upward financial mobility. When small businesses succeed, our economy is stronger, more equitable and more resilient."

Brickman said, “Providing working capital to SMB’s in a digital experience with decisioning in 5 minutes instead of the typical 2 week manual process will change the way SMB’s interact with credit unions.”

Credit unions are currently only receiving about eight percent of SMB lending and the majority of it is from commercial real estate loans. The ability to provide working capital loans, business credit cards and lines of credit will not only help small and medium-sized businesses thrive but will also drive depository relationships back to the credit union.”

“We are excited to partner with Ranqx to help the small and medium sized businesses that make up our communities, said Scott Daukas, Principal of One Washington Financial, WSECU’s holding company. “We want to provide capital to these organizations with an easy, streamlined experience, so that members can stay focused on growing their businesses. Ranqx will help us deliver on that vision while also providing the responsible lending practices that are expected of a world-class lender.”

Ranqx offers business lenders the world’s best fully digital, compliant loan origination, decisioning (using banking data, accounting data, and over 1200 API driven data points) and monitoring platform. Ranqx focuses on delivering the best customer application experience possible. Ranqx supports lenders to digitally transition your organization with all the speed, revenue growth and cost saving benefits that it delivers as you positively impact community prosperity.

Source: https://ranqx.com/

Aerospace New Zealand Receives Grant to Inspire Future Aerospace Leaders

Mike Hearn — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 05:22:30 GMT

Aerospace New Zealand has today announced generous support from the Embassy of the United States will enable the organisation’s Aotearoa Aerospace Academy (AAA) to host a “Mission to Space” Camp in Ōtautahi Christchurch in November. The camp is designed to provide transformative aerospace experiences for Māori and Pasifika rangatahi.

The grant marks a significant milestone in Aerospace New Zealand’s ongoing mission to promote diversity and inclusivity within the aerospace sector.

“A key part of building a globally recognised aerospace nation is identifying the high-value skills of the future, promoting industry diversity, and establishing strong pathways into Aotearoa’s most exciting aerospace companies.

The U.S. Embassy in New Zealand is excited to support the ‘Mission to Space’ Camp through its Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program. The program will provide insights into aerospace pathways and connections between New Zealand and the United States, bringing this knowledge back to students and schools around Aotearoa. This contribution underscores a commitment to advancing aerospace education and promoting diversity by providing underrepresented students and educators with valuable opportunities in the field”

— Victoria Harman, Operations Manager at Aerospace New Zealand

About the Camps

The “Mission to Space” Camp aims to inspire and equip students from underrepresented communities with the skills and experiences needed to pursue careers in aerospace. The camp will offer a range of engaging activities, including workshops on robotics and rocketry, site visits to leading aerospace organisations, facilitated networking and mentorship connections and hands-on experiences designed to ignite curiosity and ambition among participants.

The camp is designed for 18 Māori and Pasifika rangatahi, as well as nine educators. Advisors are being consulted to identify eligible schools and candidates. Flights and accommodation will be covered for those students who travel from outside Ōtautahi Christchurch.

About Aotearoa Aerospace Academy

Since its inception in 2023, the Aotearoa Aerospace Academy has been dedicated to nurturing the next generation of aerospace professionals. The AAA has successfully delivered over 13 aerospace pathways events, providing students and educators with essential resources to explore the industry.

About Aerospace New Zealand

Aerospace New Zealand is dedicated to advancing the nation's aerospace capabilities across aviation, space flight, manufacturing, and education. With a vision to establish New Zealand as a prominent space-faring nation, Aerospace New Zealand collaborates with individuals and organisations to drive economic growth and innovation within the aerospace sector.

Source: https://www.aerospace.org.nz/

Re-Leased raises US$12.5m to expand the use of its AI-powered commercial real estate software

Mike Hearn — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 01:10:02 GMT

New Zealand-founded property software company Re-Leased has announced an oversubscribed US$12.5m raise led by Movac, with participation from Icehouse Ventures and existing investors. The raise will enable Re-Leased to boost the use of AI within its software (which it has built out with the launch of its AI-tool Credia) and give early investors liquidity. The capital will also assist in funding its continued expansion in the UK and US.

Re-Leased repositioned during the Covid pandemic to achieve ‘break even’ by focusing on capital efficiency, and has since maintained strong growth rates and unit economics which has attracted high investor interest in a challenging global investment market.

“Our vision is to help our customers run a better real estate business. The global real estate industry is facing significant headwinds and a cyclical downturn, and in this challenging environment we’re seeing more property professionals recognise that automation and AI gives them a distinct advantage in the market,” explains Tom Wallace, Founder of Re-Leased.

Over the past 12 months, Re-Leased has focussed on capital and operating efficiency and investment into its product. This strategy has paid off to the tune of 1,400 customers with 350,000 tenants and a rent roll of US$7.5 billion as well as high investor interest.

Movac’s General Partner Jason Graham says “Re-Leased is not a 'nice-to-have' but the core operating system of their customers. As a result, it has been embedded across some of the largest real estate companies globally and is perfectly positioned to leverage its AI technology into real value for its customers.”

AI; but not just ‘for the sake of it’

Re-Leased has focused its use of AI on a very niche set of challenges that are specific to commercial real estate.

“In real estate there are endless tasks that are necessary, yet low value and repetitive - so the opportunity for AI innovation is huge. We want to enable our customers to get back to what they love: building relationships and engaging in creative, value-add work,” says Wallace.

Launched in June, Credia (the AI-powered ‘brain’ of Re-Leased) acts on a user's behalf to supercharge productivity. For example, Re-Leased has integrated AI with email to read maintenance requests from tenants and take actions such as sending out requests for quotes, creating work orders and writing emails.

“Repetitive jobs that previously took 5-6 minutes now take 30 seconds. Credia acts as the best intern you’ve ever had," explains Wallace, adding “It’s AI - but not just ‘for the sake of it’.” Wallace says he sees this as just the beginning of Re-Leased’s journey with AI and is working on an AI 'Agent' which promises end-to-end automation of entire business functions such as compliance and data extraction which he believes will "Completely transform the industry as we know it and the experience of the people who work in it."

Further expansion

Aside from liquidity and product investment, the capital will also be put to work to grow the go-to-market team in the UK and US. Re-Leased has achieved a step-change in users through large partnerships that include a soon-to-be announced seven figure enterprise deal in the UK with a publicly listed real estate business.

“Re-Leased is proud to have led the way for cloud technology in commercial real estate and we are excited and determined to be the leaders of the AI era. Having turned industry challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation, we remain focused on delivering tangible value to our customers and investors by developing software that creates better real estate businesses,” concludes Wallace.

ENDS

About Re-Leased

Re-Leased exists to help its customers run a better real estate business. The commercial-first property management platform empowers customers to thrive in a digital-first world by integrating the intelligence and capabilities of Credia AI with their property, tenant, lease and accounts information—all in one place. With offices in Auckland, Dallas, London, Melbourne and Napier, Re-Leased's technology manages over 350,000 leases globally.

Source: https://www.re-leased.com/

ICON Parking, Invisible Urban Charging Partner to Deploy 5,000+ EV Chargers in New York City

Mike Hearn — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 21:18:15 GMT

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Invisible Urban Charging (IUC), a leading provider of charging-as-a-service solutions, today announced a strategic partnership with Hudson Valley Parking Trust (HVPT), the recent acquirer of ICON Parking, to deploy a network of 5,000 electric vehicle (EV) chargers across New York City. This groundbreaking collaboration marks a significant step towards accelerating the city’s transition to a sustainable future.

IUC’s innovative charging-as-a-service model, combined with HVPT’s extensive parking footprint, will create a robust EV charging infrastructure that meets the surging demand from New York City’s rapidly growing EV population. The partnership leverages HVPT’s recent acquisition of ICON Parking, the largest parking operator in Manhattan, providing easy access to a network of charging locations.

New York State has witnessed a staggering 660% surge in EV ownership over the past five years, underscoring the rapid shift towards electric mobility. To achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, New York City aims to convert 400,000 traditional vehicles to EVs.

“This partnership is a game-changer for New York City,” said Nigel Broomhall, CEO of IUC, which he co-founded with Jake Bezzant. “Even with the premium placed on space in New York City, building out a robust EV charging infrastructure is critical to meet a growing demand from increasing EV ownership in the city.”

Jerry Skillett, Chairman and CEO of HVPT, added, "Our collaboration with IUC on deploying 5,000 EV chargers is a massive step towards providing the service that New Yorkers want and sets ICON Parking apart from all others. This deployment further enhances the proven relationship we have with Jake and the team at IUC, the global leaders in the EV space."

The deployment of 5,000 EV chargers aligns with New York City’s ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and supports the state’s rapid growth in EV adoption. IUC’s proven track record in delivering high-density charging solutions, coupled with HVPT’s extensive parking assets, positions this partnership as a catalyst for EV adoption in the city.

IUC’s partnership with global real estate leaders JLL and CBRE further strengthens its position as a leading provider of EV charging infrastructure. With a shared vision of a sustainable future, these strategic alliances enable IUC to accelerate its nationwide expansion and achieve its goal of deploying one million EV chargers within the next five years.

About Hudson Valley Parking Trust

Hudson Valley Parking Trust ("HVPT") is a global parking operations and investment platform founded and led by Jerry Skillett and a team of parking veterans and vertical experts that provides parking operations and proprietary parking technology and EV charging solutions to owners and managers of parking assets. With over 130 combined years of experience in the parking industry, HVPT has worked with the most successful companies in the sector and currently manages and owns an extensive portfolio of parking assets.

About Invisible Urban Charging

Invisible Urban Charging was founded in 2019 as a complete “electric vehicle charging solution as a service” provider, working with major property owners across the globe to drive the electrification of transportation and make a positive impact. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, IUC is an end-to-end EV solution to deploy high volumes of EV chargers to customer sites for a flat monthly fee. For more information, please visit our website at www.iucharging.com.

Source: https://www.businesswire.com/

Overseas Investment Office green-lights Amazon ‘Project Kuiper’ investment

Mike Hearn — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 23:52:05 GMT

New Zealand will be among the first regions to receive Amazon's new internet service.

Amazon has won consent to lease New Zealand land in support of “Project Kuiper”, the company’s new satellite internet service.

Subsidiary Amazon Kuiper NZ, registered in late 2021, is leading the local operations of Amazon’s plan to launch a constellation of satellites and provide broadband to customers.

New Zealand will be among the first regions to receive the service, Amazon head of public policy Alasdair Grant told a Rural Connectivity Symposium in May.

That’s because company’s launches begin at the outer edges of the map and work inwards, putting NZ in the frame for early service, Farmers Weekly reported.

“Starting from 56 degrees north and south we work inwards in five different phases, and this means countries in the 39 degree to 56 degree range will be first to receive global coverage,” Grant said.

The July decision by the Overseas Investment Office said Amazon would install and operate telecommunications equipment on the leased land to provide broadband services locally.

The consent was granted after Amazon met both the required investment test and a non-residential use test, which ensures residential land was only used for necessary business purposes.

Project Kuiper will compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink by offering internet services from a network of over 3000 low Earth orbit satellites.

After launching prototype satellites last year, further launches are expected by the end of 2024 with commercial services arriving in 2025.

Source: https://www.reseller.co.nz/

US-NZ 2024 Strategic Dialogue Joint Statement

Mike Hearn — Sat, 31 Aug 2024 21:50:02 GMT

Joint Statement from Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Bede Corry and Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell on the occasion of the New Zealand–United States Strategic Dialogue in Auckland, NZ.

New Zealand Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Bede Corry and United States Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell met in Auckland, New Zealand for the New Zealand-United States Strategic Dialogue. The annual Strategic Dialogue is an opportunity to celebrate and deepen the long-standing and historic partnership between New Zealand and the United States. This meeting underscored the deep commitment of both countries to shared values and to working ever more closely together to support them, in an increasingly complex Indo-Pacific environment.

Referring to the Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, in April 2024, the Strategic Dialogue highlighted the importance to both countries of investing in the bilateral relationship and proud tradition of partnership. As part of that investment, the two committed to maintaining the close and trusted security partnership, enhancing defence collaboration, and growing the trade and economic relationship. This commitment was further emphasized during President Biden’s recent meeting with Prime Minister Luxon in Washington on the margins of the NATO Summit, where both leaders reiterated the importance of a strong and resilient partnership in the face of global challenges.

Secretary Corry and Deputy Secretary Campbell noted that they were meeting at a time when global challenges are compelling New Zealand and the United States to strengthen cooperation in support of shared values and interests, including championing the rule of law, democracy, human rights, trade and investment, and strong people-to-people connections.

Secretary Corry and Deputy Secretary Campbell launched the New Zealand-United States Dialogue on Critical and Emerging Technologies. This will facilitate links between New Zealand and United States technology sectors, explore new avenues for research cooperation, and focus on opportunities to address regulatory and legal issues pertaining to the technology partnership between the two countries. The launch of this new strand of the relationship will enhance economic connections and build prosperity, including through technology and innovation, and is a fitting means to celebrate the 150th anniversary of when American scientists visited New Zealand for the first time to observe the transit of Venus.

The United States and New Zealand committed to pursue focused collaboration on the need to advance safe, secure, trustworthy, and responsible AI innovation; safe and secure biotechnologies; and quantum computing. They reaffirmed that the digital economy and information and communication technologies act as an essential enabler of these critical and emerging technologies.

Secretary Corry and Deputy Secretary Campbell also welcomed the April 2024 convening of the first-ever United States-New Zealand Space Dialogue, which demonstrated the robust and growing cooperation between the United States and New Zealand in outer space and look forward to exploring further opportunities to strengthen bilateral collaboration.

The Strategic Dialogue focused on developments in the Pacific, the Indo-Pacific strategic environment, the Middle East, Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine, and regional economic issues. Secretary Corry and Deputy Secretary Campbell expressed grave concern about dangerous, destabilising, and provocative actions in the South China Sea, including by Chinese vessels towards Philippines vessels. They emphasized the need for upholding principles of international law, including freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes. They also underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.

Both nations highlighted the necessity for increased interoperability with like-minded countries to address common challenges. In this context, the United States also expressed its strong support for the close and cooperative relationship between Australia and New Zealand, recognizing its importance for regional stability and prosperity.

The two countries’ deep ties with the Pacific Islands were underscored, as well as their commitment to continuing to do more together in and with the Pacific to support Pacific priorities, the centrality of the Pacific Islands Forum, and the Pacific Islands Forum’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. The United States and New Zealand resolved to cooperate in the Pacific on issues ranging from maritime cooperation to economic prosperity and infrastructure. This commitment reflects our shared vision for a resilient and thriving Pacific community.

As two countries with a deep and enduring stake in an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, New Zealand and the United States are committed to upholding the conditions that have enabled the region to thrive and to working with other like-minded regional partners and frameworks, such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). Recognizing the increasing connectivity between Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security and stability, Secretary Corry and Deputy Secretary Campbell welcomed the deepening coordination among NATO and Indo-Pacific Partners. Secretary Corry welcomed the United States’ proposal announced at NATO for the Foreign Ministers of New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Republic of Korea to meet with United States Secretary of State Blinken later in 2024. They also discussed the AUKUS trilateral partnership and affirmed it was an initiative which would enhance regional security and stability. They acknowledged New Zealand’s interest in exploring potential collaboration on advanced capability projects under AUKUS Pillar II.

Secretary Corry and Deputy Secretary of State Campbell looked forward to the next United States-New Zealand Foreign Ministers’ meeting, as committed to by Secretary of State Blinken and Deputy Prime Minister Peters in Washington DC in April 2024. They expressed their enthusiasm for continuing to build on the strong foundation of friendship and collaboration that defines the New Zealand-United States relationship.

Source: https://www.mfat.govt.nz/

Pāpāmoa skincare business Pure Mama launches products at four US retailers

Mike Hearn — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 04:11:04 GMT

A Pāpāmoa skincare business that started in a garage has launched its products in America - a “monumental” stepping stone towards becoming the number-one premium pregnancy skincare brand in the world, its founder says.

Pure Mama - co-owned by sisters Lara Henderson and Yasmin Shepherd - will debut this year at four major American retailers, including the “infamous” Erewhon, described by Henderson as the “celebrity supermarket of LA”.

Celebrities including Hailey and Justin Bieber, Jake Gyllenhaal, Demi Lovato, Hilary Duff, Miley Cyrus and Cara Delevingne have been spotted at the upscale supermarket chain.

Pure Mama’s launch in America comes after it partnered with Mecca - the largest beauty retailer in Australasia - in July 2023.

In January, American socialite Kourtney Kardashian shared two of its products on her website, leading to website traffic going “through the roof” and “amazing” sales numbers.

Pure Mama launches in ‘the celebrity supermarket of LA’

Henderson told the Bay of Plenty Times the company wanted to work with “premium prestigious retailers” that would represent Pure Mama “the way that we want our brand to show up”.

On August 26, it launched in Erewhon across all 10 of its stores in California’s most affluent areas.

“Whether it’s ready-made food or on-shelf or skincare ... [Erewhon] really hand-pick the best of the best, so it’s an incredible privilege to be in there.”

In the following months, the brand would be available online through Nordstrom and Macy’s - “two premium, large-scale department stores” - and Revolve, an online retailer “in the premium beauty/fashion” space.

The mother of two said launching in America would be “monumental” regarding achieving the company’s ambition of being the number-one premium pregnancy skincare brand in the world.

“I think New Zealand and Australia are incredible markets, but the US is just a beast and has the potential to really catapult our brand.

“It’s just such a huge stepping stone for us.”

Launching in America could lead to “the very big opportunity for growth if our brand really lands”, she said.

She will travel to Los Angeles for a launch event on September 18.

Where to next?

The launch took almost 18 months of preparation, including setting up a US company, hiring a team in the US, getting FDA approval, new product development, filing its trademark, scaling up production, and looking at logistics around packaging and fulfilment.

She also went to America in June and visited midwives, obstetricians and retailers, and ran focus groups.

Henderson said the pregnancy and post-partum skincare industry was a $30 billion industry worldwide.

She said the company would be “very much focused on the US” for the next three to five years - a country with a population of 330 million people.

“It’s going to be a challenge in itself.”

Henderson said the company was in the process of securing its trademark in Europe and China. There were plans to move into those markets in five to 10 years.

How it started

Henderson founded the company in 2019 - the same year she was pregnant with her first child.

It took more than two years to develop the concept, brand and product and to undertake market research before it launched online in May 2021.

Her husband renovated their garage to be a warehouse and storeroom, and she launched her business from their Pāpāmoa home.

She worked from home for 18 months before moving into a commercial space in Pāpāmoa.

Henderson is now part of a team of six and employs a part-time team in America.

She has previously said Pure Mama’s “signature” product was a belly oil to help “support and nourish your skin” from the second trimester.

Additional products include a magnesium body rub, nipple butter and a “bump” scrub, typically used in the shower.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.

HyperCinema gives every visitor a shot at football fame with Azure AI

Mike Hearn — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 06:12:22 GMT

Kiwi tech start-up HyperCinema was just celebrating its success with the world’s first live AI experience, when the big leagues came calling. Atlanta’s College Football Hall of Fame was looking for a partner to help turn visiting the national home of the sport into a truly groundbreaking, unforgettable experience unique to every guest. With Microsoft Azure AI, the typical experience of visiting a museum has been transformed from viewing exhibits to being the star.

For more than a century, museum managers have tried a host of things to attract crowds to their experiences – from P. T. Barnum’s hoaxes to modern holograms that try to capture that Night at the Museum feeling of seeing exhibits come to life.

Yet the challenge has remained largely the same. For all the clever technology used to capture imaginations and reinvent the “dusty” stereotype, the exhibits themselves don’t change much. Exhibitions will get swapped out every few months, or a splash of interactivity added via kinetic “lightning” balls that respond to nervous fingers…but essentially what you see today is exactly what you get tomorrow.

A new visitor experience launching at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta is completely breaking the glass and putting guests inside its own smart displays. Thanks to groundbreaking use of Azure AI technology from right here in New Zealand, no two experiences are ever the same – and the whole entertainment sector might never be the same either.

From the stage to the football field

As with most museum stories, we have to go back a bit. To September 2022, in fact, when Miles Gregory and Tarver Graham, of New Zealand creative digital agency Gladeye, were talking about the opportunities of generative AI to create narratives that respond to each individual. As the entrepreneur behind the Pop-Up Globe that hosted Shakespeare’s plays in Australia and New Zealand until 2020, Miles had a passion for live theatre and storytelling that provides a unique, immersive experience at every performance.

In 2023, Gladeye spun HyperCinema into a new, separate business, with Miles and Tarver joined by third co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Gareth Hordyk.

“People spend far too much time on their screens. We wanted to create an exhibition where AI could create personalised, in-person experiences and make the visitors the hero of their own story,” Miles explains. “We were expecting to have something ready in six months. But the very first venue we approached asked if we could open in six weeks!”

A month and a half of “white knuckle” development turned into the hugely successful HyperCinema show in Auckland’s Queen Street, billed as the world’s first live AI experience. Founder Geoff Thatcher of Savannah, Georgia experiential agency Creative Principals happened to attend as part of the global 7 Experiences Summit, for which HyperCinema was the opening session.

The next morning, he already had a business proposal drafted. Within 36 hours, the HyperCinema team were on a call with Geoff’s client – Kimberly Beaudin, CEO of the College Football Hall of Fame, America’s national college football museum.

That was in November 2023. Working closely with Creative Principals and leading theme park consultancy The Producers Group, HyperCinema’s team crafted a complex and rich personalised AI storytelling experience to put the Hall of Fame’s guests at the heart of the action. And on August 24, 2024, the new AI-driven heart of the museum, “Game On!” opened to its first visitors.

The “hyperengine” creating unique experiences

At the heart of that experience is a special “hyperengine” developed by the HyperCinema team, which Gareth Hordyk calls a “recipe management programme”. The whole show requires around 2,000 “recipes” to create the full visitor experience, each with dozens of steps.

When visitors arrive, a self-serve kiosk takes their photos from multiple angles, and asks 10 fun questions such as “What did you want to be when you grew up?” and “What’s your favourite food?” along with questions around favourite schools and rivals to help with personalising their visit.

This trains the Azure AI model, which then uses a visual FX processing platform to put them in shots and videos from throughout college football history, across every major national team. For authenticity, the engine adds effects such as sepia tones or scratches to make the images appear like a real photo from the 1920s, with lighting perfectly calibrated to capture the right images.

At 14 touchpoints around the museum, visitors use their RFID-enabled lanyard to trigger special personalised content, whether performing a team chant in their favourite team colours or featuring in documentary-style videos portraying the 1860s. That question around favourite food might appear as a picture of how much pizza or tacos you would need to eat to meet the calorific needs of a professional football player.

“It’s an incredibly rich history – it’s playful, serious and respectful all in the one experience. There’s even a quarter-size American football pitch where you can play, and you can also get to be a coach or a cheerleader during the big game. You’re part of the story of the whole college football world,” Miles says.

Because the College Football Hall of Fame was already a big user of Microsoft technology, the Kiwi team used Microsoft Azure AI to build the hyperengine, sense-checking ideas with Microsoft experts and receiving training on how to get the most out of the technology.

The general processing units (GPUs) that crunch the data sit on Microsoft Azure, enabling the museum to scale the number of visitors using the technology at peak times – up to 3,000 guests every day. This takes incredible processing power. As Gareth points out, visitors don’t want to get their personalised experiences an hour later.

“The experience needs to start within 10 minutes. And we’ve got a patent on how user information is collected, getting the model training down to under six minutes. The average elsewhere is 20,” he says.

As well as the images, Azure AI generates the written information that accompanies every image, based on the answers visitors have provided. The data is also fully encrypted, and only kept for as long as it’s needed to create the personalised football merchandise visitors get to take home at the end of the day.

“There’s a beauty about the transience of it. You can come back the next day and your experience will be totally different,” says Gareth. “But just to see the smiles on people’s faces…It’s a great reminder of the value of what we’re doing.”

Tapping a growth industry

This is just the beginning for HyperCinema. Its 20-strong team now looks set to grow rapidly thanks to Geoff and Kimberley’s championship Stateside, and for the help Microsoft provided with Azure credits and sponsorship to go from start-up to enterprise level at light speed.

“New Zealand has all of this amazing talent, but we’re not always brilliant at getting out there in the world and telling people what we’re doing. We see so many more opportunities for employment and storytelling,” Miles says.

Already, the company is in talks with others interested in exploring what the technology can do. Miles and Gareth see a massive future not just in museums, but theme parks, stadiums – everywhere that offers live experiences. Instead of the typical virtual reality or augmented reality headsets and green screens, theirs is a unique proposition that makes it possible for every member of the group to experience things simultaneously.

“From what we can tell, there’s no one else doing anything like this anywhere in the world. It really goes to show how generative AI can open up so many doors to businesses who are willing to take risks, to innovate and get creative – it doesn’t matter where you are anymore. We’re thrilled to have been able to support such an amazing Kiwi business to grow onto the world stage,” says Vanessa Sorenson, Managing Director of Microsoft New Zealand.

And Gareth says the opportunities keep growing as the technology evolves.

“Every week there’s a new technique that comes out. We’re already seeing some techniques that we’re saying: ‘We’ve got to get that into our next show’.”

Source: https://news.microsoft.com/

Toku Inc takes out supreme award at the 25th AmCham - DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards for companies doing business with the USA

Mike Hearn — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 00:42:04 GMT

The 2024 AmCham - DHL Express Success & Innovation Gala Awards event was held tonight at the Pullman Hotel.

This was the twenty fifth year of the staging of these awards and yet again attendees learned about a group of exceptional New Zealand companies successfully growing trade, investment, education and tourism, links with the USA. Finalists included autonomous vehicles, Agri products, alcohol free drinks, technologies, special cameras, lifting and safety equipment, services, and tourism.

AmCham was delighted to welcome The Hon Judith Collins as the keynote speaker at the dinner as well as presenting the exporter and supreme awards.

The Supreme winner, Toku Inc, develops tools using AI and retinal photography to enable accessible healthcare for early and accurate diagnosis of health conditions.

Born from a son's response to a father’s health challenges, Toku is revolutionizing the field of preventable health early diagnosis. The eye-scanning approach is scientifically proven and highly scalable in a world full of camera phones, the team's go-to-market strategy is clear and highly leveraged, and the ability to bring diagnoses to the masses on a global scale is truly inspiring. This company is doing everything right in the view of the judges and stands on the threshold of world changing success. This is yet another successful company to come out of the Velocity programme at the University of Auckland.

Mark Foy, DHL Express Managing Director, New Zealand & Pacific Islands, expressed his pride in being a part of another remarkable AmCham Awards evening, emphasizing the significance of recognizing Kiwi companies that have achieved success in the USA. “Toku represents the epitome of the Kiwi success story, showcasing the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of businesses that continue to thrive in their trade with the U.S.A. We congratulate Toku and all the other winners of the evening, celebrating their well-deserved achievements."

The winners were:

Exporter of the Year to the USA – Technology Innovation- Toku Inc
Developers of tools using AI and retinal photography to enable accessible healthcare for early and accurate diagnosis of health conditions.

Exporter of the Year to the USA – Food & Beverage Innovation - Rockit Global Ltd
Growers, markets and exporters of a range of one-of-a-kind, perfectly-sized small apples.

Exporter of the Year to the USA – Manufacturing Innovation Carac International Ltd
The company developed TrackGrip excavator track attachments as a solution to get tracked vehicles in and out of tough situations with ease.

Bilateral Connections with the USA- International Working Holidays Ltd
The company was formed in 2001 to help people take off for their Big O.E. throughout the world including to Camp America, Au Pair in America, Educare in America and 12 month 5 star resort placements in the USA.

Investor of the Year to or from the USA - AgriZeroNZ
A partnership between the New Zealand government and major agribusiness companies - we're helping farmers reduce emissions while maintaining profitability and productivity.

Contribution to Tourism with the USA - Canuckiwi Ltd
Representation and consulting firm for the travel and tourism industry for Travel Oregon, Utah Office of Tourism, Travel Nevada, Discover New England, Visit Anchorage, Destination D.C and Grapevine, Texas.

Social Impact award - Kara Technologies Ltd
Technology company that designs sign language avatars (digital humans), that are responsible for translating a variety of media content such as Video, Audio, or Text into a signed language.

Supreme winner - Toku Inc

Stewart Germann Law Office received a Highly Commended certificate for their contribution to bilateral connections with the USA.

Winners of the above awards received an Economy Plus® Round Trip Ticket to the USA from United Airlines. The Supreme winner also received USD 5,000 worth of PR and Marketing Services in the US from SweeneyVesty, key introductions to VC’s, Economic Development agencies, and business leaders in the USA.

AmCham’s immediate past president, Jonathan Mason, won the 2024 AmCham Supporter of the Year award.

In addition to AmCham, DHL Express, United Airlines, the awards are supported by ANZ Bank, Auckland International Airport, Insprie Labs, Ironside McDonald Intellectual Property, Lockheed Martin New Zealand and Sweeney Vesty. Media sponsor - The Business. Wine sponsor - Constellation Brands. Water sponsor - Oravida and our event partner Event Revolution.

Halter Brings World-Leading Virtual Fencing Technology to U.S. Ranchers

Mike Hearn — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 03:13:53 GMT

Optimized pasture management, better animal performance, greater labor savings is at a rancher’s fingertips.

Halter’s virtual fencing technology is now available to U.S. ranchers and dairy farmers. From its origins in New Zealand, Halter has become the world’s leading virtual fence company in revenue and volume of collars sold and is positioned to deliver its technology to the U.S. market.

“Halter technology is a powerful system that helps users precisely manage pasture to lift the performance of the animals grazing it,” says Craig Piggott, Halter Founder and CEO. “For years farmers in New Zealand and Australia have generated significant benefits from utilizing the technology, and we’re excited to bring these same benefits to U.S. cattle ranchers.”

There are 200,000 cattle under Halter’s management in the United States, New Zealand and Australia, making Halter the largest virtual fencing provider by number of cattle. Halter’s U.S. customers are in California, Oregon, Colorado, Texas and Louisiana, with new customers going live in additional states in the coming months. Halter is quickly growing its U.S.-based team and is hiring dozens of people throughout the States in the coming months.

Ranchers can see a heatmap of grazing activity through the Halter app and take advantage of grass growth by moving cattle to optimize the best grazing opportunities. Better pasture management enables better herd management and helps lift productivity through increased live weight gains. Beef producers can achieve precise and flexible grazing (such as strip grazing on cover or stubble crops) and can more effectively graze public lands.

The Halter app allows users to establish virtual fences anywhere on their land. Cows are trained to respond to the collar’s guidance cues as they approach the virtual fence. Users can create new fences from the Halter app on their mobile phone and herd animals into the new pasture area using sound and vibration cues generated through the app.

Halter collars are lightweight and ergonomically designed and powered by two small solar cells at the top of the collar. The collars and the Halter app are connected via solar-powered towers on the ranch. Through this technology, Halter delivers precise farming without the workload.

“Ranchers have real-time, 24/7 access to their cattle and pastures to quickly and easily put cattle where the grass is without moving fences or physically herding cattle, offering unparalleled oversight of their herds in real-time” says Piggott.

By enabling more precise pasture management, virtual fencing can play a significant role in regenerative land management. Ranchers can grow and harvest more grass, better protect soils, increase soil carbon sequestration to reduce net emissions, retire unutilized land without reducing stocking rate, and prevent animals from entering protected waterways.

For more information, visit www.halterhq.com

About Halter:
Halter was founded in 2016 by Craig Piggott. Halter's mission is to enable half of the world's habitable landmass to be more productive and sustainable. Halter is one of the world’s fastest growing ag-tech companies.

Media contacts:
Ashleigh Gilchrist
Communications Lead, Halter
Ashleigh.gilchrist@halter.co.nz

20 Strong delegation to OSU to develop a roadmap for the iHemp Fibre Industry

Mike Hearn — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 03:04:45 GMT

A 20-strong Industrial hemp trade and cultural delegation is going to an iHemp workshop at the Global Hemp Innovation Centre (GHIC), Oregon State University (OSU) 12-16 August 2024.

Around 100 attendees (including virtual participants) will be involved in the “Hemp Industrial Materials Supply Chain Workshop” to develop a roadmap for the industry and foster collaboration between New Zealand and the Pacific Northwest. The collaboration was initiated through the New Zealand Product Accelerator, who facilitate industry engagement with the science community.

A trade, investment, research, and cultural delegation of 20 people from New Zealand is heading to Oregon next week, 9 from the research community, including universities and Crown Research Institutes, and 11 from private industry, including 4 Māori businesses involved with industrial hemp and agricultural products. The roadmap will identify innovation barriers and opportunities to uptake hemp fibre as a material ingredient across a range of product categories, including building materials, biopolymers, and packaging.

The 4-day workshop and meetings, including Native American and Māori partners interested in biobased manufacturing, are hosted by Dr Jeff Steiner, Director Global Hemp Innovation Centre at Oregon State University.

Dr Karnika De Silva from the NZ Product Accelerator was instrumental in forging contact with GHIC; her in-person presentation to the faculty at OSU in 2022 began the relationship and facilitated the conversation between the NZHIA and the GHIC.

Dr Steiner says, “After attending the 2023 iHemp Summit in Christchurch, I was impressed seeing the similarities between the Pacific Northwest and Aotearoa New Zealand, including our connections to Māori and Native American Tribe business communities, so it just seems like a natural progression for us to work together and advance the hemp industry.”

Given the forestry and agricultural similarities, industrial hemp (iHemp) fibre is a natural starting point. With support from the USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the National Industrial Hemp Council of America, and the OSU College of Forestry, a workshop involving industry experts was planned to identify the gaps and opportunities in the iHemp fibre value and supply chain.

The organising committee Oregon State University, NZ Product Accelerator and NZHIA have been working for months to ensure the facilitated workshop, comes up with a useful road map for integrating iHemp into 4 large economic sectors

·   Building Materials
·   Biopolymers and biocomposites (including plastic)
·   Paper and packaging
·   Activated Carbon

We aim to answer the question, What would it take for the established biobased building materials, paper/packaging, activated carbon, and plastics/biocomposites sectors to use industrial hemp in the manufacture of products?

More than 70 in-person and 30 virtual participants from Continental North America, New Zealand, and elsewhere are expected with attendees from private industry, other private organizations, government offices, and researchers coming together to explore cultural, industrial, research and investment collaborations.

With the help from Poutama Trust, 4 Māori industry leaders will be attending a hosted banquet before the conference to meet and form relationships with the Native American tribes working in the iHemp fibre space.

NZHIA Chair Richard Barge says “A road map will help relieve the stigma associated with low THC industrial hemp, it will de-risk the iHemp fibre industry for the regulator and help educate and highlight the potential for investors and industry”.

“It’s all about collaboration and connecting with communities of interest. The information on the supply and value chains in the final roadmap will be useful to join up the industry” he says.

Dr Kirstine Hulse, General Manager of the NZ Product Accelerator says “Initiatives like this showcase the value of engagement between Industry and our research community and lead to tangible collaborations with our trading partners, that help accelerate enterprise innovation. Partnering with industry, academia and government to develop research opportunities that are based on industry needs, as well as the closer trade, investment and cultural collaborations are positive for NZ Inc”.

Starting on farms, the iHemp industry can help revitalise rural communities, providing alternate land use in their rotations and value-added opportunities in the regions.

Understanding the industry needs and barriers, and where there is missing science required to adopt new materials in the supply chain and commercial applications is important. The facilitated road map discussion will be identifying current gaps, researchers and industry can collaborate on, to come up with the evidence, research and development of tech to bridge these gaps and scale up the industry.

The workshop is an opportunity to build cultural and trade relationships between Māori and Native American businesses and the iHemp industry to attract trade and investment for mutual benefit.

The road map brings together the potential with the actual, to showcase what is being done and how sustainable products and resilient supply chains can be created in the future. A relevant and timely road map is needed to raise awareness in the investor sector and bring together the various ministries involved, joining up the government with an exciting new primary industry.

We tick all the right boxes and with support, we can be the next big, good news story to help our regions prosper and thrive, whilst building on our global reputation as a clean green country. While assisting government to achieve their targets such as doubling exports in 10 years and affordable housing.

We also acknowledge the student exchange program between OSU and Lincoln University, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025, further student exchange and research collaborations are expected as an outcome of the iHemp fibre workshop.

For more information: NZHIA, Richard Barge (Chair)
richard@nzhia.com
021 706 690

Visit Grapevine, Texas, wrap up their Australian and New Zealand sales mission involving wine, cheese and charcuterie

Mike Hearn — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 02:59:48 GMT

Grapevine Texas wrapped up their Australian and New Zealand sales mission last week, with a series of one-on-one meetings and industry events held across Auckland, Adelaide, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, and Grapevine’s “sister city” - The Barossa Valley in South Australia.

Leading the 12-day sales mission was Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Director of Leisure & International Sales, Heather Egan, joined by Executive Director, Paul W (PW) McCallum, and hosted by Corey Marshall of Canuckiwi - the Australian and New Zealand Press Office for Visit Grapevine.

During their time Downunder, the team met with Australia and New Zealand’s top tour operators, travel advisors and media to learn more about the host of year-round activities while taste-testing the local vintage. The showcase provided an overview of the diversity of Grapevine for an authentic Texan experience, an accessible 15 minute drive from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

The sales mission was well timed with Fiji Airways’ new announcement, introducing non-stop flights between Fiji - Dallas Fort Worth International Airport from December 2024, and American Airlines’ new direct service from Brisbane from late October 2024, making Texas even more accessible to Australian and New Zealand travellers.

Apart from one-on-one appointments and workshops where product updates and many valuable insider tips were shared, at evening sessions during the sales mission, a blind wine tasting was held over a fun, hands-on charcuterie board creation instruction. Following, guests used their newly acquired knowledge of Grapevine to guess the correct local Texan vintage against other Australian and international wines. A fun, interactive session leaving a lingering taste for Grapevine, Texas.

ABOUT GRAPEVINE, TEXAS
Historic Grapevine, Texas, centrally located between Dallas and Fort Worth, is the premier go-to destination when planning a getaway or vacation to the United States, providing guests with a sophisticated escape from the big city. Step back in time on Downtown Main Street District and visit the more than 80 charming locally-owned shops, boutiques, jewellery stores, restaurants and art galleries. Guests can unwind at one of the many award-winning winery tasting rooms, and rest easy at one of the city’s exceptional hotels, like Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center or Great Wolf Lodge, which features an indoor water park. Take advantage of recreation on Lake Grapevine as well as over nine miles of wilderness and biking trails. Climb aboard the Grapevine Vintage Railroad and experience late 19th-century farm life at historic Nash Farm. Whether you enjoy indoor or outdoor activities, Grapevine has something for everyone. For more information visit GrapevineTexasUSA.com.

Issued by the Visit Grapevine, Texas Australia / New Zealand Press Office. For further information or to obtain high res images please contact: Corey Marshall at Canuckiwi on +64 21 555 463 or email corey@canuckiwi.com

Global Super Hercules Fleet Grows with Delivery of First C-130J to New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 23:29:59 GMT

The Royal New Zealand Air Force will operate a total of five C-130Js

MARIETTA, Ga., Aug. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new era of tactical airlift capability for New Zealand has officially begun with Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) delivering the first of five C-130J Super Hercules tactical airlifters to the New Zealand Ministry of Defence and New Zealand Defence Force during a ceremony at the Lockheed Martin's facility in Marietta, Georgia, on Aug. 8.

For almost six decades, the Royal New Zealand Air Force's (RNZAF) C-130Hs have served as essential first-response resources for New Zealand and the entire Indo-Pacific region. Crews from 40 Squadron located at RNZAF Base Auckland, Whenuapai, will operate the new C-130Js, representing one of the most advanced configurations of the Super Hercules ever produced.

"From supporting humanitarian and disaster relief operations to partnering with allies in military operations, New Zealand's C-130s are truly a global force for good," said Rod McLean, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin's Air Mobility & Maritime Missions line of business. "The RNZAF's new C-130J fleet will continue to support these critical missions while offering New Zealand increased allied alignment, greater reach, enhanced capabilities and proven performance for some of the most demanding tactical airlift operational requirements."

New Zealand officials announced the intent to modernize its existing fleet of five C-130Hs with five C-130J-30 variants in 2020 via a Foreign Military Sale with the U.S. Air Force. A joint project team with personnel from New Zealand's Ministry of Defence and the New Zealand Defence Force have worked alongside the U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin to manage the aircraft delivery and training programs.

Always evolving, continually innovating and ready for what's next, the Super Hercules leads the charge by setting standards and shaping the future of tactical airlift missions, offering a multitude of advantages found in no other medium-sized tactical airlifter in production or operation today.

These discriminators include proven operational readiness with the greatest ease of transition, increased reliability, superior tactical airlift and combat airdrop capabilities, certification by more than 20 airworthiness authorities, and enhanced survivability. The C-130J also delivers unmatched interoperability with NATO and global air forces, robust industrial partnerships and verified low life-cycle costs with significant fuel savings resulting in a reduced carbon footprint compared to other medium-sized jet airlifters.

See how and why the C-130J continues to be the worldwide choice in tactical airlift through the newest episode of "Into the Cockpit" on Lockheed Martin's YouTube channel, which offers exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the Super Hercules.

For more information, visit www.lockheedmartin.com/c130.

About Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery. Our all-domain mission solutions and 21st Century Security® vision accelerate the delivery of transformative technologies to ensure those we serve always stay ahead of ready. More information at Lockheedmartin.com.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

New Zealand scientists welcome overseas funding for livestock methane vaccine

Mike Hearn — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 23:02:03 GMT

The search for a proof-of-concept vaccine that can cut methane emissions in cattle has received a welcome boost.

The Bezos Earth Fund has announced it will fund an international consortium which will build scientific evidence for a vaccine that can reduce the number and activity of methane-producing microbes in a cow’s stomach.

The $USD9.4 million research project will be led by researchers at The Pirbright Institute and the Royal Veterinary College.

AgResearch will add expertise in rumen microbiology and vaccine development to the consortium and receive about a third of the funding allocation.

AgResearch Principal Scientist Neil Wedlock said: “This funding announcement is a welcome boost for methane vaccine research. We are excited to be collaborating with the Pirbright Institute and will provide our research expertise and capability.

“The work will also complement the research we are doing here in New Zealand with the backing of AgriZeroNZ and the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre.”

AgriZeroNZ is setting up a new venture in New Zealand to accelerate development of the vaccine, building on more than 15 years of pioneering science led by AgResearch and funded by the New Zealand government, industry and through the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre.

The new venture aims to catalyse more of these types of global collaborations and international funding to accelerate scientific progress and get a vaccine into the hands of farmers sooner.

Dr Wedlock said: “This latest international funding announcement shows how important the work is and what might be achieved with international collaboration.”

The project comprises two key components, each tackling different aspects of the challenge:

Early Development of Immune Response:

Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College, in collaboration with Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), will study how and when methane-producing microbes (methanogens) colonize the digestive tract of calves and how the immune system responds. Advanced techniques such as multi-omics, histology, and immunology will be used to gain insights into these early interactions. They will also develop methanogens with fluorescent markers to track microbial interactions.

Antibody Response and Vaccine Development:

Scientists from the Pirbright Institute and AgResearch will identify and characterise specific antibodies needed to target methanogens effectively. This involves isolating antibodies from immunized cattle and testing their effectiveness in lab conditions. By driving cross-reactive antibody responses and generating panels of antibodies, researchers aim to establish a proof of concept for a methane vaccine.

To read the full press release from the Bezos Earth Fund click here:

About the Bezos Earth Fund

The Bezos Earth Fund is helping transform the fight against climate change with the largest ever philanthropic commitment to climate and nature protection. Jeff Bezos has committed $10 billion in this decisive decade to protect nature and address climate change. By providing funding and expertise, we partner with organizations to accelerate innovation, break down barriers to success and create a more equitable and sustainable world. Join us in our mission to create a world where people prosper in harmony with nature.

About AgriZeroNZ

AgriZeroNZ is a world-first public-private joint venture focused on helping farmers cut emissions while maintaining their competitive edge. Established on 1 February 2023, the JV is half owned by the New Zealand government through the Ministry for Primary Industries and the other half owned by private sector companies – The a2 Milk Company, ANZ Bank New Zealand, ANZCO, ASB Bank, BNZ, Fonterra, Rabobank, Ravensdown, Silver Fern Farms and Synlait. Private sector funding is matched by Government, dollar-for-dollar, to provide $191 million over AgriZeroNZ’s first four years.

Click here for more information about our work to accelerate the vaccine development.

Source: AgResearch

Bula Dallas! Fiji Airways Announces Direct Service Between Fiji and Dallas

Mike Hearn — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 22:48:07 GMT

Fiji Airways’ new route will connect travellers with an additional 247 destinations through one of the busiest travel hubs in the world.

Fiji Airways has today announced the introduction of the first ever non-stop flights between Nadi, Fiji and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas, USA commencing in December 2024*.

The new non-stop 13-hour service will operate three times per week every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday utilising Fiji Airways’ state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 XWB aircraft. The aircraft will feature 301 economy class seats, which recently won Best Economy Class in Australia and Pacific at the SKYTRAX World Airline Awards 2024, and 33 business class lie-flat, all aisle access, seats.

The inaugural flight is scheduled to depart on 10th December 2024, with special introductory fares now available for purchase on the Fiji Airways website at fijiairways.com.

Speaking on the new route, Fiji Airways Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Andre Viljoen said “Introducing a direct service between Fiji and Dallas is a really exciting milestone for Fiji Airways, as we continue to increase Fiji’s connectivity with the United States and beyond offering our guests more travel options.”

The new service to Dallas will complement various other initiatives announced by the airline recently, including its plans to join the American Airlines’ AAdvantage® loyalty program in the coming year and becoming the 15th full member of the oneworld alliance in 2025.

“The new Fiji-Dallas service is set to bring more than 1,000 passengers a week into Fiji alone, helping to bolster the nation’s tourism industry. The overnight flight will also offer our customers increased connections to North America from the South Pacific and beyond” said Viljoen.

To celebrate the announcement, Fiji Airways has launched special introductory return airfares from Nadi, Fiji to selected points in Texas, starting from just FJD1,699. Fares are now available for purchase on the Fiji Airways website at fijiairways.com (terms and conditions apply – see website for details).

Fijian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics, Hon Professor Biman Prasad, expressed his enthusiasm for the announcement, stating “Fiji Airways’ new direct route to Dallas is an exciting development for Fiji and will help pave the way for expanded opportunities in tourism and trade between our two nations. Dallas has immense potential as a new source market for Fiji’s tourism industry, with DFW International Airport currently ranked the third-busiest airport in the world and the state of Texas home to some of the fastest-growing counties in the United States.”

Dallas will be Fiji Airways' 24th international direct destination and will be the fifth North American port served by the airline, along with Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu and Vancouver.

* Flights to, from or via Dallas are subject to US Government regulatory approvals.

Source: https://www.fijiairways.com/

NTG adds Doyle Sails and Quantum Sails to its roster of best-in-class brands

Mike Hearn — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 22:39:44 GMT

Respected sailmakers will sit alongside other NTG brands, including North Sails and Southern Spars.

North Technology Group (NTG) continues to expand its family of best-in-class marine brands by adding two of the world’s most respected sailmakers, Doyle Sails and Quantum Sails.

As part of NTG’s diverse portfolio of world class businesses operating across the sailing and ocean lifestyle industries, Doyle and Quantum will continue to operate independently, retaining their unique brand identities and competing for market share. Each business will continue to manage its own lofts, sales and marketing teams, and product suites. The NTG ownership structure will provide each brand with the freedom, financial security, and resources to continuously improve and offer better experiences for sailors.

NTG CEO Sam Watson said: “North Technology Group is passionate about the sailing industry, and with big ambitions and a relentless drive we are continuously evolving. We see a real opportunity for growth and development by bringing Doyle Sails and Quantum Sails into the NTG family. We look forward to welcoming their customers and our new colleagues on this journey.”

Quantum Sails President Ed Reynolds said: “At Quantum, we’ve always focused on providing the best-performing products and customer service in sailing. We have a rich history in the industry and our sails have donned some of the most premier boats in sailing. We look forward to working within the NTG family to help sailors at all levels to continue enjoying the sport they love.”

Doyle Sails CEO Mike Sanderson said: “After eight years at the helm, the decision for Doyle Sails to combine forces with NTG was a ‘no-brainer’ for David Duff, Richard Bouzaid and me. It ensures the longevity of the brand we are so committed to; it will keep challenging innovation in sailing, and it brings significant opportunities for our team, sailors, and customers. I could not be more excited about leading Doyle Sails into the next chapter and chasing the next challenge.”

NTG Chairman Peter Dubens said: “NTG are long-term supporters of sailing. We want to grow the sport by investing in skills and innovation, by supporting new technologies in sailmaking, and by committing to accomplishing all this in a sustainable way. In Doyle and Quantum, we have found two brands and businesses that support our values and goals. We’re pleased to be partnering with Mike, Ed, and their teams, as we work together to promote the future of the sport we love so much.”

Quantum Sails will continue to be led by Ed Reynolds and Andrew Scott, and Doug DeVos will remain involved in the business, and as an investor in NTG. Mike Sanderson will continue to lead Doyle Sails.

About NTG
North Technology Group (NTG) began its journey in 1957 when Lowell North started North Sails in his San Diego garage. NTG evolved over time as like-minded marine companies were combined into a diverse family of brands serving marine performance and ocean lifestyle markets worldwide. Built on a foundation of advanced performance, superior technology, quality craftsmanship, and exceptional customer service, NTG Brands encompass a wide range of companies including North Sails and Southern Spars.

About Quantum Sails
At Quantum, we’re connected to sailors everywhere through our love of sailing and our belief that facing every challenge head-on is infinitely rewarding. For us, that means challenging convention – especially if that’s what it takes to help our customers and the sailing industry get to new, better places. As a company and as individuals, we embrace every single challenge you bring our way as our own. Since 1996, we have focused on providing the best-performing products in sailing. Today, we’re equally relentless about delivering a higher standard of service, customer care, education, support and mentorship. It’s how we’ll continue to help sailors at all levels pursue their passions and achieve their aspirations. Our commitment starts with our dedicated employees at more than 60 sail lofts around the world and includes hundreds more working behind the scenes to design, build and service Quantum sails. www.quantumsails.com

About Doyle Sails
Doyle Sails is widely recognised as the changemaker in sailing, challenging all aspects of conventional sailmaking and continuing to deliver game changing technologies that support growth and progression for all sailors. Renowned for impeccable attention to detail and design, a personal, bespoke approach and world class construction quality, Doyle Sails holds a key role as the preferred sailmaker to many, including some of the world’s most spectacular Superyachts and high-performance Grand Prix campaigns. Doyle Sails is proud to have been supporting sailing and sailors for more than four decades and while the world changes around us, our commitment to sailors who share the same passion for sailing as we do, hasn’t. www.doylesails.com

Source: https://www.northtechnologygroup.com/

MACSO Technologies and Avnet enter strategic relationship

Mike Hearn — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 23:19:23 GMT

Avnet and MACSO Technologies have entered a strategic relationship to accelerate and scale IoT deployments for customers worldwide by advancing artificial intelligence (AI) models on hardware and electronic components through Avnet’s IoTConnect Partner Program.

Auckland based MACSO trains advanced artificial intelligence models that can simultaneously use different types of sensors on Avnet’s components.

“MACSO is making hardware smart by putting AI models on it,” said MACSO founder and CEO Saba Samiei. “It’s like a CCTV camera directly notifying you if an intruder is going up a flight of stairs instead of watching people and requiring a human to go back and watch a video to make decisions. We are trying to make sensors smart.”

In the short term, MACSO’s AI is focusing on audio and air quality. As the platform grows, other capabilities such as vision, temperature and pressure can be added.

“The problem is that unless you have a good technical understanding of AI, creating models is very hard,” Samiei says. “What we are doing is building AI models and licensing them, so we are taking all that heavy lifting off the customer – all they do is subscribe to the AI models and pay for the subscription.”

Avnet is extending the value of distribution to make IoT accessible and scalable for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) by providing hardware, software and engineering/consulting/cloud services.

“Our customers are exploring the use of AI-enabled devices to improve data-driven business outcomes. Our collaboration with MACSO will enable fast deployment of these systems leveraging AI,” said Avnet’s Senior Director, Supplier Technology Enablement, Jennifer Skinner-Gray.

Avnet’s IoTConnect Partner Program enables OEMs and independent design houses (IDHs) to build new solutions and service models for their practice using Avnet’s IoTConnect platform. Avnet’s knowledge of the edge along with the significant investment in cloud, digital and software services coupled with the members of the IoTConnect Partner Program allow Avnet to collaboratively leverage solutions to scale and maximize opportunities.

Story by Dave Crampton https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/

Changes needed to make New Zealand the place where talent wants to live, says report.

Mike Hearn — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 00:57:27 GMT

In what is being called a silent epidemic, New Zealand is inadvertently discouraging expat Kiwis, as well as high-contributing and investment-ready migrants from staying here, a new report by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) shows.

The report called The place where talent does not want to live, has been commissioned and supported by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, the American Chamber of Commerce, the NZUS Council, the Edmund Hillary Fellowship, as well as key individuals, to shine a light on how New Zealand’s international tax requirements are actively working against our migrant attraction policies and programmes – as well as discouraging Kiwis with much needed skills from coming home.

Under New Zealand’s current international tax rules, some expat Kiwis returning to New Zealand as well as other migrants are taxed by New Zealand on the investments they made before coming here. The rules impose New Zealand tax on the paper value of those investments, even if they are still in start-up phase and not making any income. The regime, called the Foreign Investment Fund (“FIF”) rules, is out of step with the rest of the OECD and does not match New Zealand’s aspirations (and need) to attract and retain global talent and investment.

Simon Bridges from the Auckland Chamber of Commerce says: “Immigration and tax are two of the most powerful policy levers available to influence the economic and social progress of a nation. New Zealand has the ability to attract the world’s brightest – we already have evidence of that. But we are shooting ourselves in the foot. The fact that our current international tax regime is working against our immigration settings means we are not getting the full return on investment from all our attraction programmes – and most importantly we are not retaining their skills, talent, investment and innovation.”

Rob Coneybeer, a Managing Director and Founder of US-based early-stage venture capital firm Shasta and himself a migrant, says he hates to see New Zealand hold itself back. “A robust startup tech ecosystem has been the key driver for economic growth in the US and China, and it can do the same for New Zealand. It is the cleanest industry imaginable, and the fact that New Zealand is an amazing place to live represents an enormous untapped advantage for recruiting top tech talent. But that doesn’t work if the New Zealand tax system is discouraging people from staying.”

Peter Wilson from NZIER says the part of the tax system causing issues was designed 40 years ago to protect the domestic tax base from exploitation through the use of tax havens and removing tax-driven incentives to invest offshore rather than at home.

Jonathan Mason from the NZUS Council and the American Chamber of Commerce said “While that policy was right for the time, it is no longer fit for purpose in a more globalised world, where there is fierce and increasing competition to woo talent. It is holding us back as a nation. We are calling for a review of NZ’s international tax requirements to pull them into line with other jurisdictions and make New Zealand the place where talent chooses to live.”

A recent IMF report has also noted that NZ would benefit from a more efficient, equitable, and sustainable tax system. New Zealand already has one of the most efficient goods and services tax systems globally. However, tax policy reforms are needed to promote investment and productivity, and mobilise additional revenue.

Rosalie Nelson, Chief Executive of the Edmund Hillary Fellowship, which consists of 500+ New Zealand and international entrepreneurs, says a significant issue for Fellows is the severe negative consequences of the current FIF regime. “It creates an insurmountable unfair burden for the most talented Kiwis to return to New Zealand, as well as for first-time talented migrants who are adding huge value to this country. An obscure bit of taxation law is preventing the type of high contributing, investment-ready immigrants this country says it wants to attract from relocating to New Zealand – and this new report provides the evidence as to why aligning immigration and tax policy will benefit all of New Zealand.”

You can view the full report here: www.nzier.org.nz/publications/the-place-where-talent-does-not-want-to-live

For media queries contact: Kelly Ley-Dahm, 021 539 533, media@ehf.org

Note for journalists:

The double taxation problem arises because the Double Taxation Agreement (“DTA”) between the US and New Zealand focuses on credits for “like-for-like” taxation. Since New Zealand is an outlier with FIF taxation, this means that FIF payments cannot be credited against an eventual capital gains tax bill in the United States. Most OECD countries, such as Australia, do not face this issue.

The NZIER report shows that addressing the issues in the current international tax regime will not have a significant impact on the tax take. An estimate based on publicly-available information shows the annual contribution from the current Foreign Investment Fund tax regime is only around 0.5% to 1.0% of IRD’s total annual revenue. (Noting that without non-public information from the IRD it is not possible to make a reliable estimate.)

Fewer flight delays, cancellations expected from GPS mapping project in space

Mike Hearn — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 23:27:28 GMT

The number of flight delays or cancellations could plummet within the next few years, thanks to a transtasman information-gathering exercise getting under way from space.

Two 11m satellite dishes in Invercargill, which will collect data used to improve GPS (Global Positioning System) accuracy, have just been switched on by Land Information Minister Chris Penk.

While the benefits are expected to be wide-reaching – ultimately enabling the automation of vehicles – they’ll be particularly visible to air travellers.

More accurate mapping will enable pilots to fly planes closer to runways, helping them land in bad weather currently deemed too dangerous to navigate.

Airways regulatory assurance manager Mark Blanchard said the advancement would be particularly useful for smaller, regional airports that don’t already have the technology used by Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch Airports to help planes take off and land when visibility is low.

Longer-term, the technology could replace existing ground systems used at larger airports, which have limited lifespans.

Blanchard believed the technology could ultimately be a more cost-effective solution for airports.

He expected new, more accurate systems to be ready to go by 2027 or 2028. From there, it would be up to individual airports to decide whether to use them.

The broader satellite project, known as the Southern Positioning Augmentation Network (SouthPAN), is a collaboration between the New Zealand and Australian governments - specifically, Land Information New Zealand and Geoscience Australia.

The New Zealand Government will contribute $781 million to the programme over 19 years, covering a quarter of its cost.

It is expected to improve GPS accuracy from 5m to 10m, down to less than 1m – and in some cases to as little as 10cm.

The technology is already used in the United States, Europe, Russia, Japan and India.

“Only a few weeks ago, winter weather conditions caused widespread flight cancellations, underscoring the need for modern digital infrastructure to support the safe movement of people, as well as goods and services,” Penk said.

He noted how other sectors, including agriculture, forestry and construction would also benefit from the technology.

“New Zealanders use GPS services every single day for everything from ordering food to navigating the city streets. GPS information is also used for critical technical applications like co-ordinating an emergency response and air traffic control,” he said.

An EY report estimated SouthPAN could contribute $864m to the New Zealand economy over 20 years, through productivity-enhancing and labour-saving applications, such as better resource management, more accurate maritime activities and real-time livestock monitoring through digital fencing tools.

“It is expected this figure could grow as new technologies and innovations are developed to harness SouthPAN’s possibilities,” Penk said.

While some SouthPAN services are already free and available to consumers, the remainder of the network will be established over the next three years.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

Destination Wahs Vegas! Air New Zealand launches charter flight to NRL Las Vegas

Mike Hearn — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 04:30:16 GMT

One NZ Warriors Grabaseat charter flight launched for NRL opener in Las Vegas

· Package includes flights, accommodation, and game tickets from $4,999

· On sale from 11am today

Warriors fans will be able to fly non-stop to Las Vegas to support the team next year with Air New Zealand's Grabaseat launching a special one-off charter flight between Auckland and Las Vegas.

The Economy package starts from $4,999 and is stacked. With return flights, five nights' accommodation at The Park MGM, tickets to watch four games of rugby league (including the One New Zealand Warriors vs. the Canberra Raiders), and the promise of an incredible time, it's an opportunity too good to miss.

The flight, named NZ1995 in a nod to the Warriors' inaugural year, is set to be a full house, hosted by Warriors superfans Dai Henwood and Ben Hurley. The direct service will depart for Las Vegas on 25 February 2025, returning to Aotearoa on 4 March 2025.

Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty says the airline is expecting the one-off deal to fly out the door, so fans should play their cards right and get in quick.

"We all know Wahs happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, so fans won't want to miss the opportunity to jump on board and experience the magic of the Warriors among the bright lights of Las Vegas.

"The package means all the planning is done for fans. With five nights to explore the city, accommodation included, game day tickets, and a special fan function, it's the perfect chance to take a bet on the boys to win big in Vegas.

"The trip will kick off with a Warriors-themed flight, celebrating all things Wahs with giveaways and activities onboard. We're anticipating the offer will be snapped up fast so if you want to avoid missing the getaway of a lifetime, hedge your bets and get in quick."

One NZ Warriors CEO Cameron George says the flight is a tremendous opportunity for fans to be a part of history.

"Everyone knows how amazing our supporters are. They prove it week in, week out, no matter where we play.

"Now they have the opportunity to be part of what's certain to be a truly special experience in Las Vegas."

The Grabaseat Warriors package will go on sale at 11am today at www.grabaseat.co.nz. Seats are strictly limited.

Package includes:

· Return flights from Auckland to Las Vegas with Air New Zealand

· Tickets to watch four rugby league games (one featuring the One New Zealand Warriors)

· Five nights' accommodation at The Park MGM

· Return airport transfers in Las Vegas

· Fan function

· Activities and giveaways onboard

Package rates:

· Economy from $4,999

EV Maritime selected to electrify popular ferry service in San Francisco Bay

Mike Hearn — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 04:05:22 GMT

EV Maritime, New Zealand’s leading electric ferry design and technology company, announced today it has been commissioned by Angel Island Tiburon Ferry (AITF) to design an all-new hybrid electric vessel for the fleet. The progressive project, which will see the electrification of two existing vessels and the construction of a third new plug-in hybrid vessel, has been funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The hybrid vessel will be designed and engineered by EV Maritime with electrical integration provided by ZeroMar, a local company in the Bay Area.

This project builds on EV Maritime’s current project to introduce electric fast ferries to the commuter ferry fleet in Auckland, New Zealand: a project directly supported by the central government there. This project will be EV Maritime’s first on U.S. soil and an important marker in cleantech collaboration between the two nations. Marking the importance of this milestone, the signing of the contract, held on July 12^th at a special ceremony on the San Francisco waterfront, was attended by senior elected officials from the San Francisco area, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, and the New Zealand Ambassador to the United States H.E. Rosemary Banks.

AITF currently operates three vessels providing ferry service between Tiburon and Angel Island, as well as private charters, whale watching and sunset cruises. Angel Island State Park is the largest natural island in the San Francisco Bay and a popular destination for hiking, biking and picnics. Owned and operated by fourth-generation charter captain Maggie McDonogh, AITF was founded by her father Milton in 1959. The McDonogh family has a rich history tied to the waters of the San Francisco Bay dating back to the late 1800’s. Over the years, AITF has earned its place as a piece of San Francisco and California history and demonstrated unwavering commitment to community service. Now Captain Maggie McDonogh, in collaboration with EV Maritime, is making the groundbreaking move towards sustainability and environmental responsibility with the design and implementation of their new hybrid vessel.

“This is a very exciting project, and we are looking forward to working with Maggie and her team,” said Michael Eaglen, CEO of EV Maritime. “As a provider of transportation to a State Park, and a host to numerous visitors to the Bay, Angel Island Tiburon Ferry is already conscious their leadership role. This project will be a powerful example for others to follow.

“This new vessel will be plug-in hybrid, able to operate fully electric on shorter routes but with hybrid capability for longer range service. By using EV Maritime’s efficiency-optimized hull form and carbon fiber composite construction, this plug-in hybrid vessel will dramatically reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. We are proud to serve as AITF’s design partner for this landmark project.

“One of the core values of EV Maritime is not just to electrify vessels, but to spread the understanding that electric ferries can be a more attractive, more reliable and more accessible form of public transportation,” continued Eaglen. “We maintain our commitment to decarbonizing every harbor in the world by starting with ferries, and we are delighted to have AITF as an ambassador for electrification in the San Francisco Bay.”

“I am truly excited by the opportunity to work with EV Maritime and to bring their remarkable designs to California,” said Maggie McDonogh, Captain and Owner, Angel Island Tiburon Ferry. “It was very fortuitous to meet Michael at a ferry conference that he was presenting at; he is a remarkable person and I am positive that this will be an enduring relationship. As a fourth-generation captain, and as a woman-owned micro business in a small town we are so fortunate to have this opportunity. I can’t thank EV Maritime enough, and the countless others that made this possible, for making this project a reality.

“We are located on the coast, and strongly believe that what we do here affects everything inland,” continued McDonogh. “Not only is going electric the right thing to do, I see it as our moral obligation to preserve the environment for future generations. Converting our existing boats, which are still fully serviceable, is a no-brainer effort with a low carbon footprint. As for the boat we are building, I am confident that this new vessel packed with cutting-edge electric technology will stand as a shining example of what is possible.”

For more information on EV Maritime, visit evmaritime.com.

For more information on Angel Island Tiburon Ferry, visit angelislandferry.com

About EV Maritime: EV Maritime is a clean-tech design, integration and technology company specializing in the inshore commercial maritime sector. The company’s long-term mission is to decarbonize the harbor cities of the world, starting with ferries. Currently, EV Maritime is under contract with a large public transport authority for delivery of two 200-passenger battery-electric fast ferries. With a growing network of supply partners globally, the company helps local boat builders become electric boat builders and supports operators and public transit agencies to buy from them with confidence.

Source: https://www.nzmarine.com/

IKE secures contract expected to result in ~NZ$19m revenue

Mike Hearn — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 00:03:38 GMT

Supporting multi-year fiber and grid resiliency program across southwest U.S. utility

ikeGPS Group Limited (IKE) (NZX: IKE / ASX: IKE) is pleased to announce it has secured a contract that is expected to generate ~NZ$19m revenue over the coming ~36 months.

Highlights
Expectation for ~NZ$19m platform transaction revenue.  Revenues are expected to be delivered and recognised over the next ~36 months.
Supporting the delivery of a multi-year fiber and grid resiliency program across the network of a prominent utility in the southwestern United States.
The contract begins immediately, from the end of July 2024.
Another important step towards targeted EBITDA breakeven and continued high revenue growth.

IKE CEO Glenn Milnes commented, “We are excited to announce this significant product expansion with a longstanding partner, underscoring their confidence in our technology and solutions. This deal will strengthen our platform transaction revenue stream over the next several years, noting that these types of contracts require the customer to deliver network data to IKE and that the timing of associated revenue can vary based on customer execution.

“Fiber build, grid resiliency and grid hardening is a major focus for the 3,000-plus utilities distributing power and commnunications across North America, and we expect this specific market tail wind to continue for the coming two or three decades. IKE’s products have been built to drive productivity into the end-to-end deployment and grid resiliency process, and we remain focused on delivering exceptional value and customer experience to these important infrastructure groups.”

About IKE We’re IKE, the PoleOS™ Company. IKE seeks to be the standard for collecting, analysing and managing pole and overhead asset information for electric utilities, communications companies, and their engineering service providers.

The IKE platform allows electric utilities, communications companies, and their engineering service providers to increase speed, quality, and safety for the construction and maintenance of distribution assets.

The core revenue engine for IKE is driven by the number of enterprise customers subscribing to the IKE platform and the volume of assets (called Transactions) being processed through IKE’s software.

Source: https://www.nzx.com/announcements/435142

Changes needed to make New Zealand the place where talent wants to live, says report

Mike Hearn — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 20:18:44 GMT

The report https://www.nzier.org.nz/publications/the-place-where-talent-does-not-want-to-live, called The place where talent does not want to live, has been commissioned and supported by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, the American Chamber of Commerce, the NZUS Council, the Edmund Hillary Fellowship, as well as key individuals, to shine a light on how New Zealand’s international tax requirements are actively working against our migrant attraction policies and programmes – as well as discouraging Kiwis with much needed skills from coming home.

The regime, called the Foreign Investment Fund ("FIF") rules, is out of step with the rest of the OECD and does not match New Zealand’s aspirations (and need) to attract and retain global talent and investment.

Simon Bridges from the Auckland Chamber of Commerce says: “Immigration and tax are two of the most powerful policy levers available to influence the economic and social progress of a nation. New Zealand has the ability to attract the world’s brightest – we already have evidence of that. But we are shooting ourselves in the foot. The fact that our current international tax regime is working against our immigration settings means we are not getting the full return on investment from all our attraction programmes – and most importantly we are not retaining their skills, talent, investment and innovation.”

Rob Coneybeer, a Managing Director and Founder of US-based early-stage venture capital firm Shasta and himself a migrant, says he hates to see New Zealand hold itself back.

“A robust startup tech ecosystem has been the key driver for economic growth in the US and China, and it can do the same for New Zealand. It is the cleanest industry imaginable, and the fact that New Zealand is an amazing place to live represents an enormous untapped advantage for recruiting top tech talent. But that doesn't work if the New Zealand tax system is discouraging people from staying.”

Peter Wilson from NZIER says the part of the tax system causing issues was designed 40 years ago to protect the domestic tax base from exploitation through the use of tax havens and removing tax-driven incentives to invest offshore rather than at home.

Jonathan Mason from the NZUS Council and the American Chamber of Commerce said “While that policy was right for the time, it is no longer fit for purpose in a more globalised world, where there is fierce and increasing competition to woo talent. It is holding us back as a nation. We are calling for a review of NZ’s international tax requirements to pull them into line with other jurisdictions and make New Zealand the place where talent chooses to live.”

Rosalie Nelson, Chief Executive of the Edmund Hillary Fellowship, which consists of 500+ New Zealand and international entrepreneurs, says a significant issue for Fellows is the severe negative consequences of the current FIF regime.

“It creates an insurmountable unfair burden for the most talented Kiwis to return to New Zealand, as well as for first-time talented migrants who are adding huge value to this country. An obscure bit of taxation law is preventing the type of high contributing, investment-ready immigrants this country says it wants to attract from relocating to New Zealand – and this new report provides the evidence as to why aligning immigration and tax policy will benefit all of New Zealand.”

For media queries contact: Kelly Ley-Dahm, 021 539533, media@ehf.org

Note for journalists:

The double taxation problem arises because the Double Taxation Agreement ("DTA") between the US and New Zealand focuses on credits for "like-for-like" taxation. Since New Zealand is an outlier with FIF taxation, this means that FIF payments cannot be credited against an eventual capital gains tax bill in the United States. Most OECD countries, such as Australia, do not face this issue.

The NZIER report shows that addressing the issues in the current international tax regime will not have a significant impact on the tax take. An estimate based on publicly-available information shows the annual contribution from the current Foreign Investment Fund tax regime is only around 0.5% to 1.0% of IRD's total annual revenue. (Noting that without non-public information from the IRD it is not possible to make a reliable estimate.)

Finalists announced for the 25th anniversary of the AmCham-DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards for companies doing business with the USA.

Mike Hearn — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 02:21:44 GMT

The American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2024 AmCham-DHL Express Success and Innovation Awards, the 25^th year of these awards celebrating success and innovation for companies doing business with the USA.

AmCham Executive Director, Mike Hearn said that “bilateral trade with the US continues to grow, with the US taking over as New Zealand’s second largest trading partner this year. With more flights than ever before tourism numbers are up both ways.”

“We are delighted to welcome Auckland International Airport back as a silver sponsor and Insprie Labs as a new silver sponsor.”

“This year’s exporter finalists come from a more diverse background to previous years, coming for manufacturing, food and beverage and technology sectors”

The supreme winner also receives an airfare to anywhere in the USA on United Airlines, US$5,000 of advisory services from Sweeney Vesty, introductions to venture capitalists, economic development agencies in the USA as well as to other valuable connections. Over the last twenty-five years our sponsors have provided over $375,000 worth of prizes to our award winners.

Commenting on the awards, Mark Foy, Managing Director New Zealand & Pacific Islands, DHL Express, said “DHL Express is proud to have partnered with AmCham for the last 15 years to deliver the AmCham-DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards. As the leading international express service provider, we are thrilled to continue supporting Kiwis in navigating the international trade market and exporting to the USA. For 25 years, Kiwi ingenuity and innovation have been a driving force behind the success stories of Kiwi businesses in the United States export market. DHL would like to extend our congratulations to all the 2024 finalists on their international success.”

This year’s awards and finalists are:

Exporter of the Year to the USA - Manufacturing Innovation
Bison Group Ltd
Carac International Ltd
Ohmio Automation Ltd

Exporter of the Year to the USA - Technology Innovation
Adeption Ltd
Immortal Camera Systems Ltd
Kara Technologies Ltd
Toku Inc

Exporter of the Year to the USA - Food & Beverage Innovation
Free AF Drinks
Rockit Global Ltd
Westland Milk Products

Bilateral Connections with the USA
Cambridge Partners Ltd
International Working Holidays Ltd
Stewart Germann Law Office

Contribution to Tourism with the USA
Great Journeys New Zealand
Canuckiwi Ltd
IGG Destination Marketing

Investor of the Year to or from the USA

AgriZeroNZ
TBA

One of the above will be selected to receive an award for their Commitment to Social Impact and one as the Supreme winner.

One other award will be presented on the night: The AmCham Supporter of the Year
The awards will be presented at a black-tie gala dinner at the Pullman Hotel Auckland on 15th August for details and tickets see www.amcham.co.nz

The keynote speaker will be The Hon Judith Collins KC, Attorney-General, Minister of Defence, Minister for Digitising Government, Minister Responsible for the GCSB, Minister Responsible for the NZSIS, Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology, Minister for Space, and Lead Coordination Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques. MP of Pakuranga.

In addition to AmCham, DHL Express, United Airlines, the awards are supported by ANZ Bank, Auckland International Airport, Insprie Labs, Ironside McDonald Intellectual Property, Lockheed Martin New Zealand. Media sponsor - The Business. Wine sponsor - Constellation Brands. Event Manager and sponsor – DD Events.

For tickets to the awards dinner book at https://www.amcham.co.nz/event-5409323

Prime Minister wraps up US visit in California

Mike Hearn — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:55:25 GMT

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has finished a successful four-day visit to the United States with meetings in California on his final day focusing on innovation and investment.

“It has been fantastic to be in San Francisco today seeing first-hand the deepening links between New Zealand and California.

“New Zealand company, EV Maritime, is integral to the Bay Area’s transition to a more sustainable future, as they work towards incorporating their innovative propulsion technology to the fleet,” Mr Luxon says.

“My meeting with California Governor Gavin Newsom also showed that there are plenty of further opportunities in green technologies, geothermal energy, aerospace, and renewable energy. I would like to thank him for his generous hosting and warm hospitality.”

Governor Newsom and Prime Minister Luxon moved forward the collaboration between California and New Zealand on clean energy, with a statement committing to new work together on geothermal energy, offshore wind and transport decarbonisation.

“I met with a range of venture capitalists to promote the investment opportunity that New Zealand represents. The chance to meet the New Zealand interns at the NASA Ames Research Center was a highlight. The focus on innovation during my visit to Apple Park indicates to me that the future is bright, with Apple’s research work in Auckland creating high tech jobs for New Zealanders.”

Mr Luxon’s visit also advanced New Zealand’s technology and investment opportunity with the United States.

“I am pleased that New Zealand will be launching a bilateral technology dialogue with the US this year. As a trusted partner, this will offer yet another opportunity to engage in an area critical to our future prosperity.”

“Attending NATO in Washington DC reaffirmed the importance of the liberal rules-based order which underpins New Zealand's prosperity and security. Bringing together the Indo-Pacific Four also underlined for me that the security of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific are indivisible. That’s why we continue to support Ukraine in the face of Russia's illegal invasion, and to work with NATO to buttress our collective security.”

A link to the joint statement between California and New Zealand is attached and can be found here: https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/media-and-resources/prime-minister-wraps-up-us-visit-in-california

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Top

The home renovation franchise specialist that’s homing in on offshore markets

Mike Hearn — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 04:55:44 GMT

It’s no secret that the residential renovations sector has traditionally been rife with budget blowouts and disputes. In New Zealand it’s a problem Refresh Renovations has been successfully solving since 2009, and now the company is exporting its unique home renovation franchise business model to overseas markets.

Ask Refresh Renovations founder and director Jon Bridge what his absolute milestones are in his 15 years of business, and he’ll tell you it’s not about milestones.

“I don’t ever have absolute milestones. I have objectives and I work as hard as I can to achieve them,” he explains. “The objectives I set are always slightly out of reach, so I have to work hard to reach them.”

You’ll never achieve anything if you don’t stretch yourself, adds Jon. “If you have a clear vision of what you want to create you need to stick with it and keep going. Things take longer, cost more, and are always harder than you think.”

Refresh Renovations occupies a unique spot in New Zealand’s franchise sector, and now it’s looking to achieve a bold new objective – to spread its wings into offshore markets.

Jon believes the brand’s success is the result of identifying a real issue for home renovators and creating a solution that successfully addresses it.

“The issue we identified is that with residential renovations there’re often budget blowouts and it’s estimated that 20 to 30 percent of projects end in dispute.”

In such a huge market, and he’s talking the worldwide market here, it’s an issue that’s definitely worth solving, he says.

Jon explains that the main cause of budget blowouts and disputes is the huge fragmentation at the builder level of the renovation value chain, and the resulting scarcity of brands that need to look after their reputation. The market needs larger businesses that need to look after their brands, he believes.

“Small companies also don’t have the resources to invest in the required systems and processes. So, there was a need for someone to establish a large format renovation company that was underpinned by a brand, strong marketing, and strong systems and processes that could be rolled out at a local level.”

Refresh Renovations ticks all those boxes.

“Our model can address the issue anywhere it exists,” says Jon. “So, the key here is to identify markets overseas that have the same structure and the same problems. In our case, the renovation market is incredibly fragmented in every country, and the same categories of people are affected, so the model can work everywhere.”

Changing mindsets, addressing differing regulations

As it markets its franchise business offshore, Refresh Renovations recognises that different cultures have different risk-taking appetites, as well as different levels of openness to innovation and different ways of doing things.

“Our approach requires a change of mindset,” says Jon, “and that’s been our biggest challenge.”

He says it’s about finding early adopters who understand the business concept and the values of collaboration – who are good at growing teams, are process and customer-focused, and willing to take a risk on a model not yet proven in their particular market.

“Once you have 20 to 30 good performing franchisees, others who prefer a proven model will then want to get on board and things will really accelerate.”

Another challenge with exporting the franchise is the fact that building regulations vary between countries and, in the case of Australia and the US, between states. Both countries have building regulations stating that the owner of a renovation company must be a licenced tradesperson – or at the very least, each renovation company must have a licenced contractor as a director.

That simply embeds a model that is proven not to work, states Jon.

“Requiring a licenced tradesperson to be a director or owner of a Refresh franchise is obviously a serious limitation with our particular business model. Our model requires that a person with a strong business and/or professional project management background should be the owner of the company, as that’s the skill that is largely missing in the renovation market, and that is what is required to deliver better service,” he says.

“By requiring renovation companies to have a trade-based builder as a director, there’s the real risk that those people would bring the traditional mindset to the business, and kick back against everything we’re trying to achieve.

“We’ve proven our approach works with our dispute rate being 0.33 percent, compared to the industry average of 20 to 30 percent. It’s 60 to 100 times better for customers.”

This is one powerful reason why Texas, in particular, is firmly in their sights.

An opportunity as big as Texas

Refresh Renovations chose Texas, population 30 million, for its first US launch because the state’s legislative environment for business is very similar to New Zealand’s, and the UK’s – particularly around licensing.

“It enables us to maintain our competitive advantage by having franchise owners who are business-oriented, rather than just trade-oriented,” explains Jon.

“Texas is also a big market. Its population is about the same as Australia’s, and the population of Houston alone is larger than New Zealand’s.”

So far, the concept has been well received, and everybody easily understands it. “Now we’re currently going through the process of finding the right first early adopters to prove the model,” says Jon.

Right across the residential renovation industry in Texas the Refresh Renovations model makes sense, he believes, and he expects the business to really accelerate once the first 20 to 30 franchisees are performing well.

Aside from grappling with the different time zones, the biggest challenge so far has been the legislation. It’s not set up to allow for what’s actually needed in the market, says Jon.

“It’s frustrating and not ideal, but we work around it.”

Having good people on board as in-market partners will always be a challenge too, adds Jon.

He admits to being rather impatient when it comes to building the business and needs to remind himself that it will take time to get the right people on board.

“I just wish lots of great franchisees would jump in immediately so we can crack into building our market share!”

Worldwide potential

A billion-dollar revenue in just ten years, that’s the long-term goal for growing Refresh Renovations, and the focus is very much on international markets.

Jon Bridge believes that’s a realistic goal. “But it could take longer, as everything always seems to,” he admits.

They’re not hedging their bets all on one brand either. There are three other brands the company is looking to get established in selected international markets – Zones (landscaping), Oncore (maintenance) and We Sort It (smaller home service-related jobs).

The potential for growing Refresh Renovations is undeniably mind-blowing. The global renovation market is currently estimated at around US$3 trillion a year (NZD$5 trillion) and is forecast to double that by 2032.

New Zealand’s market is worth a potential $12 billion, Australia’s $35 billion, the UK’s £35 billion, and the US over US$500 billion.

While still relatively tiny from a global perspective, several independent research companies still name Refresh Renovations as one of the key players in the global home renovation market.

“This is definitely just the start,” says a confident Jon. “We’re the only company with this international franchise model that addresses the real issues. We’ve built our own custom IT systems, and we are making our model better and better over time.

“$1 billion is a 0.09 percent share of the markets we currently operate in, not even considering other countries. That’s one project per 1,000 projects done in each market.

“There’s nothing to say we can’t we get to $1 billion and way higher.”

Refresh Renovations could raise the capital to grow even faster, but they’re currently content to grow organically, adds Jon.

“We’re happy either way.”

Source: https://exportertoday.co.nz/

McKay to collaborate with Golden Gate Ferries of San Francisco on Liwa Class ferry program

Mike Hearn — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 23:59:11 GMT

McKay has been appointed by Aurora Marine Design to serve as the electrical systems integrator for the Golden Gate Ferries of San Francisco, Liwa Class ferry programme.

The Liwa Class ferry program, set to commence in early 2025, will retire and replace Golden Gate Ferry’s existing fleet of vessels with eight, Liwa Class ferries by 2033.

Measuring an impressive 50.5 meters with the capacity to accommodate 500 passengers, the Liwa Class ferries will integrate McKay‘s award-winning Alarm, Control, and Monitoring System (VCAM), along with a custom Human Machine Interface’s (HMI’s) designed for the vessel’s Danfoss hybrid power generation system.

Through developing its Liwa Class fleet, Golden Gate Ferry, responsible for four passenger ferry routes plus special event services connecting Marin County with the City and County of San Francisco, will achieve greater operational efficiency and exceed the new emission requirements set by CARB CHC. Utilizing McKay’s HMI and Danfoss’s Hybrid Power Generation system to generate electrical power for the cleanest EPA certified engines with Diesel Particulate Filters and Selectric Catalytic Reduction systems from MAN Diesel engines.

McKay, a leading marine Systems Integrator, brings a wealth of experience to the Liwa Class ferry, having a strong track record of delivering complex electrical marine projects to a wide range of vessels, including superyachts and research ships from 18 to 85.6 meters in size, including the complete Electrical Engineering and commissioning of the first fully electric passenger ferry in the Southern Hemisphere.

Ben Haselden, McKay Marine Manager, shared:

“This agreement cements our commitment not only to the United States but also to our dedication in assisting major operators like Golden Gate Ferry in meeting their obligations to the environment and the Californian government.”

With its focus on efficiency, modernisation, and innovative integrations, the Liwa Class ferry program aims to transform Golden Gate Ferry’s fleet and pave the way for more sustainable transportation options.

Source: https://www.mckay.co.nz/

Port Authority to host first self-driving vehicle test to serve public this summer at JKF Airport

Mike Hearn — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 04:38:41 GMT

This Summer’s Test of Self-Driving Technology at JFK’s Long-Term Parking Lot is First to Serve Customers

Public May Ride in Self-Driving Test Shuttles Circulating Large On-Airport Parking Lot for Easier, Quicker Access Between Their Parked Vehicles and AirTrain JFK Stations Beginning Tomorrow, July 16

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced today that customers at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) this summer will be able to participate in the agency’s first self-driving vehicle pilot to serve the traveling public. The agency has received approval from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration to allow members of the public to ride in autonomous shuttles being tested within a large, on-airport parking lot to bring customers closer to their vehicles.

The autonomous vehicle pilot currently underway at JFK is the agency’s fourth such test of self-driving, or autonomous, technology at its major airports, and the first to include unionized contract staff who currently drive airport shuttles as the self-driving shuttles’ safety monitors. The agency’s two previous tests of autonomous platooned vehicles were held at JFK’s Aqueduct Parking Lot during the past two summers, while a test of a self-driving shuttle was held in mixed traffic at Newark Liberty International Airport last year.

“We are preparing today for the future by moving forward with our tests of self-driving technology within safe, controlled environments such as our airports, which also happen to be the exact facilities where we want to put this technology into use. We thank ABM Aviation for working with us and providing staff to serve as safety monitors as an extra precaution and for customer service during these tests that will include the public,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “Autonomous platoons can give us the opportunity to get more airport customers where they want to go while they’re within our property so that we can serve more people safely and efficiently.”

“Safely incorporating self-driving technology at our facilities is part of the Port Authority’s future, and these tests help to prepare us for that eventuality by building a knowledge base on the possibilities and limits of these vehicles,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “We are redeveloping our airports now to be world class, which means incorporating world-class technology in every aspect of operations and customer experience as well.”

The three-monthlong test at JFK’s long-term parking Lot 9 features safety attendants on board who currently serve as JFK airport shuttle bus drivers contracted through ABM Aviation Inc. During the rides, all passengers must remain seated with a seat belt for their safety. The test vehicles are owned by Ohmio, a leading supplier of autonomous vehicle technology based in New Zealand and California, and are clearly marked with signage indicating that the vehicle is self-driving. Two 8-passenger vehicles will circulate around the perimeter of parking Lot 9 to bring customers closer to their parked cars, making 15 stops including those for AirTrain JFK stations at Howard Beach and Lefferts Blvd. Customers may ride the self-driving test shuttles at no cost beginning Tuesday, July 16.

The Port Authority has been testing self-driving technology since 2022, when the agency successfully tested autonomous platooning and lane-keeping technology on retrofitted buses in its Exclusive Bus Lane, which expedites bus travel into and out of the Lincoln Tunnel during rush hours. In 2023, JFK became the first North American airport to host a demonstration of a self-driving platoon of three vehicles. During that test, the agency sought to evaluate the safety and efficiency of multiple self-driving vehicles traveling in unison as a potential way to move a large number of passengers in a single movement. Other potential uses of self-driving shuttle platoons include moving passengers for first-mile/last-mile trips such as journeys between an AirTrain station and a distant airport facility such as car rental offices.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state agency that builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. For over a century, the agency’s network of major airports; critical bridges, tunnels and bus terminals; a commuter rail line; and the busiest seaport on the East Coast has been among the most vital in the country – transporting hundreds of millions of people and moving essential goods into and out of the region. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center campus, which today welcomes tens of thousands of office workers and millions of annual visitors. The agency’s historic $37 billion 10-year capital plan includes unprecedented transformation of the region’s three major airports – LaGuardia, Newark Liberty and JFK – as well as an array of other new and upgraded assets, including the $2 billion renovation of the 90-year-old George Washington Bridge. The Port Authority’s annual budget of $8 billion includes no tax revenue from either the states of New York or New Jersey or from the City of New York. The agency raises the necessary funds for the improvement, construction or acquisition of its facilities primarily on its own credit. For more information, visit www.panynj.gov or check out the Now Arriving blog

Further Global Awards For Kaynemaile: ‘Mesh With The Best’

Mike Hearn — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 01:39:31 GMT

New York’s Architizer INC has awarded Kaynemaile’s RE/8 architectural mesh an A+ Jury Award for ‘Building Envelopes, Cladding, and Roofing’ in its 12th annual awards honoring the world’s best architecture and spaces. Kaynemaile was also the A+ Popular Choice Winner for ‘Sustainable Design.’

The design-led Petone company is on an awards roll following its naming in the U.S. Architectural Record Products of the Year Awards saluting the best building and design products introduced to the US market within the last year.

In 2023 Kaynemaile won ‘Global Gold’ for exporting at Wellington’s Gold Awards and has featured in multiple New Zealand architectural awards won for the Invercargill Central which has transformed the city centre into a vibrant community hub with a beautiful indoor shopping complex.

The U.S. awards are for Kaynemaile’s new RE/8 product launched in San Francisco a year ago. RE/8 is made from 88% bio-circular content from Covestro, the world-leading provider of high-tech polymers. Kaynemaile’s mesh is extremely lightweight, uses 20% of the energy needed to produce steel, and is 100% recyclable.

“Today Kaynemaile is a global leader in specialized architectural product applications that can be found on building exteriors and interiors all over the world,” says Kaynemaile founder and CEO Kayne Horsham. Over 90 per cent of sales are generated through exports.

Horsham says RE/8 has achieved a rare certification from the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) organization covering its entire product cycle from ‘cradle to grave.’ RE/8 features a reduction in the carbon footprint of the base polymer material by up to 80%.

Kaynemaile’s focus on the US has seen the recent completion of exterior and interior projects in Atlanta, Dallas, Des Moines, Los Angeles, Orlando, and Santa Clara in Silicon Valley where 1,000 square metres of Kaynemaile 3D kinetic screens cover an 800 space parking garage features almost 1,000 square metres of Kaynemaile mesh screens across the facade.

Horsham says a major building wrap for a high-tech manufacturer has just unveiled in Belgium, with designs in currently progress for retail and hotel installations in the Philippines, Singapore, and Dubai.

Close to home, June 27 sees the formal unveiling of Waimahara, a transformative urban artwork in Myers Park, Auckland. The mana whenua-led project honoring the presence of ancient waters now flowing beneath the ground is an interactive sound and light sculptural installation.

Wellington technology investor Movac is lead shareholder in Kaynemaile. Movac founding partner Phil McCaw has been chair of Kaynemaile since 2016 and says the flow of awards to the Petone represents the success of a “wonder product” created by founder Kayne Horsham.

“The work that the Kaynemaile team have done over the past three years executing a major circular economy shift is opening multiple opportunities in architecture and construction as building codes around the world move to exacting new standards of environmental compliance.

“Kaynemaile is a beautiful thing that has taken a long time to bake,” says McCaw. “This is a business that combines architectural aesthetics and functionality, materials and building science, machine design, manufacturing, exporting, intellectual property, and climate mitigation.”

In 2023 Kaynemaile doubled the size of its production facility and commissioned a new injecting molding machine to enable 24/7 shifts as the company closes on some of the largest order enquiries they have experienced. The company works closely with architects throughout the world to customize its mesh systems whether it is a mega carpark façade or a highly decorative atrium chandelier.

Kayne Horsham says a key benefit of Kaynemaile is what he calls the ‘WonderCool Effect.’ “With nearly a quarter of the USA’s population projected to live in extreme heat conditions, there is an urgent need for passive heat mitigation technology in new building designs. Kaynemaile delivers up to a 70% reduction in solar gain on exterior installations. It’s a product made for a hot world.”

About Kaynemaile

With its origins in the Creatures, Armor, and Weapons department of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Kaynemaile has evolved into an international business based on its patented liquid-state manufacturing process coupled with compelling design aesthetics and a team focused on providing custom-made design solutions at scale.

Established in 2006, Kaynemaile designs and manufactures highly versatile architectural mesh systems for commercial, public, and residential building facades, and interiors through to public artworks, lighting effects, and stage shows.

Kaynemaile has been awarded the IF Material Award, NYCxDesign Award for Best New Architectural Product, Architecture MasterPrize for Building Envelope and Construction Materials, and Civil+Structural Engineer Yearbook of Engineering Achievement 2021 and 2022 for Environmental and Sustainability. Most recently Kaynemaile was awarded in Architectural Record’s best building systems and components 2023 and

Architizer’s 2024 A+ Awards for Building Envelopes, Cladding, and Roofing, and Sustainable Design.

About Architizer

Architizer is a portfolio database, media site, and architectural manufacturer search engine that is transforming the architecture community. With over 86,000 projects from around the world, Architizer’s vision is to bring more innovation, efficiency, and quality to the world of architecture and design.

www.kaynemaile.com

SFF Futures funding approved, North American retail accelerator a go

Mike Hearn — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 22:30:06 GMT

Last week on Monday, Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ) launched its North American Retail Accelerator project after MPI approved DINZ’s funding application under the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) programme. The agreement will see MPI contribute a third of the $4.9 million investment, with the five venison exporters and DINZ making up the other two thirds.

The project, which started 1 July, will lift demand for New Zealand venison through the retail market, and is forecast to deliver an initial return of $20 million, or 4:1 return of investment.

Rhys Griffiths, interim DINZ chief executive, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, "The SFF Futures North American Retail Accelerator will leverage great work done by companies and open doors wider for the deer industry. By creating a robust and stable market in North America, we are not only diversifying our export base but also ensuring sustainable growth for our farmers. This project exemplifies our commitment to innovation and excellence in the global marketplace."

The project will enable New Zealand producers to connect more closely with our consumers, using retail channels to diversify away from a historic reliance on the food service sector. It will also enable the industry to tell its story directly to our consumers, highlighting the sustainable farming systems we use and building a general awareness of New Zealand grass-fed venison.

“This project has been a long time in the making, so it’s great news that it has officially kicked off – a huge thank you to MPI,” says Virginia Connell, DINZ assistant markets manager. “I’m looking forward to growing the “New Zealandness” of venison in the North American market and really building on our reputation for excellent farming practice. While this project is focused specifically on retail, it will ultimately create awareness across all sectors as education spreads on New Zealand venison.”

The SFF Futures North American Retail Accelerator includes all five New Zealand venison processing companies, namely: Alliance Group, Silver Fern Farms, First Light Foods, Duncan, and Mountain River Venison.

The project will be overseen by a project steering committee chaired by Scott Champion, with the rest of the group made up of Mark O’Connor, representing the venison exporter companies; Paddy Boyd as farmer representative; signatory representatives from DINZ and MPI; and the DINZ SFF Futures project team.

As an industry, we are poised to achieve new growth and establish New Zealand venison as a premium choice in the North American market.

Source: https://www.deernz.org/

New Zealand leads world’s first trade agreement between indigenous people

Mike Hearn — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 22:17:33 GMT

The world’s first trade agreement for indigenous people is being led by Aotearoa New Zealand, with Northland’s Pita Tipene as co-chairman.

The Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Co-operation Arrangement (Ipetca) aims to strengthen indigenous businesses, increase trade between indigenous people and promote indigenous values like sustainable economic development.

The genesis came in 2021, when New Zealand hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (Apec), Tipene said.

Despite the forum being held virtually due to Covid lockdowns, New Zealand wanted to showcase its partnership between Māori and the Crown, as well as support indigenous people coming together.

The arrangement was promoted by then-Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Trade Minister Damien O’Connor, but continues to be supported by the coalition Government, he said.

Tipene and Federation of Māori Authorities leader Traci Houpapa are the Indigenous co-chairmen, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Māne Waetford represents the Government as co-chairman.

With New Zealand leading the arrangement, Canada, Australia and Taiwan have joined as founding members, Tipene said.

The United States now has observer status, while Chile, Peru, Mexico and Hawaii have shown interest in joining.

Some other Governments are loathe to join the agreement, due to contentious arrangements with their own Indigenous people, Tipene said.

But he was able to witness the trailblazing nature of Ipetca firsthand last month, with a face-to-face forum in Vancouver.

“It was the first time that Canadian Indigenous people had met with Indigenous people from the US, which was really surprising because they are only just across the border: It was really, really important.”

The Vancouver meeting was immediately followed by a meeting in Washington DC.

Tipene, who is a Ngāti Hine leader and chairman of the Waitangi National Trust, was able to meet with leaders such as US ambassador to Canada David Cohen, Hawaii senior senator and Senate Committee on Indian Affairs chairman Brian Schatz, US treasurer and Mohegan chief Lynn Malerba - also known as Chief Mutáwi Mutáhash or “Many Hearts” - and Canadian Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Mary Ng.

New Zealand leading the way with Indigenous relations

Traci Houpapa believed New Zealand was the only country capable of leading Ipetca, because it had a unique, treaty-based partnership between its indigenous people and Government - Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

“Aotearoa New Zealand has succeeded, and will continue to succeed, on the world stage because Te Tiriti o Waitangi provides us with a partnership framework which ensures that people are recognised and mana whenua are supported alongside government to deliver what is best for our country.

“I think the fact that some people are only just starting to understand the benefit or importance of the treaty is, in part, disappointing but, in whole, an opportunity to do better.”

The need for Ipetca was shown by the size of the indigenous economy, which covers 476 million people - 70% of whom live in Asia-Pacific, Houpapa said.

In New Zealand, Māori have previously been viewed as a drain on the economy but are now being recognised as industry leaders, she said.

“Māori tribal groups or land corporations and trusts own 50% of fisheries, 40% of forestry, 35% of red meat and dairy, 30% of lamb and 10% of renewable energy - the numbers in itself show Māori economic development and turnover are critical for Aotearoa.”

Alongside this, customers are starting to demand more sustainable and ethical business practices and this is also key for Indigenous people, Houpapa said.

IPETCA now has a work plan to ensure it continues moving forward, with virtual meetings every two months, to bring results to the people, Tipene said.

“It’s really got to matter for the people back in the valleys - if it doesn’t, we’re really not doing our job.”

Tipene will travel to Taipei next month to meet with Taiwanese leaders, and Ipetca would next meet in person in August during the Apec forum in Peru.

Source: Northern Advocate

Florenz buys the Wedderspoon Group in USA

Mike Hearn — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 02:22:09 GMT

It’s an incredibly special day for the team at Florenz.

The largest seller of New Zealand sourced and manufactured Manuka honey products in North America has come home and into our ownership.

TheWedderspoongroup was founded 24 years ago, and its products range from Manuka honey to Manuka honey lozenges, drops and lip balm as well as Bee Propolis throat sprays. Its products are stocked in more than 23,000 stores in the United States and Canada ranging fromCostco WholesaletoWalmart,CVS PharmacyandWhole Foods Market. The firm also has a growing footprint in Asia, Central America and Europe.

Wedderspoonjoins our growing stable of New Zealand wellness companies, including Christchurch-based vitamins and supplements exporterXtendlife Group Limited, Blenheim-based ingredients manufacturer Dry Food New Zealand and innovative blackcurrant-based sports performance supplement exporter2before Performance Nutrition, which was purchased from Government-owned Plant and Food Research. Florenz is also a cornerstone shareholder of iconic New Zealand herbal remedies companyHarker Herbals, which was established more than 40-years ago.

There is burgeoning global demand for natural health products backed by science from trusted brands and countries with first class reputations, such as New Zealand.

Brand New Zealand has never been stronger overseas and consumers globally are rapidly moving away from synthetic health products to support their wellbeing. Our nation has some of the best natural ingredients in the world and access to incredible other ingredients offshore. Put alongside that our nation’s cutting-edge science capabilities, and we can curate here in New Zealand products that make a positive impact on wellbeing globally.

A huge thank you to our parent company Christchurch-based Masthead Ltd for its ongoing support of Florenz as our team continues to build a world-class export business that Kiwis can be proud of.

Mike Tod, CEO

Advent International Expands into Australia and New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 23:16:18 GMT

Driving further global growth with a strong foothold across Asia Pacific

Sydney, Australia, 02 July 2024 – Advent International (“Advent”), one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors, is pleased to announce the opening of its office in Sydney, Australia with Beau Dixon accepting an offer to lead Australia and New Zealand, to further establish its presence in the region. With offices in India, China and now Australia, Advent continues to build out its capabilities across the Asia Pacific region.

Mr Dixon, a highly experienced private equity professional with over 18 years of experience in the Australian and New Zealand markets, will join as Managing Director and head of Advent in Australia and New Zealand. Mr Dixon, who most recently was a Managing Partner at Anchorage Capital Partners and a member of the Investment Committee, has a strong investment track record and sound operational and board experience with portfolio companies. He will be responsible for leading a high calibre team to ensure that Advent can deploy its investment philosophy in Australia and New Zealand. This is with the aim of investing in leading companies that operate in Advent’s core sectors, including business and financial services; healthcare; industrial; retail, consumer, and leisure; and technology.

Australia and New Zealand are key markets for growth, with significant opportunities for private capital to be deployed in high quality companies with strong investment potential. Establishing a presence in the Australian and New Zealand markets is part of Advent’s continued global growth, and further enhances its presence in the attractive Asia Pacific region. This also builds on Advent’s experience in the Australian and New Zealand markets with investments including luxury fashion brand ZIMMERMANN, Transaction Services Group (now part of Xplor Technologies), a leading provider of business management software and integrated payments solutions to the Health & Fitness and Childcare verticals, and Cobham and Ultra Electronics, two leading defence, aerospace and technology companies, with past and present operations in Australia.

Shweta Jalan, Managing Partner at Advent International, said, “We are pleased to welcome Beau Dixon as Managing Director and head of Advent in Australia and New Zealand. Establishing a presence in Australia and New Zealand will support our continued growth in the Asia Pacific region, where we are already well-established in India and China. As a global private equity firm with a strong investment track record, we apply both in-market and sector experience to unlock local opportunities at scale and build businesses. We are thrilled at the opportunity to bring our world-class model to our current and future investments across Australia, New Zealand and beyond.”

Beau Dixon said, “I look forward to joining one of the leading global private equity investors and working closely with the Advent team to build out our presence in Australia and New Zealand. Advent has excellent global experience and sub-sector specialisation, which will add further depth and sophistication to the local market. Together, we will look to invest and build forward-looking businesses and drive sustainable growth.”

About Advent International

Founded in 1984, Advent International is one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors. The firm has invested in 420 private equity investments across 43 countries, and as of December 31, 2023, had $94 billion in assets under management.* With 15 offices in 12 countries, Advent has established a globally integrated team of over 300 private equity investment professionals across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The firm focuses on investments in five core sectors, including business and financial services; health care; industrial; retail, consumer, and leisure; and technology. For 40 years, Advent has been dedicated to international investing and remains committed to partnering with management teams to pursue sustained revenue and earnings growth for its portfolio companies.

For more information, visit
Website: www.adventinternational.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/advent-international

Prime Minister heads to United States for NATO

Mike Hearn — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 20:53:47 GMT

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will visit the United States from 9-12 July.

Mr Luxon will begin his visit by building New Zealand’s profile with politicians in Washington DC, meeting members of the US Administration and of Congress.

“The United States is the world’s largest economy and our second biggest trading partner. It plays a leading role in world affairs. It is imperative that we have good relationships with key American decision-makers, so they understand what New Zealand is trying to achieve in the world,” Mr Luxon says.

In Washington DC, the Prime Minister will also participate in the NATO Summit, an alliance of 32 North Atlantic countries that share our commitment to democratic values and to peace. He will also meet bilaterally with a range of NATO Leaders.

“Prosperity is only possible with security, with our discussions set to focus on our collective efforts to support the rules-based system”, Mr Luxon says.

“At NATO, counterparts from Australia, Japan and Korea will join me in a meeting of the Indo-Pacific Four.”

This is the third Summit in a row to which NATO has invited its four Indo-Pacific partners to discuss shared challenges.

The Prime Minister will use his time in the United States to expand New Zealand’s profile as a country with which to do business. He will visit San Francisco where he will drive greater investment links between New Zealand and the United States.

“If it were a country on its own, California would be the fifth biggest economy in the world, ranked between Japan and India,” Mr Luxon says.

"I look forward to building our positive relationship with this great State, and to forging stronger links with its businesses and investors as part of our wider plan to rebuild New Zealand’s economy.”

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

TOP

Spring Sheep: New Zealand sheep milk company eyes up US cheese market

Mike Hearn — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 21:49:14 GMT

By RNZ

New Zealand sheep milk company Spring Sheep is vying for a slice of the US cheese market.

Chief executive Nick Hammond is at the Fancy Food Show in New York pushing the company’s products.

“We’re selling three styles - we have a pecorino, which is a harder cheese; we’ve also got aristee, which is a medium cheese; and then our new New Zealand version of a havarti, which is a really soft, buttery cheese.”

Hammond said the response to the grass-fed range in the US has been phenomenal.

“We feel the New Zealand brand resonates really well with consumers up here. The grass-fed system has also put us at a really high pedestal - it’s even considered higher than organic in terms of quality.”

Getting into the US market is a huge opportunity for the company because the market was developed and growing, he said.

“It’s far bigger than people would realise. The USA imports around 25-30 million kilos of premium sheep cheese annually. That’s a market that’s very stable and and growing.

It’s also not being particularly well-serviced by Europe - they have struggled to keep up with sheep milk volumes - so there’s a really amazing opportunity for us to come in here and build a major growth platform.”

Hammond said the first commercial volumes of New Zealand produced sheep milk cheese will go into US speciality stores later in the year.

- RNZ

Yonder Joins Forces with TOMIS to Revolutionize Tourism Tech!

Mike Hearn — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 03:20:21 GMT

Today, we at Yonder are thrilled to announce our official acquisition by TOMIS, a leading technology company dedicated to building cutting-edge customer experience and communication software for tour operators. Based in Montana, USA, TOMIS’ products are a natural fit with Yonder, providing innovative, data-driven marketing solutions and exceptional customer experiences for tour operators around the globe.

Individually, both Yonder and TOMIS have saved tour operators thousands of hours, generated millions in revenue for clients, and pushed the travel industry forward at every opportunity. We've navigated the ever-evolving landscape of conversational AI and created products to simplify and streamline all aspects of the customer journey for our clients.

‍Together, we know we’ll only make each other better.

‍Commitment to Customer Success

“We are excited to welcome Yonder into the TOMIS ecosystem,” said Evan Tipton, CEO of TOMIS. “This acquisition allows us to combine our strengths and deliver even greater value to our customers. With Yonder’s innovative technology and our industry expertise, we are well-positioned to support the growth and success of tour operators globally.”

‍Letitia Stevenson added, “With TOMIS’ support, we’re excited to take our innovative solutions to the next level and help more tour operators achieve their goals.”

‍For now, both businesses will operate as usual, ensuring tour operators don’t experience any disruptions. TOMIS and Yonder will continue to operate as standalone brands, ensuring continuity and stability for existing customers while benefiting from our shared resources and industry expertise.

‍Looking Ahead

The union of TOMIS and Yonder promises to deliver enhanced solutions and greater value to our customers. By integrating our strengths, we’re set to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the tourism technology sector. We’re deeply committed to listening to our customers and incorporating your feedback into future product developments. We encourage you to share your ideas, feature requests, and feedback to help shape the future of our offerings.

‍As we embark on this new journey together with TOMIS, the future looks brighter than ever for tour operators seeking innovative solutions to drive their success. Stay tuned for more updates as this dynamic partnership evolves and continues to make waves in the tourism industry.

‍Thank you for being a part of our community and for your continued support!

Source: https://www.yonderhq.com/

Graham Norton and Sarah Jessica Parker blend wine with Kiwis in New York

Mike Hearn — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 02:56:09 GMT

A-listers Sarah Jessica Parker and Graham Norton stopped by the Big Apple for a blending session with Kiwi winemakers, spending “hours” tasting New Zealand varieties.

This week, iconic Kiwi wine brand Invivo rounded up its stars Graham Norton and Sarah Jessica Parker in New York City for their latest blending sessions.

Invivo’s founders Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron took the best New Zealand grapes to New York to present to Parker and Norton, who have total control of the blending for their brands X SJP and GN for Invivo.

“With both Graham and Sarah Jessica, we spent hours tasting and discussing the latest sauvignon blanc vintage from New Zealand, sampling selections from both Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough,” Lightbourne tells Spy.

“Both of them expressed a strong interest in visiting New Zealand, so stay tuned for a potential upcoming trip!”

The brand, always trying to outdo itself in publicity stunts, last year creating the world’s first winery airline, which saw guests board an Invivo Air Saab 340 plane and enjoy a guided eight-step wine-tasting at 18,000 feet.

The boys, along with Parker, a New York native and star of And Just Like That and Sex And The City, commandeered the world-famous Mets baseball team’s famous Citi Field Stadium in Queens.

“The Mets loved the idea of the innovative use of their stadium, and Sarah Jessica and husband Matthew Broderick are renowned fans of the team,” Lightbourne tells Spy.

“The Mets had never done anything like it and we secured the stadium for private use.”

Parker and the Invivo boys blended their new vintage of X SJP right on the field at second base in the iconic stadium and took over the largest screen in baseball.

“We had the team’s mascot Mrs Met along for the ride, and Rob and I even had the chance to play on the iconic Mets field, borrowing a bat from marquee star Pete Alonso,” says Lightbourne.

They then hosted key customers, who have collectively purchased millions of bottles, and leading US media in the press room for an interview with Lightbourne, Cameron and Parker, and a tasting of the wine that was just blended on the field.

The publicity is working; after five years with Parker, Lightbourne says Invivo X SJP sauvignon blanc is currently the fastest-growing luxury sauvignon blanc in the US.

For the famous UK talk show host Graham Norton, a more refined location was chosen by Lightbourne and Cameron for their meet-and-blend.

“We met Graham to blend the 11th vintage of his sauvignon blanc together at the five-star Elm Suite at 1 Hotel Central Park, New York - with sweeping views of Central Park and the amazing Big Apple skyline.

“We had Invivo’s close friend, America’s Next Top Model judge Nigel Barker, shoot the blending and publicity shots.”

Again, publicity gold. Lightbourne says this year, their 11th with Norton, will see them reach production and sales of over 20 million Graham Norton bottles.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

Rocket Lab’s latest milestone: The sky’s not the limit for NZ space sector - The Front Page

Mike Hearn — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 20:49:55 GMT

The newly-knighted Rocket Lab founder and CEO isn’t making anyone call him Sir Peter Beck.

“It’s just Pete,” he told The Front Page - ahead of his company’s 50th launch.

Not only is it a major milestone for Rocket Lab - but it will be the fastest any other company in history has reached 50 launches.

The “No Time Toulouse” mission is scheduled to launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia during a 14-day launch window that opens today. It is the first of five dedicated launches to deploy a 25-satellite constellation for French Internet-of-Things company, Kinéis.

“I think it’s quite significant. Everybody sees the rocket, but I guess what is less obvious is all of the infrastructure and everything behind it. It’s well understood that your first rocket is really, really hard. Your 20th rocket is 20 times harder than your first rocket because you have to be in full production at that point,” Beck said.

“So, reaching a milestone of 50 flights, not many rockets have launched as many as 50 times let alone to do it the fastest. I think it’s a real testament to the team and the company.”

According to Deloitte, in 2018 and 2019 New Zealand’s space industry contributed $1.7 billion to the economy. Space Minister Judith Collins told The Front Page our people, innovators, and creators in the sector are very well-respected.

And Beck agreed, saying there are some great start-ups in New Zealand and real potential for the sector here.

“New Zealanders are incredibly smart people, very innovative, and they have the ability to move across multiple functions and disciplines, which is really important in the space industry.”

In recent years, some of the world’s richest men have been investing in space - like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Richard Branson.

“We often joke our two biggest competitors, are actually the two wealthiest people on this planet,” Beck said.

“For us, we, we don’t have infinite capital, so we have to be very smart and we model ourselves after a famous Ernest Rutherford saying, and, and that was, he said, we have no money, so we, therefore we have to think.”

But, Beck said there’s no Holden v Ford rivalry between the world’s top players - who often are the first to call to congratulate a successful launch.

“We all know each other and we all respect each other, for what each other has achieved.

“We compete for contracts and for customers and all of that, but it’s a unique industry at the end of the day. When someone else does something truly amazing all of the competitors are the first to congratulate them.”

So, what’s next on the radar for Beck and Rocket Lab?

“I’m very passionate about interplanetary and interplanetary science.

“We have two satellites that are headed to Mars at the end of this year for Nasa to measure a whole lot of magnetic fields in space, information and data around the red planet.

“The findings of that are going to be not only just enormous to understand Mars but also how Mars ended up how it was, which we can then use to help Earth.”

Listen to the full episode to hear more about Rocket Lab’s US defence contracts and where Beck wants to see the company in ten years.

The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am. The podcast is presented by Chelsea Daniels, an Auckland-based journalist with a background in world news and crime/justice reporting who joined NZME in 2016.

Making it easier to invest in New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 03:32:35 GMT

The Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour has issued a new Ministerial directive letter to Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) to make consent processing timeframes faster under the Overseas Investment Act.

“New Zealand is currently rated as having the most restrictive foreign direct investment policy out of the OECD countries in the OECD Foreign Direct Investment Regulatory Restrictiveness Index.

“Processing times are currently too long, and this poses a barrier for investors. Budget 2024 started to get wasteful spending under control, but in order to have a strong growing economy New Zealand needs to be more welcoming to investment,” says Mr Seymour.

"Decisions on consent applications under the general benefit test take 89 days on average. This creates uncertainty and impacts the attractiveness of investing in New Zealand. This affects New Zealand businesses that rely on overseas investment for capital or for liquidity. With the new directive letter, we’re making things faster and removing bureaucracy.”

The directive letter sets an expectation that LINZ, the regulator for the Overseas Investment Act, will process 80 per cent of consent applications in half the statutory timeframes for decisions. LINZ will have the full statutory timeframe to process the remaining 20 per cent of consent applications to manage complex and higher-risk applications.

“To accomplish this objective, the directive letter directs LINZ to take a risk-based approach to verifying information and streamlining consent processes. This recognises that the majority of consent applications are low-risk and should be processed more efficiently.

“We’re introducing a principle that we welcome investment. In order for New Zealand to retain world class public services New Zealand needs to be the preferred destination for ideas, investment, talent.

“These changes also bring balance to how applications are assessed by removing duplication across different parts of government. There’s no reason for LINZ to be assessing matters already covered by other domestic regulation, such as whether mergers will decrease competition, which is already assessed by the Commerce Commission.

“With the new letter, we’re removing bureaucracy to help make things faster. And with LINZ processing low-risk transactions more quickly, it can focus effort and resources on assessing higher-risk applications.”

“The new directive letter replaces the previous Government’s directive letter dated November 2021. Grant Robertson’s letter was 12 pages, ours is five pages. We’re getting out of the way.”

The letter is in force from today, and all applications assessed by LINZ from this date will be subject to the updated directive letter.

The Overseas Investment Regulations 2005 will be updated to include a new reporting requirement on the extent to which LINZ meets this new objective for timeframes.

The directive letter is part of a three-part process to better enable overseas investment. Firstly, fewer decisions be made by Ministers than before however, some high-risk decisions, including all national interest and national security transactions, will still be decided by Ministers. Secondly, the new letter has been introduced. The next step will be to rewrite the Overseas Investment Act.

The directive letter is available on the LINZ website: https://www.linz.govt.nz/our-work/overseas-investment-regulation/legislation-ministers-and-delegated-powers/new-ministerial-directives

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Government to sign groundbreaking Indo-Pacific agreements

Mike Hearn — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 03:44:58 GMT

Trade Minister Todd McClay and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts travel to Singapore tomorrow to sign three Indo Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) agreements.

IPEF’s 14 partners represent 40 per cent of global GDP and account for 50 per cent of New Zealand’s exports. They include critical markets for Kiwi exporters in Australia, Bruni Darussalam, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, The United States, and Vietnam.

Minister McClay will participate in the full IPEF Ministerial meeting which includes discussions on a Indo-Pacific wide trade agreement. He will participate in the formal signing of the overarching IPEF Agreement and the Fair Economy Agreement.

These agreements focus on anti-corruption efforts and labour standards across the region along with increased international tax cooperation to shape a secure and transparent investment climate in the Indo-Pacific region.

“The third IPEF pillar focuses on increasing trade efficiency. The negotiation of this pillar presents further opportunities for New Zealand to work with partners to reduce Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and drive greater certainty for exporters.

Working with IPEF countries to increase investment flows and trade will help New Zealand meet the aspirational target of doubling exports by value in 10 years,” Mr McClay says.

While at IPEF Minister McClay will also hold bilateral meetings with Ministers from Australia, Canada, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, and The United States.

Ministers lead trade and investment forum:

Minister Watts will participate in a Clean Economies Investors forum including a signing ceremony for the Clean Economy Agreement to increases cooperation on climate goals by mobilising investment in technologies and solutions for energy, industry and transport.

He will be joined by a select group of New Zealand clean tech companies that have been invited to pitch to the region’s top investors at the inaugural Clean Economy Investor Forum.

“The IPEF agreements and the investor forum reflect a growing consensus that technology, trade, and investment flows need to feature explicitly in a concerted regional response to climate change,” Mr Watts says.

“Workstreams on hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel are among those already operating under the Clean Economy Agreement that have a lot to offer New Zealand,” Mr Watts says.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

New Zealand United States Council announces appointment of new chair Jonathan Mason

Mike Hearn — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 06:39:18 GMT

The NZUS Council has appointed Jonathan Mason as its Chair, succeeding Rosemary Banks who is departing to become New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States. Mr Mason is a professional independent director with vast experience in companies involved in the US market.

Mr Mason has extensive commercial experience, having worked in financial management positions across the dairy, forest products, oil and gas, and chemical industries in New Zealand and the USA. His experience in this field has been across a wide range of companies including Fonterra, Carter Holt Harvey, International Paper, ExxonMobil Corporation and Cabot Corporation.

Alongside his financial management background, Jonathan has ample experience in non-executive director positions on boards in both New Zealand and the USA, which have included Air New Zealand, Vector, Westpac NZ, Zespri Group and the World Wildlife Fund.

Jonathan also holds the position of Adjunct Professor of Management at the University of Auckland, with a focus on finance.

Mr Mason will soon be stepping down from the role of President of the American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand.

Mr Mason said “as our third most important trading relationship supporting over $26 billion in two-way trade, the NZUS Council plays an important role in engaging with US government and business to protect and enhance our economic relationship with the USA.

“I’m happy to be appointed to the role and look forward to promoting better access for trade in goods and services and investment between the two countries”.

This change of Chair comes at a time when there is renewed focus on New Zealand’s relationship with the United States as a critically important trading partner, a source of investment, and new technologies.

The NZUS Council is a non-partisan and independent organisation committed to promoting all dimensions of New Zealand’s multi-faceted relations with the United States. The Council welcomes members from business, government, academia, and the expanding technology sector.

https://www.nzuscouncil.org/

Fingermark announces investment from global sustainability leader, Ecolab

Mike Hearn — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 23:21:48 GMT

Award winning New Zealand tech innovator, Fingermark, has secured a cornerstone investment from global water, hygiene and infection prevention leader, Ecolab. This investment includes a multimillion dollar capital injection that will support Fingermark’s rapidly rising global growth trajectory.

Luke Irving, Founder and Chief Executive of Fingermark, hailed the deal as transformative. “This is a true collaboration that will help both companies better serve global Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) customers and further establish Fingermark’s growing reputation,” said Irving.

Fingermark is an industry leading computer vision and self ordering technology provider to some of the world’s largest Enterprise QSR brands. Their technology provides automation that supports restaurant processes to enhance profitability and competitiveness, reduce costs, mitigate labour shortages and meet heightened customer expectations.

A trusted partner for millions of customers, Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) is a global sustainability leader with annual sales of $15 billion and 48,000 associates serving customers in more than 170 countries around the world. Ecolab’s innovative solutions improve operational efficiencies and sustainability for customers in the food, healthcare, life sciences, hospitality and industrial markets.

“For more than 100 years, Ecolab has worked to help our hospitality and foodservice customers achieve their operational and sustainability goals,” says Chris Loflin, Senior Vice President & General Manager Global QSR.

“Teaming up with Fingermark will help us address modern operational challenges and begin delivering on the promise of AI and computer vision technology at scale for our global QSR customers.”

“There is massive change in the Global QSR sector as the move to automation gathers pace,” Irving comments. “While this is just the start of our work with Ecolab, they see Fingermark as playing a critical role in the long-term strategies for the QSR market.”

Irving says Fingermark’s growing success is also an endorsement of the New Zealand tech sector. “We may be on the edge of global markets but our work and that of others in the New Zealand tech sector are putting this country on the
map,” Irving says.

“The Prime Minister and Minister of Trade have both set
ambitious goals around growing exports and attracting foreign investment and I believe our tech sector is going to deliver on those targets – look at what we’ve done here, and the best is still to come.”

At the latest AmCham awards, where Fingermark won the DHL Express Success & Innovation Award for Technology Exporter of the Year to the United States, the judges noted the company’s dedication, innovation, and capacity to succeed on a
global scale.

The judging criteria included showcasing a deep passion for achieving business success, fostering innovation and harnessing marketing opportunities, with Fingermark exemplifying these characteristics, as well as the power of innovation, collaboration, and determination, said the judges.

Source: https://fingermark.ai/

Scott Technology boosts investment in North American protein market

Mike Hearn — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 21:31:42 GMT

Auckland, New Zealand: Scott Technology (NZX:SCT) is to strengthen its expertise and drive further innovation in the North American protein market as it seeks to capitalize on the vast opportunities this region offers.

A key driver of this investment is the expansion of its world leading BladeStop safety bandsaw product line to include the T300, a saw specifically designed for the instore meat cutting of the supermarket sector. Independent research indicates that the total addressable market for the T300 retail saw in the U.S. is approximately 25,000 units which includes leading retailers such as Albertsons and Kroger.

In addition to the BladeStop expansion, Scott Technology's proprietary Poultry Trusser product has gained significant traction in the market. Sales have been secured with three of North America's largest poultry processors, demonstrating strong market adoption. Despite this success, there remains a substantial untapped market for this product.

“With Scott’s strong pedigree of bringing world-leading automation technologies to market, we continue see large opportunities ahead in the North American red meat and poultry sectors. The poultry trussing product is well into its commercialisation phase with orders building upon the early rollouts into the Costco processing network. Our recently released T300 BladeStop saw is now being launched into the leading US supermarket chains where retailers undertake meat cutting activities instore” commented John Kippenberger, Scott Technology Chief Executive.

To support Scott Technology's growth in the North American protein market, the company is pleased to announce the Executive appointment of Mark Host as Vice President of Sales – Global Protein. Based in the U.S, Mark will lead the global sales efforts for the protein sector, leveraging his extensive experience and expertise to drive growth and strengthen Scott Technology's market position.

“We are delighted to have Mark Host join the group executive team in this newly created role. Marks appointment will see an important injection of sales leadership and protein industry experience into North America.”

Mark brings a proven track record of sales growth, market and product development, and team leadership. He has over 25 years of experience across multiple food processing categories where he has helped processors implement solutions to increase worker safety, improve processing yields, and grow profitability.

Mark comes to Scott from Pearson Packaging Systems, a market leader in secondary packaging and robotic automation, where he was the VP of Sales. Prior to that, Mark served as VP of Global Sales at Bettcher Industries, a global protein processing supplier, where he led the acceleration of the business, the launch of new products, and grew both direct and distributor markets.
These strategic moves highlight Scott Technology's focus on innovation, market expansion, and leadership in the North American market, positioning the company for continued success and growth.

Source: https://scottautomation.com/

Aussie private equity firm pays $92.2m for 18.45pc of Vista Group

Mike Hearn — Thu, 30 May 2024 02:38:35 GMT

Australian private equity firm Potentia Capital Management through its vehicle Admetus has paid $92.2 million ($2.10 a share), for an 18.45 per cent stake in Vista Group after deals done over the weekend.

Potentia is in discussion with the Vista board, although it is understood a full offer is not in the wings.

A further 10.60 million shares in the listed cinema software specialist will be acquired from Jarden Securities, with settlement due on Friday, Admetus said in a filing with the NZX.

The deals were arranged mostly through Jarden.

The holdings, together with on-market trades today, are expected to take Potentia to a 19.9 per cent stake.

At $2.10, the price was a 26c or a 14 per cent premium to Friday’s closing price.

The offer price values Vista at 40 times its 2024 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, and values the company in total at around $500m.

Admetus also said it had entered an agreement to pay sellers of Vista stock an “escalation payment” should it decide to take the company over at a higher price.

When ownership reaches 20 per cent, certain obligations under the New Zealand rules take effect regarding full and partial takeovers.

The main sellers were Spheria Asset Management, a smaller company investment specialist, and WAM (Wilson Asset Management), an ASX-listed investment company.

Both parties sold their entire stakes.

The company was founded by Murray Holdaway in 1996.

Holdaway started Madison Systems, which became New Zealand’s largest IBM reseller.

After Madison was involved with two cinema system developments, Holdaway formed Vista, which went on to dominate the global market for movie theatre management software.

Vista debuted on the NZX in 2014 at $2.40 a share, giving it a market cap at the time of $191m.

On Friday, Holdaway received the New Zealand Hi-Tech “Flying Kiwi” award at the New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards.

“As co-founder of Vista Group, Murray played a leading role in taking Vista Group from a small, New Zealand-founded company to the largest cinema software company in the globe with a leading global market share,” the company said.

“Murray led Vista Group to international success, with offices established in 10 locations worldwide, customers in over 110 countries, and eight software acquisitions to date in international territories.”

In 2015, Vista Group was named the IPO of the year and in 2016 Vista Group won the PwC Hi-Tech Company of the Year award at the New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

HungryHungry and MOBI join forces for US expansion

Mike Hearn — Thu, 23 May 2024 22:17:54 GMT

Australasia’s hospitality tech pioneers – HungryHungry and MOBI – have merged to create a new powerhouse in the local market and to take on new markets, especially the USA.

The new company combines HungryHungry's expertise in hospitality-focused software with MOBI's enterprise-grade mobile technology solutions, services over 4,000+ venues across 15 countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA.

The new entity creates a unique combination of consumer facing technology to drive new customers for venues while also offering a white label technology platform that allows brands to effectively engage with customers and generate lasting brand loyalty for their own brand.

With MOBI founder Tarik Mallett having exited the business in 2022, the new company will be led by HungryHungry Co-Founders Shannon Hautot and Mark Calabro, who have extensive experience in powering the hospitality industry with Point of Sale (POS) software and digital ordering platforms, including their first business OrderMate, which they sold to former ASX company MSL Solutions in 2021.

Shannon Hautot, Co-Founder and CEO, said, “We have enormous admiration for MOBI founder, Tarik Mallett, who spent 12 years creating a solid business with a great culture and we’re excited to announce the coming together of HungryHungry and MOBI.

“Having been in this space for over two decades It’s a rare opportunity to witness two strong, established and profitable companies come together with a vision of combining forces to deliver massive value for customers.

“We may be the underdogs in our space, having only raised a fraction of outside capital compared with some of our peers, but that means we've had to be very efficient and respectful with how we spend our investors’ money. 

“We share a genuine desire to create a powerful, sustainable market leader in the hospitality sector, that will act as a growth engine to stimulate the industry, whilst continuing to lead with innovation and integrity. Together with MOBI, we are better positioned than ever to innovate, scale, and meet the evolving needs of the global hospitality industry, both SMB and Enterprise, with big plans to sprint past our competitors.”

Mark Calabro, Co-Founder and Head of Partnerships, added, “Shannon and I were inspired to start our first business, OrderMate, through a love of food, dining out and technology.

“Fast forward to 2021 when we sold OrderMate - we were even more inspired to innovate and go again. Our journey has been driven by a passion and commitment to delivering the most innovative technology driven solutions that align with the evolving needs of the hospitality industry. As we join forces with MOBI we look forward to the next chapter including the launch of our game changing payments product, HungryPay - a product which leans into a service-centric industry that is hospitality, whilst having product market fit for countries like the US which are all about staff taking orders and tipping.”

Brodie Arnhold, Chairman of HungryHungry and now Chairman of the group said, “It is great to have two profitable businesses come together in a move that will further consolidate the market and create significant value for shareholders of both companies. Being EBITDA positive, cashflow positive and debt free, means we can really strategically target new products, new markets and look at further M&A opportunities for growth.”

Mark Vivian, Partner at Movac and a major investor in MOBI, said, “With a rich history in venture capital investment in New Zealand, we're always on the lookout for tech opportunities that have the potential to disrupt the status quo.

“Since first investing in MOBI in 2019, we've seen the business grow from a New Zealand online ordering platform to a global hospitality tech leader. The merger is the logical next step in the evolution of both companies, as it creates a new entity with significant critical mass, an impressive global customer base, and a full product offering to better serve a range of hospitality customers and their guests. With further innovation and global expansion, the future is an exciting one."

About HungryHungry

HungryHungry is an award winning, end-to-end ordering and payment hospitality tech platform co-founded in 2019 by Mark Calabro and Shannon Hautot, each with 20+ years’ experience in Point Of Sale (POS) and integrated technology solutions for the hospitality industry. They launched their first business Point of Sale company, OrderMate, in 2003. In the years that followed they grew their customer base to over 2,500 venues across Australia, NZ and the UAE, building a successful business that was acquired in 2021 by MSL Solutions.

HungryHungry is on a mission to deliver innovative, tech-driven solutions that help venue owners increase revenue, lower costs, and access valuable data insights to enhance customer loyalty and inform ways of delivering better experiences. It operates as a standalone product to place, fulfill and record all food and beverage orders in multi-segments across indoor and outdoor dining, fast service, high volume delivery venues, hotel and room service, pick up and collect at counter ordering, kiosk solutions, multi-area restaurants and cafes.  

About MOBI

Founded in 2010, MOBI is the market leader in the mid-market enterprise category in Australia, New Zealand & Canada, processing over $500m in customer transactions. With a presence in more than 3000 restaurants and hospitality businesses across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the U.S, MOBI’s enterprise-grade solutions focus on helping clients increase revenue, improve customer experience, and regain control of their customer relationships. Originating as an online ordering solution for Order Ahead & Pick-up, MOBI has expanded product offerings to now include Branded Storefronts, Mobile Apps for iOS and Android, AI-driven guest experiences, White-Labelled Delivery, Marketplace Order Aggregation, Order with Google, Order at Table, Personalised Loyalty and over 120 powerful integrations.

Source: https://www.mobihq.com/

The world's largest restaurant franchisee operator is acquiring New Zealand's Wendy's burger outlets (Wendco NZ Ltd)

Mike Hearn — Tue, 21 May 2024 03:30:54 GMT

The world's largest restaurant franchisee operator is acquiring New Zealand's Wendy's burger outlets (Wendco NZ Ltd)

The San Francisco-based business generates more than US$4.5 billion in annual sales, according to its website.

Flynn Group also expanded into Australia last year with plans to open 200 Wendy's restaurants across the Tasman by 2034.

"Operated by the Lendich family since 1988, the Wendy's New Zealand franchise business has grown to include more than 20 Wendy's restaurants from Auckland in the north to Dunedin in the south," the franchisee said.

"With the purchase, Flynn is now the sole franchisee for The Wendy's Company in Australia and New Zealand and will be working closely with the brand's team to scale and develop in both countries."

Flynn Group, founded in 1999, has more than 2600 restaurants and gyms in the US and Australia, and employs over 75,000 people, according to its website.

"The acquisition of the Wendy's New Zealand business represented a compelling opportunity to continue our growth ambitions internationally and to expand our strong partnership with the much-loved Wendy's brand," Flynn Group chief operating officer Ron Bellamy said.

"Wendco New Zealand has a proud 35-year track record of delighting customers and we are honoured to carry that tradition forward. Our immediate priority will be to collaborate with the existing team to determine how we can best leverage our scale and capabilities to build on their success as we enter this next chapter of growth together.

"To help ensure strong continuity for all 500 of Wendco New Zealand's employees as well as its partners and suppliers, Flynn plans to retain the current operations and support teams and looks forward to creating job and career advancement opportunities as the Wendy's brand expands in this market."

Source: https://www.newshub.co.nz/

AgriZeroNZ invests $9.9M in US company in race for ‘holy grail’ methane vaccine

Mike Hearn — Fri, 10 May 2024 04:05:08 GMT

AgriZero^NZ is doubling down on efforts to deliver a methane vaccine with an investment in U.S. ag-biotech start-up, ArkeaBio.

The JV has invested NZD $9.9million (USD $6m) to accelerate ArkeaBio’s development of a methane vaccine for ruminant animals, including cows, sheep and deer, with an initial focus on cattle.

It is the JV's second investment in vaccine development, having already invested in the New Zealand research programme.

AgriZero^NZ chief executive Wayne McNee, says the JV is backing two vaccine projects to increase the chance of delivering the highly sought-after, world-first solution.

"A methane vaccine for ruminant animals is internationally recognised as the ‘holy grail’ to deliver methane reduction at low cost and mass scale. It could be one of the best long-term options to really shift the dial on agricultural emissions in New Zealand without compromising farm profitability, as well as a powerful tool globally.

“It would be a particularly useful tool for our grass-fed animals and a good fit for our pastoral farms as vaccination is already commonly used to support animal health.

“We’re really pleased to be supporting ArkeaBio and its innovative approach to develop this important solution to help farmers curb emissions," Wayne McNee said.

ArkeaBio is based in Boston and led by Kiwi expat, Colin South.

The start-up recently completed US$26.5m Series A venture financing to support process development, trial expansion, and defining path to market. This financing was led by existing investor, Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV), with new investments from AgriZero^NZ, The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, Rabo Ventures, Overview Capital, and The 51 Food & AgTech Fund.

South said they are pleased to have AgriZero^NZ join its round, which provides both funding and a close relationship with an important and motivated early market for their global solution.

"A vaccine is the lowest cost path to global scale enteric methane reduction and is applicable to cattle worldwide. This singular solution, distributed globally with large-scale adoption, can change the trajectory of global warming and demonstrate a path to meeting major climate mitigation goals. The funds raised in this Series A financing will play a pivotal role in expanding the research, development and deployment of the vaccine, including large-scale field trials and engagement along the supply chain.

"We look forward to working with AgriZero^NZ and the members of the innovative Kiwi farming environment to make world-leading progress in reducing enteric methane emissions," Colin South, CEO ArkeaBio.

A vaccine would be a critical tool to help farmers achieve the JV's ambition of reducing agricultural emissions by 30 per cent by 2030.

McNee says this is crucial for New Zealand, to meet global customer targets, protect trade agreements and support the country's climate goals.

"The work to develop a methane vaccine is pioneering, complex and challenging. We’re proud to be working with two world-leading research teams to support and accelerate their work for farmers in New Zealand and around the globe," Wayne McNee.

AgriZero^NZ is half owned by the New Zealand government, with the other half owned by major agribusiness companies – The a2 Milk Company, ANZ Bank New Zealand, ANZCO Foods, ASB Bank, Fonterra, Rabobank, Ravensdown, Silver Fern Farms and Synlait.

These shareholders are providing $183 million for AgriZero^NZ to achieve its ambition.

Since being established on 1 February 2023 the JV has committed over $29 million to accelerate development of emissions reduction tools for Kiwi farmers. Other investments include funding for a methane inhibiting bolus, novel probiotics, low emissions pasture and construction of a greenhouse gas testing facility.

Source: https://www.agrizero.nz/

Therapeutic Products Act to be repealed

Mike Hearn — Thu, 09 May 2024 20:46:26 GMT

The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today.

“The medicines and products we are talking about are critical to New Zealanders’ health. We want cost-effective access to the right products, to support health outcomes, and to ensure there aren’t unnecessary barriers for our exporters,” Ms Costello says.

“The current Medicines Act is out of date, but the TPA was not the solution. It would have over-regulated some products and imposed unnecessary costs on consumers, businesses and exporters.

“In repealing the Act, the Government is listening to the concerns of industry and consumers.

“Industry groups considered their products would be over-regulated, particularly lower risk products, such as some natural health products. Consumers, importers and practitioners, told us that over-regulation could make these products more expensive or unavailable and I am not confident the Act would have improved approval times for new medicines.

“To provide certainty to industry, consumers and practitioners the TPA will be repealed in full. It is my intention that the repeal Bill passes before the end of the year.”

Most provisions in the Act were intended to come into force 1 September 2026. As the Act will be repealed before this date, the repeal will not require businesses or practitioners to change the way they currently work and operate and there will be no disruption to consumers.

“The Government will now develop a modern, risk proportionate regulatory regime for medicines and medical devices, and a separate modernised regime for natural health products,” Ms Costello says.

“The new regime needs to back our innovators and health practitioners and to provide timely access to new and promising therapies. As well as improving peoples’ health, the right system will take the pressure off our general practitioners and our hospital system.”

Later this year, the Government will consider proposals for new legislation that will streamline the way in which new medicines are approved and ensure that regulation supports innovation in health and medical products and economic growth.

“There will be engagement with key groups through this process. I hope we can build on some of the work that has already been done in this area and look forward to hearing from consumers, industry, and practitioners so that we develop the best possible law and frameworks.”

Repealing the TPA are commitments in the National-New Zealand First and National-ACT coalition agreements.

Media contact: Richard Ninness +64 21 807 136

Editor’s notes:

The Therapeutic Products Bill was introduced to the House on 30 November 2022 and the Therapeutics Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 26 July 2023.

Therapeutic products covered by the Act included medicines, medical devices (such as bandages, hospital beds and surgical equipment) and natural health products.

In 2023, the Health Select Committee considering the Bill reviewed more than 16,500 submissions and heard submissions from more than 300 organisations and individuals. Over 95% of submissions opposed the Bill, mostly due to the inclusion of natural health products.

The regulatory regime required to support the TPA, including the creation of a new regulatory agency and IT systems, had still to be developed and this work was unfunded. Until new legislation is passed, the Medicines Act and Dietary Supplement Regulations which are currently in place will continue to apply.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

IKE Closes Major Multi-Year Subscription Deals

Mike Hearn — Wed, 08 May 2024 07:43:52 GMT

ikeGPS Group Limited (ASX/NZX:IKE) or IKE, today announces that:

Five new IKE PoleForeman subscription agreements are being put in place with major U.S. Electric Utilities, with an expected Total Contract Value (TCV) of ~NZ$4m, and Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) of NZ$1.3M.

Since the launch of this next-gen product in late 2023 the Company has added TCV of more than NZ$12m, representing ~NZ$4m of ARR.
+ These new contract wins include the largest parent electric utility group in the U.S. by revenue, who serves power to ~ten million underlying customers, and a Fortune 500 group that serves power to ~seven million underlying customers in the northern U.S.
+ In total, contracts to date will result in ~3,700 engineers using the software on a subscription basis across 47 utility groups (28 existing customers that have been upsold and 19 new customers).

IKE PoleForeman is IKE’s next-gen subscription software product that enables utility engineers to efficiently design their distribution power and communication networks.

An expectation that within the next 12-18 months, eight of the ten largest Investor-Owned Utilities in the U.S. will be standardized on IKE PoleForeman for their distribution network design. More broadly, IKE expects that dozens of additional utility & engineering customers will transition to the platform in the short and medium-term given the market acceptance of IKE PoleForeman as an industry standard, and particularly given the market leading capabilities of this new product.
+ These customers represent a highly sticky footprint. This structural analysis & design product is core to the network design process within these businesses, often with hundreds of engineers using the product every day. As such, it is a difficult solution to replace, and long-term retention rates exceed 95%.
+ IKE therefore has an expectation for a significant life-time value multiple beyond the TCV levels currently being closed.

IKE notes that the total addressable market in North America is large, with more the 3,000 electric utilities and their engineering partners, plus more than 200 tier-1 communications groups and their engineering partners requiring this network design and analysis capability.

IKE notes that prior contract wins announced have also included:
+ A five year ~NZ$2m agreement with the second largest electric utility in the U.S. The initial purchase order was for the first year of the agreement, for ~NZ$0.4m. This customer serves approximately eight million customers in the southern U.S. region.
+ A ~NZ$3.7m subscription contract with a Fortune 150 Company and one of the ten largest Investor-Owned Utilities in the U.S., upgrading them from IKE’s legacy product. Over the coming five years, this long-term customer commitment means that over 1,000 engineers at this utility will use IKE PoleForeman’s advanced capabilities.

Beyond the PoleForeman product, IKE offers a suite of products for the collection, analysis, management, and digitization of pole and overhead asset information for electric utilities, communications companies, and their engineering service providers in North America. Today, IKE serves more than 395 customers with subscription products. IKE’s subscription revenue has grown substantially over the past four years and the company expects total subscription revenue growth of more the 50% in the FY25 period to March 2025.

Source: https://www.nzx.com/

Ambassador to United States appointed

Mike Hearn — Tue, 07 May 2024 02:52:29 GMT

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America.

“Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says.

“New Zealand and the United States have a broad range of shared interests, and we are responding to a challenging strategic environment by finding ways to cooperate ever more closely.

“It was vital that we appoint as Ambassador to Washington D.C. a diplomat with serious experience, gravitas and nous to help New Zealand navigate the period ahead. We are therefore delighted that Rosemary has agreed to undertake a second term in the role.”

Ms Banks, currently the Chair of the NZ-US Council, previously served as New Zealand’s Ambassador to Washington from 2018-2022. She succeeds Bede Corry, who is returning to Wellington to be the next Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Ms Banks, who has also headed New Zealand diplomatic missions in New York and Paris and served as a Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade, will take up the role in early June.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Next stop NASA for New Zealand students

Mike Hearn — Tue, 07 May 2024 02:51:36 GMT

Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where they will gain hands-on experience in their fields of study and access to NASA’s best and most advanced research facilities,” Ms Collins says.

“While the skills, knowledge and connections they bring home will be invaluable for them personally, this will also help to strengthen and grow our science and space sectors which in turn helps grow our economy.”

Ms Collins and the students - Narottam Royal and Alexandra McKendry (University of Canterbury), Tait Francis (University of Otago), Axl Rogers (Auckland University of Technology), and Grace Jacobs Corban and Faun Watson (Victoria University of Wellington) - celebrated their selection at an event at Parliament today.

“The New Zealand Space Scholarship is one of the ways the Government encourages the next generation of talented people to pursue careers in space-related fields, helping to ensure the ongoing success of our space industry.

“These internships are the latest example of the strong, collaborative partnership we have with NASA and the US, which continues to offer opportunities for space science, technology and cooperation on a global scale,” Ms Collins says.

“The interns themselves are testament to the emerging talent we have in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in New Zealand.”

The three-month internships will begin in June, with the students based at either NASA’s Ames Center in Silicon Valley or its JPL in Pasadena.

More information about the 2024 NZ Space Scholarship recipients and the projects they’ll work on is available on the MBIE website.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

TOPS

Google and Vocus partner to extend Honomoana cable to New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Sat, 04 May 2024 23:16:30 GMT

Cable is part of the Pacific Connect initiative announced last year

Vocus and Google are extending a US-to-Australia subsea cable to New Zealand.

Australian telco Vocus this week announced it has signed an agreement with Google to extend the Honomoana cable to include New Zealand.

Plans to deploy two subsea cables connecting the US, Fiji, French Polynesia, and Australia were announced in October last year as part of the Pacific Connect initiative.

The Honomoana cable - derived from the Polynesian words for ocean and link - was initially planned to connect the US to Australia and French Polynesia. It will now also connect Auckland, New Zealand, and confirmed the cable will land at Melbourne and Sydney in Australia.

The cable, expected to be complete in 2026, will provide 30Tbps of capacity between Australia and New Zealand.

Vocus said this branch of the Pacific Connect system will add a domestic route between Sydney and Melbourne, as well as a route across the Tasman Sea.

Ellie Sweeney, CEO at Vocus, said: “When combined with our existing cables, our network will span from Southeast Asia to the US via multiple diverse landings in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific.”

She added: “Pacific Connect will significantly uplift trans-Tasman data capacity with the new Auckland landing, and brilliantly complements our existing network both in Australia and internationally - allowing Vocus to provide our customers with unprecedented network capacity and redundancy across three continents.”

The Pacific Connect initiative will deliver a trans-Pacific subsea ring between Australia and the US and an interlink cable between Fiji and French Polynesia. The system also includes pre-positioned branching units to enable connectivity for other Pacific nations in the future.

The other cable being deployed in the initiative is Tabua - named after a sacred Fijian whale’s tooth - and will connect the US and Australia to Fiji. Tabua and Honomoana will also connect between French Polynesia and Fiji.

Earlier this year, Intelia announced plans to launch a subsea cable connecting the Southern island of New Zealand to Australia.

Existing cables landing in New Zealand include Aqualink, Southern Cross Cable, Southern Cross NEXT, Hawaiki, and Tasman Global Access.

Vocus currently operates the 4,600km (2,900 mile) Australia Singapore Cable (ASC), the North West Cable System, and the Darwin-Jakarta-Singapore cable system.

Google has invested in dozens of subsea cables - both privately and in consortiums. Earlier this month, the tech giant invested $1 billion in two new fiber cable routes between the US and Japan.

Vocus currently operates the 4,600km (2,900 mile) Australia Singapore Cable (ASC), the North West Cable System, and the Darwin-Jakarta-Singapore cable system.

Google has invested in dozens of subsea cables - both privately and in consortiums. Earlier this month, the tech giant invested $1 billion in two new fiber cable routes between the US and Japan.

Source: https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/

A small Auckland company has catapulted its way into America's highly competitive retail market with its range of 'no alcohol' cocktails.

Mike Hearn — Sat, 04 May 2024 23:08:18 GMT

A nationwide rollout of Ponsonby-based AF Drinks' alcohol-free drinks is now underway across the US mainland through major distribution deals with retail giants Target and Walmart.

AF founder Lisa King said the deals will see four of her company's niche product range sold in 700 Target stores across 41 states and 820 Walmart stores in 35 states.

The company launched in the US market 12 months ago, first establishing its products in Sprouts stores where they're now sold in 400 outlets.

King said a lot of hard work has gone into ensuring supply and meeting sales targets set by the mega stores.

"Well it's quite daunting," she told 1News, admitting it's also "incredibly exciting".

Marketing academic Bodo Lang said having a niche product from Aotearoa New Zealand is a "really unique brand advantage for any local company".

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise said retailing through such large retail chains is a "huge deal for a company from New Zealand".

The latest market research has revealed sales of 'no' and 'low' alcohol increased by 5% last year, taking the global market value of the industry to a staggering $22 billion.

Source: https://www.1news.co.nz/

Lift off!! Fix & Fogg now is space!

Mike Hearn — Thu, 02 May 2024 07:24:47 GMT

Thanks to NASA and SpaceX Crew-8

We’re so excited to announce, Fix & Fogg has become the very first New Zealand Food brand to venture into Space thanks to NASA! Right now, your favourite F&F flavours are being consumed by astronauts onboard the International Space Station.

It’s a New Zealand first we never could have imagined when we started at Wellington farmers markets 10 years ago.

We received a special request from NASA astronauts on SpaceX Crew-8, us to embark on this latest adventure for their journey into space, marking a monumental moment for us, our PB pals and space-nuts nationwide!

"To be chosen as the first New Zealand food brand to journey into space is an honour beyond words. We love to help people go places, but it’s not every day you get invited to go to space. So we’re thrilled that the NASA crew share our passion for exceptional peanut butter."

"This is a truly exhilarating moment for Fix & Fogg and for New Zealand"

- Roman Jewell, Fix & Fogg Founder.

Over several months, our team worked closely with NASA nutritionists to create a Fix & Fogg space pouch that can be sent safely, efficiently, and with ease to space. Importantly, it needed to meet the complexities of consuming and storing food in zero-gravity.

Glass jars are not permitted in space because they are heavy and can break - so, an easy-squeeze pouch was designed and especially made for NASA. The extra wide 18mm nozzle suits zero-gravity conditions yet still ensures Fix & Fogg extra crunchy pieces get to where they need to go: onto low-crumb space bread.

Our F&F x NASA space pouches were created specifically for astronauts, and we’re auctioning a few off for a charity here on earth! Click here to bid on a one-of-a-kind SPACE POUCH

To commemorate being in your pantry, and in space, we’re planning on spreading the love with our PB pals across the country, stay tuned for delicious giveaway announcements and exciting out-of-this-world updates on our social media.

Last but not least, we’ve created a limited edition Super Crunchy jar to spread the love with our PB pals (aka you!).

Get ready to launch your taste buds into orbit with our limited-edition space packs, available here

Make space in your pantry, and raise your spoons to the moon

FIX & FOGG IN SPACE TIME-LINE

NASA reaches out and asks Fix & Fogg to create a specially-designed space-approved product that its astronauts can take with them on their mission to space in 2024.

Mission accepted! Over several months, our team worked closely with NASA nutritionists to create a Fix & Fogg space pouch that can be sent safely, efficiently, and with ease to space. Importantly, it needed to meet the complexities of consuming and storing food in zero-gravity.

There was a lot of trial and error that went into making sure we delivered what NASA wanted. Glass jars are not permitted in space because they are heavy and can break - so, an easy-squeeze pouch was designed and especially made for NASA. The extra wide 18mm nozzle suits zero-gravity conditions yet still ensures Fix & Fogg extra crunchy pieces get to where they need to go: onto low-crumb space bread.

NASA’s SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket took off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida destined for the International Space Station for a 6-month stay-aboard mission.

Fifty specially designed and created 275g easy-squeeze pouches of NZ’s very own Fix & Fogg nut butters are onboard. This is the first time ever a NZ food producer goes to space!
https://fixandfogg.co.nz/

Kiwifruit from New Zealand in transit to United States

Mike Hearn — Thu, 02 May 2024 07:21:40 GMT

Retailers can expect shipments of Zespri kiwifruit soon as the first two shipping vessels have left New Zealand. The vessels are expected to arrive at the Port of Philadelphia and the Port of Los Angeles at the end of April. Retailers can track the shipments to start preparing for another successful Zespri™ Kiwifruit season.

"We are heading into the new season as the #1 selling kiwi brand for the fourth consecutive year," explains Darren LaMothe, Zespri's General Manager, North America. "Our success is based on several factors, but one of our main points of differentiation is that our kiwifruit is grown for taste. Consumers love the taste of our refreshingly sweet SunGold Kiwifruit, which has helped solidify our top brand positioning. Consumers also love the tangy-sweet taste profile of our Green Kiwifruit. We've had great weather and growing conditions and are expecting an exceptional-tasting crop this year."

According to a recent 3rd party consumer study, consumers were two times more likely to consider buying Zespri Kiwifruit versus other brands after tasting the Zespri Kiwi. Moreover, Zespri's SunGold Kiwifruit had a +40% higher likeness score versus other leading gold brands and Zespri's Green Kiwifruit had a +30% higher overall likeness score versus other leading green brands. To capitalize on the strong consumer taste preference for Zespri Kiwifruit, retailers are encouraged to build large prominent displays so shoppers can easily find their favorite nutritious and delicious fruit. Zespri's SunGold Kiwifruit continues to drive sales with 49% of total category dollar gains. When both varieties of SunGold and Green Kiwis are merchandised together, sales increased 32% compared to another green kiwi brand. Additionally, when SunGold and Green Kiwi organic varieties are also included in a display, there is an automatic halo effect of favorable consumer perception.

Yellow display

New for the 2024 season, Zespri updated its iconic yellow merchandising display to include new creative that ties into its successful "Taste the Obsession" consumer campaign. The extensive digital campaign will include social, email, online video, display advertising, Ibotta, sampling and event activations designed to drive consumers to stores. "We are excited to continue our campaign because consumers are resonating with the messaging and are interested to learn about the passion and care that goes into delivering the world's best kiwifruit. It's a delicious and nutritious fruit that aligns with consumers' growing health and wellness needs. To enhance our 'Taste the Obsession' campaign, we will be introducing our Zespri KiwiBrothers™ to America. The dynamic duo of SunGold and Green brand characters will start their journey through social media, connected TV, audio streaming and events," explains Jeanne Wilson, Head of Marketing North America.

www.zespri.com/en-us

NZ Brand Oi Propels To Second Position In Exciting US Feminine Hygiene Market, Worth US $3.6 Bn

Mike Hearn — Sun, 28 Apr 2024 01:12:33 GMT

New Zealand company Organic Initiative (Oi) is unfolding a remarkable success story in the competitive US feminine hygiene market. In just five months, Oi has risen to second in American organic retail juggernaut Whole Foods Market’s ranking of more than 10 period care products.

The Kiwi business started selling its organic range in Whole Foods’ 500-plus stores last July and has since made significant strides in the US. It has captured the attention of other American retailers searching for a premium organic brand to sell in an exciting US $3.6 billion market.

Oi CEO Clare Morgan said Erewhon, dubbed by Vogue as Hollywood's cult-favourite wellness store and shopped by Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and the Kardashians, preceded Whole Foods and joined their growing list of US retailers in 2019.

“Oi's journey in the US hasn't been without its challenges. The North Shore Auckland-headquartered business entered the US in 2018, first in Walmart and then in CVS. The onset of COVID-19 kept shoppers away from aisles, and Oi was unsuccessful in its first foray. Then, a strategic reset in February 2022 propelled us towards targeted growth.

“We emphasised Oi’s alignment with the natural channel and sharpened our focus on our organic and ‘better for you and the planet' values,” said Morgan.

Unlike most New Zealand businesses that strike gold in the US, 'Brand NZ' didn't factor in their pitch to retailers.

"Made in NZ isn't what converted our US retailers to stock Oi, as most of our products are sourced globally,” says Morgan.

"The clincher was that our products have been made from organic cotton and certified to either the GOTS, the Global Organic Textiles Standard, or the OCS Organic Cotton Standard. This means they're made free of toxic chemicals, chlorine bleaches, pesticides and products can be traced back to the cotton farm that grew the cotton flowers that make up their period products."

A packaging glow-up to improve shelf appeal was rolled out last year, coinciding with the launch in Whole Foods, and Oi developed new, larger pack sizes specifically for Amazon.

The business strategically partnered with US distributor UNFI, facilitating Oi's distribution in the high-growth natural channel.

Looking ahead to the end of the year, Morgan says the business is focused on US growth.

"We attended EXPO West in Los Angeles this month and have been getting in front of more buyers. We'll work with our brokers to build the business through the natural channel for the rest of the year. We'll also continue the momentum with Amazon - achieving 250% growth in the last 12 months - we’re aiming to repeat this growth in the upcoming year.

"This includes adding new natural channel retailers, expanding the range of SKUs on the shelf and building the velocity or, in other words, the sell-through off the shelf or through e-retailers," says Morgan.

A snapshot: Organic Initiative US retailers

1. Whole Foods Markets

2. Erewhon

3. Harmon's

4. Mother’s Market and Kitchen

5. Giant Food

6. Good Earth Natural Foods

7. Wegmans.

Online

8. Amazon

9. Thrive Market

10. Vitacost.

Source: https://www.scoop.co.nz/

Joint Statement on the U.S.-New Zealand Space Dialogue

Mike Hearn — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 22:23:39 GMT

The following joint statement was released by the Governments of the United States and New Zealand on the occasion of the U.S.-New Zealand Space Dialogue. 

Begin Text 

 Pursuant to the desire of the Government of The United States of America and the Government of New Zealand, the countries held a bilateral Space Dialogue in Washington, D.C. on April 12, 2024, to strengthen bilateral space cooperation. The Space Dialogue demonstrates the robust and growing cooperation between the United States and New Zealand in outer space.  

The U.S. delegation was led by Rahima Kandahari, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and the New Zealand delegation was led by Iain Cossar, Head of the New Zealand Space Agency.  Chirag Parikh, Deputy Assistant to the President and Executive Secretary, U.S. National Space Council, delivered opening remarks. Both delegations included whole of government participation.  

The participants welcomed the holding of this inaugural Dialogue during the 150th anniversary of the space relationship between the two countries, commemorating the work of two visiting American scientific parties and their New Zealand collaborators during the 1874 Transit of Venus. 

A significant focus of the Dialogue was on the growth of the commercial space sector, to include the changing role of government in commercial space, and a growing range for commercial activities. Both sides expressed their intent to continue cooperation on a range of issues including launch, payloads, and space situational awareness.  

The delegations recognized the potential for expanded cooperation on policy and regulatory interoperability related to commercial space, including launch and reentry, commercial remote sensing, and spectrum frequency management.  Both sides also discussed opportunities to advance scientific education, research, and space cooperation between the countries.  

Participants welcomed the open and productive nature of the Dialogue, which included discussion on space cooperation within international multilateral organizations, including supporting the work of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and other UN bodies. Both sides emphasized the importance of promoting peaceful, sustainable behavior in outer space.   

Participants acknowledged that New Zealand’s geographic advantages has enabled frequent and responsive launch for U.S. industry and government agencies, adding strategic resilience to launch capacity. New Zealand’s location has enabled hosting of ground-based infrastructure to enhance both space situational awareness and communications with space craft.  New Zealand has also provided a base for important scientific programs, including the NASA Scientific Balloon Program’s super pressure balloon flights from Wanaka and, previously, the southern hemisphere flights of the SOFIA airborne observatory.  

Both sides welcomed the signing of an updated Memorandum of Cooperation between the New Zealand Space Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration during Space Symposium. Participants recognized the success of this regulatory partnership which facilitated robust regulation of the world’s fourth highest equal orbital launch cadence in New Zealand. 

Participants observed the significant relationship milestones of the entry into force of the bilateral Space Cooperation Framework Agreement as well as the visit to New Zealand in 2023 of the Administrator and Deputy Administrator of NASA which led to New Zealand’s deepening science, technology and educational connections with NASA.  

They welcomed the announcement of the first round of joint research projects between New Zealand research institutes and NASA centers, focusing on Earth observation. These projects lay the foundation for future collaborations in other research areas, including contributions to the Artemis program. 

The New Zealand delegation expressed its appreciation for the opportunities unlocked for high achieving students through the internships hosted by NASA and by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory since 2019. 

Participants welcomed the launch of MethaneSAT, noting the unique partnership involving the New  Zealand government, a US not-for-profit entity, academic and research institutions, and commercial organizations in both countries. They looked forward to the data from the mission being exploited to enhance understanding of anthropogenic methane emissions and for taking action to mitigate global warming. 

Preceding the government-to-government discussions, both sides held a commercial roundtable on the margins of 39th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, CO which brought together over a dozen private space companies from each of the two countries and highlighted existing partnerships. The Roundtable was co-chaired by the Hon. Judith Collins, New Zealand Minister for Space, and Richard DalBello, Director of the U.S. Department Commerce’s Office of Space Commerce. The session allowed industry representatives to better understand how the United States and New Zealand promote their respective commercial space sectors and to outline opportunities and challenges for stronger bilateral cooperation. Participants welcomed reciprocal investment into each other’s space sectors. Existing partnerships were examined to help boost ties between the two commercial space sectors.   

Both countries are determined to continue work in the areas mentioned above and to explore other opportunities for strengthening bilateral cooperation to include facilitating bilateral commercial connections.  

Source: www.state.gov

New diplomatic appointments

Mike Hearn — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 07:44:41 GMT

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions.

“Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says.

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.”

The appointments are:

Catherine Graham as High Commissioner to the Cook Islands.

Catherine McIntosh as Ambassador to the Philippines.

Daniela Rigoli as Ambassador to Chile.

Katja Ackerley as Consul-General to Los Angeles.

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation

Mike Hearn — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 20:37:13 GMT

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.

“New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and intensively with partners who share our values and our assessment of the strategic challenges facing the region,” Mr Peters says.

“The United States is one of our most important strategic partners in the Pacific, alongside Australia, Japan and European countries. We can achieve much more with and for the Pacific together than we can separately.”

Mr Peters, currently in Washington DC, discussed two practical projects in the Pacific with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, indicating that New Zealand would join the United States in financially supporting them.

They are:

$8.2 million (US$5m) to support digital connectivity in Tuvalu, through the Pacific Connect Cable; and
$8.2 million (US$5m) to support the construction of an oceans and fisheries research vessel for the Pacific Community.

“The Pacific Connect Cable, which is receiving funding from the United States, Australia and Japan, will boost the digital connectivity of a range of Pacific Island countries,” Mr Peters says.

“New Zealand is pleased to contribute US$5 million, at the request of Tuvalu, to deliver improved internet connectivity to the small, low-lying Pacific country.”

“The oceans and fisheries research vessel will deliver vital information to Pacific Island countries to help them better and more sustainably manage their valuable fisheries resources and safeguard their oceans,” Mr Peters says.

“New Zealand is pleased to announce that we will join the United States in contributing US$5 million for the construction of this vessel for the Pacific Community, for the benefit of all Pacific Island countries and territories. Australia is the other major funder of this initiative. This is a great example of trilateral cooperation by Australia, New Zealand, and the United States in the Pacific.”

While in Washington DC, Mr Peters also discussed broader collaboration with the United States in the Pacific, a region where both countries share deep and longstanding ties.

“New Zealand welcomes our cooperation with the United States in the Pacific including as members of the Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP),” Mr Peters says.

“Through the PBP, the United States and New Zealand have championed initiatives that can help deliver on the issues that matter most to the Pacific Islands region.”

Working together to stop retail crime: the Axon/Auror integration

Mike Hearn — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 05:06:38 GMT

The Retail Crime Intelligence movement is excited to welcome Axon, the public safety technology leader, as our newest product integration partner and part of Auror’s Connected Ecosystem that is keeping retailers and their frontline workers safe. Working together to standardize data and evidence-sharing workflows, we’ll continue to empower retailers and law enforcement to make our communities safer.

The Axon/Auror product integration
The Axon/Auror product integration creates an end-to-end solution for secure video and evidence transfer that will help retailers and law enforcement obtain better and faster outcomes.

Body worn Cameras: Many organizations are now rolling out body worn cameras to frontline team members to help capture incidents and evidence of violence, aggression, and criminal actions. These videos become important evidence and assist in the investigation process. Now, when videos are captured on Axon body worn cameras, there will be the ability for these videos to be exported into the Auror platform and linked to the relevant incident or investigation.

Transfer to Evidence.com: Retailers are doing an incredible job of gathering evidence and building investigations within Auror on organized retail crime groups targeting their stores. This often involves working with multiple industry partners and law enforcement agencies, spanning tens or hundreds of linked events. Traditionally, evidence and information have been given to law enforcement through manual and physical methods (such as paper, CDs, and USB sticks). However, with this new integration, once an investigation is at the hand-off point, law enforcement are able to export and securely transfer a full evidence package from Auror Investigate to Axon’s Evidence.com.

Auror’s connected ecosystem: the hub of all crime intel

With this integration, Axon becomes a part of Auror’s growing connected ecosystem, where we partner with the world’s leading tools, technologies, and task forces to stop crime together.

There’s a long list of detection and prevention technologies available to retail AP/LP leaders. Traditionally, all of these tools have operated in silos. Without a connected ecosystem, incident data and evidence is fragmented in multiple places with no threads to tie it together.

Our vision is a future where all of these tools work together to unlock the power of their respective data, empowering each other to form a full picture of the incident and totality of offending.

Empowering outcomes on RILA’s Vibrant Communities Initiative

Over the past six months, Auror and Axon have been partnering with the Retail Industry Leaders’ Association (RILA) on the Vibrant Communities Initiative.

The collaboration has yielded impactful outcomes for retailers, law enforcement, and the communities they serve together. For example, a repeat offender connected to over $500,000 in loss across 70+ reported events was recently identified and arrested through collaboration among six retail organizations involved in the Vibrant Communities Initiative. In conjunction with the Vibrant Communities Initiative, these retailers continue to work with local law enforcement and district attorneys on this case closure.

Learn more about the Axon integration

If you’re interested in hearing more about the above integrations, or if you are ready to connect your Axon products to Auror, please reach out directly to your Auror partnership manager or send a message to support@auror.co.

Or if you’re interested in connecting your other technologies into the Connected Ecosystem, please reach out us.

Finance Minister travels to Washington DC

Mike Hearn — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 04:32:45 GMT

Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

“I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work together to navigate global economic challenges our nations are all facing. I am also looking forward to discussing our approach to rebuilding New Zealand’s economy, including through free and open trade.

“As a small advanced economy, engaging in-person with our close partners is critical for strengthening economic co-operation,” Nicola Willis says.

This is the second in-person meeting of the Five Finance Ministers, after the first took place in Washington DC last year.

While in Washington, Nicola Willis will also attend the Spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

The annual meetings gather worldwide finance ministers, treasurers, central bankers and relevant stakeholders to discuss the global economy, development, and shared challenges and opportunities.

“The Spring meetings are a great opportunity for New Zealand to demonstrate its engagement in international institutions, advance our finance objectives, and share views on global and domestic issues,” Nicola Willis says.

Nicola Willis will also engage in bilateral meetings with ministers from South East Asia and small advanced economies, before returning to New Zealand on 21 April.

U.S. Space Force Awards Rocket Lab Launch Contract for Space Test Program (STP)-S30

Mike Hearn — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:32:31 GMT

The mission will be Rocket Lab’s third for the U.S. Space Force, further strengthening Electron’s position as the leading small launch vehicle delivering reliable and responsive launch to the DoD.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”) today announced it has been awarded a $14.49 million task order by the U.S. Space Force (USSF) to launch an Electron mission from Launch Complex 2. The mission, called Space Test Program-30 (STP-S30) falls under the Space Systems Command (SSC) Assured Access to Space organization and is part of Orbital Services Program-4 (OSP-4).

The dedicated Electron launch is scheduled to take place within 24 months from contract award and will lift off from Launch Complex 2, a dedicated pad for the Electron rocket at Virginia Spaceport Authority’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within the NASA Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. STP-S30 is a complex mission that will deliver research experiments and technology demonstrations to orbit for the DoD and contribute to future space systems development. The projected primary payload, DISKSat, will demonstrate sustained very low earth orbit (VLEO) flight and test a unique, 1-meter diameter, disk-shaped satellite bus that is designed to increase on-orbit persistence.

"Flexible, responsive, and reliable launch is critical to ensuring resilient space capabilities for the nation and we’re proud to deliver it to the Space Force once again with Electron,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “After more than 40 successful launches from pads spanning both hemispheres, we’ve delivered time and time again for DoD, national security, and commercial space users alike, cementing Electron’s position as the leading small launch solution globally. We’re excited to demonstrate this unique combination of mature proven execution, speed, and agility for STP-S30.”

Rocket Lab has a long track record of delivering mission success for the USSF on Electron, including the successful launch of an Air Force Research Laboratory-sponsored demonstration satellite called Monolith in 2021, and the successful launch of the STP-27RD mission research and development satellites for the DoD in 2019. Rocket Lab is also working closely with the USSF for the development of the Company’s new medium-lift vehicle Neutron through a $24.35 million contract with SSC to support development of Neutron's upper stage.

About Rocket Lab

Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier, and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle, the Photon satellite platform, and the Company is developing the large Neutron launch vehicle for constellation deployment. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered 180+ satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab’s Photon spacecraft platform has been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a third launch pad in Virginia. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabusa.com.

Joint US and NZ declaration

Mike Hearn — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:20:42 GMT

Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters

We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule of law, democracy, human rights, trade and investment, and strong people-to-people connections. At a moment when our nations face shared challenges—including the climate crisis, strategic competition, and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine—we are working more closely than ever to tackle them together and champion our shared values and interests.

Our countries are united by our enduring stake in an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. We are resolved to uphold the conditions that have seen the region thrive, including freedom of navigation, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and respect for sovereignty and internationally agreed-upon rules and norms. These are the principles that will continue to guide our partnership into the future, supported by diplomacy, development, defence, economy, and intelligence, the latter enhanced by our long-standing Five Eyes partnership. ;

To advance this shared vision, we commit today to working even more closely together not only with each other, but also with our like-minded regional partners, especially our mutual ally Australia. We see great potential for collaboration in frameworks and architectures that reflect our shared vision. We share the view that arrangements such as the Quad, AUKUS, and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity contribute to peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and see powerful reasons for New Zealand engaging practically with them, as and when all parties deem it appropriate.

Our nations share deep ties with—and commitment to—the Pacific Islands. New Zealand warmly welcomes the United States’ comprehensive program of engagement with the Pacific, which provides a strong platform for working together for a more prosperous and resilient region. The United States applauds New Zealand’s commitment to the Pacific Islands, including the announcement of a substantial investment to provide critical internet connectivity. Our continued work in the Pacific will be guided by the centrality of the Pacific Islands Forum and the region’s priorities, consistent with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. We will continue to prioritize working with others to amplify Pacific priorities globally, including through the Partners in the Blue Pacific.

The principles we support in the Indo-Pacific are universal. They drive what we seek to achieve elsewhere in the world, whether through NATO and its partnership with the four Indo-Pacific democracies of New Zealand, Australia, Japan and the Republic of Korea, or through other regional and global mechanisms.

For the past decade and more, the vital U.S.-New Zealand relationship has been guided by the Wellington and Washington Declarations. Today we re-commit ourselves to these documents—but we also recognize that the most challenging strategic environment in decades requires us to do more together. We resolved today to seek to meet annually at the Secretary of State and Foreign Minister level. We reaffirmed the vital role played by the foreign policy, defence, intelligence, economic, space and tech partnerships between our two countries. These mechanisms actuate our relationship and our unwavering commitment to the values that we prize.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership

Mike Hearn — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:19:17 GMT

New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.

“The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more challenging now than even a decade ago and demands that we work together more urgently and concertedly,” Mr Peters says.

Mr Peters met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken today and they released a joint declaration which sets out the principles and priorities underpinning the strategic partnership between the two countries.

“As we face a range of common challenges, globally and in the Indo-Pacific region, it’s more important than ever that New Zealand and the United States find common cause in defence of shared values and interests,” Mr Peters says.

“New Zealand also wishes to advance its trade and economic relationship with the United States.”

During their discussions today, Mr Peters and Secretary Blinken also discussed priority foreign policy issues, including Gaza and Ukraine, and the role of New Zealand and the United States in responding to both conflicts.

“We discussed how the United States continues to play a crucial and urgent role in Gaza as it works to try to help end the suffering there by facilitating an immediate ceasefire,” Mr Peters says.

“On Ukraine, we noted the importance New Zealand attaches to Ukraine being provided with the military support it needs to combat Russia’s war of aggression.”

During his visit to the United States, Mr Peters engaged with a broad range of political actors, including on Capitol Hill.

“New Zealand and the United States are two of the world’s oldest, longest-running, continuous democracies,” Mr Peters says. “The New Zealand-United States strategic partnership is underpinned by broad, bipartisan support in both countries.

That is why New Zealand engages with a wide range of Americans from right across the political divide about how our strategic partnership can evolve and thrive in the years ahead for the mutual benefit of the New Zealand and American people.”

The joint Declaration can be found here.

Mr Peters returns to New Zealand this weekend.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Colorado drafts trade deal with New Zealand, eyes other agreements

Mike Hearn — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 22:43:07 GMT

The distaste for trade deals in the nation's capital is leading Colorado to forge its own path on an agreement with New Zealand, a move leaders on both sides say will boost economic investment.

State of play: Gov. Jared Polis and New Zealand minister Judith Collins disclosed the ongoing negotiations Tuesday at an event touting the expanding connections and commonalities. More than 30 Kiwi companies have headquarters or offices in Denver.

The memorandum of understanding is expected to reduce barriers for investments in the technology, aerospace and artificial intelligence industries.
Colorado currently has trade deals with Finland and Taiwan, and it could become the second state behind California to strike a deal with New Zealand.

What they're saying: Polis lamented the failure of the federal Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which he supported while in Congress.

"Because of a lack of leadership on national trade policy … we look at how to bring more direct investment from New Zealand into our market and expand markets for grown and made in Colorado products," Polis told Axios Denver in an interview.
"You're going to find more people from New Zealand here," Collins added.

The intrigue: A direct flight between Denver and Auckland, New Zealand, is being discussed alongside the agreement, Polis and Collins said, which drew support from Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington who attended the event at New Zealand-based Xero's headquarters in Denver.

"We are going to make Colorado, make Denver, make New Zealand, much closer, much more growing together seamlessly," Collins said at the event.

The big picture: Colorado is moving ahead with similar deals with other nations, including the U.K and the Netherlands.

Each is focused on different economic sectors, such as beef exports to Taiwan and quantum computing with Finland.

Source: https://www.axios.com/

Warner Bros. Discovery Confirms New Business Model For Free-to-air Business In New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 03:19:10 GMT

Warner Bros. Discovery today announced a new business model for its free-to-air operations in New Zealand. The restructure means the closure of all Newshub’s multi-platform news operations and output, including the Newshub website, AM, and the 6pm TV bulletin. Three and ThreeNow will stay a key part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s local offerings. The content will be a mix of local programming in conjunction with funding partners, acquisitions across drama, comedy, sport, reality and factual, and key titles from WBD’s extensive library. Bravo, Eden, Rush and HGTV will remain as they are. The new structure will see the business reduced by 294 roles to 120.

James Gibbons, President, Asia-Pacific, Warner Bros. Discovery says the restructure process has not been easy, but is necessary for the viability and success of Warner Bros. Discovery’s ongoing presence in New Zealand.

“When we announced the proposed restructure six weeks ago, we explained that there was nothing anyone in our New Zealand networks business could have done better – it was a combination of very strong economic headwinds both in New Zealand and the global market. As we said at the time, the downturn has been severe, and the bounce-back has not materialised as expected.”

“Just recently, it was revealed that in 2023 alone, $74 million disappeared from broadcast TV advertising in New Zealand. Apart from 2009, the year following the Global Financial Crisis, this was the single largest year-on-year drop in thirty years – a 14.3 per cent drop.

“Every business in its own market has to be financially sustainable, and we simply could not continue in our current form.”

Following close consideration of feedback from the people of Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ, some changes have been made to the new structure of the business that differed from the original proposal. These include reporting lines, different roles, new roles and changes in workflows and processes. Ultimately, approximately 10 more roles have been included in the final organisation structure than originally proposed.

“We committed to listening to our people and we have done that. While we were not able to accommodate everyone’s suggestions, we carefully reviewed and considered each and every piece of feedback we received. I want to thank everyone who engaged in good faith and I want them to know they were heard.”

“The new model is how we see Warner Bros. Discovery continuing to be a strong and long-term part of the media ecosystem in New Zealand. It will be a smaller operation, but we’re confident it will be a viable – and importantly, sustainable – business model in the New Zealand landscape.”

Glen Kyne, Senior Vice President, Head of Networks, Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ, said the confirmation of the new structure is a difficult day for everyone who works for WBD ANZ and the country.

“With the massive reduction in broadcast TV advertising revenue, our free-to-air and news operations were simply too expensive to run as they were. We are deeply aware of the effect this is likely to have on the plurality of media voices in New Zealand. Having just one TV news operation in New Zealand – that is state-owned – will be an ongoing issue until it is solved. But as we noted on the day, it is simply impossible to continue operating in our current form.

“As we said from the beginning, our door has been open to listening to all internal and external feedback and ideas, and we will continue to do so. However, as of now, no deal regarding news output has been made.”

“Warner Bros. Discovery is committed to maintaining a strong footprint in New Zealand presence, albeit with a different operating model and lower cost base.

“We also know that our archive has great historical significance and needs to be preserved. It is our intention to engage Nga Taonga to explore how that can happen. We envisage this will take some time to work through.”

Those who have been impacted will have their final day on July 5, that will also be the final day for the Newshub bulletin. The first day of the new Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ business model will be on July 6.

Westland delivers strong profit result for 2023 expaning in US

Mike Hearn — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 00:34:12 GMT

Westland Milk Products has delivered a strong profit result for the second successive year.

Westland announced an after-tax profit of $55.9million for 2023, more than double a targeted $20 million annual return. The 2023 profit is above 2022’s $38.9 million record-breaking result, a $120 million rebound on 2021.

Westland CEO Richard Wyeth said the company would maintain its push towards long-term profitability by continuing to divert more milk solids into higher-value products in 2024.

Westland recently committed to pay farmers the 10c premium above Fonterra’s Farm Gate Milk Price for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons, extending and improving on payment terms made under the original Scheme of Arrangement when the company was purchased.

“We’re proud of this result but we know we still have plenty of room for improvement,’’ Mr Wyeth said. “We’re tracking well to deliver on our five-year commitment to build sustainable growth year on year. A sustainable financial base means we can continue to offer farmers very competitive terms for their milk.’’

Mr Wyeth said revenue of $1.065 billion was slightly above last year’s result and very pleasing given the fall in global dairy prices.

“The advantage we have of course is the backing of one of the world’s largest dairy companies in Yili,’’ Mr Wyeth said. “Yili’s support has enabled us to invest heavily in infrastructure that will maximise revenue from high-margin products. But our ability to remain competitive on milk prices must rely on our ability to stand alone on financial performance.’’

A $70 million investment in a new lactoferrin plant at the company’s Hokitika plant supported by Yili is expected to continue to reduce reliance on traditional high-margin revenue sources such as infant formula for China, as import demand in that sector continues to soften.

Due for completion in the final quarter of 2024, first production at the plant will take place in quarter three. Commercial production is expected by the final quarter this year.

Mr Wyeth said a $40 million investment in a new butter plant at Hokitika in 2022 had allowed Westland to expand strongly in the US market. Westgold butter is now stocked in more than 3000 grocery retail outlets in the US, including Walmart stores. Westland also produces Kirkland Signature New Zealand Grass-Fed Butter for Costco.

Costco reported in their 2022/23 financial results that Kirkland butter sales increased more than 160 per cent year on year and continue to show strong growth.

The Westland-produced butter is now stocked in almost every Costco store in the United States, as well as Costco global stores, including Korea, Taiwan and New Zealand; with more international regions in the pipeline.

Source: https://www.westland.co.nz/

Kiwi Startup KaiBot in Kainundrum Named as Finalist in the EdTech Awards 2024, US Office Opens, Top Tech Entrepreneur Joins Board

Mike Hearn — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 01:42:41 GMT

New Zealand tech startup Kai’s Education continues to build its international reputation with its Kiwi-designed AI learning robot, Kaibot, and online platform Kaibot in Kainundrum being named as finalist in the Assistive Learning category in the EdTech Awards 2024.

The EdTech Awards is a global competition established in 2010 to recognise, acknowledge, and celebrate the most exceptional innovators, leaders, and trendsetters in education technology.
It’s another significant achievement for the small tech business which continues to punch well above its weight, with Kai’s Education learning programmes being adopted in educational institutions around the world.

“This is a huge achievement for Kai’s Education,” says co-founder Ronel Schodt.

“It helps to raise our profile to educators and investors, especially for our accessible education tools. Each award or nomination helps to cement Kai’s Education as a contender in the global EdTech marketplace,” she says.

Kai’s Education was founded by entrepreneur Bruce Jackson who was seeking to develop a simple, fun device that could teach kids of all ages how to code.

A key challenge was to create a system that didn’t require the use of a computer or tablet to teach coding. So, he developed Kaibot, a small AI-assisted robot with a deck of flashcards to teach the principles of coding in a fun and interactive way - supported by an online portal, Kainundrum that allows a student’s coding to be visualised on a computer or tablet, with all kinds of exciting integrations and advanced coding challenges.

Last year after recognising the challenges faced by blind and partially sighted students, they developed braille and text-to-speech packages for Kaibot as well. Now, both Kaibot and the larger, more advanced Kai's Clan collaborative AR VR Robot systems are recognised by top education professionals, with advanced learning programmes developed to teach children of all ages and their teachers.

“The magic of Kaibot is in its simplicity,” says Schodt.

“Children can master the basics of coding without being first challenged with learning how to use a computer, and then can apply their new skills to increasingly difficult challenges with confidence.

And teachers tell us that they themselves not only learned how to code from Kaibot, but have learned how to teach coding to their students as well,” she says.

Schodt says that the accessibility of Kai’s Education tools is generating strong interest from Special Needs teachers around the globe.

“We have braille coding cards, but you can now also get Kainundrum in text-to-speech Spanish for the US market. And, for New Zealand, there are not only screen-free coding cards in English, Te Reo, and Spanish, we also have Te Reo in text using Kainundrum.

“We’re also rolling out KaiBot in Swift Playgrounds which is specially developed for the Apple eco-system – a really exciting development,” she says.

Success in the US has seen Kai’s Education open a US subsidiary based in Delaware with a dedicated US Sales team to cover the huge territory. Kaibot is now established in six universities in the US for teacher training and the company has just rolled out Canyon District School in Utah with KaiBots in
all 28 of their Elementary schools, including their five special needs classes.

This rapid growth has also seen top Kiwi EdTech entrepreneur, Bob Drummond, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Kami join the Kai’s Education board, bringing significant experience in scaling tech startups and growing market share.

Drummond was a Finalist in the New Zealander of the Year Awards 2021 and a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2021, plus he’s been on boards, consultancies and think tanks throughout his 30 years in business.

“I’m very excited to be supporting Kai’s Education,” says Drummond. “I’ve seen the company making an impact at the US education trade shows and have been impressed with their energy and their vision. I believe they have the fundamentals of a truly groundbreaking EdTech firm and I’m happy to lend my experience toward their success,” he says.

Kai’s Education will be presenting at numerous trade events and workshops throughout the US this year and Ronel Schodt says that with computer science and digital technologies now becoming a compulsory part of the curriculum right around the world, the potential for KaiBot, and Kainundrum,
is enormous.

“We’re excited to be one of the first businesses in the world to combine robotics, AI and both physical and online tools to create a genuinely enjoyable learning experience for students of all abilities.

“We now have more than 50,000 students using our robots and that number is set to explode as these new contracts land. Watch this space!” Schodt says.

NZ-NASA research partnerships announced

Mike Hearn — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 02:40:27 GMT

Twelve New Zealand research teams will conduct joint six-month feasibility studies looking at Earth observation research with NASA, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins announced today.

“The research teams will conduct feasibility studies in environmental monitoring, water and climate modelling, natural hazards, and biodiversity,” Ms Collins says.

“This is important work both for now and for the future of how we grow food, sustainably monitor our agriculture, anticipate floods and droughts, and measure environmental impacts.

“Collaborating with the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) means the teams will have access to state-of-the art technology and expertise to develop their research and build partnerships with a world leader in space research.”

The research teams will conduct a range of studies, including dynamic forest mapping, CO2 flux estimations for small countries, and tracking pasture quality with satellite imagery, among others.

“The successful proposals demonstrated the potential for excellent collaborative science with high relevance to both New Zealand and NASA. The calibre of the entries was extremely high,” Ms Collins says.

“Science has a huge role to play in rebuilding our economy, as we work to ease the cost of living for all New Zealanders, so this is an exciting time to be working and studying in the sector.”

Research teams will receive up to NZ$75,000 for the six-month Earth observation feasibility studies from the Government’s Catalyst Fund.

Completed feasibility studies will be considered by MBIE and NASA against the assessment criteria to identify projects which will receive second stage funding.

Information about the successful proposals can be found on the MBIE website at New Zealand – NASA Partnerships Funded Projects

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Peters to visit New York, Washington D.C.

Mike Hearn — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 02:39:16 GMT

Foreign Minister Winston Peters will engage with high-level United States Government and United Nations officials in the United States next week (6-12 April).

The visit, with programmes in New York and Washington D.C., will focus on major global and regional security challenges and includes meetings with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UN Secretary General António Guterres.

“Our travel this week to Egypt, Poland, Belgium and Sweden has highlighted the challenging strategic environment facing the world today.

“Spending time in New York and Washington in the coming week will allow New Zealand the opportunity to engage with the leadership of the United Nations and senior counterparts in the United States on pressing regional and global security issues,” Mr Peters says.

While in New York, Mr Peters will address the UN General Assembly on New Zealand’s deep concerns about the situation in Gaza. While in Washington D.C. Mr Peters will also have a programme of calls on Capitol Hill.

Mr Peters arrives in the United States (from Sweden) on 6 April and returns to New Zealand on 14 April.

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

New Zealand on stage at global Space Symposium

Mike Hearn — Sat, 06 Apr 2024 22:41:40 GMT

Space Minister Judith Collins will speak at the Space Symposium in the United States next week, promoting New Zealand’s rapidly growing place in the sector as we work to rebuild the economy.

“As one of the largest global space events, attended by more than 10,000 business and government representatives from a host of countries, the Space Symposium presents an excellent opportunity to support and promote New Zealand trade interests and companies,” Ms Collins says.

“New Zealand is an attractive place for space-related business. I will use this visit to promote our advantages, including geography, clear skies, infrastructure, skills, a nimble regulatory regime and the ease of doing business here.

“We are home to the world’s only fully private orbital launch site and we are one of the busiest launch countries in the world. In fact, last year we conducted the fourth highest number of launches in the world. This is an achievement we want to build on as we seek to rebuild economy and ease the cost of living for New Zealanders.”

New Zealand is a great location for emerging aviation companies to test and trial their technology, and our rapidly growing space industry also reaches into areas such as defence and science, innovation and technology, Ms Collins says.

“Beyond rocket launches, our researchers and companies are using innovative, disruptive space technologies to tackle some of the planet’s big challenges and to create new and exciting opportunities for economic growth,” she says.

“As well as space, there are real opportunities in other areas of advanced technology and I’m looking forward to hearing about and discussing these with the growing hub of New Zealand tech businesses based in Colorado.”

Ms Collins will also undertake a range of meetings across her space, defence and science, innovation and technology portfolios during the visit. She leaves tomorrow and returns to New Zealand on April 14.

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

TOP

First New Zealand C-130J Hercules takes flight

Mike Hearn — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 21:44:21 GMT

The first New Zealand C-130J Hercules to come off the production line in the United States has successfully completed its first test flights, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today.

“These successful flights are a significant milestone for the New Zealand Defence Force, bringing this once-in-a-generation renewal of a critical airlift capability a step closer,” Ms Collins says.

The aircraft, which will be one of a fleet of five, took to the skies for 246 minutes over Georgia and Alabama, reaching 10,500 feet and flying 984km.

“The Hercules C-130J is faster, flies further and holds more cargo than its predecessor, the C-130H. It is versatile, powerful and reliable, which is just what the hard-working men and women of the New Zealand Defence Force need for their challenging work in often-difficult conditions.

“The existing New Zealand C-130H fleet has been an essential first line of response for the NZDF for more than 50 years, carrying troops, equipment and life-saving aid here, in the Pacific and throughout the world,” Ms Collins says.

“The Hercules ensure we are interoperable with our key partners, including our ally, Australia, and the United States, Canada, Germany and France. In an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, it is hugely important that we can work with international partners in a collaborative way on international operations and joint training exercises and engagements.”

The new fleet of C-130J Hercules will start arriving later this year and, like their predecessors, will be based at RNZAF Base Auckland and be operated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s No. 40 Squadron.

The C-130J Hercules have a 40.41m wingspan, are 34.4m long, have a top speed of 330 knots and can carry a maximum of 21 tonnes.

You can watch a video of the Hercules C-130J’s first test flights here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wvkNHWt-ZCc&feature=youtu.be

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

NZ-NASA research partnerships announced

Mike Hearn — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 21:46:16 GMT

“The research teams will conduct feasibility studies in environmental monitoring, water and climate modelling, natural hazards, and biodiversity,” Ms Collins says.

“This is important work both for now and for the future of how we grow food, sustainably monitor our agriculture, anticipate floods and droughts, and measure environmental impacts.

The research teams will conduct a range of studies, including dynamic forest mapping, CO2 flux estimations for small countries, and tracking pasture quality with satellite imagery, among others.

“Science has a huge role to play in rebuilding our economy, as we work to ease the cost of living for all New Zealanders, so this is an exciting time to be working and studying in the sector.”

Research teams will receive up to NZ$75,000 for the six-month Earth observation feasibility studies from the Government’s Catalyst Fund.

Completed feasibility studies will be considered by MBIE and NASA against the assessment criteria to identify projects which will receive second stage funding.

Information about the successful proposals can be found on the MBIE website at New Zealand – NASA Partnerships Funded Projects

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

United States lifts ban on New Zealand fish exports

Mike Hearn — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 06:01:29 GMT

A temporary ban on some New Zealand fish exports to the United States has been lifted in a win for commonsense, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones and Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay say.

The United States’ Court of International Trade lifted a preliminary injunction that temporarily stopped trade for nine fish species, including popular species like snapper, caught in the Māui dolphin habitat along the West Coast of the North Island.

“This is a win for New Zealand’s sustainably caught seafood and will help with the seafood sector’s contribution to our export-led recovery,” Mr Jones says.

The case in the US was brought by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in May 2020 against the US Government and alleged New Zealand’s measures to protect Māui dolphins from fishing threats did not meet US standards for imported seafood products.

“While the temporary halt affected only a relatively small portion of overall fisheries trade to the United States, we’re pleased to see trade of all our sustainably caught seafood resume. I am pleased to see commonsense prevail in the face of a spurious claim by environmental activists. This ban cost New Zealand in the region of $2 million in exports,” Mr Jones says.

“Lifting the ban means seafood exporters will no longer have to provide a certificate of origin when sending seafood products to the United States, and I’m pleased to see this step gone,” Mr McClay says.

The decision to remove the injunction followed an assessment, undertaken by the US Government at the New Zealand Government’s request, which showed protections for Māui dolphins were comparable with, met and even exceeded, the US standards under its Marine Mammal Protection Act.

“It’s the second assessment of this kind on our Māui dolphin protections, and both have shown our measures are as good as those of the United States,” Mr Jones says.

“New Zealand has worked hard to help protect Māui dolphins from fishing-related risks and this decision reaffirms we have good protections in place. Our protections for Māui dolphins include introducing onboard cameras and banning set nets and trawl fishing within core Māui dolphin habitat along the North Island’s west coast,” Mr Jones says.

“Vessels operating in this area have been required to operate cameras or carry an observer since 2019 and we’ve had no observed captures of Māui dolphins during this time.”

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

White Claw, The Biggest RTD Brand In The World, Makes Its Highly Anticipated Arrival In NZ

Mike Hearn — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 05:56:54 GMT

World’s Number 1 RTD Brand Responds To High Demand With Exclusive Advance Release

White Claw launches its ‘First Wave’ concept store for one weekend only, ahead of the official launch in late April.

Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa: White Claw, the biggest RTD brand in the world, is set to make its highly anticipated arrival in New Zealand in late April - and DB Breweries has responded to the initial demand for the RTD with an advance product drop.

With eagle-eyed Kiwis spotting the iconic white and black White Claw cans in the hands of well-known New Zealanders including pro surfer Ricardo Christie, singer Paige Tapara and pro Kiteboarder Marc Jacobs – but with no confirmed stockists in Aotearoa – an influx of enquiries, comments and questions began to flood the brand’s inboxes.

Lance Savali, appointed as a partner for the brand, comments: “I first tried White Claw while travelling overseas and really enjoyed it, so to have it finally land in Aotearoa is exciting.”

In response, DB Breweries - the official partner of White Claw in New Zealand, has announced a concept store called ‘First Wave’ - open for a limited time to satisfy demand ahead of its imminent launch.

First Wave is located in Auckland’s premium shopping district, Newmarket, and runs for one weekend only from April 5th to April 7th, stocking the first-ever shipment of White Claw RTDs on New Zealand’s shores.

Visitors can expect to be immersed in the world of White Claw as soon as they enter the store, with its iconic black and white branding throughout, a resident DJ on the decks, a fully stocked bar, a ‘Claw and Win’ machine and various ‘chill zones’ so visitors can kick back and enjoy their first refreshing sip.

The catch? There will be a strict limit of one pack per person to meet demand until the product officially launches nationwide in late April.

"The rumours are true! White Claw – the biggest RTD brand in the world - is set to arrive in New Zealand very soon,” says DB Breweries Senior Marketing Manager, Cormac van den Hoofdakker.

“We have underestimated the excitement and speculation the arrival of White Claw would cause amongst New Zealanders. While we’re not in a position to launch White Claw nationwide for another month or so, as a gesture of goodwill to fans of the brand we’ve committed to launching our ‘First Wave’ concept store in Newmarket.

“This will contain stock from our first shipment for fans eager to sample the refreshing taste - however, we will be implementing a strict policy of one pack per person to make sure people don’t miss out, so get in quick.”

Originally launched in the U.S. in 2016, White Claw quickly became the most iconic and ubiquitous RTD brand in the world, reaching cult-like status through an amalgamation of internet virality and meme culture, global media mentions, celebrity endorsement and worldwide demand.

It’s made from sparkling water, balanced with a pure alcohol base, under 100 calories and will initially be available in three flavours; Lime, Mango and Raspberry.

White Claw’s First Wave concept store will offer curious speculators and fans of the brand a chance to experience White Claw before it officially hits the shelves nationwide in late April.

Don't miss this exclusive opportunity to be among the first in New Zealand to taste the first drop of White Claw.

White Claw’s First Wave Concept Store

Where: 242 Broadway, Newmarket, Auckland

When:

Friday 05 April, 2.00pm-7.00pm

Saturday 06 April, 12.00pm-6.00pm

Sunday 07 April, 12.00pm-4.00pm

Limit: 1x White Claw pack, per person

About White Claw:

White Claw is the world’s leading RTD known for pure tasting, crisp refreshment. Crafted using the proprietary BrewPure® process, White Claw is gluten free with 4.5% ALC/VOL and 100 calories per 355mL. Available in three flavours. To learn more about White Claw, visit nz.whiteclaw.com or @whiteclawnz on Instagram.

Please Drink Responsibly. All Registered Trademarks used under license by Mark Anthony Brands International Unlimited.

Rockit™ Apple Fired Up For Record Season Ahead, Plus Year-round New Zealand Supply For Global Markets

Mike Hearn — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 04:32:48 GMT

Innovative New Zealand apple producer, Rockit Global is fired up for its biggest season yet, which will see the company export around 200 million apples - almost double last year’s volume.

The Hawke’s Bay-based company will also be exporting all-year round from New Zealand for the first time to its ever-expanding network of international markets.

Chief executive, Mark O’Donnell says 2024 is going to be a year of unprecedented growth for Rockit, which is recovering well from the Covid and cyclone difficulties of the past few years.

“We have ambitious but achievable growth targets, and our aim is to become the world’s most-loved apple brand through our strong sales and marketing plan to help deliver a strong return for our growers following the challenges in 2023.

“We’re more than doubling sales in key global markets - China, the Middle East, Vietnam – and we’re expanding into newer markets we haven’t traditionally supplied, such as convenience channels targeting 7-Eleven and Circle K in North America.”

Rockit has also sold product into India, with the intention of securing a foothold in that huge market.

“Around the world, we’re seen as a brand with both attitude and a point of difference, through our innovative grab and go pack. We present differently to other fruit and to other apples. Our focus is on being a year-round FMCG product, rather than seasonal.”

O’Donnell says Rockit also engages with consumers in a refreshing and energetic way and, to that end, will shortly announce an exciting global IP partnership. In the past, it has promoted itself in China alongside popular consumer brands such as Minions. Rockit brand character, Rocki is also proving popular with consumers overseas, while new family packs launched in Asia have been a massive success.

“We always knew 2024 was going to be a big year, with our biggest harvest yet. However, the last couple of years were challenging after Covid hit at the peak of harvest which put enormous pressure on labour for picking and packing our crop. Then last year the cyclone took out a third of our apples.

“So instead of a steady climb to this point of doubling our crop, we’re doing it all at once. And this will be the first year where we fulfil 12 months’ supply from New Zealand. We’ve achieved this by increasing plantings in New Zealand and increasing our distribution channels and shelf space in global markets.

“Supplying from New Zealand across 12 months also ensures consistent quality for Rockit™ apples, as the taste profile is different in other countries, just as a sauvignon blanc from Marlborough is different to the same grape grown in other countries.”

O’Donnell said consumer awareness for the brand continues to improve each year, with 88% of premium consumers recently surveyed stating they love Rockit.

Sustainability is another Rockit focus, with New Zealand part of the pilot market for new sustainable tubes. “We did a successful trial here in 2022 and are looking to expand this with a bigger volume, along with rolling them out in various global markets. Rockit is working to tailor packaging formats and types to market requirements, with a particular focus on maintaining apple stability and quality, and reducing food waste.”

O’Donnell said New Zealand growers wanted to see their fruit available to Kiwis and we have achieved this with the support of Foodstuffs, BP, Farro and Independent fresh produce retailers.

“With more acres planted and expansion into the South Island, we have geographic diversity and access to some great blocks of land and partners. Building a fruit supply base that can endure changing climates and extreme weather events enables us to safeguard our year-round supply as we continue to expand our networks and quality reputation worldwide.”

While Rockit is a successful global company, its headquarters will continue to be in Hawke’s Bay, he says. “Most of our senior team relocated here from Auckland but others in the wider leadership team are based in Auckland, Tauranga and in our global markets. However, Heretaunga, Hawke’s Bay is our home, and our head office will remain here.”

Winner of the Supreme Award at the 2022 New Zealand International Business Awards, and the 2023 TVNZ NZ Marketing Team of the Year Award, Rockit is a Kiwi export and marketing success story, now selling into more than 30 different markets.

“We can’t wait to continue disrupting the apple category by doing things differently through our strong brand, marketing positioning and innovation as we take on the world one small bite at a time,” concludes O’Donnell.

https://www.rockitapple.com/

Sandfly Security Receives Seed Funding from Gula Tech Adventures & Sorenson Capital

Mike Hearn — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 20:02:30 GMT

Sandfly Security, the agentless Linux Security Company, celebrates securing seed funding from Gula Tech Adventures and Sorenson Capital to meet growing market demand for its comprehensive Linux security solution. Industries that power the world's infrastructure, including telecommunication services, manufacturing, and networking companies, rely on Sandfly to secure their Linux environments. Sandfly will use the additional funds to expand product capabilities and accelerate the company's go-to-market strategy.

Linux: The OS that Powers our World, Yet Comprehensive Protection Is Hard to Achieve

Nearly all critical infrastructure runs on Linux, yet, to date, no security solution is compatible with the hundreds of versions of the popular operating system. Traditional approaches that use an agent to secure Linux systems face compatibility, performance, and stability hurdles. These solutions often cause excessive CPU usage, stability, and performance impacts, leading to productivity losses and vulnerable critical systems to attack. Sandfly's agentless approach solves these issues, giving customers the widest compatibility, performance, and safety for securing Linux.

"Linux runs the internet—95% of cloud workloads run on Linux. Industrial apps in robotics, edge devices, networking gear, and most critical infrastructure run on Linux. Yet, there are no good tools available to secure it that do not impact stability and performance," said Craig Rowland, CEO and Founder of Sandfly Security. "Linux security is hard to achieve—it's highly distributed, fragmented, and protection tools cannot disrupt mission-critical applications. This is why agent-based systems often won't work, and we're seeing strong demand for our approach as we eliminate the biggest problem: loading an agent."

A seasoned founder with deep roots in network intrusion software

Craig Rowland, CEO and Founder, is a seasoned entrepreneur with past successes building intrusion detection technologies. One of these technologies reduced false alarms by up to 95 percent and was successfully acquired by Cisco. Before moving into the private sector, Craig spent years working for the Chief of Naval Operations—U.S. Pentagon. Seeing how incidents happen and how security teams struggle to protect their critical assets, Craig saw first-hand how challenging it was to secure Linux via the traditional agent-based approach.

"Craig is one of the rare entrepreneurs who has repeatedly proven he can build lasting companies that solve tough problems," said Ron Gula, co-founder of Tenable Network Security and founder of Gula Tech Adventures. "The world relies on Linux, and we know how important it is to secure it—yet organizations don't—leaving critical systems vulnerable. Existing agent-based solutions have compatibility and performance impacts, are hard to deploy, and likely break things. The market is desperate for a solution that works reliably, is easy to deploy, and is effective with what it promises to do. That's Sandfly Security."

Visit sandflysecurity.com to learn more about securing your Linux environments.

About Sandfly Security

Agentless, compatible, and fast to deploy, Sandfly Security goes beyond traditional endpoint detection capabilities to secure Linux boxes without latency issues or cumbersome deployments. Sandfly protects virtually any Linux system, from modern cloud deployments to decade-old devices, regardless of distribution or CPU architecture. Sandfly hunts for signs of compromise, tracks SSH credentials, audits for weak passwords, detects unauthorized changes with drift detection, and allows custom modules to find new and emerging threats. Sandfly does this with the utmost safety, performance, and compatibility on Linux. We do it without loading agents on your endpoints. Investors include Gula Tech Adventures, Sorenson Capital, and Alt Ventures New Zealand.

https://sandflysecurity.com/

Airline Competition Fires Up North American Travel Boom At Auckland Airport

Mike Hearn — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 01:29:13 GMT

58% increase in available seats to mainland North America over summer 23/24

500,000 travellers between mainland North America and Auckland from November 2023 to February 2024

Around 50% are travellers from the USA – up 56% on summer 22/23

Most US visitors travel here in summer and autumn, stay up to two weeks and spend close to $6,000 per person on average (year to June 2023)[1]

20% more Kiwis flying on North American routes

Competition brings 12% reduction in fares on North American routes

A summer surge of North American touch downs has fuelled record breaking US traveller numbers at Auckland Airport.

As the aviation system prepares for the seasonal shift in schedules at the end of the month, early indications are the increased seat capacity delivered this summer has seen well over 500,000 travellers take to the skies between Auckland and mainland North America.

Scott Tasker, Chief Customer Officer at Auckland Airport, said the mix of exciting new routes and additional carriers have cracked open the North American market, creating airfare competition and driving the demand.

“Off the back of a 58% growth in available seats compared to last summer, we’ve seen an incredible response from travellers. There’s been 20% more New Zealanders and a whopping 56% increase in Americans and 14% increase in Canadians flying the North American routes over summer. The market is now bigger than it was in 2019,” said Mr Tasker.

Between October and March, six airlines have been flying non-stop to seven mainland North American cities from Auckland[i]. Between March to October, the Northern Summer aviation season, four airlines will continue flying non-stop between Auckland Airport and six North American cities.

“The capacity and competition have really benefited travellers with some great fares, which overall are down 12% on last year. There’s never been more seats available between Auckland Airport and North America and what we’re seeing is travellers are really taking advantage of this,” he said.

“North America is our third biggest inbound tourism market and within that the Los Angeles route has been a real bright spot. We’ve gone from one airline – Air New Zealand – flying once a day last summer, to having Air New Zealand, American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines, together flying up to four times a day.

“California has traditionally been a strong market for inbound tourism and when we look at the 40 million-odd Americans who had New Zealand at the top of their travel bucket list, more than 20% call California home. We've seen that flow through into traveller numbers with a 180% increase in US nationals on the Los Angeles route this summer.

“We also can’t underestimate the power of having those three major US airlines plus Air Canada connecting with Auckland. Collectively they have around 300 million people in their loyalty programmes, providing great brand and consumer reach, and domestic network coverage that makes a long-haul destination like New Zealand that little bit easier to get to,” said Mr Tasker.

“There is an amazing flow on impact for our vital tourism sector. Visitors from the US are coming here to experience the best regional New Zealand has to offer – whether that’s Māori culture and history, the great outdoors, cellar door sampling or simply a day at the beach – and they’re more likely than not to visit several regions on the same trip.

“Tourism and hospitality are a big part of our country’s economic success, and maintaining frequent, year-round airline capacity to and from our key inbound tourism markets underpins that success.”

Auckland Airport’s investment in a new domestic terminal will further enhance our desire to deliver a quality New Zealand travel experience to highly valued international visitors from the United States, Canada and elsewhere, with a quick, easy connection through to domestic jet services once the integrated terminal opens. Bringing a 26% increase in aircraft capacity, the new terminal creates opportunities to add more airline seats to jet-enabled domestic destinations along with 44% more space for passenger processing.

“While many travellers will stay in Auckland or connect to a ground transport option here, whether that’s a rental car, camper or bus tour, for around 21% of inbound travellers it’s the connection point to destinations across the country. We’re making sure that link is as fast and seamless as possible so they can get on with enjoying their holiday.”

[1] Tourism New Zealand, https://www.tourismnewzealand.com/insights/markets-overview/

[1] New Zealand summer (Northern Winter) AA, AC, DL, NZ, QF and UA flying to YVR, SFO, LAX, IAH, DFW, ORD, JFK.

Raimondo, IPEF Ministers Welcome Continued Progress at Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Virtual Ministerial Meeting

Mike Hearn — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 20:22:34 GMT

Bangkok – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo joined Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara along with the ministers from the 12 other IPEF partners, in their first ministerial meeting this year.

During the virtual ministerial meeting on Pillars II-IV, Secretary Raimondo welcomed the significant progress made since the substantial conclusion of the negotiations for the proposed IPEF Clean Economy Agreement, the IPEF Fair Economy Agreement, and Agreement on IPEF in November 2023. The IPEF partners also discussed the ongoing cooperative work ahead across the three proposed agreements.

Additionally, the Secretary welcomed the February 24, 2024 entry into force of the IPEF Supply Chain Agreement, and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to work closely with the IPEF partners to quickly begin operationalizing the agreement. Building on that progress, the Department of Commerce today published the text of the proposed Clean Economy Agreement, Fair Economy Agreement, and Agreement on IPEF.

The IPEF partners also discussed next steps to deliver concrete outcomes under the Framework over the next several months. This includes several new lines of effort under the Clean Economy pillar, including the launching of four new Cooperative Work Programs (CWPs), announcing that the inaugural IPEF Clean Economy Investor Forum will be held in Singapore on June 5-6, and providing more details on the IPEF Catalytic Capital Fund.

The IPEF partners further announced that the Ministers will next meet in-person in Singapore on June 6 to discuss the Supply Chain Agreement, the Clean Economy Agreement, the Fair Economy Agreement, and the Agreement on IPEF.

“I continue to be amazed by the energy and collaborative spirit that each of our IPEF partners brings to the table and by how much we have accomplished together in such a short amount time,” said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. “This framework did not exist less than two years ago. And now, from completing the legal review of the proposed Clean Economy and Fair Economy Agreements and the Agreement on IPEF, to bringing the Supply Chain Agreement into force and launching additional meaningful initiatives, it’s clear that the next phase of IPEF will continue to deliver concrete results for each of our economies.”

Commerce Department Publishes Texts of Landmark Clean Economy Agreement, Fair Economy Agreement, and Agreement on IPEF

Following the substantial conclusion of the negotiations of the three proposed agreements in November 2023, the IPEF partners conducted an intensive legal review, including an in-person round held in Washington, D.C., on February 19-23, 2024. Having completed the legal review process, the IPEF partners today took a significant step forward with the finalization of the texts for the three proposed agreements. The IPEF partners will now undertake their respective domestic processes to prepare for signature of the agreements, followed by acceptance, approval, or ratification of the agreements.

The progress made under the proposed Clean Economy Agreement is a significant step forward in the Administration’s efforts as an international leader on climate action. In particular, the proposed agreement establishes a basis for how the IPEF partners can work together to pursue net-zero emission economies and promote the sustainable growth and success of all partner economies. The proposed agreement reflects the shared objective of the partners to work together and with the private sector to improve the business environment so that U.S. companies, as well as those of the IPEF partners, have more export and investment opportunities, thereby supporting strong jobs here at home. At the same time, the proposed agreement emphasizes the importance of supporting U.S. and IPEF partners’ workers and communities throughout the transition process.

The proposed Fair Economy Agreement aims to create a more level playing field for U.S. workers and businesses, as well as those of the IPEF partners, and to create a more transparent, predictable trade and investment environment across the Indo-Pacific. To achieve these goals, under the proposed agreement, the IPEF partners would work together to enhance their efforts to prevent and combat corruption including bribery, and support efforts to improve tax transparency and the exchange of information, domestic resource mobilization, and tax administration. In particular, the proposed agreement reflects how combatting corruption and enforcing labor laws can empower workers, with commitments to ensure that labor rights are respected, including to provide appropriate protections to migrant workers, and to take appropriate measures to prohibit employer interference with the exercise of freedom of association and collective bargaining rights.

To help ensure effective implementation of initiatives across the IPEF pillars and agreements, as well as ensure the durability of the Framework over the long-term for ongoing economic cooperation, the proposed Agreement on IPEF establishes two ministerial-level bodies, each to meet annually: an IPEF Council, which will consider matters affecting the collective operation of the IPEF agreements and Framework as whole, including proposals for negotiations on new agreements and accession of new members; and a Joint Commission to monitor the work under the Supply Chain Agreement, the Clean Economy Agreement, and the Fair Economy Agreement, with a view to identifying cross-cutting synergies and avoiding duplication of work.

As part of its ongoing commitment to transparency, the Department of Commerce is making public the texts of the three proposed agreements, which can be accessed here on its website.

Pillar II: Building Supply Chain Resiliency for the Indo-Pacific

Following the signing of the IPEF Supply Chain Agreement in November 2023, the agreement entered into force on February 24, 2024, after five partners deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, or approval. The IPEF partners are now working towards operationalizing the agreement, including naming their representatives to the agreement’s three bodies (the Supply Chain Council, the Crisis Response Network, and the Labor Rights Advisory Board), establishing chairs, and adopting terms of reference for each, as well as identifying their respective initial lists of critical sectors and key goods for cooperation under the agreement.

Pillar III: Cooperating to Accelerate the Transition to Cleaner IPEF Economies

The IPEF partners further discussed the progress on Pillar III since the substantial conclusion of the negotiations of the proposed Clean Economy Agreement in November 2023.

The IPEF partners welcomed the inaugural IPEF Clean Economy Investor Forum, which will take place in Singapore on June 5-6, 2024. The Forum will bring together some of the region’s largest investors and philanthropies with government agencies and innovative companies and entrepreneurs to mobilize increased investment for climate-related infrastructure, technologies, and projects in the region. These investments will advance the goals of the 14 IPEF partner countries set out in the proposed Clean Economy Agreement. For more information and future updates, please visit: www.IPEFinvestorforum.org.

The IPEF partners also announced plans to provide $33 million in initial grant funding for the IPEF Catalytic Capital Fund under the Pillar III Clean Economy Agreement. These funds will be instrumental in catalyzing up to $3.3 billion in private investment for climate infrastructure projects in IPEF economies party to the IPEF Clean Economy Agreement. The Fund’s founding supporters include Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States, which will take steps to complete their respective domestic processes to contribute funds, as well as raise awareness about the Fund and its opportunities for public and private sector stakeholders. The Private Infrastructure Development Group will administer and leverage the Fund to deploy concessional financing, technical assistance, and capacity-building support to expand the pipeline of high-quality, resilient, and inclusive climate infrastructure projects.

In addition, the IPEF partners took stock of the CWP on hydrogen announced in May 2023, as well potential new ones. Under the proposed agreement, the CWPs are a mechanism through which the IPEF partners or a group of partners prioritize their focus and resources on a common goal. On hydrogen, those interested IPEF partners have taken steps to advance the initiative, including establishing workstreams related to the exchange of information and sharing of best practices on methodologies, standards, and certifications developed by international bodies on the carbon intensity of hydrogen and its carriers, as well as cross-border pilots and demonstration projects.

The IPEF partners also announced four new CWPs based on proposals put forward by partners:

On carbon markets, interested IPEF partners initially are seeking to understand existing regional carbon market priorities and identify strategies for improving the enabling conditions for cooperation;
Interested IPEF partners also are pursuing clean electricity enhancement to facilitate increased decarbonization and access to clean energy in the region, including through public-private cooperation;
To advance the promotion of employment creation and labor rights and strengthen efforts to address employment shifts in the move to clean energy, interested IPEF partners endeavor to pursue workforce development efforts to ensure a just transition towards achieving a clean economy; and
Interested IPEF partners will collaborate on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) to enhance the availability and affordability of SAF and its feedstocks, so as to catalyze and develop regional SAF value chains in the region.

Pillar IV: Enhancing Transparency and Predictability in the Business Environment

The IPEF partners also discussed ways to deliver early results under the proposed Pillar IV Fair Economy Agreement to foster a more predictable and transparent business environment and help drive greater trade and investment among the partners. In recognition of the critical role of technical assistance and capacity building (TACB) on achieving the commitments laid out in the proposed agreement and ensuring effective implementation and enforcement of anti-corruption measures and improving transparency tax administration, the partners look forward to continuing to identify and implement TACB initiatives to strengthen anti-corruption efforts and the efficiency of tax administration.

About IPEF

In May 2022, President Biden launched IPEF, bringing together 14 regional partners – Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam – in a new model of economic cooperation. IPEF negotiations began in late 2022. In May 2023, the IPEF partners announced the substantial conclusion of the negotiations for a first-of-its-kind IPEF Supply Chain Agreement. In November 2023, the IPEF partners announced the substantial conclusion of the negotiations on the proposed IPEF Clean Economy and Fair Economy Agreements, as well as on a proposed overarching Agreement on IPEF to help ensure the durability of the framework and held a signing ceremony for the IPEF Supply Chain Agreement.

Source: https://www.commerce.gov/

Groundbreaking Kiwi AI tech to deter vaping in schools, public places

Mike Hearn — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 03:26:46 GMT

"A US investor-backed Auckland company, MACSO, is using artificial intelligence to detect and measure air impurities arising from vaping and cigarette smoke."

In trials the technology has already been proven to reduce illicit vaping in one New Zealand middle school.

MACSO is partnering with US-based Piera Systems, who has developed a family of ‘intelligent particle sensors’ and is providing the hardware to fit MACSO’s AI model to measure air quality. As soon as vape particles are detected, a customised alert is sent in real time to those responsible for responding.

The solution also has a dashboard with a time stamp, to identify when vaping occurs, ensuring a comprehensive approach to air quality monitoring.

“As a purpose-driven AI company, dedicated to bringing the positive impact of artificial intelligence to the world, we are proud to be working with Piera on the mission to make schools vape and smoke-free to enable the next generation to study in a safe and healthy environment,” MACSO founder Saba Samiei says.

“Piera’s devices are a quarter of their competitor’s price for the same solution.”

MACSO has also recently installed artificial intelligence-enabled audio sensors for respiratory health monitoring of animals on commercial animal farms in China.

Both MACSOs solutions maintain a comprehensive record of each incident, allowing for the generation of detailed reports that are instrumental for trend analysis and policy assessment.

“What we have is a solution that is specifically trained to detect vape smoke using artificial intelligence,” Samiei says.

“We looked at existing solutions, such as fire alarms or other vape detection sensors. We realised, fire alarms can’t detect vape particles – other sensors showed that they could be fooled if someone sprayed deodorant. We also noticed some approaches such as audio or video which are expensive and breach student’s privacy and are at high risk of getting hacked. So, we developed a model that can differentiate between what is deodorant, what is smoke, and what is vape. Applying this model to Piera aerosol sensors on the edge means the solution is cost effective and protects everyone’s privacy.”

Raj Seelam, Piera’s VP of Marketing and Customer Success, says Piera is the world’s only low-cost centre that has scalable sensors to detect particle data.

“We measure particle counts. Most others measure particle mass. It’s very imperfect science. But MACSO has this world class process that converts data into meaningful insights.”

One device can motor nearly 100 square metres, Seelam says, with Piera having capacity to ship 5000 devices per month to New Zealand.

“The denser the device deployment, the better the results are – 50-100 devices per 1000 square metres will achieve blanket coverage.”

Despite vaping being unlawful for anyone under 18, Samiei says vaping has been an issue in schools, particularly in bathrooms. The number of New Zealanders aged 15-17 who vaped daily nearly quadrupled from under two percent in 2018-19 to seven percent in 2021-22, according to data from the New Zealand Health Survey. But younger children are vaping daily, as vapes are easy to acquire and get addicted to, affecting all students.

“One of the biggest issues isn’t just the kids who vape, it’s the ones who don’t,” says Samiei.

MACSO piloted a device in a bathroom at Cambridge Middle School a few months ago. Within two weeks the bathroom became vape free. Students realised they would be caught using vape products.

“Cambridge Middle School was delighted that the vaping activity ceased. Student Voice confirmed that students felt safer using the bathrooms,” Assistant Principal Natalie Marsh says.

While Piera’s Canaree air quality monitors provide real time vaping alerts, it’s the AI provided by MACSO that gives the devices the edge over any detection through audio or video. Its software has improved the accuracy and speed of Piera’s devices’ ability to detect vape aerosols in vulnerable environments like schools, hospitals, and hotels. The algorithm was deployed eight times faster with MACSO’s platform, with the accuracy of the model to detect aerosols improving by 15 percent.

Seelam says some students use body spray in toilets to mask vape smoke, but that won’t work with MACSO’s model.

“MACSO’s AI model is so good that it can distinguish between vape, smoke and body spray. Its model really takes it to the next level because the accuracy of the detection really goes up. Vaping has a unique signature, and MACSO models are looking for these signatures in the air; that’s how we detect it.”

“What we are doing now is bringing MACSOs model to market and deploying it. The first deployment will happen in New Zealand but we’re talking to schools here in the United States and customers in the United Kingdom.”

The devices can also monitor for wildfire smoke, as well as cooking, Seelam says.

“There are applications beyond vape smoke and that’s where we intend to continue our partnership with MACSO.

“We actually have a customer who is working on an application where they would help amateur chefs cook steak or salmon to perfection. Based on the number of particles it will automatically shut the stove down, so you won’t over-cook it,” says Seelam.

Piera’s vape and smoke solution devices will be distributed and installed in New Zealand by Vanguard Group. Samiei says deployment will extend beyond schools and could include hospitals and hotels.

“We’re already talking to a hotel chain that is interested, and encourage schools, hospitals and other businesses that want to make their environment vape free to get in touch with us.”

Story by Dave Crampton, https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/

IKE Secures Another Significant Multi-Year Subscription Deal

Mike Hearn — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 03:05:39 GMT

An agreement with the second largest electric utility group in North America for a five-year term that is expected to generate ~NZ$2m in total subscription revenue, or an additive NZ$0.4m ARR.

ikeGPS Group Limited (ASX/NZX:IKE) or IKE, today announces that:

+ It has entered into a five year agreement with the second largest electric utility in the U.S., upgrading them from IKE’s legacy product to its new PoleForeman structural analysis platform

+ The initial purchase order is for the first year of the agreement, for ~NZ$0.4m.

+ This customer serves approximately eight million customers in the southern U.S. region.

+ Specifically

+ Over the coming period, this commitment means over 650 engineers at this electric utility will use IKE Poleforeman’s advanced capabilities for structural analysis and the design of distribution assets, to meet grid resiliency and network capacity targets over the coming decades.

+ This upsell signifies a more then ten-fold increase in annual recurring revenue from this customer.

+ An expected consequence of this Standards decision at the utility is that additional engineering companies and communications groups, working across this utility’s network, will also adopt IKE PoleForeman.

This contract follows recent announcements including that:

- IKE had also signed a ~NZ$3.7m subscription contract with a Fortune 150 Company and one of the ten largest Investor-Owned Utilities in the U.S., upgrading them from IKE’s legacy product to its new PoleForeman structural analysis platform. Over the coming five years, this long-term customer commitment means that over 1,000 engineers at this utility will use IKE Poleforeman’s advanced capabilities.

- IKE had also signed a NZ$0.8m three-year subscription deal with a Fortune 500 Company that serves approximately four million customers on the east coast of the U.S.

Since launching the IKE PoleForeman product late in 2023, more than 30 enterprise customers in the U.S. have signed onto the platform representing total contract value expected to exceed ~NZ$7.5m from this new product, that will be recognized over the coming periods as subscription revenue.

New customer wins have included flipping one of the ten largest utilities in North America from a competitor. IKE anticipates winning further significant contracts with tier-1 customers in the short and medium term.

Source: https://www.nzx.com/

VoxPop expands U.S. operations with key appointments

Mike Hearn — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 21:42:13 GMT

Boston, Massachusetts — February 29, 2024

VoxPop, the voice-to-text platform that bridges the gap between listeners and broadcasters, is expanding its operations in the United States with the appointment of Gabe Bullard as Director of Editorial Strategy and Jon Peck as Director of U.S. Sales and Marketing.

VoxPop is an engagement platform developed by journalists and used by NPR’s 1A, WBUR’s On Point, Maine Public/Maine Calling, and shows around the world. It allows listeners to send high-quality audio of questions, comments, and interview responses to the shows they follow, and it gives producers the tools to put those comments into shows seamlessly. With these new appointments, VoxPop is prepared to work with more U.S.-based programs.

“Social media is becoming less reliable and more fragmented. Journalists are one algorithm change away from losing their audiences. We’re hoping to help radio shows and podcasts establish and hold onto a valuable connection with their listeners” says Bullard, who implemented VoxPop into the editorial workflow of NPR’s 1A.

The VoxPop Advantage

Crystal-Clear Audio: VoxPop optimizes audio recorded on users’ smartphones and produces high-quality recordings—no more crackling phone lines or glitchy video call audio.
Efficient Production: VoxPop transcribes listener submissions as soon as they’re filed; and presents the text to producers for easy review fast and accurately enough to rely on during live broadcasts.
Audience Connection: VoxPop connects a show with its listeners through a dedicated app, strengthening a direct relationship that transcends social media apps.
Accessibility: VoxPop encourages people to share their perspectives, regardless of background, language, or location, and without the need to register a social media account or compose a response.
Enhanced Editorial: By turning listeners into contributors, VoxPop adds new perspectives and voices to shows.

“In an era dominated by screens and text, human voices are a potent force for connection,” Peck says. “The spoken word resonates. ”

About VoxPop

New Zealand-based Kinga Voxpop Ltd “VoxPop”, is at the forefront of audio innovation, working with syndicated NPR shows such as WAMU’s 1A and WBUR’s On Point. Its mission: to amplify voices, empower communities around trusted information sources, and redefine how we engage with speech and sound. With assistance from the Google News Initiative (GNI) VoxPop is helping small newspapers transition to digital subscription models. In NZ, it has built a prototype Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) with Community Access Media Alliance (CAMA) station Radio Hawke’s Bay, and in Maryland, USA, is helping Springsong Museum gather oral history about legendary U.S. author, Rachel Carson.

About Gabe Bullard and Jon Peck

Gabe Bullard is an award-winning journalist with years of experience in audio production and public media. He has been a reporter, editor, strategist, and manager at Louisville Public Media, National Geographic, WAMU and NPR’s 1A, and WBUR and NPR’s Here & Now. Gabe was a Nieman Journalism Fellow in the 2015 class and holds an MA in Literature, Culture, and Technology. In his role at VoxPop, Gabe will advise newsrooms and shows on how to incorporate the app into their editorial workflow, how to structure prompts for listener responses, and how to more deeply engage with contributing listeners.

Jonathan Peck, MBA, brings a wealth of experience in multimedia marketing strategies to his role as Director of US Sales and Marketing at VoxPop. With a track record at WBUR Boston, WAMU 88.5 (Washington DC) and PRX in launching and scaling major media properties, Jonathan specializes in enhancing audience engagement and driving revenue growth across diverse platforms. His expertise in data analysis, digital marketing, and brand building aligns with his passion for empowering broadcasters, creators, and communities to amplify human voices and foster meaningful conversations in order to make the world a better place for his kids.

Source: https://www.voxpop.nz/

Announcing our $20.5M Series A to fuel the future of brand tracking

Mike Hearn — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 21:39:04 GMT

We’re excited to announce that we have raised $20.5 million AUD in Series A funding led by Silicon-Valley based firms Altos Ventures and Footwork.

Uh huh, you read that right. We’re taking Tracksuit to the world and powering the future of brand marketing! This funding marks our second external investment, taking Tracksuit to a valuation of $142.9 million AUD and achieving $9.5 million ARR in just under three years.

Some absolutely legendary investors, Lenny Rachitsky (ex-Airbnb and Founder of Lenny’s Newsletter), Allbirds Co-Founder Tim Brown and frank body Co-Founder Bree Johnson also participated in the round.

We’ll be using the funding to continue to power the best brand tracking solution in the market that delivers unbeatable value for our customers, while supercharging our growth into the US and UK market.

“Our goal with Tracksuit was to improve upon the traditional market research model by making it much easier to understand and way more affordable — reshaping the future of marketing and market research,” Tracksuit’s Co-Founder and Co-CEO Connor Archbold says.

“We’ve built our platform on best-in-class methodology, and this strategic funding further validates our ambition to be the common language to measure, understand, and communicate the value of brand.

“It’s an incredibly exciting time at Tracksuit where we’re moving from experimentation to building and scaling. We’re over the moon to have the support and belief of our incredible investors, as we continue to help the most exciting brands today become the iconic brands of tomorrow.”

“The funding, along with our partnership with the Altos Ventures team, speeds up our plans to democratize brand marketing data and market research,” Tracksuit’s Co-Founder and Co-CEO Matthew Herbert says.

“It underscores the demise of growth-at-all-costs strategies and lifts the importance of full funnel and top-of-funnel marketing. By helping brands know what marketing efforts are working and how to discuss brand health with their teams, Tracksuit is putting them back in control of their brand-building success."

Who’s joining us for the journey

We are incredibly grateful to have the backing of world-class brand builders and experts in scaling companies as we move into our next phase of growth in 2024.

Attracting customers like frank body and Willow and Blake Co-Founder Bree Johnson to come on board as an investor, as well as incredible individuals in the tech industry like Lenny Rachitsky and Allbirds Co-Founder Tim Brown, is testament to Tracksuit’s mission of building the future of brand marketing.

“Across the thousands of startup decks I've looked at, I've almost never seen a growth trajectory like the growth Tracksuit has seen,” Lenny says.

"Understanding brand health was a big driver of strategy at Airbnb (such as what are levels of awareness and consideration by market, compared to competitors, etc). Though I wasn't driving this work, my sense is that the teams would have killed for a tool like this."

"It’s no secret I’m a big fan of Tracksuit,” Bree says. “Having used the technology at frank body and experiencing first hand the impact it had on our business it was a no brainer to invest in their team and their vision. I feel very honoured to come along for the ride and look forward to seeing Tracksuit change the way people view brand and marketing."

We’re also bringing in additional deep expertise and guidance to our board as we focus on expansion into the US and UK in 2024.

Altos’ Anthony Lee will be joining Blackbird General Partner Samantha Wong on Tracksuit’s board, while Footwork’s Co-Founder and General Partner Mike Smith will join as board observer. Mike Smith is the former COO of Walmart.com and Stitch Fix. Marketing legend Mark Ritson also joins the ranks as a formal advisor.

"Our partner Nikhil was lucky enough to invest in Canva in their seed round a decade ago, and since then Tracksuit is the most special culture we've heard about 'down under', Mike says. “The business has exceptional signs of product-market fit — not just as a company based in New Zealand, but compared to others around the world."

Anthony echoes this, saying Altos invests in global companies with the potential for long-term, sustainable growth.

“Tracksuit has created a simple, beautiful solution to a very real problem, and we’ve heard from many customers who love the product. We were impressed by their early traction across four markets, all while being super efficient and maintaining a bootstrapped mindset,” he says.

“We’re excited now to see US companies adopting Tracksuit’s affordable, always-on solution to track the growth of their brands and empower their marketing teams to make data-driven decisions.”

Elevating the marketer back into the driver’s seat

Since Tracksuit’s launch in early 2021, we’ve grown to more than 60 full-time employees and are now tracking over 4000 brands across five geographies: New Zealand, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.

Tracksuit’s growth is a direct reflection of marketing becoming more measured and valued worldwide. After a period when many businesses over-indexed into performance marketing during the digital advertising revolution, brand marketing is back. Sustainable brand building is the future, not growth at all costs.

We exist to serve our community of marketers and agencies worldwide by elevating the work they do and proving their impact. If we’re growing, our customers are also growing – it’s a beautiful, reciprocal relationship. Consider our product a love letter to those who have felt undervalued, misunderstood and not properly seen or recognised for their contribution to business growth.

We’re stoked to be the chosen brand tracking solution for more than 400 consumer brands and are lucky enough to count some of the world’s best brand leaders as customers, such as Athletic Brewing Company Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Katz.

“Tracksuit is an invaluable tool for any marketer looking to gauge the effectiveness of their investments. It’s helped us keep a pulse on consumer awareness of Athletic, and understand if what we’re doing is working,” Andrew says.

“Because Tracksuit is ‘always on,’ we can continuously monitor and understand the health of our brand in real time. Its intuitive and user-friendly interface ensures that key stakeholders can readily access and interpret the data.”

Goodman Fielder Senior Insights Manager Kay Bramley says Tracksuit provides her team with real-time tracking, is simple to use and is cost effective.

“Being ‘hands on’ makes our team closer to our brands. The Tracksuit team is very innovative and have been receptive to our suggestions for improvement, while the platform has been optimised based on feedback. It’s made brand health tracking accessible for everyone, and is a tool we can use every day.”

So, what are we building?

There’s a lot on our radar, so we’ll keep this short.

Having access to data is great. But knowing what to do with the data is even better. Our product roadmap is geared towards providing marketers and agencies with actionable insights that make their jobs easier.

We’re building on our existing functionality to:

Make it easier than ever to understand the key changes in brand health
Tailor Tracksuit data to support a marketer’s key goals like reporting and strategy setting
Use Tracksuit’s data across categories to benchmark and know what ‘good’ marketing looks like.

Beyond that, we’re expanding our surveying capabilities to help our customers in the US unlock new levels of regional granularity to support their strategic growth conversations. We’re also planning some next-level integrations so we can serve our data up in the tools marketers and agencies are already using every day.

Join our next stage of growth

Our total funding to date now sits at around $27.9 million AUD with existing investors Blackbird, Icehouse Ventures, Ascential and Shasta Ventures also participating in the series A round.

If you’re interested in joining us on this journey, check out our open roles! If the role you’re looking for isn’t listed, still reach out – we love chatting to talented humans about future opportunities.

We are beyond thrilled to be setting out on our next chapter of growth. A huge thank you to our customers and our investors who are backing our mission to build the future of brand marketing. Onwards!

Source: https://www.gotracksuit.com/

US fried chicken chain Popeyes coming to NZ

Mike Hearn — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 22:51:20 GMT

New Zealand is set to see a new fast food restaurant coming to its shores in April, with the brand promising customers will 'love that chicken'.

US fried chicken outlet Popeyes is set to open a store in Auckland's Takanini, with 10 more store locations planned to open in quick succession by the end of 2024.

It promises to create more than 150 jobs and is expected to bring approximately $25 million in investment over the next several years.

The Takanini store will boast a multi-million-dollar fitout across 300 square metres.

Sharn Phillips, Head of Marketing at Popeyes - New Zealand, said in a statement: “We are thrilled to finally share the good news and let Kiwis know; the Chicken Sandwich that broke the internet will finally be ready for Kiwis to try themselves.

"Our vision is to bring the heart and soul of our world-renowned recipes to Kiwis through passionate teams and tasty food. We cannot wait to see the reaction come opening day.”

Popeyes has over 4,300 stores worldwide, in countries like the UK, the US, France, Poland, Czech Republic, Indonesia and South Korea.

The chain's Louisiana-style menu features chicken burgers (chicken sandwiches), fried chicken, chicken tenders, chicken wings, mash and cajun gravy, mac and cheese, and biscuits (a loose equivalent to a savoury scone).

James Mclauchlan, General Manager of Popeyes - New Zealand, said the team "cannot wait" to open its doors.

“We cannot wait to open our doors and share the iconic Popeyes experience and incredible chicken that makes this brand so recognisable the world over. With the Takanini location announced and construction already underway, we are finally ready to get to work and find our team, who share a deep love for fried chicken, enriched by our team culture.”

Source: https://www.1news.co.nz/

Showcasing world-leading Kiwi cleantech innovation to Silicon Valley

Mike Hearn — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 03:13:03 GMT

Twelve Kiwi ventures are a step closer to securing partnerships and a slice of around NZ$80 billion invested every year in cleantech startups after returning from Cleantech Trek USA.

The globally ambitious Kiwi cleantech ventures connected with corporates and investors at networking events in Silicon Valley and at the 2024 Cleantech Forum North America, in San Diego, as part of a New Zealand Cleantech Mission led by Callaghan Innovation last month.

Cleantech Mission Lead Phil Anderson says the ventures, at various stages from pre-revenue to growth, are developing solutions to global challenges in areas like renewable energy, clean water, waste-to-value, carbon capture, fusion and carbon-free concrete.

“With the next wave of unicorns – start-ups valued at $1billion – likely to include plenty of companies addressing global issues like climate change and environmental degradation, there’s a huge economic opportunity for our globally focused Kiwi cleantech startups.

Aotearoa New Zealand has a rich history of developing and piloting innovation before scaling offshore. With success stories including the likes of carbon recycling trailblazer Lanzatech, and the Kiwi cleantech founders who have attracted investment, including from the likes of IKEA and Khosla Ventures, we have some tangible momentum to lean into.

“At the New Zealand pitch and networking sessions it was clear that the corporates and investors gathered were impressed with the quality of the Kiwi innovators involved, and that this group of startups is, like those who have gone before, positioned for global acceleration.

Phil Anderson says while the economic opportunity is great there are still challenges to overcome before more Kiwi cleantech startups can succeed in global markets.

“We have world-class people and technology but in many cases we just don’t have the market size or growth capital needed for our cleantech startups to reach their potential in global markets. That’s why it’s vital for founders to seek out international connections.

“For US-based entities it’s much easier to partner with or invest in local technologies and talent. They need to see something very special and believe strongly in a founding team before wanting to work with a Kiwi cleantech venture.

Phil Anderson says having a number of capable and passionate female founders there was a highlight, as was supporting ventures from across the motu, including those from Auckland, Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupo, Wellington, Christchurch and Southland.

“Having representation from our local deep tech venture capital funds Outset Ventures, Pacific Channel and Quidnet Ventures showed offshore investors the potential for strong local VC partnerships,” he says.

Nilo CEO Glen Willoughby says there was, "huge value for us because we have just opened our series A capital raise. We met with all the strategic investors we wanted to connect with and others we weren't aware of as well. We also had some excellent strategic conversations at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and with US-based Kiwi cleantech founders.”

Bspkl CEO Christina Houlihan says, “The journey in the US has been nothing short of amazing, providing valuable connections with inspiring individuals and uncovering insightful stories. The wealth of knowledge gained about navigating investment pitches in the USA has been invaluable. I’m grateful for the opportunities and excited about what lies ahead.”

Cetogenix CEO Trevor Stuthridge says the Cleantech Trek was “an incredibly valuable enabler for international outreach and ecosystem engagement. Cetogenix was privileged to participate and proud to be in such inspiring company.”

New Zealand Climate Tech For the World, a Cleantech Group report commissioned by Callaghan Innovation, found that New Zealand cleantech innovators raised 95% less investment than those in small advanced economies on average between 2011 and 2021.

Recent data showing a big increase in New Zealand cleantech investment in 2023, with venture and growth investment worth over $NZ390 million compared to around NZ$80 million in 2022, shows the sector is heading in the right direction, says Phil Anderson.

New Zealand Climate Tech For the World recommended that this country take a co-ordinated approach to supporting cleantech innovators with global ambitions.

“Cleantech Trek USA is an example of efficient and aligned collaboration from across Aotearoa New Zealand’s agencies to support participating ventures.

“Callaghan Innovation would like to thank Cleantech Mission partners, including NZTE, Auckland Unlimited, Are Ake, and Uniservices for their incredible support and expertise.

“Building the profile of the New Zealand cleantech startup ecosystem is a marathon, not a sprint. We look forward to working with our cleantech ventures and our partners going forward,” says Phil Anderson.

CleantechTrek USA

Aspiring Materials: Carbon Capture

Creating materials to cut down global industrial CO2 emissions.

Bspkl: Hydrogen Innovation

Developing catalyst-coated membrane solutions to overcome catalyst supply challenges and manufacturing bottlenecks.

Cetogenix: Waste to Value

Delivering a climate tech platform that unlocks the hidden potential for organic waste-to-renewables value addition through proprietary deconstruction, separation and fermentation.

EnPot: Energy Efficiency

Technology to enable smelters to flex their power usage creating a virtual battery, supporting the adoption of renewable energy.

Geo40: Sustainable Mineral Recovery

Enabling critical minerals such as lithium and silica to be extracted from underground fluids at scale.

Hydroxsys: Water Treatment

Solving wastewater and sustainability challenges for food and industrial processors, using new membrane filtration technology.

Neocrete: Decarbonising Concrete

Neocrete replaces cement with nano-activated volcanic ash, creating low-carbon, high-performing concrete, at no extra cost.

Nilo: Waste to value

Transforming plastic waste into high-value industrial products, with a current focus on wood panel board adhesives and eco-concrete.

Openstar Technologies: Fusion Energy

On a mission to deliver clean, abundant, and available fusion energy to the world.

Sleaktek Biopolymer

Sleak™️ is a completely natural 100% plant derived hot melt compound used to make adhesives, sealants and plastic film substitutes.

Vortex Power Systems: Waste to value

Using low grade waste heat recovered from thermal processes in industry, Vortex Power Systems technology generates and controls a freestanding atmospheric buoyancy vortex, and harnesses its power using a vortex turbine to create clean electricity.

Zincovery: Waste to Value

Low temperature reactor technology to convert zinc ferrite compounds into any form so it can be recycled.

Find out more about CleanTech Trek USA ventures.

Source: https://www.callaghaninnovation.govt.nz/

NZ fragrance start-up lands $24m deal with Target, Walmart

Mike Hearn — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 20:19:35 GMT

The TikTok effect has helped a burgeoning Kiwi fragrance house land a $24 million deal with US retail giants Walmart and Target.

Entrepreneurs Grant Taylor and Renee Lee founded Maison&Muse in 2021 with the aim of creating luxury home fragrance products without the high-end price tag.

After going viral on TikTok last year, the brand’s wild vanilla and caramel scented Marylin candle became the top-selling candle in Australia.

On the back of that success, Maison&Muse will hit the shelves in 3400 Walmart and Target stores across the United States next month.

Breaking into the US market had always been the “north star” for the business, Lee said, and when the opportunity to meet with the global retail giants came up, she and Taylor jumped at it.

Lee, who was 25 weeks pregnant when she flew to the US to meet with executives, said the face-to-face contact was instrumental in landing the deal, which could be a “game-changer” for the business.

While their success started with a scented candle, it’s not just homes the business is hoping to refresh. First to launch Stateside will be its car fragrance range.

“There are 96 million cars in the US registered to women,” Lee said.

“However up until now the mainstream car fragrance market has either masculine or very colourful, childish designs.”

That left a gap in the market, which Lee and Taylor, along with their soon-to-be-stockists hope to fill.

Target and Walmart will also offer a range of Maison&Muse cleaning products, including spray cleaners and dishwashing liquid.

Taylor and Lee are also responsible for three other brands created under their start-up, Moxx Brands, including climate-positive liquid hair care brand Everblue.

Moxx Brands products are sold in more than 6000 stores in four countries.

Source: https://www.stuff.co.nz/

Maxigesic IV launched in the United States

Mike Hearn — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 20:36:03 GMT

AFT Pharmaceuticals (NZX: AFT, ASX: AFP) announces Maxigesic IV^®, the patented intravenous form of its family of pain relief medicines, has today been launched in the US by its licensee Hikma Pharmaceuticals.

The launch of the medicine, under the brand Combogesic IV^®, is the first patented, New Zealand developed medicine with clinical studies in the world’s largest healthcare market. The first commercial sale of the medicine in the US is expected in the coming weeks, a milestone that will trigger a US$6 million licensee fee to AFT and its development partner Belgium’s Hyloris Pharmaceuticals.

AFT expects its share of this license fee to accrue in the current financial year (estimated at around NZ$6 million).¹

The company is currently in its usual month-end preparation and review of progress and projections for FY2024 (being for the year ending 31 March 2024) and expects to update the market on its FY2024 guidance within a fortnight once this process is completed.

“The launch of Maxigesic IV in the US, the world’s largest market for pain relief², is a significant achievement for AFT,” said AFT Co-Founder and Managing Director Dr Hartley Atkinson.

“We are delighted with the speed with which our partner Hikma, a leading supplier of injectable medicines in the US and around the world, has brought the medicine to market post-approval and the opportunity it shares with us on the potential of the medicine.

“Maxigesic IV represents a significant innovation for the management of pain. It offers effective pain relief and importantly offers clinicians an alternative to opioid analgesics.

“The launch also represents a beachhead for the commercialisation of Maxigesic in the US and potentially our broader portfolio of medicines. Our next goal is the finalization of plans to launch Maxigesic Rapid, a prescription-only tablet. We have been working on setting up AFT representation in North America in order to support commercialisation with identified partners.

Hikma President of Injectables Dr Bill Larkins said: “The approval of Combogesic^® IV is an important step in providing hospitals and health care providers in the US with an alternative treatment option for managing patients’ pain.

“This is another example of how we continue to expand our portfolio of critical medicines and we are pleased to make this important new treatment option available for patients, helping to put better health within reach, every day.”

Hikma’s announcement of the launch of Maxigesic IV is attached to this announcement.

Maxigesic IV is licensed in over 100 countries and marketed in over 20. It offers a unique combination of 1,000 mg of acetaminophen (paracetamol) and 300 mg of ibuprofen. This combination of medicines with different mechanisms of action in a single formulation provides:

Shorter onset to analgesia³
Superior analgesia efficacy and comparable safety in common adverse events²
Sustained pain-management results²

In a Phase 3 clinical trial, Maxigesic IV provided more than double the pain relief than that of acetaminophen (paracetamol) IV or ibuprofen IV alone.2 Time to meaningful pain relief was shorter in the Maxigesic IV group than that in the Ibuprofen IV or placebo groups. Maxigesic IV also allowed for superior analgesia efficacy.²

Released for and on behalf of AFT Pharmaceuticals limited by Malcolm Tubby, Chief Financial Officer.

https://www.aftpharm.com/

Vista Group and The Boxoffice Company Sign Strategic Partnership

Mike Hearn — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 04:43:36 GMT

Vista Group and The Boxoffice Company have entered for the first time into a multi-year strategic partnership. The new partnership leverages Vista Cloud and Boxoffice’s Boost solutions to empower cinema exhibitors to attract and retain moviegoers, enhance ticket and F&B ordering, and maximize operational efficiency and returns. The Boxoffice Company and Vista Group formalized years of cooperation under this partnership, with Vista now providing Boxoffice access to Vista Cloud integrations to develop web, mobile and kiosk channels, and to extract showtimes data on behalf of joint exhibition clients.

The Boxoffice Company sold over a half billion dollars in ticket sales for exhibitors last year, helping the top global cinema circuits grow their businesses with the company’s Boost product, an integrated platform of digital marketing and ecommerce solutions. Exhibitors attending Vista Group’s ‘Connected Future’ client conference in Auckland, New Zealand on 12-15 February will learn more about the benefits of the companies’ new partnership.

“Our clients are always our focus. Under our Lumos product suite, Vista Group continues to offer cloud-hosted digital mobile, web and kiosk channels,” says Stuart Dickinson, Vista Group’s chief executive officer. “However, we recognize that our clients have varying requirements. We are committed to giving clients flexibility by making our API integrations available to great partners like The Boxoffice Company to deliver awesome digital experiences and confidently handle billions of moviegoer transactions via our modern APIs and proactively-scaled transaction pipeline.”

“We are joining forces with Vista to help exhibitors take their digital presence to the next level with new SaaS technology, tools, and platforms shared by our companies,” says Stan Ruszkowski, president of The Boxoffice Company. “We will continue to super-serve our more than 200 theater chains to help cinemas of all sizes maximize revenues and customer engagement.”

“Technology is essential to optimizing the cinema experience, and The Boxoffice Company represents a significant technology partner for Vista,” continued Dickinson. “Together, we can empower the moviegoing experience with best-in-class digital experiences so more people can enjoy the magic of the movies. We look forward to working together to increase digital engagement among film fans.”

“We are excited to work together with Vista to meet customers’ challenges, and to bring solutions that increase sales and meet our mutual goals in years to come,” added Marine Suttle, the chief product officer of The Boxoffice Company. “This new partnership will help our companies support advanced capabilities to bring greater value to our customers and help them grow their business. The first opportunity we will be tackling jointly is Open Tabs for cinemas that offer Food & Beverage ordering. We’re very excited to bring this feature to our customers.”

Source: https://www.boxofficepro.com/

US Secretary of State message to New Zealand on Waitangi Day

Mike Hearn — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 02:36:34 GMT

On behalf of the United States of America, I send my best wishes to the people of Aotearoa New Zealand as you commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on February 6.

Our relationship is one of mutual trust, common values, and unwavering friendship. We work together to protect our natural environment, champion our diversity and cultures, and ensure a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

Our ties continued to deepen in 2021. I was honored to host Foreign Minister Mahuta at the Department of State during her visit to Washington, D.C., in November 2021. The United States joined the Christchurch Call to Action to combat online violent extremism, and New Zealand signed the Artemis Accords with NASA, which aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. We maintained a mutually beneficial security relationship – from enhancing interoperability through the visit of the USS Howard to disaster assistance provided by the USS Sampson. Most recently, the United States and New Zealand worked together to provide humanitarian assistance to Tonga after the volcanic eruptions and tsunami waves.

We continue to stand together and do the mahi – work – as we face global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. As we look forward to another year of cooperation, I am reminded of the te reo Māori phrase – he waka eke noa – we’re all in this together.

Source: https://www.state.gov/

Kourtney Kardashian features Pāpāmoa company Pure Mama products on her website

Mike Hearn — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 19:57:41 GMT

A Pāpāmoa skincare business says its website traffic has gone “through the roof” and “amazing” sales numbers were generated after American socialite Kourtney Kardashian shared two of its products on her website.

On January 23, Kardashian shared on her website Poosh a list of what she packed in her hospital bag after giving birth to she and Travis Barker’s first child together. Kardashian shared the link to Poosh’s Instagram account.

The list included local start-up company Pure Mama’s signature belly oil and nipple butter.

Pure Mama founder and chief executive Lara Henderson said she became “a little bit emotional” after she discovered Kardashian had shared her products.

“It was quite a humbling moment to go, ‘Two and a half years ago, this tiny little business had just started, and now we’re kind of edging on the fringes of being a really big global brand,” the mother of two said.

“That’s our ambition, and moments like this really make it feel like it’s achievable.”

It follows Pure Mama announcing its new partnership last year with Mecca - Australasia’s largest prestige beauty retailer, with more than 100 stores in Australia and New Zealand.

How Kourtney Kardashian found out about Pure Mama’s products

Henderson said Kardashian announced her pregnancy last year and posted an Instagram story asking for recommendations for pregnancy skincare.

“She screenshotted the recommendations that came through and Pure Mama came out as the most popular answer.”

Henderson said Kardashian, who has 224 million followers on her personal Instagram and 4.8m on her website Poosh’s Instagram, shared it on her social media.

“The uptake from someone who has over 200m followers ... our website traffic just went crazy.”

Henderson said she then sent Kardashian some Pure Mama products last year.

Website traffic goes ‘through the roof’

After Kardashian gave birth in November and had not posted anything about Pure Mama, Henderson said she thought the “ship had sailed”.

However, last week, Henderson’s sister and co-founder of Pure Mama, Yasmin, alerted her to a post on Kardashian’s website which linked two of Pure Mama’s products.

“As a small business owner, you take a lot of risks ... For something as big as this to come off was just an incredible reward for our business and our team and the brand.

“It was just amazing to get both products featured on there.”

Henderson said sales had been “amazing” and website traffic “went through the roof” following Kardashian’s post.

“For us to be able to have someone like her attached to our brand, not in a commercial sense but in a genuine sense, is just really powerful, and it’s something you can highlight as a brand for quite a long time to come.

“It’s not about ... a Kardashian mentioning our product. It’s someone who cares deeply about the quality of product and what goes on their skin.”

Henderson said American podcast host Amanda Hirsch also shared the Pure Mama products last week, “so we got another huge hit out of that”.

“She’s very close with that whole celebrity scene in the States, so that was another win - last week, we were just buzzing.”

Henderson said she posted the news on her social media and received “hundreds” of messages of support and congratulations.

“To have those people kind of cheering you on in the background is really cool as well.”

Henderson said Pure Mama was due to launch its products in America in March or April and was “already in talks with retailers”.

“The US is our next big market, so this could not have come at a better time.”

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.

Source: www.nzherald.co.nz

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki presents transformative gift of modern art from New York philanthropists

Mike Hearn — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:22:44 GMT

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is excited to share the works of major European artists including Picasso, Braque, Cezanne, Gauguin and Matisse in a new exhibition of modern art.

Opening 9 February, The Robertson Gift: Paths through Modernity celebrates the monumental gift of these significant artworks from the collection of New York philanthropists Julian (1932–2022) and Josie Robertson (1943–2010) to Auckland Art Gallery.

The collection, promised to the Gallery in 2009, comprises 15 works from influential modern European artists, including Pierre Bonnard, Georges Braque, Paul Cezanne, Salvador Dalí, André Derain, Henri Fantin-Latour, Paul Gauguin, Fernand Léger, Henri Matisse, Piet Mondrian and Pablo Picasso.

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, Director of Auckland Art Gallery, Kirsten Lacy says that the Gallery could not realise such a selection of artworks without Julian and Josie’s vision.

“Patronage of this scale is unprecedented, and the collection of modern masterpieces is unique. The Robertson’s gift is unquestionably the most transformative bequest of international art to the country in the past century,” says Lacy.

The couple divided their lives between New York and Aotearoa New Zealand ever since their first visit to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland in 1978–1979. The Robertson’s extraordinary gift acknowledges the lasting connections the couple formed with Aotearoa New Zealand and their passion for modern art.

Works from the collection have been exhibited at the Gallery previously in 2006, 2009 and 2011, creating a tremendous positive response from visitors.

Julian and Josie Robertson’s three sons, Spencer, Jay and Alex are excited to be returning to Aotearoa New Zealand for the unveiling of this momentous gift.

“Our parents were steadfast in their love and commitment to New Zealand, and we are proud to continue their vision. They were passionate in their belief that these beautiful pictures should be shared and enjoyed in their beloved New Zealand."

“The Robertson’s legacy will transform our ability to tell the story of international modern art, enriching both Tāmaki Makaurau and Aotearoa New Zealand," adds Lacy.

Beginning with the suggestive nude bodies of the late 19th century and ending with a monumental colour-field painting from the 1960s, The Robertson Gift: Paths through Modernity takes visitors on a journey through the major art movements of the modern era, including Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, Surrealism, and post-war abstraction.

Featuring 49 paintings, prints, drawings and sculpture, the exhibition also includes visitor favourites from the permanent collection as well as other important recent acquisitions and loans, offering a broad survey of the best of late-19th- and early-to-mid 20th-century international art.

The exhibition has been curated by Kenneth Brummel and Dr Sophie Matthiesson.

“Visitors to The Robertson Gift: Paths through Modernity will experience an elegant and lively display that includes works by some of the most celebrated figures of international modernism,” says Kenneth Brummel, Curator of International Art. “The exhibition is a feast for the eyes, and we are excited to share it with all visitors.”

The Robertson Gift: Paths through Modernity will be presented from 9 February 2024–1 February 2026. The exhibition is free admission.

Exhibition details:
The Robertson Gift: Paths through Modernity

When:
Friday 9 February 2024 – 1 February 2026
10am–5pm daily

Where: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Cnr Kitchener and Wellesley Streets, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland

Admission: FREE

Source: https://www.aucklandartgallery.com/

New Zealand strong wool: US consumers’ interest grows - research

Mike Hearn — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 00:20:20 GMT

Americans are falling in love with Kiwi wool, with at least three in four purchasers stating they would buy woollen products again, says Campaign for Wool NZ.

Initiated in 2010 by King Charles III when his title was the Prince of Wales, the Campaign for Wool is a global endeavour aiming to raise awareness among consumers about the natural, renewable and biodegradable benefits offered by the fibre.

The charity said its goal was to also add value through the supply chain and to the farm gate.

Campaign for Wool NZ said the results of its research were particularly positive for consumers choosing woollen insulation, with 88 per cent of those who installed insulation in their homes anticipating a repeat purchase should they need insulation in the future.

The research showed wool bedding, soft furnishings and flooring had also won the hearts of the US market.

“This is excellent news for our strong wool growers, woollen product manufacturers and their US-based retail partners,” Campaign for Wool NZ chairman Ryan Cosgrove said.

“The research tells us that New Zealand strong wool is having a real impact on discerning Americans – that its durability, natural beauty and sustainability credentials are really starting to stack up for buyers in this key market.”

Researchers surveyed over 1000 consumers sitting within the top 60 per cent on the US household affluence index during October 2023.

“We dug into the various ways wool is used in the US, how it’s perceived, how and when it is purchased, what drives that purchase and any barriers to buying wool over other products on the market,” Cosgrove explained.

The research highlights an improvement in the perception of wool performance since the research was last conducted in 2021.

The findings will be shared with Campaign for Wool NZ’s partners, operating across several sectors, such as growing, handling, trading, manufacturing and retailing wool.

Cosgrove said there was an increase in the awareness of the attributes of wool.

“Its ability to promote warmth, regulate temperature and biodegrade, for instance.”

Consumers were also more appreciative of how wool looked and felt, but one attribute stood out more than the rest, Cosgrove said.

“Their understanding of how wool absorbs sound has doubled – from only 20 per cent mentioning sound absorbency as an attribute to 40 per cent.”

The research found apparel, crafting supplies and pet accessories were among the most recognised uses of wool.

Wool was having an impact in the home, building and renovation sector as well, Cosgrove said.

“Over three-quarters of purchasers would choose woollen bedding or soft furnishings again, and a similar number would select woollen carpets and rugs.

“The fact that conscious consumers are increasingly prioritising sheep over synthetics can only be a good thing for hard-working New Zealand farmers, and for the environment as a whole.”

However, Cosgrove said there was still work to be done, as consumers became increasingly price-sensitive.

“Affordability was the number-one barrier to purchase, which is no change from the last time we undertook the research,” he said.

“With our support, our partners can also do better at communicating how and where to purchase New Zealand strong wool products in the US market, and how to clean and care for wool, according to the figures.”

On a positive note, New Zealand’s reputation for producing the best wool in the world continued to rise, he said.

“The stats show that when compared to other wool-growing nations like Australia, the UK and even the USA – home turf for these consumers – our wool ranks as being better-quality, more luxurious, more sustainable and even more natural than other countries’ wool.”

More about Campaign for Wool NZ’s research

Fresh Perspective was commissioned to conduct the research on behalf of Campaign for Wool NZ.

Respondents for the consumer insights panel were representative of the national population based on age, gender and region for the top 60 per cent of household affluence, to be comparable with the benchmark study sample in 2021.

Respondents were sourced via the Dynata consumer research panel - the world’s largest first-party data platform.

Fieldwork was completed for the USA from October 6-17, 2023, and New Zealand from October 9-19, 2023, with just over 1000 responses from consumers in each market.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

Lancom Technology welcomes Evergreen as a major shareholder

Mike Hearn — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 06:26:39 GMT

Evergreen, a family of leading managed IT services and software companies, today announced its acquisition of Lancom Technology, a prominent managed service provider (MSP) in Auckland, New Zealand with presence in Australia. The investment marks Evergreen’s first expansion into the Australia and New Zealand MSP technology space and will help fuel further growth for Lancom and its customers. 

Established in 1988 and primarily based in Auckland, New Zealand, Lancom Technology specializes in software development, cloud services, managed services and business process automation. Their employees work with some of the biggest and most innovative businesses across a number of industries verticals locally, nationally and internationally. As an advanced Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Solutions partner, Lancom leverages cutting-edge technologies to deliver comprehensive solutions to meet the diverse needs of its client base.

This acquisition unlocks potential for both organizations. For Evergreen it marks its first expansion into ANZ while providing Lancom with a permanent home to continue to grow its business. For Lancom it has the opportunity to capitalize on Evergreen’s global network and resources and add more depth to its growing cloud and software solutions. It also allows Lancom to expand into diverse new markets, enhancing its competitive edge and creating possibilities for collaboration, innovation and sustained growth. 

“It was apparent from the get-go that this acquisition would act as a catalyst, not just facilitating mutual growth, but also fostering shared values and a forward-thinking approach to innovation," said Ramsey Sahyoun, Head of M&A at Evergreen. “Evergreen’s strategic vision aligns seamlessly with Lancom’s existing commitment to technological innovation.” 

With more than 70 successful acquisitions, Evergreen has a proven track record of amplifying organizations in the MSP space while still preserving its legacy and investing in its continued success.  

“For over three decades Lancom has been cultivating and nurturing our talent and what appealed to us most about this acquisition was Evergreen’s commitment to preserving our team’s expertise rather than replacing it,” said Waruna Kirimetiyawa, CEO at Lancom Technology. “Because of Evergreen’s ability to offer continuity within our organization, it only took us three weeks to decide that they were the right partner for us.”  

Through mutual support and collaboration, the two companies will strive to propel Lancom Technology forward into its next phase of growth, together solidifying its position as an industry leader in New Zealand’s growing MSP and IT solutions community. 

About Lancom Technology
We’re a leading IT company serving Australia and New Zealand by specializing in providing software development, cloud services, managed services and business process automation to help businesses succeed by doing more with less. 

About Evergreen Services Group

Evergreen Services Group is a family of leading managed services and software companies operated by world-class leadership teams. Evergreen partners with owners of services and software businesses to provide operational assistance and capital in support of growth and exceptional service delivery. Evergreen differentiates itself by providing a permanent home for businesses that care deeply about their customers and employees. For more Evergreen Services Group news and information, visit www.evergreensg.com.

Great Journeys New Zealand Appear In The New York Times Prestigious Global Destinations List

Mike Hearn — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 22:46:22 GMT

KiwiRail is beyond thrilled to represent New Zealand in being featured on The New York Times ’52 places to go in 2024’ list.

‘New Zealand by Train’ appears at number four on the list, positioned proudly between Yamaguchi, Japan and Maui, Hawaii. Great Journeys NZ’s 17-day Signature Tour was recommended in the publication’s annual collection of holiday destinations.

General Manager of Great Journeys New Zealand, Tracey Goodall, says “To be acknowledged by a publication as prestigious as the New York Times is a true honour.

“Our passionate crew and tour guides always go above and beyond to ensure phenomenal customer experiences; this is great recognition of the international gold standard the Great Journeys team continue to deliver.

“Our TranzAlpine, Coastal Pacific and Northern Explorer train trips are widely recognised globally as ‘must-do’ day experiences. Our multiday tours feature these journeys, while visiting lesser-known regions that lie off the beaten track. Our customers love the unique proposition rail provides when they travel throughout New Zealand.”

The article celebrates how the immersive nature of rail is complimented by the diverse and breath-taking views the country’s railways have to offer, “Road-tripping across New Zealand via camper van is a free-spirited traveller’s dream. But a simpler and more sustainable way to go is by train. Opt for a 17-day journey on the Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine trains offered by Great Journeys, the tourism division of KiwiRail, New Zealand’s national rail operator.”

The Great Journeys ‘New Zealand Up Close’ Signature Tour offers 17 days traveling New Zealand with a dedicated Tour Guide, includes all three scenic train trips, a variety of unique activities, several meals and four-star accommodation.

Rocket Lab Makes its Defense Prime Debut with $0.5 Billion Contract to Design and Build Satellite Constellation for Space Development Agency

Mike Hearn — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:43:59 GMT

As the prime contractor, Rocket Lab will design, build, test, and operate the Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Beta satellites for SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA)

LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a leading provider of space launch services and advanced satellite technology, today announced it has been selected by and is under contract with the Space Development Agency (SDA) to design and build 18 Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Beta Data Transport Satellites (T2TL - Beta).

Rocket Lab will act as prime contractor for the $515 million USD firm-fixed price agreement, leading the design, development, production, test, and operations of the satellites, including procurement and integration of the payload subsystems. The contract establishes Rocket Lab’s position as a leading satellite prime contractor, providing supply chain diversity to the Department of Defense (DoD) through vertical integration. The contract comprises $489 million base plus $26 million of incentives and options and will be carried out by Rocket Lab National Security (RLNS), the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary created to serve the unique needs of the U.S. defense and intelligence community and its allies.

The SDA is procuring satellites in two-year "tranches" to build out a proliferated constellation in LEO to deliver needed space-based capabilities to the joint war fighter. The T2TL – Beta satellites, part of the Tranche 2 program, will be integrated into SDA’s Transport Layer to provide assured, resilient, low-latency military data and connectivity worldwide to meet DoD needs.

“This contract marks the beginning of Rocket Lab’s new era as a leading satellite prime. We’ve methodically executed on our strategy of developing and acquiring experienced teams, advanced technology, manufacturing facilities, and a robust spacecraft supply chain to make this possible. It’s exciting to now be delivering this capability for government and commercial customers alike,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck. “SDA’s acquisition approach favors speed, schedule certainty, and affordability to deliver next-generation space capabilities to the nation. We’ve proven Rocket Lab is capable of delivering this across our launch and spacecraft programs and we look forward to delivering it for SDA.”

All 18 satellites will integrate subsystems and components built in-house by Rocket Lab, including solar panels, structures, star trackers, reaction wheels, radio, flight software, avionics, and launch dispenser. This high degree of vertical integration gives Rocket Lab a rare level of control over supply chain, enabling efficiencies and certainty on cost, schedule and quality. The satellites will be built at Rocket Lab’s advanced spacecraft development and manufacturing complex within the Company’s Long Beach headquarters. The facility includes a 12,000 sq. ft. cleanroom and 40,000 sq. ft. of streamlined production & test facilities designed to support constellation class manufacturing and satellite assembly, integration and test for commercial, civil and national security customers. The satellites are scheduled for launch in 2027.

As a leading provider of advanced spacecraft and components, Rocket Lab has a backlog of more than 40 satellites in development and production. Rocket Lab satellite technology and components have been integrated into more than 1,700 satellite missions globally.

About Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab is a global leader in launch and space systems. Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle is the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered more than 172 satellites to orbit for commercial and Government partners, including NASA, the U.S. Air Force, DARPA and the NRO. Rocket Lab also delivers proven suborbital hypersonic launch capability with its HASTE launch vehicle. Building on the deep heritage of Electron, Rocket Lab is developing Neutron, an advanced 13-tonne payload class, reusable launch vehicle tailored for constellation deployment and interplanetary missions. Rocket Lab is also a premier supplier of advanced satellites, flight-proven subsystems and spacecraft components. At a component level, Rocket Lab spacecraft technology spans space solar power, composite structures, flight software, star trackers, reaction wheels, separation systems, and more. Rocket Lab satellite technology and components have been integrated into more than 1,700 satellite missions

globally.

Source: www.rocketlabusa.com

Secretary Blinken’s Call with New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Peters

Mike Hearn — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 19:53:09 GMT

The following is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:

Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke today with New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters. Secretary Blinken congratulated Deputy Prime Minister Peters on assuming his new role and reiterated the United States’ commitment to strengthening the U.S.-New Zealand partnership. The two leaders discussed how our nations will bolster security in the Indo-Pacific region. Secretary Blinken reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to facilitating an Indo-Pacific that is free and open, inclusive, and resilient. The Secretary also thanked the Deputy Prime Minister for New Zealand’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as it defends itself against Russia’s war of aggression.

Source: https://www.state.gov/

ikeGPS Releases IKE PoleForeman Structural Analysis Software

Mike Hearn — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 23:21:24 GMT

The newest iteration of the industry-standard software includes enhanced features while retaining its intuitive interface and reputation for defendable data.

BROOMFIELD, COLORADO – [Oct. 18, 2023] – ikeGPS (IKE), a leading provider of grid infrastructure data acquisition and analysis tools for electric utilities, communications companies, and engineering firms in the U.S., proudly announces the release of IKE PoleForeman structural analysis software.

The software builds on PoleForeman’s twenty-two-year-old reputation for allowing users to conduct defendable pole load analysis that complies with or exceeds National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) standards for overhead pole line design.

Invented by IKE’s Senior VP of Structural Analysis Malcolm Young in the early 2000s, PoleForeman has become one of the most widely used structural analysis software programs for designing and maintaining overhead power distribution pole lines in the industry. PoleForeman is trusted by many of the largest communications companies and seven of the ten largest investor-owned electric utilities in the US.

IKE PoleForeman adds multiple-pole analysis, enhanced 3D graphics, 2023 NESC, a secure modern code base, and a self-administered database admin portal, as well as other exciting features and enhancements.

The software’s release comes as the grid modernizes and the industry seeks to optimize investments in pole assets while complying with the 2023 NESC, ensuring the highest levels of safety to protect workers, facilities, and the public during the installation, operation, and maintenance of communication and supply infrastructure.

Chief Engineer of Distribution Engineering for one of the nation’s largest engineering firms [TRC Companies] Scott G Gudeman believes the new software will be a boon to his organization’s productivity, “The added functionality of IKE PoleForeman will reduce the time it takes to analyze poles, making us more efficient.”

“The current explosion of broadband internet and the subsequent joint use attachment requests along with storm hardening requirements means utilities, engineering firms, and communication companies bear an even greater burden designing the system. ,” says IKE PoleForman’s creator Malcolm Young. “IKE’s structural analysis software is an indispensable tool for those who are engineering tomorrow’s grid.”

Learn more about IKE PoleForeman

Malcolm Young will host a live webinar titled “Introducing…IKE PoleForeman” on November 7, 2023, during which he will give an overview of the software, explain some of its key features, and answer questions from attendees.

https://ikegps.com/

Look who’s heading to The Hills

Mike Hearn — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 21:46:08 GMT

Mountain Scene can reveal Arrowtown-based mega-jeweller Sir Michael Hill and his family are partnering with high-end American golf course developer, billionaire Ric Kayne, and offsider Jim Rohrstaff, to expand their own exclusive course, The Hills.

The latter are behind the private, internationally-acclaimed Tara Iti Golf Club course, north of Auckland, and nearby Te Arai Links, comprising one coastal 18-holer with another one to come.

The Hills Golf Club director Emma Hill, whose dad Sir Michael bought their family property, a former deer farm, 30 years ago, tells Scene: ‘‘Together we plan to expand The Hills offer, creating one of the most sought-after golf and lifestyle communities internationally.’’

Emma says further developments are likely to include a clubhouse extension, new golfing facilities, course enhancements, more member services, luxury visitor accommodation and high-end homes.

‘‘We’re excited about the opportunity to retain the stunning landscapes and unique culture of The Hills, while firmly establishing it as a premium international golfing and lifestyle destination.’’

Designed by landscape architect John Darby, who’s also played a hand in Kayne’s northern courses, The Hills championship course grew out of an original 3-holer, and opened in 2007 in time to host the New Zealand Open.

In 2009, Sir Michael won planning consent for 17 luxury underground homes, mimicking the award-winning ‘bunker’ clubhouse.

However, he pulled pin the next year, citing the difficult economic climate.

Since then he’s won acclaim for adding myriad sculptures, an upmarket lodge and a rural-looking 9-holer, The Farm.

Two years ago, the Environment Court approved a resort zone for The Hills, allowing up to 66 residential and 84 visitor accommodation units in visually-discreet areas.

‘‘We wanted to ensure the extraordinary landscape is protected, and when you walk the fairways or you’re viewing the course, it looks much like it does today,’’ Emma told Scene at the time.

The zone ‘‘ensures in perpetuity 95% of the land remains as green open space, maintained to a beautiful standard’’.

On Kayne’s and his new partnership with the Hills, and The Hills, Rohrstaff says: ‘‘Ric and I are delighted to be working with the Hill family.

‘‘The Hills is a magnificent property in a special part of the world.

‘‘We see the destination as complementary to our northern properties, and look forward to enhancing the experience at The Hills over the coming years.’’

He believes the enhanced offering will be an asset to the local community, and New Zealand, and bring a new dimension to golf tourism in the region.

Source: scoop@scene.co.nz

Nui Markets Acquires PrimeXConnect - Expanding Into Meat Sector And Extending Dairy Supply Chain Reach & Trading Options

Mike Hearn — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 22:51:54 GMT

New Zealand-owned and operated global digital trading platform for agricultural products, Nui Markets is pleased to announce the successful acquisition of PrimeXConnect, an Australian sales and order management software company currently operating in the red meat industry.

Nui Markets has been revolutionising how the world trades agricultural products since 2016, operating digital platforms in New Zealand, Europe, North America and Brazil, delivering buyers, sellers, and traders visibility of real-time data for up-to-the-minute price discovery in specific market categories. To date, over $NZD 1.4 billion of products has been traded on a Nui platform across 75 countries.

Nui Markets Co-Founder and CEO Kevin O’Sullivan says the acquisition of PrimeXConnect, activated by a recent capital raise, is an integral part of the company’s growth strategy. By combining Nui’s strong roots in dairy with the PrimeXConnect product, they aim to create a stronger and more comprehensive offering to the agricultural sector.

“Nui has the ability to bring many buyers and sellers together in one place, either one-to-many across our private Enterprise platforms or many-to-many on our open Marketplaces. Now, with the purchase of PrimeXConnect, we have the capability in direct one-to-one sales and logistics, enabling us to reach further down the supply chain for new and existing customers in retail and food service.”

PrimeXConnect Co-Founder Michael Chandler says the integration with Nui is logical, with both companies seeking to offer innovative trading strategies with increased efficiencies and price transparency across market-specific categories in the agricultural sector.

“I am proud of how we have grown PrimeXConnect over the past five years, and I am excited for our company to join Nui and bring our innovative tech to a much broader trading environment. Our work so far complements Nui’s strategic partnership approach with the companies it works with and will be a valuable addition to the digital platform’s product suite.”

On completion of the acquisition, Nui Markets will transition all PrimeXConnect business operations and employees into its company structure. The two company founders, Michael Chandler and Jean-Claude Abouchar, will report to the Nui senior management team. PrimeXConnect is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, and employees will remain there. A new sales role based in the U.S. has also been established to introduce the product.

Existing PrimeXConnect customer ANZCO will continue to use the sales and order management software as usual in the immediate term. Moving forward, Nui Markets plans to integrate and further develop the offering under its umbrella of products and services.

https://www.nuimarkets.com/

United Airlines’ Christchurch flights from US make history

Mike Hearn — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 20:41:59 GMT

United Airlines will become the first US carrier to fly into the South Island with the arrival today of UA730 from San Francisco to Christchurch.

United is now the only airline to offer direct flights between the South Island and the US and it is the first to offer direct San Francisco services. Air New Zealand was the last airline to link Christchurch to the US, with services to Los Angeles ending the 2002.

The new United direct route is three times a week using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner during summer although it will use the larger 9-series of the the plane for the first flight. To commemorate the inaugural flight, the aircraft has been adorned with a symbolic silver fern.

It is scheduled to touch down at 10.35am although Flightradar24 shows it running up to 40 minutes early.

Christchurch Airport has said that based on government data, the seasonal service is forecast to bring in $44 million in visitor spending for New Zealand, with $32 million of that in South Island regions.

The inaugural aircraft has been christened with the name ‘Kiwi Cruiser’, featuring the fern, signifying a ‘‘defining moment’' in aviation history, and the strengthening of United Airlines’ relationship with New Zealand.

The United Airlines service is part of a big push by US airlines into New Zealand over the summer, with Delta Air Lines entering the market into Auckland for the first time and American Airlines returning with an expanded service.

Patrick Quayle, United’s senior vice president of global network planning and alliances, said he had wanted to see the Christchurch route for a long time.

‘‘I had the opportunity to backpack in New Zealand earlier in my life and it’s such a special destination that offers travellers an experience unlike anywhere else in the world,” Quayle said.

Christchurch Airport chief executive Justin Watson said the service will supercharge tourism in the region.

‘‘The American travel market is buoyant, with Americans travelling widely again and we know they want to experience what the South Island offers. In addition, the service brings much-needed air freight capacity for South Island producers and enables South Islanders direct access to the US and beyond.”

Because of United’s partnership with Air New Zealand, customers can easily connect from Christchurch to 19 other destinations across New Zealand.

By the end of 2023, United will operate 66 flights between the US and the South Pacific region each week.

With nearly 50 per cent growth over the past year, the airline says it is the largest expansion to the region in US aviation history.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner has 28 Polaris business class, 21 Premium Plus, 36 Economy Plus and 158 Economy seats.

The airline also flies into Auckland.

United is the world’s biggest airline by available seat kilometres.

Air New Zealand chief transformation and alliances officer Mike Williams said the new direct Christchurch to San Francisco service is an expansion of the already strong alliance partnership between the airlines.

“This new route is great news for customers, who now have even more connection options between New Zealand and the US.’'

UA731 will depart Christchurch on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays at 2.15pm and UA730 will depart San Francisco on Fridays, Sundays and Wednesdays at 11.30pm.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

By Grant Bradley

Cordis Auckland Clinches Prestigious Honours at the 21st HM Awards in Sydney

Mike Hearn — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 01:37:02 GMT

On Friday, November 24, a distinguished assembly of 1,000 esteemed professionals from the hotel industry convened for the 21st HM Awards for Hotel and Accommodation Excellence.

The 2023 awards, held at The Star Event Centre in Sydney, acknowledge and celebrate exemplary properties and individuals from Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, recognizing outstanding achievements across people, departments, properties and chains.

Franz Mascarenhas, Managing Director of Cordis Auckland, was bestowed with the esteemed Ashley Spencer Service to the Industry Award.

As a long-serving senior hotel executive in New Zealand, Franz has been a dedicated and passionate advocate of the hotel industry for more than 35 years.

During this time he has held senior leadership positions across three global hotel companies - ITT Sheraton Hotels, Hyatt Hotels Corporation and the Langham Hospitality Group.

For the last decade, Franz has been the Managing Director of Cordis Auckland where he is highly regarded as a strong, intuitive leader who brings a great sense of composure to everything he does.

It is often said that the calibre of the competition is a good indication of the true value of an award. In this instance, Franz has competed with the best across Australasia for many years, setting an exceptional benchmark and consistently enabling his team to deliver the standards now expected by their valued customers.

Further to this for Cordis Auckland, Sarwan Singh, Director of Sales, won the award for Top Sales Associate NZ/South Pacific – a testament to the work that he has done for years, delivering value and genuine heartfelt service to a growing number of appreciative key clients.

Martin Dunlop, another long-serving member of the team, took out the award for Top Concierge NZ/South Pacific. In an important role, Martin is a familiar face for Cordis Auckland’s guests.

Cordis Auckland was also Highly Commended in the categories for Best Australasian Hotel and NZ Luxury Hotel.

Martin Dunlop, another long-serving member of the team, took out the award for Top Concierge NZ/South Pacific. In an important role, Martin is a familiar face for Cordis Auckland’s guests.

Cordis Auckland was also Highly Commended in the categories for Best Australasian Hotel and NZ Luxury Hotel.

www.cordishotels.com

A New Chapter Unfolds: Rosewood Hotels & Resorts Enters New Zealand With The Addition Of Robertson Lodges

Mike Hearn — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 02:49:34 GMT

With rich landscapes, a multi-layered cultural heritage, and untouched wilderness, New Zealand has captured the imagination of some of the world’s most creative minds. Rosewood Hotels & Resorts® is embarking on a journey to this iconic destination with Robertson Lodges, a distinguished collection of three resorts, each offering a unique and luxurious escape. As of December 1, 2023, Rosewood Kauri Cliffs, Rosewood Cape Kidnappers and Rosewood Matakauri will join the Rosewood portfolio. Capturing New Zealand’s unique geography, the three properties provide for the ultimate journey across the North and South Island, together offering access to its expansive coastline, rolling hills, soaring mountains and more.

The latest milestone of Rosewood’s intentional and ongoing growth strategy, these additions mark Rosewood's entry into the Oceania region. They also underscore Rosewood’s commitment to championing storied properties in some of the most remarkable destinations around the world. Founded by philanthropists Julian and Josie Robertson in 2001, the three resorts have garnered a reputation as some of New Zealand’s top accommodations providing bespoke and warm hospitality set against stunning backdrops. Under Rosewood’s management, the quintessential spirit of each property and the collection at large will live on, reinforced by the brand’s intuitive approach to service and experiential programming.

“New Zealand's inspiring natural beauty and warm hospitality have truly captivated us, and we are thrilled to embark on this remarkable journey with Robertson Lodges" said Sonia Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Rosewood Hotel Group. “It is with great respect and admiration that we seek to honor the Robertson family’s original vision by further elevating the guest experience offered at each resort with Rosewood’s singular approach to ultra-luxury hospitality.”

Staying true to Rosewood’s guiding A Sense of Place® philosophy, New Zealand’s authentic and unique spirit will inform every element of the refreshed guest experience, inviting both legacy and first time visitors to revel in surreal settings. With great respect for the heritage of the properties and the foundation that the Robertson family has built, Rosewood will carefully preserve and sustain the friendly service style and care for native culture that have defined these destinations over the decades.

Three Dynamic Destinations

Set against a pristine shoreline with all-encompassing views of the Pacific Ocean, Rosewood Kauri Cliffs sits within a 6,000-acre coastal estate near the Bay of Islands. This region, known as Northland, is most frequented by travelers eager to explore the coastline and better understand the land’s history. Known as the “birthplace of a nation” for its historical significance as the signing place of New Zealand's founding document, Northland offers visitors the chance to experience the influences that have forged the destination’s culture today. A quintessential expression of iconic New Zealand motifs, the resort’s grounds provide access to three private beaches, a sheep and cattle farms, a peaceful native forest and Kauri Cliffs championship 18-hole golf course.

Home to 26 rooms and suites, Rosewood Kauri Cliffs encourages exploration with destination activities including fishing, swimming, golf, heritage tours, sailing the Bay of Islands, and miles of walking trails. The resort is complete with a well-appointed dining outlet, fitness center and spa. The vastness of the local geography comes to life at this elegant seaside escape, inviting guests to embrace their sense of awe throughout their entire journey.

Rosewood Cape Kidnappers is located in Hawke’s Bay on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, a region most known for its wineries, thriving food scene, and the Art Deco architecture of the nearby city of Napier. Perched atop the rolling hills and rugged cliffs of this fertile countryside, the property is set against expansive views where the ocean meets the horizon. While the region’s vineyards are world-renowned, the property itself is a haven for golfers and nature lovers with a golf course designed by Tom Doak, and is home to the largest privately funded wildlife restoration project in New Zealand, the Cape Sanctuary.

With a footprint of only 24 rooms and suites, this intimate hideaway invites guests to surrender to a slower and simpler pace of living. The property is known for its destination experiences such as farm tours, nature walks, and golfing, all of which immerse guests in the area’s peaceful and picturesque surroundings. Additional on-site amenities include one dining outpost and spa treatment rooms with a tranquil infinity pool.

“My family and I are delighted to partner with Rosewood Hotels & Resorts to continue the personal style of hotel management our parents put in place when they opened The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs over twenty years ago. Rosewood’s origin story also began with an individual family’s dream and an unwavering passion for hospitality. These are values they held on to while growing into one of the world’s most impressive hotel groups” said Jay Robertson. “This new chapter is an exciting one as we continue to share the quintessential New Zealand experience that Robertson Lodge guests love so much.”

Moving inland, Rosewood Matakauri is located in Queenstown on the lower South Island of New Zealand. An adventurer’s dream, Queenstown offers a full spectrum of experiences year-round including snow sports in the winter, and hiking, wine touring, and art experiences throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Lauded as an alpine lakeside retreat, Rosewood Matakauri is surrounded by what are considered to be Queenstown’s big three peaks—The Remarkables, Cecil, and Walter Peak. The resort celebrates these striking mountainscapes and the natural elements of the land through understated yet luxurious design and architecture.

With 13 accommodations and one dining outlet, the resort has a familial and intimate feel, allowing for attentive service that invites guests to build close connections with the associates and each other. Made complete with spa treatment rooms, wellness facilities, and outdoor pool, Rosewood Matakauri affords every indulgence.

Rosewood’s entrance into this highly captivating area of the Pacific is the latest demonstration of the brand’s commitment to expanding the horizons of luxury travel. Channeling a differentiated approach to service that has contributed to the collection’s notoriety around the world, Rosewood is poised to bring a new level of luxury hospitality to this destination, that already exists in the imaginations of so many affluential explorers.

For more information, please visit rosewoodhotels.com

Bettcher Industries acquisition of MHM Automation

Mike Hearn — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 02:55:55 GMT

MHM Automation is pleased to announce it has entered into a Scheme Implementation Agreement.

We have officially entered into an agreement to be acquired by Bettcher Industries, a leading US-based company renowned for its innovative equipment in the food processing industry.

Bettcher Industries has rapidly expanded its global presence through a combination of organic growth and strategic acquisitions. The strategic alignment between MHM and Bettcher is exceptional, and this partnership promises to usher in a new era of growth and opportunity for both organisations.

This exciting development will equip MHM with the essential capital, resources, and enhanced market presence needed to continue our journey of innovation, excellence, and customer satisfaction. We are committed to maintaining and enhancing the quality of service and products you have come to expect from MHM, while exploring new possibilities that will benefit all our stakeholders.

Our focus on providing exceptional products and services remains unwavering. This strategic alliance with Bettcher Industries will only strengthen our ability to serve your needs and exceed your expectations.

To gain more insights and context about this significant step in our journey, please read the official announcement on our website in the link below.

MHM Automation Enters Into Scheme Implementation Agreement

AFT welcomes US FDA approval for sale of Maxigesic IV®

Mike Hearn — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 21:08:49 GMT

AFT Pharmaceuticals (NZX: AFT, ASX: AFP) today announces it has been notified overnight that the US FDA has approved Maxigesic IV®, the intravenous form of its patented pain relief medicine, for sale in the US, which represents AFT’s second FDA approval within one year.

The medicine is now positioned to go on sale either at the tail end of FY’24 or early in FY’25, an event that will trigger a milestone payment of US$6 million to AFT from the US licensee of the medicine Hikma Pharmaceuticals. AFT is entitled to 65% of this under its profit share arrangements with Hyloris. AFT also qualifies for a US$2.9 million reimbursement of regulatory fees paid to the FDA for Maxigesic IV that it expects to receive in the current financial year.

If the commercial milestone for the launch of Maxigesic IV is triggered within this financial year (FY’24) then this license income will be in addition to the current $22-24m guidance.

AFT Co-Founder and Managing Director Dr Hartley Atkinson says: “We are delighted with the FDA approval of this prescription medicine. We are also proud of the achievement, which is the second approval in one year.

“The US analgesic market is the world’s largest, worth US$6.83 billion in 2023, and is forecast to grow by an estimated 4.89% a year until 2028 . We now have two medicines that can begin to take a share of this market – Maxigesic IV and Maxigesic Rapid®, the rapid dissolving tablet prescription form of the medicine that was approved by the FDA in March 2023.

“The FDA approval of Maxigesic Rapid was the first time the US food and medicine regulator had given the green light for sale of a New Zealand-developed patented medicine based on clinical trial data.,” Dr Atkinson said.

“It is a real credit to the determination, commitment, and capability of the AFT team and our research and development partner, Belgium’s Hyloris Pharmaceuticals. We thank them all for their efforts.”

Maxigesic IV is a novel, unique combination, intravenous formulation for the treatment of post-operative pain that aims to provide an effective alternative to opioid pain relief medicines, offering a significant alternative therapeutic option. Maxigesic Rapid offers similar benefits, which AFT is still working through the best way to approach the US market for this dose form of the medicine.

In the United States chronic opioid usage in patients following surgery averaging around 9%, which is a concern . Drug overdoses involving opioids meanwhile resulted in over 80,000 deaths in the US in 2021 . Patients who experienced an opioid overdose accounted for nearly US$2 billion in annual hospital costs .

Maxigesic was invented by Dr Atkinson and was first introduced in New Zealand in 2009 in tablet form. The medicine has since been licensed in more than 100 countries worldwide and is sold in a variety of dose forms in 62 countries.

https://www.nzx.com/

New AAIP report makes closing arguments for the IPEF

Mike Hearn — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 22:50:58 GMT

Says agreements must be future-proofed to allow greater ambition

Washington, D.C., October 16, 2023 – Today, the American Association of the Indo-Pacific (AAIP) released a report at the beginning of what may be the final round of IPEF negotiations in Kuala Lumpur. This report and the negotiations come at a pivotal time, as the IPEF grapples with challenges on multiple fronts—skepticism among members, the evolving nature of U.S. domestic politics, and the continued quest for tangible economic benefits.

Jackson Cox, AAIP Interim CEO, commented, "While we welcome the IPEF, there are several key areas of doubt among IPEF members that must be acknowledged and constructively addressed. These pertain to the very essence of the agreement, the uncertainty generated by U.S. domestic politics, and the aspirations for direct economic gains.

“But it's important to highlight that the current U.S. administration has fortified its commitment to the IPEF. This is a nuanced but significant shift in policy and a point of optimism."

"While the IPEF may not explicitly offer market access," Cox added, "our analysis shows that even modest trade facilitation measures can bring substantial economic benefits. Streamlined customs procedures and electronic document exchanges, for instance, have significantly reduced time and costs for exporters in other contexts."

Cox acknowledged that the key requirements for the IPEF to be considered a great success by private sector organizations like AAIP might not be met. These include commitments to address market access, broader trade liberalization, and chapters on digital trade, technical barriers, health, and intellectual property.

"However," Cox concluded, "it is critical that we can build on what is in the final agreement going into the future. The agreement must be future-proofed to adapt to evolving economic landscapes and be receptive to stakeholder input. AAIP looks forward to being an engaged and constructive stakeholder during IPEF’s implementation period."

Click here to see their report www.americanindopac.com

Rocket Lab acquires SailGP Technologies facilities and team in Warkworth

Mike Hearn — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 01:38:32 GMT

Rocket Lab USA, Inc, a global leader in launch and space systems, has acquired SailGP Technologies’ world-class manufacturing complex in Warkworth, New Zealand – bolstering the company’s New Zealand business and retaining more than 90% of SailGP Technologies New Zealand based staff. SailGP Technologies is relocating its operations to the UK to more effectively support the growing league.

SailGP Technologies has been a close partner and supplier to Rocket Lab, providing selected advanced composite materials and components for the Electron rocket. From this week, Rocket Lab – who pioneered the use of carbon composites in space by developing the world’s first carbon composite orbital rocket – will lease SailGP Technologies’ 70,000 square foot development and manufacturing complex in Warkworth.

More than 50 SailGP Technologies New Zealand based team members will remain at the facility and join the Rocket Lab team, supporting a growing production rate for the Electron rocket and the rapid development of Neutron, Rocket Lab’s new 13,000 kg payload class rocket. As part of the transition, Rocket Lab will retain the facilities’ advanced manufacturing equipment including an autoclave, ovens, composite material cutting plotters, CNC metal machining equipment, and large-scale CNC composite machining equipment to support accelerated R&D and production.

Founded in 2001 as Core Builders Composites (CBC), the Warkworth facility has in recent years become heavily focussed on building and maintaining the cutting-edge F50 catamarans used in SailGP’s global racing league – one of the world’s fastest growing sport leagues – which accounts for around 80% of its work.

With 85% of SailGP events being staged in the northern hemisphere – growing from five to thirteen events since its inaugural season, the league will relocate its manufacturing facility to Southampton near SailGP’s global headquarters in London, England. SailGP Technologies will transition its operations to the South Coast of England from November this year, with the aim of being fully operational by April 2024.

Rocket Lab CEO and Founder Peter Beck said: “We’ve had the privilege of working with the SailGP Technologies team for a number of years now supporting advanced carbon composite manufacturing for Electron.

"They’re an absolutely world-class team and we’re excited to welcome them into the Rocket Lab fold. The transition from sea to skies ensures we keep advanced composites talent and expertise in New Zealand, supporting the ongoing growth of the nation’s thriving aerospace industry. We wish SailGP all the very best as they embark on an exciting new chapter in the UK and will be cheering the sport on as it continues to grow globally.”

SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “As we continue a steep growth trajectory in markets around the world, we are looking forward to moving our technology and innovation arm closer to our global headquarters, events, teams, and world-class racing, most of which are located in the northern hemisphere.

“The knowledge and commitment of our Warkworth team has been vital to the success of SailGP. With experience honed across more than two decades, they’re among the best in the business and we’re delighted that their skills, expertise and experience can remain in New Zealand for many years to come. We know the team at Rocket Lab will benefit from their skills and the staff are all really excited to be joining Rocket Lab for what promises to be an incredible future ahead.”

The news follows the implementation of a new regional structure in Asia Pacific to enhance the league’s commercial program in New Zealand, Australia and other Asian markets.

This includes the recent appointment of Chae Blewitt as Head of Commercial, APAC. Blewitt – who will be responsible for driving the growth of partnerships across the region – brings with him extensive marketing and business growth experience from working across Spark Sport, Reel Factory, and Warner Bros. Discovery (then Mediaworks) and other properties. After delivering what many regarded as one of SailGP’s best events, the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in Christchurch earlier this year, Karl Budge stepped down as APAC Commercial Director at the end of September to pursue other opportunities.

SailGP will continue to maintain a strong presence in New Zealand, including the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix, which alternates between Auckland and Christchurch as part of a four-season partnership with New Zealand Major Events and the respective host cities, as well as the New Zealand SailGP Team, led by co-CEOs Peter Burling and Blair Tuke.

Source: https://sailgp.com/

Cropsy Technologies Secures $1.7 Million In Extended Over-subscribed Capital Raise With U.s. Investor Support

Mike Hearn — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 02:12:05 GMT

Cropsy Technologies, the New Zealand-based agritech startup, is proud to announce the successful completion of its second funding round, raising an impressive $1.7 million in an extended and over-subscribed capital raise. This achievement marks a significant milestone for the company and positions it for global expansion, thanks to the backing of prominent U.S. investor Seraph Group.

The trailblazing company is poised to reshape the future of fruit growing with its ground-breaking crop monitoring technology. Their cutting-edge solution combines automated, continuous, and GPS-tracked high-definition image capture with AI-enabled software.

Each Cropsy scanner analyses over 30,000 vines per day in real-time, integrating with growers existing tractors to seamlessly profile critical aspects of a vineyard – leaves, shoots, fruits, canes, and trunks – with no extra labour. Sunlight, shadows, and reflections are no match for Cropsy’s scanner, ensuring accurate details like colours and textures are preserved, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions.

Cropsy’s transformative technology is currently crafted specifically for vineyards, providing a multitude of benefits with no additional effort from the grower; localising disease presence in its earliest stages, tracking missing and dead vines, analysing pruning status, counting buds, inflorescences, and bunches for yield estimation – all on a per-vine level, tracking each plant down to the centimetre. The focus on global enterprise winegrowers means the team has a deep understanding of problems and challenges at scale, keeping them ahead of the competition.
Cropsy's capital raise not only received continued support from existing investors such as Angel Investors Marlborough, NZGCP, Icehouse Ventures, and K1W1 but also attracted its first U.S. investor, Seraph Group – a milestone for the company.

Seraph Group, founded in 2003 in San Francisco and Atlanta, is an American venture capital firm known for its unique network of 370+ accomplished investors who support entrepreneurs. Seraph Group’s Founder and CEO, Tuff Yen, expressed his enthusiasm for Cropsy, stating, “they apply their technology to enhance the bottom line for growers in viticulture using machine vision and intelligent software, leading the way to a new era of improved productivity while reducing costs. We invested because this is the way of the future, and the founding team exhibits the commitment to see this through.”

The round was so successful that it extended beyond its original oversubscription limit, from $1.5 million to $1.7 million, to accommodate the interests of new investors, even amid global capital market uncertainties.

Lead investor, Tracy Atkin, of Angel Investors Marlborough says it has been an extremely tough year for start-ups raising in a post-pandemic and recessionary environment. “For Cropsy to not only reach their target but exceed it is a testament to their team and technology. It is a fantastic achievement and one I was proud to support as lead investor for their second round on behalf of Angel Investors Marlborough.”

“2023 has shaped up to be a momentous year for us,” says CEO Ali Alomari. “We’ve reached our first international customers in the U.S. and France, and the support of Seraph Group aligns perfectly with our attention on the U.S. as a key market.” Earlier in 2022, Ali mentioned that Cropsy’s internal milestone is to scan 10 million vines by the end of 2023. “We’ve passed 6 million new vines right now, and at this rate, we’ll reach our target of 10 million new vines by the end of this year.”

With 30 scanners deployed, and more in the pipeline, Cropsy is set on a clear path forward. COO Leila Deljkovic emphasised the company’s focus is all on expanding geographies and scaling the technology. New Zealand is a character-building place to grow deep tech companies like Cropsy. “We’re extremely efficient simply because of where we’re based. It’s a distinct advantage.”

Founded by four young engineers fresh out of university in 2019, Ali (26), Leila (26), Rory (26), Winston (24), Cropsy Technologies has grown to ten full-time staff and is actively recruiting brilliant talent who thrive on solving challenging problems in hardware, big data, AI, and computer vision with a multi-disciplinary engineering team.

“Working at Cropsy has provided some of the most challenging yet interesting problems I have gotten to work on. Being on the bleeding edge of technology allows us to push the envelope, and keep our skills top-notch,” says Cropsy’s senior software engineer Cedric Bournville.
Source: https://www.scoop.co.nz/

Carbon-negative biographite addresses raw material scarcity for EV and grid-scale batteries

Mike Hearn — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 01:59:23 GMT

Commercialisation of biographite planned in Europe and the US as CarbonScape announces USD18m investment.

New Zealand-based battery material innovator CarbonScape to commercialise production of biographite in Europe and the US, enabling cleaner lithium-ion batteries for EVs and grid-scale energy storage.

Graphite is up to 50% of the weight of a lithium-ion battery, yet expected global demand far outstrips supply, with a forecast deficit of 777,000 tonnes per annum by 2030.

Biographite, produced from forestry and timber industry by-products, is a sustainable alternative for battery supply chains currently dependent on petroleum-based or mined graphite.

Biographite, produced locally, provides security of supply for European and US based battery manufacturers in the face of increasing supply chain instability, while also on-shoring production of a critical material to meet rapidly growing demand.

Investment round led by Stora Enso Oyj, joined by Amperex Technology Ltd (ATL) and other partners, bringing expertise from all sides of the supply chain to accelerate growth and speed to market.

19 September, London, CarbonScape, the first-to-market producer of biographite - a carbon-negative alternative to the critical material for lithium-ion batteries - today announces new investment of USD 18m led by Stora Enso, and joined by ATL and other strategic partners. The investment will support the commercialisation of biographite, and further plans to establish production in Europe and the US.

Biographite will provide a much-needed alternative for EV and grid-scale battery supply chains, by sustainably creating a critical raw material that currently depends on costly and high-emission production processes. CarbonScape’s patented process is the result of seven years of development and testing and uses timber and forestry industry by-products, such as wood chips. It is a sustainable alternative to synthetic (petroleum based) and natural (mined) graphite, the raw material which fills the largest portion of a lithium-ion battery. The result is a cleaner, competitive and more secure raw material for the global market.

Graphite deficit threatens global battery market growth

Graphite makes up to 50 per cent of the weight of a lithium-ion battery and, as a result, is an essential element in the shift to clean energy and transport, with over half of global demand for graphite now coming from the battery sector. Graphite production is also one of the largest CO2 emitters in the battery raw materials supply chain and represents a significant proportion of the cost of a battery. Adding to the problem, today’s battery supply chains are long and complicated, with petroleum-based and mined materials crossing the globe from source, through processing to battery assembly, to reach end consumers.

With countries increasingly competing for raw materials, securing supplies of graphite is key to ramping up production of EVs and renewable energy systems - as reflected in the recent EU Critical Raw Materials Act and US Final Critical Materials List. Recent analysis predicts a global supply deficit of 777,000 tonnes by 2030, with EV sales alone due to more than triple by this date.

Ivan Williams, CEO of CarbonScape, said:

“CarbonScape’s biographite enables the establishment of localised battery supply chains from the ground up. If we are to truly move away from fossil carbon and power our economies through mass electrification, we urgently need sustainable alternatives like biographite to scale quickly.”

“This investment represents a strong statement of support for sustainable sourcing of battery materials for global decarbonisation. With these partnerships, CarbonScape is another step closer to bringing biographite to market on a commercial scale.”

A carbon negative solution to scale domestic battery production

Biographite has a carbon negative footprint, saving up to 30 tonnes of CO2 emissions per tonne of material compared to synthetic or mined graphite. Using biographite will enable battery manufacturers to cut the carbon footprint of each battery by almost a third (30 per cent), potentially reducing sector emissions by more than 86 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2030.

To meet the demand for batteries with synthetic graphite would require more than tripling existing production capacity, using fossil fuel feedstocks and high-emission processes. To use mined graphite would require almost 100 new mines, each taking around 10 years or more to come online and costing hundreds of millions of dollars, with enormous social and environmental costs.

By contrast, using less than five per cent of the forestry industry by-products generated annually in Europe and North America, CarbonScape’s cleaner, faster process could produce enough biographite to meet half the total global projected graphite demand for EV and grid-scale batteries by 2030.

Crucially, biographite production can be localised to EV and battery manufacturing hubs, vertically-integrating domestic and regional supply chains. This reduces geopolitical risk as countries compete for minerals and as mineral producers seek a greater share of the value, as seen recently in Chile, which plans to nationalise the lithium industry, and in Indonesia, which has banned exports of nickel ore in an attempt to build domestic industry.

Commercialising biographite production

The new investment will support CarbonScape to scale the business and further develop plans for production facilities in Europe and the US. The strategic partnerships with investors Stora Enso, a leading provider of renewable products in biomaterials, packaging, and wooden construction and one of the largest private forest owners in the world; and ATL, a global lithium-ion battery innovator, will bring expertise from all sides of the supply chain, significantly accelerating the company’s growth and biographite’s speed to market.

Juuso Konttinen, Senior Vice President, Biomaterials Growth Businesses at Stora Enso, said:

“Partnering with CarbonScape marks another step on our journey to serve the fast-growing battery market with sustainable, local materials made from trees. With this partnership, we are exploring a sustainable alternative for critical battery materials, creating a positive impact on society.”

Joe Kit Chu Lam, ATL Executive Vice President, said:

“As a premier global innovative technology corporation, our central vision is to contribute to the green energy revolution for the future.”

“Demand for low cost and low emission solutions is increasing and it is our objective to ensure we remain a leader in the market by adopting innovative solutions. Our partnership with CarbonScape allows us to continue to create the technology of the future and brings us one step closer to a net zero economy.”

New Zealand-based deep tech biomaterials company CarbonScape began development of biographite in 2016, with an aim to replace fossil carbons with a sustainable alternative. Its pilot facility in Marlborough produces biographite for customer testing and validation, while providing the necessary scale-up data for global commercialisation.

About Stora Enso

Part of the global bioeconomy, Stora Enso is a leading provider of renewable products in packaging, biomaterials and wooden construction, and one of the largest private forest owners in the world. It believes that everything that is made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow. Stora Enso has approximately 21,000 employees and sales in 2022 were EUR 11.7 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Oy (STEAV, STERV) and Nasdaq Stockholm AB (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs (SEOAY).

About ATL

Amperex Technology Limited (ATL) is a global lithium-ion battery producer and innovator. Headquartered in Hong Kong, it provides high quality rechargeable lithium-ion battery cells, packs and system integration solutions, providing services and products across the consumer electronics industry. It is committed to innovating to power our lives.

Source: https://www.carbonscape.com/

Delta announce all year round service LA to Auckland

Mike Hearn — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 01:50:19 GMT

Meanwhile, on the U.S. west coast, Delta’s nonstop, daily flight from LAX to Auckland, New Zealand, which begins Oct. 28, 2023, will extend to year-round service, operating daily from November to March and three times weekly from April to October. Delta will also increase service from LAX to Sydney, Australia, to twice-daily beginning this December.
Source: https://news.delta.com/

Indo-Pacific supply chain agreement published

Mike Hearn — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 23:56:00 GMT

As part of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) initiative led by the United States of America, 14 Indo-Pacific partners have agreed on a joint approach to regional supply chains.

Substantial conclusion of the IPEF Supply Chain Agreement was announced on 27 May 2023, and the text subsequently went through a legal verification process. Once signed, the IPEF Parties can complete the approval procedures necessary for ratification and entry into force of the Agreement.

IPEF is a novel type of initiative that will provide new channels of collaboration amongst regional countries. Members of IPEF are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United States of America, and Vietnam. Together the 14 represent 40% of world GDP.

Under the Supply Chain Agreement IPEF partners undertake to:

Promote regulatory transparency in areas which may impact IPEF supply chains;
Develop a shared understanding of global supply chain risks through each Party identifying their critical sectors and key goods in their supply chains;
Monitor for and address supply chain vulnerabilities; and
Promote responsible business conduct and transparency in terms of upholding labour rights in supply chains.

The text of the Agreement is available to read and download here [PDF, 318 KB]

Source: www.mfat.govt.nz

Pioneering US tech to cut methane from cows gets Kiwi funding boost

Mike Hearn — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 03:33:23 GMT

AgriZeroNZ, a joint venture of major New Zealand agribusiness companies and the government, is the lead investor in a US start-up developing probiotics and natural enzymes that reduces methane while improving cow health.

The JV has invested $4.1 million (NZD) into Hoofprint Biome, in Raleigh, North Carolina, in its pre-seed funding round (total USD$3.75M) to support development of its probiotic into animal trial proof-of-concept stage.

Good Growth Capital and Ponderosa Ventures (member of Galvanize Climate Solutions) have also invested in the round.

Wayne McNee executive director of AgriZeroNZ, says the investment allows the JV to be involved from an early stage and drive development towards a solution for New Zealand farmers.

“Hoofprint is developing novel technology with potential to be a real breakthrough to help meet our country’s climate goals. We’re really pleased to be backing Hoofprint as the lead investor, and secure this opportunity for New Zealand farmers so they can be at the forefront of its future success,” Wayne McNee said.

Hoofprint Biome, a spin-out of NC State University, was founded by Dr. Kathryn Polkoff and Dr. Scott Collins. As two biotech entrepreneurs with backgrounds in animal agriculture, they saw the unique potential for microbiome engineering to benefit ruminant agriculture and tackle the climate crisis.

The pair had discovered enzymes that naturally reduce rumen methane emissions, and delivery of these patent-pending enzymes with probiotics will result in long-lasting efficacy.

Ingested as a supplement in a small dose, the Hoofprint probiotic aims to reduce enteric methane emissions by over 80 per cent while simultaneously increasing milk and meat yield by over 5 per cent.

Dr Polkoff, co-founder and CEO, said they are excited to develop the solution for Kiwi farmers.

“We’re bringing next-gen probiotics to ruminant agriculture in our mission to cut methane emissions while improving animal health and profitability. This investment offers a unique opportunity for Hoofprint to partner with New Zealand farmers, who have been leaders in sustainable agriculture, and to tackle the climate crisis together,” Dr Polkoff said.

AgriZeroNZ was established in February to accelerate the development of tools and technology to help farmers rapidly reduce their emissions, while maintaining farm productivity and profitability, to support New Zealand’s climate goals and meet increasing demands from global customers.

“New Zealand farmers are the most efficient in the world but the importance of reducing agricultural emissions cannot be understated and technology like this needs to be part of the solution.,” McNee said.

“We’re looking all over the world for opportunities that will work on New Zealand farms, we’re moving fast to reflect the mandate for urgent action from our shareholders, and we’re taking calculated risks to significantly accelerate efforts made by Kiwi farmers to date.”

McNee says the investment aligns with the JV’s ambition to ensure all farmers in Aotearoa have equitable access to affordable, effective solutions to reduce emissions, with a goal of supporting a 30% reduction by 2030 and enabling development and adoption of solutions to drive towards ‘near zero’ by 2040.

“Farmers will need at least two or three proven tools and technologies in widespread use by 2030 to meet this goal so that’s what we’re working to deliver.

“We’ve been tasked with making some bold investment decisions to support the continued success of New Zealand agriculture. The Hoofprint probiotic is in early stages but if development continues to progress we look forward to supporting it through New Zealand’s regulatory process and getting it into farmers’ hands,” he said.

This is AgriZeroNZ’s fourth investment since being established in February. The JV continues to welcome interest from potential new shareholders and strategic partners, to extend the reach of the JV and grow the fund. The JV expects to confirm further investments soon.

www.agrizero.nz

Future Food Aotearoa helping NZ foodtech start-ups scale overseas

Mike Hearn — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 02:10:35 GMT

Future Food Aotearoa (FFA) – a founders movement driving advancement in the New Zealand and Pacific Rim foodtech ecosystem – has announced a milestone partnership with San Francisco-based innovation platform MISTA.

Developed by Givaudan, the world’s largest company in the flavour and fragrance industries, the platform supports start-ups – including those in the food tech industry – to optimise ideas, products, people, and investments. The aim of FFA’s global node partnership with MISTA is to help Aotearoa NZ foodtech founders grow beyond their domestic market.

Discussing the state of investment and innovation in the NZ plant-based sector, FFA Executive Director Katy Bluett said that they are seeing growing support from government, industry, and angel investors for early stage founders with a good value proposition.

Bluett added that there is an emerging group of alt protein companies across NZ with both B2C and B2B business models, ranging from grocery focused plant-based butters, to microalgae-derived protein ingredients, to molecular-farmed protein and precision-fermented dairy ingredients.

“Future Food Aotearoa is working hard to share and grow awareness of these companies, who often struggle to build the same level of profile as our large food industry giants. Where we see a gap is in the support for scaling companies, both in terms of experience, funding and facilities,” Bluett told Future Alternative.

Bluett also spoke about the reasoning behind targeting MISTA for cooperation.

“San Francisco resonated for a number of reasons. We then did due diligence with MISTA and felt their values and vision resonated strongly with Future Food Aotearoa and so we explored the relationship further. We are excited about where this partnership will lead in the coming year,” Bluett said.

Regarding the cooperation’s anticipated benefits to NZ food tech startups, FFA is optimistic about the results of enabling NZ foodtech start-ups to engage with other international founders and companies in MISTA’s network.

“The benefit of meeting people in person and having experienced heads to bounce ideas off will be invaluable, especially as NZ companies get back out into the world having been contained here over the pandemic. And of course access to technical expertise and the pilot facilities will be super valuable,” Alex Worker, FFA Chair and Country Manager for NZ and South Pacific, Impossible Foods, told Future Alternative.

Additional members of the FFA Steering Committee also shared their hopes for the MISTA partnership.

“We’re excited to be exploring how to scale our unique IP and microalgae technology from Aotearoa New Zealand for global nutrition needs,” said Toby Lane, CEO and co-founder of NewFish, a biotechnology nutrition company utilising microalgae.

“Ārepa has a world-class portfolio of delicious technology with global ambitions. We are building for scale,” said Angus Brown, co-founder of plant-based nutrition brand, Ārepa.

“I see an opportunity for New Zealand businesses to be purpose-driven and to have a positive impact on people and on the environment,” said Florence Van Dyke, co-founder of Chia Sisters.

Source: https://futurealternative.com.au/

Rocket Lab to Launch Climate Change Research Mission Focused on Arctic Ice Caps for NASA

Mike Hearn — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 22:35:48 GMT

Rocket Lab, a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it has signed a double-launch deal with NASA to deliver the Agency’s climate change research-focused mission, PREFIRE, to low Earth orbit in 2024.

The two dedicated missions on Electron will deploy one small satellite each to a 525km circular orbit from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand from May 2024. The PREFIRE mission has specific LTAN (Local Time of the Ascending Node) requirements and a need for the second satellite to be deployed to space shortly after the first, which is made possible by Electron’s unique ability to deploy dedicated small satellite missions on highly responsive timelines. The launches will be the 7th and 8th missions Rocket Lab has launched for NASA since 2018.

NASA's PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission will help close a gap in understanding of how much of Earth’s heat is lost to space, especially from the Arctic and Antarctica. Analysis of PREFIRE’s measurements will inform climate and ice models, providing better projections of how a warming world will affect sea ice loss, ice sheet melt, and sea level rise. Improving climate models can ultimately help to provide more accurate projections on the impacts of storm severity and frequency, as well as coastal erosion and flooding. PREFIRE consists of two, 6U CubeSats with a baseline mission length of 10 months.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck, said: “Missions like these are core to the whole reason why Rocket Lab was founded in the first place – to open up access to space to improve life on Earth – and climate change is a hugely urgent cause for us all. It’s a privilege to be able to support this important mission and an honor to be a continued trusted launch provider for small satellite missions with big impact.”

The PREFIRE mission was awarded to Rocket Lab through NASA’s Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) program, a $300 million dollar five-year contracting vehicle for placing NASA’s science and technology payloads on U.S. commercial launchers.

PREFIRE joins a long list of NASA missions awarded to Rocket Lab, including the CAPSTONE mission to the Moon on Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle and Lunar Photon satellite bus, the back-to-back launches in May 2023 of the TROPICS satellites for NASA’s hurricane monitoring mission, and the NASA Starling mission launched last month on Rocket Lab’s most recent Electron recovery launch.

Auror Ltd takes out supreme award at the 2023 AmCham - DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards for companies doing business with the USA

Mike Hearn — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 05:08:36 GMT

The 2023 AmCham - DHL Express Success & Innovation Gala Awards event was staged tonight at the Pullman Hotel.

This was the twenty fourth year of the staging of these awards and yet again attendees learned about a group of exceptional New Zealand companies successfully growing trade, investment, education and tourism, links with the USA.

The trade and investment relationships between the US and New Zealand have never been better. Two-way trade in goods grew by 18.75% in 2023 and has grown over twice the GDP rate over the last 10 years.

The Supreme winner, Auror Ltd is a crime intelligence platform that is focused on building safer communities alongside retailers looking to reduce crime, loss, and harm in their stores. More than 80 per cent of retailers in New Zealand use the platform and Auror saves NZ Police 200,000 hours a year in investigations.

From “chasing ghosts” to seeing a 270% increase in recovered loss, Walmart has experienced firsthand the advantages of empowering its team with actionable intelligence in the face of retail crime. Since partnering with Auror, the US retailer has completely changed its approach to how it deals with crime in its stores, with meaningful results.

Mark Foy, Managing Director, New Zealand & Pacific Islands, DHL Express the awards lead sponsor, said "We are proud to have supported yet another remarkable AmCham Awards evening, where it is great to acknowledge Kiwi companies who are realizing success in the USA. Auror Ltd epitomises the Kiwi success story, reflecting the entrepreneurial and innovative businesses that are experiencing on-going growth trading with the U.S.A. We congratulate them and all other winners tonight on their success”

The evenings keynote speaker with Joe Letteri, ONZM, Senior Visual Effects Supervisor of Wētā FX and five times Oscar winner who gave the audience an insight into the how some of the special effects for Avatar: The Way of Water were achieved.

The winners were:

Exporter of the Year to the USA – Innovation- New Zealand Mint Ltd
Minters of legal tender collectible coins, gold bullion and medallions for more than five decades.

Exporter of the Year to the USA - Technology- Fingermark Ltd
The company is dedicated to developing advanced AI and computer vision technology solutions for leading QSR’s globally.

Exporter of the Year to the USA - High Growth - Auror Ltd
The platform for retailers focused on improving safety, productivity, and profitability. Auror is used by leading Loss Prevention teams both business and police.

Bilateral Connections with the USA - Norris Echetebu Law
US Law Experts, with a special focus on American Business, Immigration & US Visa Law.

Investor of the Year to or from the USA- Ric Kayne & Jim Rohrstaff for their investment in Te Arai Links
A world class golf destination boasting two pure links golf courses designed by Tom Doak and the other by Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw.

Contribution to Tourism with the USA- Active Adventures & Austin Adventures
The company specialises in small group adventure trips, off the beaten path, with a personal touch. Offices in Queenstown & Montana.

Contribution to Sustainability- Goodnature Ltd
A team of ecologists, scientists, designers, and developers, revolutionizing the way the world kills rats, mice, and other invasive species, so nature can thrive.

Supreme winner - Auror Ltd

Palmerston North City Councilreceived a Highly Commended certificate for their contribution to bilateral connections with the USA.

The Hotel Britomartreceived a Highly Commended certificate for their contribution to sustainability.

Crombie Lockwood NZ Ltd won the 2022 AmCham Supporter of the Year award.

At the dinner four of our longstanding members were presented with their 25-year membership plaques:

Minter Ellison Rudd Watts
Pfizer New Zealand
Wendy Pye Publishing
Zespri International

In addition to AmCham’s lead awards sponsor DHL-Express and our airline partner, United Airlines, the awards are also supported by ANZ Bank, Ironside McDonald Intellectual Property, Lockheed Martin NZ, SweeneyVesty, media partner The Business, wine supporter Constellation Brands and event manager DDEvents.

Start-up Fighting Cow-Burped Methane Raises US$29MM in Series B Funding, Bringing Total Investment to US$47MM

Mike Hearn — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 23:08:57 GMT

CH4 Global will meet growing global demand for enteric methane mitigation solutions in animal agriculture.

HENDERSON, Nev., Aug. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CH4 Global, Inc., a climate tech company on the path to radically reducing GHG emissions in animal agriculture, today announced it has raised US$29 million in Series B funding. The company will use the funds to build and validate the CH4 Global EcoPark™, an aquaculture and production facility that will make CH4 Global's signature product, Methane Tamer™, at scale.

This round, led by DCVC, DCVC Bio, and Cleveland Avenue – with participation from other investors with a strong interest in climate change – brings the total raised to date to nearly US$47 million. It also underscores market demand for safe, viable solutions to vastly reduce enteric methane from ruminant livestock.

When added to cattle feed, Methane Tamer—which uses a red seaweed (Asparagopsis)—reduces the animals' methane emissions by up to 90% while also reducing the feed energy lost to methane emissions. With the development of its CH4 Global EcoPark, the company is poised for expansion in key markets and with key partners throughout all six inhabitable continents.

This is a key development in the fight against climate change. The 1.5 billion cows on the planet produce more than 150 million tons of methane annually -- the largest single source of methane globally. At more than 12 billion tons CO₂-e per year (at an average of 100 kg methane/cow), this is a larger GHG output than from the US, the EU, and India combined. Moreover, the UN cites methane as over 80 times more impactful than CO₂ on global warming over the next 20 years.

"We are receiving massive interest from governments, food producers and farmers of all sizes, fueling our sense of urgency that we must act now to avoid a climate tipping point. The pressure is on with new regulations and the desire to produce at a measurably lower impact. What we've developed at CH4 Global is what we call a CH4 Global EcoPark, which enables low-cost growth and processing of Asparagopsis," said Steve Meller, PhD, co-founder and CEO, CH4 Global. "We are formulating our unique feed supplement products, Methane Tamer, to meet the specific needs of each cattle market segment, starting with feedlot operations, beef and dairy, as well as for grazing dairies. Eventually, we will also formulate for remote and generally unattended cattle around the world."

"CH4 Global's secret sauce is its product, plain and simple: the feed additive it has expertly formulated stands apart from other seaweed-based offerings," said John Hamer PhD, Managing Partner at DCVC Bio and a member of the CH4 Global board of directors. "DCVC Bio is thrilled to back Steve and his exceptional team: they are ready to scale up a critical solution to climate change."

"CH4 is exactly the kind of deep tech company the world urgently needs," said Zachary Bogue, DCVC Co-founder and Managing Partner. "Their natural and proprietary solution to the vexing global problem of methane from cattle can have a material environmental impact quickly and at scale."

As part of this funding round, Cleveland Avenue, LLC will join the CH4 Global Board of Directors. "We are excited about the opportunity that CH4 Global represents in addressing the major global problem of methane gas emissions. Cleveland Avenue looks forward to supporting CH4 Global's world-class team in this endeavor," said Randall Lewis, Managing Partner at Cleveland Avenue, LLC.

Over 150 countries have signed the Global Methane Pledge, which aims to reduce methane emissions by 30%. This followed the IPCC's May 2021 report that stated that "methane is the single biggest lever for climate change impact in the next 25 years." According to the IPCC, methane emissions must be reduced by 45% by 2030 relative to projected levels in order to put the world on a path consistent with the Paris Agreement 1.5˚C target.

About DCVC and DCVC Bio (https://www.dcvc.com)

DCVC backs entrepreneurs using deep tech to solve problems and multiply the benefits of capitalism for everyone while reducing its cost. DCVC Bio invests in early-stage life science companies driven by deep-tech approaches.

About Cleveland Avenue (https://www.clevelandavenue.com)

Founded by Don Thompson, the former President & CEO of McDonald's Corporation, Cleveland Avenue is a Chicago-based venture capital firm that invests in lifestyle consumer brands and technology companies that positively disrupt large and growing markets. To learn more, visit www.clevelandavenue.com.

About CH4 Global (https://www.ch4global.com)

CH4 Global, founded in 2018, is on an urgent mission to bend the climate curve, through collaboration with strategic partners worldwide. Led by a world-class team of senior business builders, scientists and entrepreneurs, the company delivers market-disruptive products that enable the food industry value chain to radically reduce GHG emissions. The company's first innovation, Methane Tamer™ feed additives for feedlot cattle, harnesses the power of Asparagopsis seaweed to reduce enteric methane emissions by up to 90%. CH4 Global is headquartered in Henderson, NV, with current subsidiaries in Australia and New Zealand. Learn more about CH4 Global and our recent news.

SOURCE CH4 Global, Inc.

Avasa to advance microvascular surgery with arterial coupler

Mike Hearn — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 05:12:04 GMT

An Auckland clinician who has created a prototype that connects microvascular arteries effectively is preparing to enter the United States market.

Clinician and bioengineer Dr Nandoun Abeysekera is the founder and CEO of Avasa. The company has produced an arterial coupler, a small device that simplifies microvascular surgery, providing a better standard of clinical care.

After collecting further data on performance of their device, Avasa intends to apply for approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to enter the United States market in 2025, but the startup will continue to be based in New Zealand.

“New Zealand’s the base, it’s where everything began – there are many compelling reasons to stay, which range from a supportive ecosystem, people and relationships with word-class clinicians,” Abeysekera says.

The device – an implant – connects tiny arteries, doing away with time-consuming and risky hand sewing of arteries. The device is a coupler, in principle similar to the ones that connect a garden hose to a pipe, except the vessels are no more than 5mm in diameter.

It can take up to 45 minutes to sew two arteries together and failure rates are up to five per cent.

With the coupler, the time to connect the arteries is reduced to five minutes, meaning there is less time where patients can be at risk of something going wrong – and, of course, more time for surgeons to do more operations.

While Abeysekera has seen couplers being used by plastic surgeons for connecting veins, this is the first time one has been designed specifically for arteries.

“There are no clinically effective devices for arteries,” he says. “There’s a device for veins which has really transformed care in reconstructive surgery – but it does not work for arteries as arteries are thicker and stiffer.”

Abeysekera, who has worked in both medicine and engineering, says there was an obvious clinical need for an arterial device, but no solution existed. His arterial coupling is the solution.

“I felt compelled to solve this problem, and I felt I was particularly skilled and suited to step out of the clinical space and develop a solution.”

Abeysekera came up with the idea while working as a plastic surgeon. After discussing it with plastic surgeon Jon Mathie at Middlemore Hospital, who supported the idea, he stepped back from clinical practice to start Avasa. Mathie is a world-class plastic surgeon and clinical advisor to Avasa; he studied medicine at Stanford University, then trained as a plastic surgeon at Harvard.

“It was a Sunday morning at the hospital. Jon Mathie was on call, and I discussed the idea of taking a hiatus from clinical practice to develop this idea, and he simply said, ‘Yeah, do it’. The next day I handed in my resignation at the hospital and worked out my notice period. It just felt right.”

That was in 2018. Avasa was founded with pre-seed funding to get it off the ground, through the University of Auckland inventors fund and operationalised with $1 million venture capital funding through Bridgewest Ventures, part of Callaghan Innovation’s Technology Incubation Scheme. By the end of 2018, Avasa had won the new ventures category in an entrepreneurship programme, the University of Auckland’s Velocity competition. To date, Avasa has raised nearly $3 million in venture capital funding.

Avasa has also been named a finalist for this year’s KiwiNet Breakthrough Innovator Award, which celebrates heroes in research commercialisation. The winner will be announced at the awards celebration on 28 September.

Abeysekera says running a startup is a huge learning experience. He has a staff of two, with a further two contracted as engineers, and is in the process of recruiting a quality manager.

“My background was in engineering and medicine; I had no exposure to entrepreneurship. When I set out to develop this product, what I cared about most was the impact it would make. I had to see this product translate into the clinical environment.

“Entrepreneurship is the vehicle for that. It is the process for how you go on to make that impact. The challenge was learning that process, having not been exposed to it before.”

Abeysekera has been able to work on his startup in a capital-efficient way, saying it was easier to go about the process of developing a solution to connect arteries having worked in the industry.

“I enjoyed some very good luck at the start that enabled me to pursue this particular idea – I understood the physiology of vascular healing and the functional requirements for an arterial coupler, I had first-hand experience of the challenges that surgeons face in the operative environment, I had a background in engineering,” he said.

“I had incredible friends and mentors, and I had the generous support of the Auckland Bioengineering Institute – all of this enabled me to develop a functioning prototype without too much capital.”

Were he to start Avasa over again, Abeysekera says he would raise more capital earlier, bring on more stakeholders into the design process and start looking through the intellectual property landscape earlier for inspiration.

But his advice for new entrepreneurs? “Don’t think too much. Just start. There’s no shortcut to experience, you just have to do it.”

Story by Dave Crampton
Source: https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/

New era for therapeutic products regulation

Mike Hearn — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 22:47:40 GMT

HON DR AYESHA VERRALL

Today’s passage of the Therapeutic Products Bill marks the most significant change to the regulation of medicines, medical devices and natural health products in nearly 40 years, Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall says.

“This is a milestone for the regulation of therapeutic products in Aotearoa New Zealand, and will better protect, promote and improve the health of New Zealanders.

“The Bill provides New Zealanders with the assurances they deserve about the safety and quality of therapeutic products. It strikes the right balance in regulating these products according to their different risks and benefits,” Ayesha Verrall said.

As well as replacing and modernising the regulatory arrangements for medicines, the Bill will provide fit-for-purpose regulation of medical devices and cell, gene and tissue therapies which, until now, have not been fully regulated.

It will also be the first time New Zealand has comprehensive risk-proportionate regulation in place for natural health products.

“The Bill will bring our country into line with our international counterparts, support innovation and ensure effective control over quickly evolving health technologies,” Ayesha Verrall said.

“Without legislation like this to help guide, evaluate and test emerging health technologies, New Zealand would continue to face difficulties developing or introducing to market necessary and high-quality therapeutic products.”

Changes made to the Bill during its final progress through the House this week strengthen the controls that can be placed on advertisements involving therapeutic products. Currently medicines, including prescription medicines, can be advertised subject to strict controls under the Medicines Act.

“The changes come as a result of talking and listening to experts about their concerns that direct-to-consumer marketing causes undue harm, and allow for future regulations restricting these practices,” Ayesha Verrall said.

“I acknowledge direct advertising of medicines is a controversial area and I am confident the Bill strikes the right balance in regulating advertising in a manner that respects the right of New Zealanders to share and receive information.”

As previously signalled, the Bill includes an exemption scheme for small scale natural health product manufacturers and removes obligations which might otherwise have applied to rongoā [traditional Māori medicine] practitioners, services and activities.

“Proposed changes to the Bill will ensure whānau can continue to use, create, and manage rongoā as they have for generations.”

Most provisions in the Bill will come into force in mid to late 2026, with the establishment of a new, independent regulator to oversee the regime.

This will follow the development of secondary legislation, including regulations and rules, involving consultation with stakeholders.

The Therapeutic Products Bill was introduced to the House on 30 November 2022.

The Health Select Committee considered the Bill, reviewing more than 16,500 submissions and hearing submissions from more than 300 organisations and individuals.

The purpose of the Bill is to protect, promote and improve the health of all New Zealanders by providing for the:

Acceptable safety, quality and efficacy or performance of medicines, medical devices and active pharmaceutical ingredients across their life cycle; and
Acceptable safety and quality of natural health products across their life cycle and the substantiation of health benefit claims.

The Bill will replace the Medicines Act (1981) and the Dietary Supplements Regulations 1985.

The Medicines Act currently provides insufficient coverage of the many products used in modern healthcare delivery. And the Dietary Supplements Regulations are not fit for purpose, are inflexible and out of date.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

US group exerts pressure over NZ lamb exports

Mike Hearn — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 01:38:46 GMT

A US lobby group is calling for increased tariffs on New Zealand lamb in a bid to help the struggling local industry.

R-CALF USA, the largest body representing producers of cattle and sheep in the United States, said the sheep industry there has been decimated over the last three decades with an explosion of lamb and mutton from Australia and New Zealand pushing down returns for local producers.

It is petitioning the United States trade ambassador - calling on her to slow imports of lamb.

Speaking from Montana this morning the group's chief executive Bill Bullard said lamb production in the US has declined by 60 percent in the last 30 years.

"We began to see an increase in imports back in the early 90s and while the imports increased, our domestic production began to fall because the imports were cheaper and our domestic sheep meat couldn't compete with it.

"Farmers have left the industry, packing plants have closed and we've seen a drastic reduction in the economic viability of our sheep shipping industry in the United States."

Bullard said the country only has about five million sheep left.

"It's still being eaten and in fact lamb consumption in the US is increasing significantly year after year, but imported meat makes up 74 percent of the market and domestic supply is only 26 percent - something we want to see changed."

New Zealand lamb exported to the US currently faces tariff rates of between 0.7 and 2.8 cents depending on the product.

Bullard would like to see that increased as well as stricter quantity restrictions on imports which would provide space for the domestic industry to rebuild - creating more of an even playing field.

"We're proposing this is done over a 10-year period because we're not trying to stop imports, because if we did, we could not meet domestic demand for lamb. But what we need to do is provide space for our industry so it can recapture at least half of the domestic market share.

"We have no ill-will towards New Zealand or Australian sheep producers. We understand that prices have been depressed there as well and so we have an international problem in that we have a high level of concentration on a global scale and as a result, it's the middleman that is capturing much of the profits."

The New Zealand Meat Industry Association has been approached for comment.
Source: https://www.rnz.co.nz/

Amway event win will deliver $40 million for New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 02:30:54 GMT

Close to 10,000 of Amway China’s top achievers will visit Aotearoa New Zealand, spread throughout October, November and December 2023. The main visit programme is centred in Auckland and Queenstown, with visits to Rotorua and Aoraki Mount Cook. The programme incorporates training sessions, reward activities plus a half-day business meeting and gala dinner.

A range of agencies and industry including Tourism New Zealand, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, and industry operators worked together to attract the event and are working together to support the visits.

Incentive travel programmes attract high-quality visitors to New Zealand who tend to stay longer, spend more and travel to multiple regions and activities, says Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Rene de Monchy.

“Tourism’s contribution is critical to New Zealand’s economic recovery. Securing the Amway China visit is not only a win for our industry but will help to provide a cash injection into New Zealand’s retail, accommodation, hospitality and transport sectors during our off-peak season.”

Ken Pereira, the Head of the Auckland Convention Bureau, a division of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, says: “Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland has long been a popular destination for visitors from China. We cannot wait to welcome Amway China’s distributors to Auckland for the first time, extend our manaakitanga, and showcase the amazing experiences and attractions across our region.

“A business event programme of this scale will deliver a range of significant outcomes for our region, and we look forward to working with Amway China to demonstrate how Auckland delivers a world-class experience in a sustainable and culturally meaningful manner.”

Prior to COVID-19, China was New Zealand’s second largest market, and contributed over $1.7 billion to New Zealand’s economy. Chinese visitors are high-quality, often travelling in off peak seasons, engaging in a range of activities and cultural experiences.

Source: https://www.tourismnewzealand.com/

ANZ Investments to explore strategic investment partnerships with Mercer and BlackRock

Mike Hearn — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 02:31:35 GMT

ANZ Investments today announced it has signed a non-binding memorandum-of-understanding (MOU) with Mercer, as it moves to evolve and grow its business.

Managing Director of ANZ Funds Management, Fiona Mackenzie, says the MOU is a development which proposes to leverage ANZ Investments’ local expertise with Mercer’s global capability and scale for the benefit of customers.

“Since KiwiSaver’s inception in 2007, ANZ Investments has successfully grown to become the country’s biggest provider. We are proud of the service we provide to our more than 670,000 customers.

“We take our responsibility to support their financial wellbeing seriously, through accelerating ownership of their first home, growing their investment balances, and improving outcomes for life after 65.

“However, to ensure we stay competitive and continue to meet the changing needs of our customers, our business model needs to continue to adapt and evolve,” Ms Mackenzie said.

ANZ Investments’ arrangements with Mercer are intended to leverage Mercer’s global expertise in investments and investment governance.

Mercer is a global leader in investments and retirement, with US$393 billion of assets under management [1] and US$16.45 trillion in assets under advisement [2] globally.

ANZ Investments also announced a separate non-binding memorandum-of-understanding with BlackRock. The arrangements with BlackRock include the provision of risk management services to support portfolio resilience.

BlackRock offers global investment expertise across risk management and innovative investment portfolio solutions.

Ms Mackenzie said customers can be confident any potential investment partnerships will be designed with the aim of improving customer outcomes in the long term and that ANZ Investments remains accountable for its investment decisions.

“ANZ Investments remains an active investor and will continue to select assets that we believe will perform strongly over the long term.”

In addition, ANZ’s current Chief Investment Officer Paul Huxford has decided to take the next step in his career and will be leaving ANZ in December.

Ms Mackenzie said Mr Huxford has been a valued member and leader of ANZ Investments for the last five years.

“Paul has contributed immeasurably to the growth of our investment business, and we’ve valued his expertise. Having built a strong team and delivered several important initiatives, he felt this was the natural time for him to hand over to a new leader.”

Ms Mackenzie says he will continue to perform his regular duties until December to ensure a smooth transition.

Source: https://news.anz.com/new-zealand/

First of its kind climate fund to back 100% renewable electricity

Mike Hearn — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 23:13:58 GMT

Government and BlackRock work together on first of its kind climate infrastructure fund in New Zealand to unlock investment to support 100% renewable electricity generation.
Goal of fund is to support New Zealand to become one of the first countries in the world to reach 100% renewable electricity
Fund will provide access to greater pools of capital for New Zealand businesses, supporting the creation of highly skilled local jobs
Fund to accelerate green energy options like solar, wind, green hydrogen and battery storage to fuel a low emissions economy

The Government has worked with BlackRock, one of the world’s largest investors in climate infrastructure and clean technology, to launch a $2 billion fund with the goal of making New Zealand one of the first countries in the world to reach 100% renewable electricity.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced the first of its kind New Zealand net zero Fund alongside Minister of Energy and Resources Megan Woods and representatives of BlackRock in Auckland today.

“This is a first of its kind fund in the country that demonstrates the huge economic potential of New Zealand being a climate leader and our goal of generating 100% renewable electricity,” Chris Hipkins said.

“It proves again that we can grow our economy while we lower emissions. This fund is a massive opportunity for New Zealand innovators to develop and grow companies.

“I’m absolutely stoked about what this means for Kiwi ingenuity in renewable energy; it shows that our ambitious climate targets have the world’s attention, and that they are good for the climate, good for the economy, and will help create highly skilled jobs.

“With countries around the world experiencing the impacts of climate change on a daily basis, it’s never been more urgent to invest in technology that will help address the climate crisis, and New Zealand is well positioned to be a home for that investment.

“Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland floods were reminders we must speed up our own climate action, and the fund will super charge investments in clean technology that might otherwise not have happened.

“This is a game changer for the clean tech sector and another example of the pragmatic and practical steps the Government is taking to accelerate climate action while growing our economy,” Chris Hipkins said.

“This fund will accelerate New Zealand’s emissions reductions, with a particular focus on our path to 100% renewable electricity, enabling our businesses to access greater pools of capital to develop and grow,” Megan Woods said.

“With record levels of renewable electricity generation in recent years, New Zealand is well-positioned to be one of the first countries in the world to deliver a fully renewable electricity system.

“Investors in the green economy can see our potential and recognise our commitment to climate commitments and goals, such as our banning of further offshore oil and gas exploration.

“New Zealand is now an investment magnet for capital that will unlock technology such as battery storage, wind and solar generation, green hydrogen production and more electric vehicle chargers across New Zealand.

“We’ve already making significant progress on New Zealand’s decarbonisation transition, partnering with the likes of NZ Steel and Fonterra to reduce emissions while retaining jobs here in New Zealand.

“The New Zealand net zero Fund will look to crowd in investment from Crown companies and entities, including superannuation funds, and private sector funds to accelerate New Zealand’s transition to 100% renewable electricity.

“This arrangement means we will get there faster, with opportunities for local investment in a low emissions economy. That will be a significant selling point for New Zealand businesses as consumers demand more sustainable products and services.

“The projects funded through investment in the New Zealand net zero Fund will not only decarbonise our energy use, but will also create highly-skilled jobs here in New Zealand, and opportunities to grow New Zealand companies,” Megan Woods said.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Kiwi wine company secures deal to supply US airlines, Disney cruises

Mike Hearn — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 23:00:08 GMT

Who doesn't love a bit of good wine news on a Friday - the bottle can already be heard opening.

Invivo's Sarah Jessica Parker sauvignon blanc has just won tenders for US airlines – to be served on international premier and business class across the US.

The Disney cruise line will also be arriving in New Zealand soon and Invivo have secured the wine onboard.

Invivo co-founder Tim Lightbourne joined the Mike Hosking Breakfast.

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/tim-lightbourne-invivo-co-founder-on-securing-deal-to-supply-us-airlines-and-disney-cruises/

Finalists announced for 2023 AmCham-DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards for companies doing business with the USA.

Mike Hearn — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 01:31:51 GMT

The American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2023 AmCham-DHL Express Success and Innovation Awards, the 24^th year of these awards celebrating success and innovation for companies doing business with the USA.

This year we are pleased to see the return of our Contribution to Tourism with the USA award return and one of the finalists will also be presented with a Commitment to Sustainability award.

AmCham Executive Director, Mike Hearn said that “bilateral trade with the US continues to grow, up by over $2.6b last year or 18.77%, with services and technology also growing significantly. With more flights than ever before tourism numbers are up both ways. We have also seen a strengthening of NZ US relations with a series of high-level government to government visits including the recent visit by US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.”

Commenting on the awards, Mark Foy, Managing Director New Zealand & Pacific Islands, DHL Express, said “DHL Express is proud to celebrate our 14th year of partnership with AmCham to deliver the 2023 AmCham-DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards. As the leading international express service provider, we are committed to supporting Kiwi businesses in navigating the global trade market, particularly in exports to the USA. Kiwi export success stories are a testament to our ingenuity and the success of the United States export market. We extend our congratulations to all the finalists for 2023.”

This year’s awards and finalists are:

Exporter of the Year to the USA - Innovation
Havelock Wool
Heilala Vanilla Ltd
Huntaway Wild Ltd
New Zealand Mint Ltd

Exporter of the Year to the USA - Technology
Fingermark Ltd
Goodnature Ltd
Quantifi Photonics Ltd
Nui Markets Ltd

Exporter of the Year to the USA - High Growth
Aroa Biosurgery Ltd
Auror Ltd
Xtend-Life Group Ltd

Bilateral Connections with the USA
Global Cities New Zealand
Norris Echetebu Law
Palmerston North City Council

Investor of the Year to or from the USA
Intel Capital for their investment in Quantifi Photonics Ltd
JW Marriott Auckland
Te Arai Links/Ric Kayne

Contribution to Tourism with the USA
Active Adventures & Austin Adventures
JW Marriott Auckland
The Hotel Britomart

One of the above will be chosen as the Supreme winner.

One other award will be presented on the night: The AmCham Supporter of the Year

We will also be recognising four key members who have completed 25 years of membership:
Minter Ellison Rudd Watts
Pfizer New Zealand
Wendy Pye Publishing
Zespri International

The awards will be presented at a black-tie gala dinner at the Pullman Hotel Auckland on 29th August with 5 times Oscar winner, Joe Letteri, ONZM, Senior Visual Effects Supervisor of Wētā FX as the keynote speaker. For details and tickets see www.amcham.co.nz

In addition to AmCham, DHL Express, United Airlines, the awards are supported by ANZ Bank, Ironside McDonald Intellectual Property and Lockheed Martin New Zealand. Media sponsor - The Business. Wine sponsor - Constellation Brands. Event Manager and sponsor – DD Events.

Previous winners of the Supreme Award have included Peace Software; Airways Corporation; HumanWare; Tenon; Orion Health; Zeacom; SMI Group; Fonterra; Pratt & Whitney Air New Zealand Services t/a Christchurch Engine Centre; Buckley Systems; Greenshell New Zealand; Vista Entertainment; Fisher & Paykel Healthcare; Zespri International; Tourism Holdings; Peter Beck, Seequent Ltd and Oritain Global.

University Of Auckland Turns To Rimini Street As It Looks To Move Off Oracle Over Next Decade

Mike Hearn — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 02:35:32 GMT

Rimini Street, Inc. (Nasdaq: RMNI), a global provider of end-to-end enterprise software support, products and services, the leading third-party support provider for Oracle and SAP software, and a Salesforce and AWS partner, today announced that University of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest higher-learning institute, has expanded its use of Rimini Street’s portfolio of services to include Rimini Support™ for Oracle software, Rimini Manage™ and Rimini Protect™, becoming one of more than 100 clients leveraging Rimini ONE™, the end-to-end, unified and integration solution for enterprise applications, databases and technology software. This strategic decision has allowed the university to dedicate its IT team’s focus towards its upcoming ERP migration, a transformational project expected to take 10 years for completion across multiple phases, and greatly enhance the end user experience and capabilities for its growing number of students and staff.

Rimini ONE Enables a Smart Path Forward

While University of Auckland’s core Oracle application was being expertly supported by Rimini Street, the complexity the university encountered of managing competing applications with a very limited number of IT staff, coupled with a shrinking pool of skilled engineers familiar with their current ERP investments, became the catalyst for the decision to review its technology roadmap strategy. Based on a cost and resource needs analysis, the university decided against upgrading its Oracle applications as the ROI was insufficient. Instead, the university elected to migrate to a next-generation, composable ERP platform.

As a trusted support provider with intimate knowledge of their technology landscape and years of proven success, Rimini Street was the university’s first choice when selecting a managed service provider to take on the day-to-day operation of its HR system – allowing the university to re-allocate their IT team’s time and focus to the ERP migration project.

“The value of Rimini ONE isn’t just about enabling the move to a new system, but to build out a roadmap that is proactive and designed to last,” said Jo Batchelor, head of product engineering at University of Auckland. “It’s really empowering to have Rimini Street as a true and trusted partner, giving us greater confidence and capabilities as we go through this complex ERP migration journey.”

Rimini Protect Helps Safeguard Critical Data and the University’s Reputation

Based on Rimini Street’s analysis and Smart Path™ recommendations, the university performed an internal audit of its ERP platforms, learning the scope and amount of data in their HR and finance systems that they would need to protect.

“There is a huge amount of data in our HR, finance and campus solutions that we need to make sure is absolutely safe and secure. The extra layer of security that Rimini Protect provides us is a solution we cannot afford to be without,” said Batchelor.

“Rimini Street is proud to continue partnering with and delivering excellence for the University of Auckland, allowing them to positively impact the community by offering more robust learning programs that greatly benefit the next generation of professionals and members of society at affordable costs,” said Daniel Benad, group vice president and general manager of Oceania, Rimini Street.

Explore the full Rimini Street portfolio of ultra-responsive, trusted and proven support, managed services, security, integration, observability, professional services and Rimini ONE™ outsourcing solutions for SAP, Oracle and Salesforce applications to support competitive advantage, profitability and growth.

Google Cloud Signs All-of-Government Cloud Framework Agreement with New Zealand Government

Mike Hearn — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 21:27:00 GMT

Cloud technology plays a critical role in solving complex problems for Aotearoa — across both national and local levels and today, I’m pleased to share that Google Cloud has signed an All-of-Government Cloud Framework Agreement with the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), to accelerate public sector cloud adoption to deliver improved digital experiences for Kiwis.

Simply put, this means that eligible government agencies will have standardised and simplified access to our technology and services so they can modernise their legacy systems and build new applications that serve New Zealanders quickly and securely.

The agreement covers Google Cloud Platform (GCP) including data and analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) tools, Google Workspace, as well as professional cloud services and Security Operations Services (SecOps).

The Framework Agreement builds on Google Cloud’s deep investment in New Zealand. Last year, Google Cloud announced plans for its first ever cloud region in New Zealand, offering resiliency, low-latency connectivity, and scalability to Kiwi customers. According to a recent Economic Impact Report by Access Partnership, the new Google Cloud region will support the country’s economic growth, with a predicted NZD$4.2 billion in productivity benefits being generated between 2025 and 2030.

Google has been supporting New Zealand businesses and communities since 2007. With government initiatives such as the Google in Schools Agreement, Google Cloud has worked with the Ministry of Education to provide schools using Google solutions, with digital tools that support safe modern digital learning environments. Google is also part of the Digital Boost Alliance with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), offering digital training and expertise to support the digitisation of small businesses.

We’re committed to working closely with the New Zealand Government to provide secure and sustainable solutions to all Kiwis. This government agreement is a welcome addition to Google Cloud's rapidly growing presence in New Zealand's Enterprise, Education and SME sectors and we are aware that security of data and the digitisation of government are critical to building trust in the public sector.

Source: https://newzealand.googleblog.com/

Hawke’s Bay export awards: Pet food start-up Animals Like Us attracts nominations and eyes US

Mike Hearn — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 12:56:14 GMT

Next stop, the United States of America.

A Hawke’s Bay pet food start-up company, Animals Like Us, only launched in late 2020 but now has its dog and cat food products in hundreds of supermarkets across New Zealand and Australia.

It also has ambitious plans to launch in the US early next year.

The company is turning plenty of heads as a rising Hawke’s Bay exporter, and has been named a finalist in three out of four categories at the upcoming Hawke’s Bay Export Awards being held on August 10. Those awards also encompass Gisborne and Dannevirke.

Animals Like Us co-founder and CEO Rob Achten said the start-up company was “very ambitious with our plans for the US” after rolling out in Woolworths supermarkets across Australia earlier this year.

“A lot of New Zealand companies want to start off small, and we can get criticised a little bit for not thinking big enough, but I hope that does not apply to us.

“We are ambitious and want to grow quickly.”

The company has been named a finalist for the Best Emerging Business Award and Excellence in Innovation Award, while head of operations Rebecca Klee has been named a finalist for the Inspiring Women in Export Award.

Animals Like Us has its headquarters in Hastings and manufactures its dog and cat food products, through a contractor in Waipukurau.

The company decided early on to target supermarkets as opposed to solely selling in pet stores, which Achten said was rare for premium pet food.

“About 75 per cent of pet food is sold in supermarkets but most of it is at the budget end,” he said.

“People said that is not going to work [selling our product in supermarkets] it is just way too expensive. But two and a half years on we are in over 300 supermarkets in New Zealand and we are also in the very best pet stores as well.”

Pet food giant Ziwi also operates out of Hawke’s Bay, having opened its $85 million mega kitchen in Awatoto last year, and Achten said the region “is becoming a good hub in terms of raw material supplies”.

Klee said it was an honour to be recognised as a finalist for the Inspiring Women in Export Award.

“It’s hard to believe that we are not quite three years in and what we have achieved,” she said.

“To be nominated alongside someone like Sally [Gallagher, from The Apple Press] is really humbling.”

Animals Like Us was co-founded by Achten, Jeremy Moon and Craig Hickson.

2023 ExportNZ ASB Hawke’s Bay Export Awards finalists

Best Emerging Business: Animals Like Us (Hastings), Senator Boats (Napier), Wisewool (Gisborne) Rare New Zealand (Hastings) and Nibblish (Havelock North)

Excellence in Innovation: Prevar (Havelock North), T&G Global (Hastings), StardustME (Gisborne) and Animals Like Us (Hastings)

Best Established Business: Pultron Composites (Gisborne), Metalform (Dannevirke) and Fingermark (Havelock North)

Inspiring Women in Export Award: Anna Holdsworth (Pultron Composites), Sally Gallagher (The Apple Press), Rebecca Klee (Animals Like Us), and Sue de Bievre (Beany)

The winners of each business category will contest the supreme award of ASB Exporter of the Year and will automatically go to the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) International Business Awards in Auckland in November.

Last year’s ASB Exporter of the Year was Rockit Global from Hastings.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

AmCham & NZ US Council statement on IPEF

Mike Hearn — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 02:11:32 GMT

Indo-Pacific Economic Framework - NZ US Council and AMCHAM NZ Perspectives

The NZ US Council and the American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand partner with each other in pursuit of strong and enduring ties between New Zealand and the United States.

The NZ US Council was founded in 2001 as a non-partisan, non-Government organisation, focused on advancing New Zealand’s relationship with the United States. The Council has secured a position as a preeminent policy conduit for business, academia and others invested in NZ US connections, to engage in formal and informal policy processes.

AMCHAM New Zealand is an active and much respected champion of companies and entrepreneurs growing the commercial linkages with the United States and building effective networks of businesspeople.

Both organisations have been following with close interest the structure and substance of the evolving Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. The economic weight and trade potential of the participants is self-evident. Given current multilateral and geopolitical challenges impacting on our region, we welcome this initiative to reinforce a rules based policy framework.

While the level of commitment to more traditional trade access elements of plurilateral agreements is less ambitious and less comprehensive than either of our organisations would ideally like to see, we accept that the process can establish a framework of policy architecture amongst its fourteen participating members. We would like to see this developed and expanded in due course. It remains our enduring goal to have the US reengage with CPTPP in the future. We also support and remain invested in the pillars which address important emerging trade considerations and valid sustainability and labour considerations. The excellent work that has been done on the supply chain pillar is especially valuable for New Zealand.

US leadership in guiding the outcome associated with this pillar was greatly appreciated in New Zealand, as an active and outwards looking trading country with diverse economic interests, engaged in many different sectors and constructive partnerships with US entities.

We are an efficient and well-respected food producer, but we are also at the forefront (in terms of innovation if not scale) of sectors such as gaming, film, aerospace, medical research, software development and sustainability technologies. We accord immense value to our partnerships with the United States in these areas.

It is also crucial that investors in the region can have confidence that there is a manageable level of risk when exploring opportunities in new territory. We see good structure around labour, the environment, efforts to stamp out corruption and support for good governance as critically important confidence building measures.

Although we would have liked to see more emphasis on reducing tariffs and addressing non-tariff barriers our support of IPEF remains strong and unequivocal. We look forward to making a constructive contribution to the process in any way we can.

AFT extends e-commerce presence into Amazon US

Mike Hearn — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 03:05:36 GMT

AFT Pharmaceuticals (ASX: AFP, NZX: AFT) announces an extension of its global ecommerce strategy with the launch of online stores on Amazon in the US and Australia.

The new AFT Pharmaceuticals-branded stores on the North American-facing https://www.amazon.com/AFTPharmaceuticals and the Australian facing https://www.amazon.com.au/AFTPharmaceuticals sites complement and build on AFT’s global e-commerce strategy.

This includes a Tmall site through which AFT sells into China using the cross-border ecommerce platform https://kiwihealthbjp.tmall.hk/ , and the broad online presence we already enjoy in Australia with our own AFT Pharm website shop https://nzshop.aftpharm.com/. The Australian site also supports our extensive distribution network through pharmacies, medical practices and hospitals https://aushop.aftpharm.com/.

AFT has been working with Sell Global, a specialist Amazon agency, to launch on Amazon USA and Australia. The project so far has included researching the market opportunity, understanding the compliance requirements for imports, setting up quality product listings and brand presence, and now advertising and promoting on Amazon.

The US and Australian Amazon sites will initially carry AFT’s trusted portfolio of Liposomal vitamins, but additional launches of other products are planned for the Australian store in the coming months and the North American site after the initial launch is satisfactorily completed.

The products, which will be available for US, Canadian, and Australian customers, include Vitamin C LipoSachet®, Vitamin C LipoSachet® for Kids, Vitamin D LipoSachet®, and Ferro (Iron) LipoSachet®.

AFT Pharmaceuticals Founder and Managing Director Dr Hartley Atkinson said: “The Amazon AFT Pharmaceuticals e-commerce store aims to leverage off the existing strong awareness of Liposomal vitamins in the US. To date this interest has mainly centred around liposomal Vitamin C but AFT will also include both Vitamin D and Iron forms of liposomal vitamins.

“The products offer a further growth opportunity for AFT’s international business unit. The US is the world’s largest market for nutritional supplements and is growing rapidly. The North America dietary supplements market size was valued at over USD50 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6% from 2021 to 2028”
Dr Atkinson said.

“Building our online presence is a further element of our strategy to extend AFT’s reach around the world. It builds on the strong growth we are seeing in the Australasian business, which is being fuelled by growth from existing products and a planned 68 new product launches through until the end of FY26.

“Our ecommerce presence enhances our brand recognitions in key markets enabling us to make our products readily accessible to consumers globally.

“We also see further potential to expand our online presence. Notably, in China we are also working to further build and evolve our existing on-line cross border ecommerce presence through both additional products and e-commerce platforms.

“These growth initiatives will also be supported by products emerging from our extensive research and development pipeline.” We have also expanded our operational hubs in Singapore and Malaysia to include Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. This will allow us to add selected products from our new and existing Australasian pipeline to these additional markets” Dr Atkinson said.

Source: https://investors.aftpharm.com/

AmChams of Asia Pacific Urge U.S. to Lead on Rules on Trade and Investment

Mike Hearn — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 06:58:48 GMT

AmChams of Asia Pacific to Meet with Biden Administration and Congressional Leaders to Discuss Importance of Increasing Regional Economic Leadership and Engagement

WASHINGTON, DC (JULY 13): The AmChams of Asia Pacific (“AAP”), the umbrella organization of 25 American Chambers of Commerce (“AmChams”) that promotes trade and investment between the Asia Pacific region and the United States, returns for its annual visit to Washington, DC, from July 17-20, 2023, advocating for policies which will increase both trade and investment in the region.

“As de facto U.S. Ambassadors in a region that contains 60% of global population, AmChams and their members partner with governments and domestic stakeholders to complement the U.S. government’s efforts to advance the country’s economy and national security,” said Steven Okun, Chair of AAP and Senior Advisor, McLarty Associates.

Trade and investment dynamics in the region are evolving significantly and quickly in response to changing geopolitical realities and rapidly fluctuating economic opportunities. With both trade and investment core to its interests, the U.S. must work constructively with our partners and lead efforts to write new rules which ensure competition on a fair playing field with robust and rigorous labor and environmental standards.

AAP applauds the Administration’s essential efforts to maintain U.S. leadership in the region by setting new trade and investment rules, including through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (“IPEF”).

The IPEF, while not replacing potential membership in the CPTPP, provides an opportunity for the United States to restore its economic leadership in the region.
Commercially meaningful, binding provisions in the IPEF will increase the business community’s support. As the U.S. does not offer market access, the incentive for a country to sign-on to the IPEF’s high standards would increase U.S. business investment and engagement.

For U.S. businesses to increase investment beyond what they do so otherwise, a meaningful dispute settlement mechanism or another form of enforcement is key.

The delegation’s full statement is available here: https://amchamap.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/AAP-Delegation-Statement.pdf
Contact: Renee Yuen renee.yuen@fticonsulting.com

Oritain raises USD $57 million, led by Highland Europe, to supercharge its forensic origin technology to verify products worldwide

Mike Hearn — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 06:51:37 GMT

London, Washington DC, 12 July: Oritain, the global leader in forensic traceability, has raised USD $57 million in a Series C funding round led by Highland Europe, with Jacob Bernstein from Highland joining the board. The round was supported by Series B lead investor, New York’s Long Ridge. The funding will be used to develop Oritain’s technology and expand into new markets and industries.

Oritain is the global leader in verifying the true origin of products and commodities. Luxury high-end fashion and retail companies, including Lacoste, Supima, and Primark, and food producers, such as A2 Milk and Nescafe, use Oritain to assure customers that the items they buy are genuine and produced from an ethical supply chain. Using technology developed at the University of Otago, Dunedin, the company can create a unique fingerprint from products worldwide and prove its provenance from meat to honey, milk, and fibers.

Building trust in a fragmented market

Fraud and counterfeiting, exacerbated by increasingly fragmented global supply chains, cost the global economy over $500 billion annually, while environmental issues such as deforestation are increasingly top of investor and customer concerns, which can damage brand reputations built up over decades. Oritain provides data-driven insights to help producers and manufacturers to monitor and adapt their supply chain to safeguard and improve transparency and certainty for their clients worldwide.

Unlike traditional traceability methods, which can be removed or tampered with, Oritain’s technology combines cutting-edge forensic science with world-leading data to analyze the intrinsic properties of a product to verify its origin. The company’s global labs can create an Origin Fingerprint of a particular product by analyzing trace elements that are affected by environmental factors such as soil composition, climate, altitude, and precipitation. Once an Origin Fingerprint has been identified, it can never be tampered with or destroyed.

These fingerprints are fed into industry-leading data banks of products monitoring complex global supply chains such as palm oil, coffee, cocoa, cotton, vanilla, and soy and used as benchmarks to audit products at any point in the supply chain. Companies rely on this data to prove the authenticity and quality of their products, reducing risk and fraud.

The need for Oritain’s service is underlined through a client retention rate of over 100% and compound annual growth of 90% year on year over the past six years. With many of the world’s leading brands and trusted food designations as clients, Oritain intends to be the world’s most trusted company for verifying the origin of products and raw materials to create traceable supply chains worldwide.

Supporting the Future of ESG

As well as providing tools to verify the legitimacy and provenance of a product, Oritain partners with companies to comply with ESG criteria, something investors increasingly demand. In addition, countries are creating new transparency and reporting regulations as part of Sustainable Development Goals across the globe encompassing deforestation, forced labor, and product fraud. Companies that can prove the authenticity, quality, and sustainability of their products and the supply chain will gain a competitive advantage by demonstrating to customers and investors that they meet high ethical standards.

BNP Paribas Exane acted as advisers on the transaction.

Grant Cochrane, Global CEO at Oritain, said: “Over the past 15 years, Oritain has pioneered groundbreaking forensic and data science to become the world’s most trusted verification partner to leading global brands and institutions, providing them with the insights they need to make the critical decisions on their supply chains. Our relentless focus on data, science, and process integrity has enabled us to become long-term partners with our clients to ensure the integrity of their supply chains, which is increasingly difficult to achieve in globalized and complex markets. We’re delighted to announce this new funding round, led by Highland Europe, to support our expansion plans as we reach new markets and industries.”

Jacob Bernstein at Highland Europe said: “Oritain’s forensic science can take a commodity sample and tell you precisely where in the world it comes from. Does this cocoa come from a deforested national park? Is this cotton from where my supplier says it is? Is this coffee truly Brazilian, as the label says? This groundbreaking technology is a dream solution for sourcing and sustainability leaders at the world’s largest brands who can finally get to grips with the authenticity of their supply chains. We are immensely proud to partner with the Oritain team to revolutionize origin verification.”

Source: https://oritain.com/

DoorDash lands today: New player enters Auckland market with 1300 eateries signed up

Mike Hearn — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 22:29:12 GMT

DoorDash has landed in New Zealand’s biggest city, giving those who don’t want to brave the weather another option when ordering food to their door.

A year after launching in Wellington and Christchurch, DoorDash goes live in Auckland today - with more than 1300 eateries already signed up and 3000 “dashers” ready to deliver.

DoorDash’s general manager of New Zealand, Australia and Canada, Rebecca Burrows, said the company was intentionally starting big in Auckland.

“It is a big launch for us and we are excited about it,” Burrows said.

“We made the decision to launch North, East, South and West as well as Auckland’s CBD all at once.”

Burrows said the delivery service, which was founded in San Francisco, had been well received in Wellington and Christchurch, and the company had noticed uniquely New Zealand habits.

“New Zealanders really love supporting their local smaller businesses,” Burrows said.

“The bigger fast food places always do well but we noticed some of the smaller local businesses were among the most popular.”

Burrows said the platform was designed for ease of use and showcased a range of eateries to new customers.

“It is a great way for people to get their favourite food but it also allows them to see what new places are out there.

The app remembered past orders and other preferences which made it easier for customers to find what they were looking for.

A range of local favourites already signed up include Pizza Club, Chicking, Sumthin Dumplin, Daily Bread, Duck Island, Tiger Burger and Wise Boys.

DoorDash also included McDonald’s, KFC, Tank Juice and Hell Pizza.

Convenience stores and cafes were also included.

Mitchell Baker, the director spokesperson for vegan burger company Wise Boys, said they were “stoked to be part of DoorDash’s highly anticipated launch” into Auckland.

“By joining forces with DoorDash, we can get our delicious vegan burgers into the hands of even more people, furthering our mission to promote animal- and planet-friendly food options,” Baker said.

Suresh Kodali, the director of Pizza Club, was excited to work with DoorDash in Auckland.

“We had a super smooth experience onboarding with DoorDash and we look forward to having a successful synergy growing our business,” he said.

DoorDash will be available across the Auckland region from the North Shore, across to Central, West Auckland and East Auckland, and south to Drury.

Opening specials included 50 per cent off the first two orders for new customers and free delivery for the first month.

Burrows said staff at the 1200 Auckland eateries and delivery staff had been fully trained and would receive additional support for opening week.

Source: NZ Herald

Chipoys Expands to Australia and New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 22:07:25 GMT

The Line of Authentic Mexican Rolled Chips Packed With Heat and Flavour Has Quickly Become a Favourite Snack Brand in the U.S.

SAN DIEGO, June 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Chipoys – an authentic rolled tortilla chip packed with bold flavours and fun in every bite – announced today that it has expanded into retail in Australia and New Zealand. La Fiesta Confectionary will serve as the exclusive master distributor, with Aztec Mexican Products distributing the product. The snack brand, which launched in Fall 2021 in the United States, and has since expanded into Europe, is quickly growing in popularity, calling for a more extensive roll out to other countries.

The American brand dedicates itself to providing customers with high-quality ingredients in the unique rolled tortilla shape for added crunch. In the standard 56.7 and 113.4-gram bags, the snack has 140-160 calories, two grams of protein, with no trans-fat or cholesterol. Even more, Chipoys is proud to be free from artificial flavours, colours, and preservatives, already meeting the higher regulations needed regarding dyes and colouring in Australia and New Zealand.

"We are excited to bring Chipoys to a new audience worldwide!" emphasises Erick Kozin, Co-Founder of Chipoys. "After a successful launch in the United States and Europe, it is a priority to establish our brand as a worldwide household name and go-to snack for consumers around the world. We look forward to continuing our expansion and growing the popularity while offering customers more product options."

All four flavours are included in the expansion – Original, Spicy Ranch, Chile Lemon, and Fire Red Hot – with new flavours currently in development that are set to continue to challenge the snack industry.

Adds Haich Sleiman and John Christodoulou of La Fiesta/Aztec Mexican Products, "Chipoys has quickly become a fan favourite in the competitive United States and United Kingdom snack markets." He continues, "And after trying the line of flavours, we knew that this would satisfy the consumer craving in Australia and New Zealand for bold, new products. We look forward working together as Chipoys continues to innovate."

Retailers are encouraged to contact sales@lafiesta.com.au for orders and additional details.

For more information about Chipoys, including all their flavours, visit their website at https://chipoys.com/.

About Chipoys

Chipoys is more than just a chip, it's a lifestyle! Our mission is to create an authentic rolled tortilla chip packed with bold flavours and fun in every bite. We are dedicated to preserving traditional Mexican flavours, while constantly evolving to bring you new and exciting tastes! See more about Chipoys including all its flavours at www.chipoys.com/. Follow us @eatchipoys.

Source:

Cordis Auckland wins the 2023 Best MICE Hotel in New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 04:37:55 GMT

Cordis Auckland has won yet another prestigious accolade for its exceptional events, conference and banquet facilities.

If you are looking for a superb venue with bespoke cuisine and service to hold your next Meeting, Incentives, Conference and Event, then look no further than the luxurious, award-winning Cordis Auckland.

The dynamic and innovative 640-room hotel has just won the 2023 award for Best MICE Hotel in New Zealand, as voted by Australia’s Spice Magazine readers in the latest Spice News Hot 100 Hotels & Venues list.

Home to some of New Zealand and Australia’s biggest conferences, business meetings and gala dinners, including the annual Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards, Managing Director Franz Mascarenhas and his dedicated colleagues are both delighted and humbled to receive the recognition.

“It is always a great honour and we always feel humbled to receive an award, especially when our esteemed guests have kindly voted for us,” says Mr Mascarenhas. “We pride ourselves on delivering an exceptional heartfelt experience for every event we host and we are delighted to have been awarded for this.”

The secret to Cordis Auckland’s success lies in its flexible event spaces with 18 venues to choose from, live conferencing facilities and advanced technology, all complemented by personalised Events Executives and a dedicated on-site audio-visual team.

From the Boardroom to The Great Room, Cordis Auckland has a space to suit everyone whether it’s a meeting for 12 or a lavish gala dinner for 800. Executive Chef Volker Marecek and his talented team of multicultural chefs also deliver fully customisable menus of mouth-watering dishes with perfect pairings of fine wines, beers and other beverages, making Cordis Auckland the perfect place to wow every guest with a memorable event.

About Cordis Auckland
Cordis Auckland is part of a collection of 5 star timeless hotels by Langham Hospitality Group. The hotel is surrounded by a vibrant neighbourhood in the heart of Auckland at Symonds Street. The hotel has 640 rooms and suites, an exclusive Club Lounge, the largest curated locally commissioned art collection, state-of-the-art meeting spaces, a fitness studio, swimming pool and the award-winning Chuan Spa. Perfect for gatherings, Cordis Auckland features the city’s favourite, Eight restaurant, a unique interactive dining experience with eight specialist kitchens, each dedicated to a different cuisine hosted by an expert chef, the Chandelier Lounge which serves High Tea by Cordis with TWG, and Cordis Auckland’s newest destination bar, Our Land is Alive, offering the best of New Zealand made food and beverage. Cordis Auckland has been an EarthCheck accredited hotel since 2006, receiving Master Status in 2022.

www.cordishotels.com/auckland

NZ Pharmacy Website Platform Storbie Inks Deal To Launch In The US

Mike Hearn — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 04:43:26 GMT

Kiwi pharmacy website and ecommerce platform Storbie has inked a deal with the largest US independent pharmacy management software system PioneerRx (a RedSail Technologies LLC company) as their preferred website and ecommerce solution for their thousands of pharmacy clients.

Storbie powers hundreds of community pharmacy websites across Australia and New Zealand. Their oversubscribed raise late 2021 was set to fund expansion beyond Australasian shores and with their entry into the US they’re achieving just that.

Storbie’s mission is to advance and empower community commerce and this deal is set to transform the digital landscape for pharmacies and their communities across the USA. Storbie CEO Shane Bartle says “Storbie’s trajectory is exciting and entering the United States market with PioneerRx is massive for us. The support of an international partner like PioneerRx demonstrates how much they believe in the impact we can have in one of the largest markets in the world.”

Storbie makes it easy for pharmacies to promote their services and sell their retail offering online as well as in-store. Storbie connects relevant parts of the pharmacy’s supply chain to streamline and automate product data, marketing campaigns and customer engagement. Jeff Key, PioneerRx President, shares “Storbie is best in class. We’ve evaluated software options globally to support our vision to champion community pharmacies across digital and physical channels and Storbie brings it all together like nothing we’ve seen anywhere else in the world.”

Kiwi Venture Capital firm Alt Ventures led Storbie’s raise in 2021 and Managing Partner Chris Jagger is delighted with the most recent progress. “Storbie is going from strength to strength. They’re focused on making it easy for pharmacies and veterinary practices to compete online and ensure they can continue to provide access to healthcare for their communities. Their product backs it up ten-fold.”

Storbie has a big year ahead, bedding in this new partnership and signing their first pharmacy customers beyond Australia and New Zealand, while continuing to champion the success of their customers closer to home.

Read more about Storbie and PioneerRx below.

About Storbie

Storbie is a specialist website and ecommerce platform for independent pharmacies. They make it easy for pharmacies to extend their brick-and-mortar customer experience online including being able to be found locally, promote their services, and sell their retail offering.

Storbie makes it possible for even the smallest pharmacy to have and maintain a comprehensive online presence by connecting with key industry organisations and software solutions to streamline and automate product data, marketing campaigns and customer engagement.

www.storbie.com

About PioneerRx

PioneerRx Pharmacy Software has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by independent pharmacies. We recognize the shift towards a clinical, patient-centered future in pharmacy practice. That's why PioneerRx is designed to equip pharmacies with the tools and capabilities they need to thrive in this evolving landscape. By actively listening to our users and implementing their suggestions, we ensure that our software stays ahead of the curve and paves the way for leading industry trends. With PioneerRx, pharmacies can streamline their operations, enhance clinical services, and strengthen patient relationships. When you choose PioneerRx, you're joining a community of forward-thinking pharmacy professionals who are dedicated to making a difference.

Learn why PioneerRx is the most installed software among independent pharmacies at www.PioneerRx.com.

South Auckland students are on a mission to Nasa

Mike Hearn — Tue, 30 May 2023 21:49:36 GMT

Future scientists from Ōtara are heading to Nasa for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study space exploration and STEM at the US Space and Rocket Center in Alabama.

The 2023 Advance Space Camp – Expedition 49 opens in August and the cohort of 16 rangatahi are thrilled for the opportunity, organised by local charity Community Builders NZ Trust (CBNZ) through the Ōtara Youth Hub.

“These guys are really excited. They turn up to every hui we need to have, and their whānau are backing them. We’re super proud of them coming from 274 to Nasa. It’s a huge accomplishment,” says CBNZ chief executive Terangi Parima.

The cadets will engage in all areas of STEM over in a seven-day camp sharing dorms, eating, and socialising with other young people from around the globe.

Daily sessions will be interactive, promoting STEM learning as well as team building, leadership, problem-solving and confidence. Trainees experience a variety of astronaut training exercises, engineering challenges and team-building activities all culminating in an extended-duration simulated space mission.

After the expedition, the group has three days to explore Alabama before returning home to Aotearoa with a kete full of knowledge to steer them into the next step of their STEM journey.

Tangaroa College student Danielle Tupuanai Viliamu, 16, has her trip sponsored by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples. Proud of her heritage, she says if she could travel to space and place one item on the moon, it would be her Samoan flag.

“In school we haven’t learned much about space so I’m really excited to see the physics and science about rocket ship operations and the biology of space. I haven’t decided on a future career yet so I’m hoping this will help to expand my mind and find my career path

Benjamin Goldsmark, 15, is of Niuean, Samoan and Māori descent. He attends Green Bay Highs Shool in west Auckland, but spends his weekends in Ōtara with his dad, step-mum and younger brother.

He has always been a major sci-fi fan: “It’s my dream to work with Nasa. I’d love to build rockets that could go out further into the galaxy to explore and learn more about space.”

Ben is one of three cadets sponsored with $1000 each from Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi O Ngāpuhi.

His dad Lewis and step-mum Deborah saw the call out for cadets and after a meeting with his mum, submitted an application knowing he would be stoked with the opportunity.

Their families have been in Ōtara for generations and Deborah is a passionate community advocate.

“For us this is a dream come true. To have this opportunity, something that could have been considered a pipe dream, is just overwhelming. We’ve got a whole bunch of rangatahi, the largest cohort in New Zealand,” says Deborah.

She says their whānau is privileged for the opportunity that will develop future engineers, scientists and mathemeticians from Ōtara.

“We’re not just at the bottom and considered a deprived community. We are a community that is thriving.”

Environmental engineer Nadeen Papali’i was a mathematics teacher at Tangaroa College in 2020 when she put together a group of students for the same expedition, but the Covid-19 pandemic closed international borders.

Forced to stay on home soil, the cohort ventured across the country to explore STEM in Te Waipounamu (South Island).

She took the journey herself the year before in 2019 and has now teamed up with CBNZ to support this year’s cohort.

“For Ōtara Youth Hub to pick up the baton, extend the opportunity to more rangatahi across Ōtara, has re-birthed that dream. It’s an opportunity for rangatahi to be exposed to a rich learning context and experience, that provides another way to learn or understand STEM.

“It will engage students into discussions about STEM, not just of what we could do, but whether we should do. It is also an opportunity to take our community with us,” says Papali’i.

Ōtara Youth Hub administrator Nevaeh Tawhi-Marsters, 18, is among the 16 space cadets.

She is running for a spot on the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board in June’s byelection, sparked by the resignation of community advocate Swanie Nelson.

Tawhi-Marsters says she is standing to engage other rangatahi in local politics and give them a say at the decision making table.

Each cadet has been tasked with raising $5000 toward their expedition, half of that amount being the starting rate for entry to the space camp.

Parima is grateful for the support received so far from Spark Foundation, Ministry of Pacific Peoples, and Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi O Ngāpuhi, but more financial aid is needed.

A Givealittle page has been set up to help reach their total goal of $80,000.

She says: “Three are fully sponsored so now we’re looking for support for our other 13 awesome rangatahi. That’s our biggest need at the moment.”

Follow their journey to Nasa: https://www.facebook.com/OYH274

- This report was produced under the Public Interest Journalism initiative, funded by NZ on Air
Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

The Hotel Britomart Is Awarded #1 Hotel In NZ By Tripadvisor® In 2023 Travellers’ Choice® Best Of The Best Awards

Mike Hearn — Mon, 29 May 2023 01:29:37 GMT

The Hotel Britomart is delighted to announce it has been recognised by Tripadvisor as a 2023 Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best award winner for New Zealand, ranking first out of more than 3000 hotels in New Zealand.

The awards honour travellers' favourite destinations, hotels, restaurants, things to do, and beyond, based on the reviews and opinions collected from travellers and diners around the world on Tripadvisor over a 12-month period. Best of the Best award winners are among the top 1% of listings on Tripadvisor, distinguishing them as travellers’ favourites for 2023.

“We are thrilled to have been named as the #1 hotel in Aotearoa, New Zealand, in the 2023 Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards,” says Clinton Farley, general manager of The Hotel Britomart.

“Our dedicated team at The Hotel Britomart is delighted by this recognition, which reflects our unwavering commitment to establishing a one-of-a-kind hotel brand in the vibrant heart of Britomart, downtown Auckland. As an integral part of the Britomart neighbourhood, known for its restored heritage architecture, leading New Zealand fashion retailers, world-class eateries and business community, The Hotel Britomart goes beyond the conventional concept of a hotel and embodies a vibrant community where guests can immerse themselves in next-level five-star sustainable experiences that are distinct to New Zealand. This accolade confirms that our efforts to create unique and exceptional experiences for our guests are being enthusiastically received, and further strengthens our commitment to delivering true New Zealand hospitality at its best.”

“Congratulations to the 2023 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best winners,” said John Boris, Chief Marketing Officer at Tripadvisor. “The travel resurgence we’ve seen throughout the past year has even further heightened the competition. Ranking among the Best of the Best demonstrates that you have provided exemplary experiences to those who matter most: your guests. With changing expectations, continued labour shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am continually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt. Cheers to another successful year!”

Learn more about The Hotel Britomart and see all the hotel’s reviews here: https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Hotel_Review-g255106-d21121760-Reviews-The_Hotel_Britomart-Auckland_Central_North_Island.html

About The Hotel Britomart

Smart, soulful and contemporary, The Hotel Britomart welcomes guests to the best of downtown waterfront Auckland and is New Zealand’s first 5 Green Star hotel.

The Hotel Britomart offers 99 beautifully serene timber-lined rooms and 5 luxurious Landing suites each with stunning views of the Waitemata Harbour, urban cityscapes or heritage laneways.

The hotel features New Zealand art, natural materials and custom joinery, with a sustainable seafood-focussed restaurant kingi (and private dining room kingi Private) located in the historic laneway on the ground level, open daily serving guests from breakfast until late each evening.

The historic warehouses of the Britomart neighbourhood house some of the country’s best restaurants, bars and cafes, while plant-lined pedestrian streets and laneways are full of incredible shopping. The Hotel Britomart is just a few steps away from Auckland’s beautiful waterfront, the ferry terminal and central business district.

Press Statement on the Substantial Conclusion of IPEF Supply Chain Agreement Negotiations

Mike Hearn — Sun, 28 May 2023 03:12:47 GMT

Today, the 14 partners of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) –Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, and Viet Nam – announced the substantial conclusion of the negotiations of a first-of-its-kind international IPEF Supply Chain Agreement at the IPEF Ministerial Meeting in Detroit, Michigan. The proposed Agreement aims to increase the resilience, efficiency, productivity, sustainability, transparency, diversification, security, fairness, and inclusivity of their supply chains through both collaborative activities and individual actions taken by each IPEF partner.

Following the launch of IPEF in Tokyo, Japan on May 23, 2022, and since the release of the IPEF Ministerial Statements on September 9, 2022, the IPEF partners have worked constructively, including through four rounds of in-person negotiations, several virtual intersessional meetings, and numerous bilateral meetings. The IPEF partners will undertake the necessary steps, including further domestic consultations and a legal review, to prepare a final text of the proposed IPEF Supply Chain Agreement. Once finalized, the proposed Agreement will be subject to IPEF partners’ domestic processes for signature, followed by ratification, acceptance, or approval.

The IPEF partners are committed to working towards early realization of the cooperation envisioned under the proposed IPEF Supply Chain Agreement. This includes engaging with businesses and utilizing technical assistance and capacity building to increase investment in critical sectors, key goods, physical and digital infrastructure, transportation, and workforce projects.

Under the proposed IPEF Supply Chain Agreement, the IPEF partners seek to:

provide a framework to build their collective understanding of significant supply chain risks, supported by each partner’s identification and monitoring of its own critical sectors and key goods;
improve crisis coordination and response to supply chain disruptions and work together to support the timely delivery of affected goods during a crisis;
ensure that workers and the businesses, especially micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, in the economies of IPEF partners benefit from resilient, robust, and efficient supply chains by identifying disruptions or potential disruptions and responding promptly, effectively, and, where possible, collectively;
better prepare businesses in the economies of the IPEF partners to identify, manage, and resolve supply chain bottlenecks, including by strengthening supply chain logistics and infrastructure;
facilitate cooperation, mobilize investments, and promote regulatory transparency in sectors and goods critical to national security, public health and safety, or the prevention of significant or widespread economic disruptions;
respect, promote, and realize, in good faith, labor rights in IPEF partners’ supply chains, in recognition of the essential role of workers in achieving greater supply chain resilience;
ensure the availability of a sufficient number of skilled workers in critical sectors and key goods, including by upskilling and reskilling workers, promoting inclusivity and equal access, and increasing comparability of skills credentials frameworks;
identify opportunities for technical assistance and capacity building in strengthening IPEF partners’ supply chains; and
respect market principles, minimize market distortions, including unnecessary restrictions and impediments to trade, and protect business confidential information.

In support of these efforts, the proposed IPEF Supply Chain Agreement contemplates the establishment of three new IPEF Supply Chain bodies to facilitate cooperation among the IPEF partners on supply chain issues:

The IPEF Supply Chain Council: The proposed Agreement would establish a mechanism for the IPEF partners to work collaboratively to develop sector-specific action plans for critical sectors and key goods to enhance the resilience of IPEF partner’s supply chains, including through diversification of sources, infrastructure and workforce development, enhanced logistics connectivity, business matching, joint research and development, and trade facilitation.
The IPEF Supply Chain Crisis Response Network: The proposed Agreement would establish an emergency communications channel for the IPEF partners to seek support during a supply chain disruption and to facilitate information sharing and collaboration among the IPEF partners during a crisis, enabling a faster and more effective response that minimizes negative effects on their economies.
The IPEF Labor Rights Advisory Board: The proposed Agreement would establish a new advisory board, consisting of government, worker, and employer representatives, as well as a subcommittee composed of government representatives, to support the IPEF partners’ promotion of labor rights in their supply chains, promotion of sustainable trade and investment, and facilitation of opportunities for investment in businesses that respect labor rights.

The IPEF partners are committed to operationalizing this landmark Agreement as soon as practicable, including starting preparatory work, to bolster resilient supply chains while recognizing the different economic and geographic characteristics of the partners.

BUREAUS AND OFFICES

Department of Commerce

US East Coast cities on way to promote their wares to Kiwi trade

Mike Hearn — Thu, 25 May 2023 23:25:23 GMT

Washington DC, Boston and Philadelphia will combine for a major promotion in New Zealand and Australia early August. The East Coast USA roadshow will begin in Auckland on 8 August with a morning media marketplace, followed by a VIP lunch session for trade, tour operators, media and airline representatives. The day will culminate with a full travel agent evening event. All of the functions will be at Four Points by Sheraton Auckland, with Marriott confirmed as one of the key partners in the activity.

Event director for East Coast USA, Corey Marshall of Canuckiwi, says that CEOs from the destinations’ tourism bodies will lead the delegation – Elliott Ferguson (Washington DC), Martha Sheridan (Boston) and Gregg Caren (Philadelphia) – along with members of their teams, operators and other partners. While an East Coast roadshow to ANZ is not new, this is the first time the three cities have collaborated in such a way here.

Theresa Belpulsi, senior VP of tourism for Destination DC says Australia and New Zealand are among the city’s top markets and important as they have a longer length of stay than any other international market. ‘It’s an ideal time to welcome them back, especially with the new direct services to New York. Those open up the entire East Coast so that is a big driver for us to come over. ‘All three cities have a lot of new product and content to share. They are well connected so it is easy to visit them all in one trip.’

Philadelphia is also keen to take a piece of the Big Apple’s antipodean pie as direct capacity increases. ‘Philadelphia is the most important historical city in the US,’ says Robin Bloom, director of content at Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau. ‘It’s where the US Declaration of Independence was signed and where the constitution was written.’ Stacy Thornton, director of leisure sales with Meet Boston, says it is appropriate that the three historic and iconic capital cities join forces for the roadshow. ‘We will also be joined by Discover Newport, Rhode Island, which is about an hour to 90 minutes drive from Boston.’ Marshall says the roadshow is about supporting the trade and ensuring agents are educated about what is on offer. ‘The end goal is to fill the planes.’

Source: https://www.travelinc.co.nz/

Ohmio deliver first three autonomous electric shuttles arrive at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.

Mike Hearn — Thu, 25 May 2023 22:37:50 GMT

A very proud day for Ohmio as our first three autonomous electric shuttles arrive at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. Over the next two weeks, we will work with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to demonstrate the capabilities of these future mobility vehicles.

Pushpay Welcomes New Chapter of Growth and Innovation

Mike Hearn — Sat, 20 May 2023 22:02:55 GMT

It’s been more than seven years since I joined the Pushpay team, and I am just as inspired by the passion, dedication, and resilience of the churches we serve as I was on the day I started. We’ve grown to serve more than 14,000 customers, and it’s incredible to see the work they do to serve their communities by spreading a message of faith and hope, and bringing people closer together in community—whether in-person or online. They truly make the world a better place, and it’s been an honor to be a part of their journey over the years.

Just like many churches we serve, our organization has evolved over the years in order to grow and serve our community best. Today, I’m privileged to share news about that journey and the next chapter of our growth, which will propel us forward as we continue to support the great work of churches for years to come.

I am pleased to announce that Pushpay was recently acquired, and we are excited to welcome BGH Capital and Sixth Street as our new owners.

Both investors have supported our success for many years, and fully believe in Pushpay’s vision and mission. With a single source of funding and investment from owners that share our values, and who are committed to supporting our long-term growth, our team’s focus has never been more clear—to further empower our current customers, engage future customers, and accelerate product innovation.

This next chapter in Pushpay’s story opens a world of possibilities for our team and the churches we serve—and continues our history of nimble, intentional, dynamic growth as a company. This is an occasion worth celebrating.

Molly Matthews, CEO
https://pushpay.com/

Sale price $1.6b approx.

Groundline Engineering celebrates USA expansion Groundline Engineering celebrates USA expansion

Mike Hearn — Fri, 19 May 2023 22:30:11 GMT

May 4^th 2023 saw Groundline Engineering formalise its entry into the US market in a ceremony presided over by New Zealand Trade Commissioner Vicky Whitlock in Washington DC. The move is a natural progression for the global powerline engineering consultancy and with successful operations already in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, the ceremony saw the symbolic presentation of a pounamu Mere to Mr Christian Nolden who has been appointed President of Groundline Engineering (USA).

Co-founder and Director Ian Flatley described the presentation as a gift from the founders and owners and recognition of Mr Nolden’s Mana and Authority in this growing market. The consultancy aims to increasingly support USA power networks with specialist powerline expertise and design services. The consultancy adds strength also to existing US partners and distributors in making global HV and LV innovation more accessible in the US. Developed within the Groundline Engineering Group, transformative NDT and timber pole data PHI™ www.thorpoletest.com and specialist wildfire prevention conductor www.coveredconductor.com is to be represented.

Lewis Road Creamery Export Butter Wins Prestigious US Award

Mike Hearn — Thu, 18 May 2023 01:42:40 GMT

The Sofi Awards are presented by the not-for-profit Specialty Food Association (SFA), the leading membership trade association in the $175 billion specialty food industry.

Lewis Road Creamery’s 10 Star Grass Fed butter was blind-tasted alongside other premium and specialty butters to take gold in the dairy category, which covered all domestic and imported butters available in the United States.

The grass-fed, traditionally churned butter is made from cream exclusively off Lewis Road’s parent Southern Pastures’ own farms, which meets stringent and independently-audited 10 Star Certified Values that cover grass-fed, free-range, animal welfare, environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation criteria.

The 10 Star butter is exported and sold in high-end grocery stores including Whole Foods, Erewhon, Bristol Farms, and Central Markets across the USA where it is usually the most expensive butter. Lewis Road’s 10 Star Export butter is also available in Aotearoa New Zealand supermarkets, where it’s sold at a discount to domestic shoppers to reflect and promote its home provenance.

The Sofi winners were selected by a panel of food experts from nearly 2,000 entries across 53 product categories. The butters were judged on taste – including flavor, appearance, texture and aroma – ingredient quality, and innovation. All tastings were anonymous and held at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center at Rutgers University.

“The quality of our grass-fed butter is obvious from its colour,” says Lewis Road Creamery’s Lynette Maan. “It’s a rich golden yellow compared to other paler butter from cows fed on palm-kernel expeller, grains and supplementary feed. But we’re equally proud of the things you can’t see – the climate change mitigation practices we’re committed to on our farms to sequester carbon in soil and contribute to a healthier planet as well as a healthier butter.”

The 10 Star butter is also a finalist in the Sofi awards Product of the Year which will be announced in June.

Rocket Lab To Launch Small Satellite Swarm For NASA

Mike Hearn — Thu, 11 May 2023 01:57:31 GMT

LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it has signed a deal to launch NASA’s Starling mission, a multi-CubeSat mission to test and demonstrate autonomous swarm technologies, as well as automated space traffic management for groups of spacecraft in low-Earth orbit.

“Electron has been delivering rapid and reliable access to orbit for NASA since 2018 and we’re delighted to continue that strong heritage with the Starling mission”

The four Starling small satellites have been manifested on an Electron commercial rideshare mission scheduled for lift-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand in Q3 this year. Rocket Lab will deliver the satellites to space within three months of the contract signing.

The Starling mission is designed to test technologies to enable future “swarm” missions. Spacecraft swarms refer to multiple spacecraft autonomously coordinating their activities to achieve certain goals. Starling will explore technologies for in-space network communications, onboard relative navigation between spacecraft, autonomous maneuver planning and execution, and distributed science autonomy.

“Electron has been delivering rapid and reliable access to orbit for NASA since 2018 and we’re delighted to continue that strong heritage with the Starling mission,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “Starling has the potential to revolutionize the way science is done in orbit and we’re immensely proud to make that possible.”

NASA’s Small Spacecraft Technology program within the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate manages the Starling project. The program is based at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. Starling joins a growing list of NASA missions launched by Rocket Lab since 2018, including the ELaNa-19 educational CubeSat program, the CAPSTONE mission to the Moon, and two dedicated Electron launches for the NASA TROPICS mission.

Gallagher Group Limited and Gasbot Pty Ltd Sign Exclusive Distribution Agreement for North America.

Mike Hearn — Fri, 05 May 2023 03:11:40 GMT

Gallagher Group Limited and Gasbot Pty Ltd Sign Exclusive Distribution Agreement for North America.

Gallagher Group Limited is excited to announce its exclusive distribution agreement with Gasbot Pty Ltd to introduce a satellite-based liquid monitoring system to the North American market.

The Gallagher Satellite Liquid Monitoring system uses Gasbot’s cutting-edge wireless sensor technology to provide timely information on tank liquid levels, enabling farmers to make informed decisions about liquid usage and management. The system uses satellite communications to transmit data from the tanks to the farmer’s cell phone, providing easy access to tank information even in remote or hard-to-reach locations.

The system is not limited to water tanks but can also be used for diesel and fuel tanks, liquid fertilizer, dams, and troughs. It also minimizes the need for manual tank readings, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors, by updating the app with the level data up to 4 times daily.

The Gallagher Satellite Liquid Monitoring system will be available for purchase through Gallagher’s rural retailer network in North America. The first 12 months of the software service are included with the initial purchase, followed by an annual satellite connectivity subscription fee.

Chris van der Loo, Gallagher Global GM Product & Technology, said, “Assurance of water availability is becoming increasingly important for farmers in North America as climate conditions become more unpredictable. Monitoring the resources available on farms needed to care for animals and crops will become more important as we experience the impacts of moving between flood and drought situations very quickly. We are very pleased to be working with Gasbot to offer a satellite liquid monitoring solution to provide peace of mind for farmers across North America regardless of how remote they are”.

Phil Livingston, Managing Director from Gasbot added, “Gasbot is committed to helping farmers understand and optimize water use, as well as monitor fuel and liquid fertilizer levels across their farms, efficiently and cost-effectively. These are values that align perfectly with Gallagher’s strategy. We are excited to partner with Gallagher to bring our innovative product to North America. We believe this product will make a real difference to farmers, providing them with the information they need to manage their liquids and sending alerts when resources are low”.

Gallagher and Gasbot are excited to work together and support the agriculture industry globally.

Stock availability starting June 1, 2023.

About Gallagher

Gallagher pioneered New Zealand’s first electric fencing system in 1938 and has constantly led the way in innovative animal management systems. We offer fencing, weighing, data collection and watering system solutions for specific animals and applications so you can be sure you’re using the right system solution to meet your unique needs. Gallagher’s success can be credited to a customer centric approach to research and development with a strong focus on end-user needs. This philosophy is endorsed with 8% of the group’s total revenue invested in R&D annually.

www.gallagher.com

Formus Labs, Pioneering Developer Of AI-Powered 3D Orthopedic Surgery Planning Technology, Receives FDA Clearance

Mike Hearn — Fri, 05 May 2023 02:50:29 GMT

Warsaw, Ind. — Formus Labs today announced it has received 510(k) clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Formus Hip as the first “automated radiological image processing software” for hip replacement pre-op planning. The New Zealand-founded company previously announced its intent to expand to the US and today’s announcement signifies Formus has cleared the last major hurdle before it can start making its solution widely available to surgeons and healthcare providers.

Nearly two million joints are replaced every year worldwide and that number is set to double by the end of the decade. Pre-op planning allows surgeons to create a custom surgical plan in advance. However, surgeons are often time constrained due to large caseloads and busy practices. This leaves little time for proactive preoperatively planning, consistently for every case. Additionally, planning individual surgeries can be very time-consuming, sometimes taking days or weeks to complete, which is simply not sustainable or scalable for surgeons with multiple procedures a day.

Formus expedites the joint replacement planning process by combining AI and computational biomechanics to calculate a patient’s implant fit and deliver digestible, actionable and fully-interactive 3D surgical plans. This innovative pre-operative planning technology provides a surgeon with a personalized curated patient surgical plan before the patient enters the operating room. This technology provides highly accurate outputs from scan to plan in under an hour.

“Today is a huge milestone in our journey to bring cutting-edge, pre-op surgery planning tools to surgeons, not only to make their work easier and more efficient, but also has the potential to improve the outcomes for their patients,” said Dr. Ju Zhang, founder and CEO of Formus Labs. “FDA clearance serves as significant validation of the accuracy and rigor of our AI models. The surgeons who have used the Formus platform in Australia and New Zealand tell us they like having pre-op plans that make facing any unforeseen challenges on the day of the surgery easier to overcome because of the thorough understanding of each patient's physiology. It also has huge potential to save costs, time spent on logistics, and inventory. We’re excited to bring those same potential savings to providers in the US now too.”

“The technology underlying the Formus solution helps drive potential improvement in orthopedic patient outcomes. We’re thrilled the 510(k) approval now allows us to fully unlock our US commercialization strategy to achieve positive outcomes for more patients,” Vignesh Kumar, co-managing partner at GD1 and Formus board member.” Formus is a great example of a digital health solution that balances the delicate ‘iron triangle’ of cost, access, and quality while addressing those core pain points in an elegant manner.”

About Formus Labs

Formus Labs is the creator of an AI-powered 3D planner for joint replacement surgeries. Formus Labs has core capabilities in computational biomechanics, artificial intelligence and software engineering, bringing together these key elements to deliver cutting-edge orthopedic solutions. Founded from within the world-renowned Auckland Bioengineering Institute, Formus empowers surgeons to improve the lives of patients worldwide. For more information, visit formuslabs.com.

IKE performance update for Q4 and FY23 - new US contracts

Mike Hearn — Thu, 04 May 2023 22:33:45 GMT

IKE Delivers Strong FY23 Growth With $30.8M Revenue (+93% vs pcp)
Multi-year Growth Rates and Momentum Demonstrate Operating Leverage

IKE performance update for Q4 and FY23
ikeGPS Group Limited (IKE) (NZX: IKE / ASX: IKE) is pleased to release an update for the 12-month period to 31 March 2023 (all figures in NZD).

IKE will host a webinar 4 May 2023 at 10.30am AEDT/ 12.30pm NZT to discuss the results. To register, please click https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZPTqOEvYQJ-pU_l4qWRFdA .

Highlights:
 FY24 revenue of ~$30.8m (+93% vs pcp).
 This result is ~$6m ahead of internal budgets set at the beginning of the financial year and above upgraded analyst consensus.
 FY23 gross margin approximately of ~$16.4m (+67% vs pcp), with a gross margin percentage of ~53%.
 Total cash and receivables as at 31 March 2023 of $23.2m, comprised of $18m cash and $5.2m receivables, with payables of $2.3m and no debt.

Commentary and outlook

IKE CEO Glenn Milnes commented, "The FY23 period saw continued strong momentum across IKE. We have achieved very significant revenue and gross margin growth and have closed the period materially ahead of all internal stretch targets.

Our balance sheet remains extremely strong, noting that the USD and AUD fx rates impact our reported NZD position each quarter. Operating leverage is evident via the scalability of our software products and our disciplined approach to managing operating expenses.

Our pipeline is strong, and Q4 sales highlights included winning about one new enterprise customer per week, including another of the largest tier-1 electric utilities operating on the East Coast of the US, who selected IKE’s next-gen structural analysis product, called Next-Gen PoleForeman. This customer win means an initial 100 subscription licenses for distribution network design, for three-years, displacing the incumbent competitor who had served this account for more than 20 years.

Another business development milestone in Q4 included advancing an pole-specific integration and AI automation project at scale via IKE Insight with one of the largest digital data collection businesses for global infrastructure.

We expect growth to continue in FY24, noting the potential for Q1 FY24 transaction revenue to be below the Q4 FY23 run rate because of the engineering practices of utilities in certain territories where one or two larger IKE customers are building fiber networks.

Macro-market tailwinds across North America remain highly supportive, driven by the multi-year investment being made into building overhead fiber networks, and additively, the forecasted $300B investment by electric utilities into building & maintaining distribution network capacity and associated network hardening. To meet carbon-zero targets in the U.S. by 2050, analysts forecast that the approximately 50% of the energy in the U.S. needs to be on the electrical grid, from a position of just 20% today. IKE’s product suite drives productivity in support of these network engineering and capacity activities.

We are executing on sizable sales opportunities and expect healthy growth in the FY24 period and beyond.”

Full commentary, table and charts are set out in the announcement and presentation attached.

ENDS

About IKE

We’re IKE, the PoleOS™ Company. IKE seeks to be the standard for collecting, analysing and managing pole and overhead asset information for electric utilities, communications companies, and their engineering service providers.

The IKE platform allows electric utilities, communications companies, and their engineering service providers to increase speed, quality, and safety for the construction and maintenance of distribution assets.

The core revenue engine for IKE is driven by the number of enterprise customers subscribing to the IKE platform and the volume of assets (called Transactions) being processed through IKE’s software.

Zimmer Biomet Announces Acquisition of OSSIS

Mike Hearn — Thu, 04 May 2023 22:19:22 GMT

SINGAPORE, May 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. (NYSE and SIX: ZBH), a global medical technology leader, today announced it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire OSSIS, a privately-held medical device company that specializes in personalized 3D printed implants, as well as complex hip replacements, including second-time hip replacements and replacements involving bone tumors and trauma.

OSSIS provides rapid design and production of personalized implants that align with Zimmer Biomet's commitment to providing personalized experiences, with the goal of improving patient outcomes. This acquisition demonstrates Zimmer Biomet's commitment to advancing innovation in the medical technology industry and strengthens the Company's position as a global medical technology leader.

Zimmer Biomet announced in July 2021 an agreement with OSSIS as the Company's Asia Pacific partner for patient-specific 3D-printed titanium hip joint replacements and other pelvic bone replacement surgery. The partnership was expanded to Europe, Middle East, and Africa in December 2022. The acquisition marks the continuation of a successful partnership and will allow Zimmer Biomet to enhance the Company's hip reconstruction product portfolio.

"Combining OSSIS's more than 16 years of clinical experience and engineering expertise with Zimmer Biomet's extensive network across Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa demonstrates our commitment to bring transformative med tech advancements to patients in need," said Sang Yi, Zimmer Biomet Asia Pacific Group President. "We are very pleased to partner with these patients and their physicians as we work toward our mission to alleviate pain and improve the quality of life for people around the world."

"Zimmer Biomet shares our ethos of innovative technology with a strong patient focus, and OSSIS is thrilled to join Zimmer Biomet's established portfolio with cutting-edge solutions and expert capabilities," said Kelvin Hyland, OSSIS Managing Director.

About Zimmer Biomet

Zimmer Biomet is a global medical technology leader with a comprehensive portfolio designed to maximize mobility and improve health. We seamlessly transform the patient experience through our innovative products and suite of integrated digital and robotic technologies that leverage data, data analytics and artificial intelligence.

With 90+ years of trusted leadership and proven expertise, Zimmer Biomet is positioned to deliver the highest quality solutions to patients and providers. Our legacy continues to come to life today through our progressive culture of evolution and innovation.

For more information about our product portfolio, our operations in 25+ countries and sales in 100+ countries or about joining our team, visit http://www.zimmerbiomet.com or follow Zimmer Biomet on Twitter at https://twitter.com/zimmerbiomet.

SOURCE Zimmer Biomet

DCI Data Centers announces completion of first data centre, AKL01 in Auckland, New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Tue, 02 May 2023 22:44:36 GMT

DCI Data Centres (DCI), a wholly owned portfolio company of Brookfield’s Global Data Centre Platform, has announced the completion of the first of two new generation cloud data centres in Auckland as it continues its expansion across New Zealand.

AKL01 was completed on time and on budget and is part of a broader New Zealand strategy which includes a second site in Albany, AKL02, to present a total of 50+ MW of critical technical infrastructure to the New Zealand market.

Commenting on the completion, DCI’s head of its Australian and New Zealand business Malcolm Roe said DCI is committed to a major investment programme focusing on cloud data infrastructure to serve the ever-increasing need to securely access and store data.

It is fantastic to have delivered our first data centre in New Zealand which will address a critical capacity gap in the market and support the growth of the digital economy.”

AKL01 has been built to the highest physical and virtual security and compliance credentials to manage multi-national cloud, highly classified government, and defence workloads.

Group Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Toh said: “AKL01 has been designed to support New Zealand’s data sovereignty, cloud adoption and digital skills development. We expect to collectively bring over NZ$600 million to the Auckland region, with a combined economic value exceeding NZ$1.4 billion over the life of the projects.”

Each data centre will create more than 150 jobs during construction and approximately 250 ongoing full-time equivalent jobs in supporting information and communications technology (ICT) industries once the site is operational.

DCI intends to run its facilities in New Zealand from 100 per cent renewable sources, and to set industry-leading benchmarks for water and energy efficiency, as it continues its expansion in New Zealand.

Udhay Mathialagan, CEO of Brookfield’s Global Data Centre Platform and Chair of DCI, added: “The launch of this high-specification data centre is another milestone in Brookfield’s ongoing efforts to enhance New Zealand’s digital infrastructure. Through our portfolio companies including DCI we are delivering timely and highly secure data centres and fibre networks that are becoming an integral fabric of global cloud players operations in New Zealand.”

About DCI Data Centers

DCI Data Centers (DCI) is a data centre owner and operator that is challenging the way facilities are built and operated. It brings together innovative, environmentally-efficient technologies and construction methods to enable the rapid deployment of secure cloud and hyperscale compute environments.

With a growing fleet of data centres across Australia, New Zealand and Asia, DCI’s mission is to become the preferred partner in the Asia Pacific region for the delivery of purpose-built, highly secure, and resilient data centre solutions.

Since 2015, DCI has served public cloud and managed service providers, governments, and enterprises. It delivers mission-critical digital infrastructure with predictability, flexibility, and security; critical to scale and respond to market demand.

DCI is a portfolio company of Brookfield Asset Management and its investment partners.

About Brookfield Asset Management

Brookfield Asset Management is a leading global alternative asset manager with approximately US$800 billion of assets under management across renewable energy, infrastructure, real estate, private equity and credit. Brookfield’s Global Data Center Platform currently comprises four portfolio companies, DCI Data Centers (Asia Pacific), BAM-DLR (India), Ascenty (South America) and Evoque (North America), which collectively operate over 50 data centers across four continents servicing a range of hyperscale customers.

Source: https://dcidatacenters.com/

American Airlines latest to announce Auckland LAX route for summer

Mike Hearn — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 02:52:00 GMT

American Airlines’ Los Angeles service is returning to Auckland for the summer with seasonal flights to LAX.

The Hollywood direct route launches on December 21 and will be operating daily. LA direct will be the second Auckland based service from American Airlines since Covid, joining the US carrier’s Dallas Fort Worth route which recommenced late last year.

Connecting Auckland and California between peak summer months, until March 3, the airline said it was part of a focus on growing its Asia-Pacific footprint.

AA was assigning an 787-9 aircraft to keep the route open during the peak summer travel season.

The airline’s VP of operations and commercial, Kyle Mabry said the new addition to the AA roster would allow customers to explore new destinations. That would include connecting Kiwis to Mexico and continental US or American travellers into New Zealand.

“The response we had from the New Zealand public when we returned to shores last year was overwhelmingly positive,” said Mabry.

They were working closely with Auckland Airport to add the new link to the network.

Auckland Airport’s chief customer officer, Scott Tasker, said they looked forward to seeing American Airlines aircraft return from LAX.

While it will offer Kiwis travel opportunities into West Coast America, New Zealand continues to rank highly as a summer travel destination.

“The new flights are also projected to bring in $35 million of additional tourism spend into the New Zealand economy,” said Tasker.

The Americans are coming - and so are cheaper airfares

American airlines first launched Auckland to LA direct in 2016 but was halted four years later by the 2020 pandemic.

American is the latest of four airlines to reopen links between LAX and New Zealand. From October 28, Air New Zealand’s daily service to Los Angeles, NZ4, will be joined by Delta Airlines who are launching their first ever airlink between the cities.

United Airlines, codeshare partner with Air NZ, is launching its own seasonal services to New Zealand this summer, increasing the number of inbound aircraft from LA.

Bringing additional 787 aircraft to Auckland from October 28, United will also be adding a South Island direct service to Christchurch from December 1.

Bringing US tourists directly into Canterbury three times a week, the service will add more plane seats across the Pacific.

The return of more aircraft and carriers into New Zealand are predicted to force down fares between the US, after a period of historic highs.

Christchurch Airport chief executive Justin Watson said the new services would “supercharge tourism value to New Zealand.”

He predicted that the buoyant US travel market would not only benefit the tourism economy but bring better value to New Zealanders, as South Islanders would be only one flight away from LA.

Auckland Airport earlier predicted that the increased interest in New Zealand as a destination from US carriers would only be a good thing for Kiwis wishing to head overseas.

“We’re excited about the opportunities this will create for New Zealand’s tourism industry and the wider economy, along with the additional seat capacity providing more choice and competition for travellers,” Scott Tasker of Auckland Airport told the Herald.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

New Zealand parking app selects Denver for US HQ

Mike Hearn — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 22:59:21 GMT

With more than 30 New Zealand companies that have opened offices in Denver, the city is officially a Kiwi hub.

A New Zealand-based software company that describes itself as a concierge for parking spaces is opening a U.S. headquarters in Denver.

The move grows the list of companies from the Oceania region using Denver as their North American launching pad.

Executives with Parkable said they are currently working out of the Galvanize building on Platte Street downtown, where a growing group of New Zealand- and Australia-based tech companies say they have found camaraderie and support from their peers.

Byron Powell, Parkable's chief revenue officer, said about three employees have been working in Denver since the company came for an onboarding program with the city in September. He said the company does not have plans to hire more than about six people locally to start, although plans could change if its client list grows.

Founded in 2016, Parkable uses software that manages parking spaces for employee and residential lots, a commodity that has grown more popular with companies as they continue hybrid work models, Powell said.

He said the company is currently working with Meta (Nasdaq: META), the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, and works with Microsoft in New Zealand to coordinate employee parking. Parkable also has an agreement with Waterton, a major multi-family housing developer in the U.S.

Kezia Lynch, Parkable's head of customer success, said she and other leaders with Parkable came to Denver in September to partake in the city's Global

Landing Pad program, a multiple-day workshop with local experts on legal and other requirements that foreign companies need to open and grow in Denver.

The program backed up against Denver's Startup Week, which opened even more doors to mentors and community members that could help Parkable get started, Lynch said.

"Having that literally within the first week of our arrival just made everything in Denver a bit easier,” she said.

It wasn't long into their visit that Lynch said Parkable knew for certain it wanted to base out of Denver. Lynch and several others stayed to make operations official, and Denver began serving as the U.S. headquarters last fall.

Andrew Burner, Colorado's honorary New Zealand consul, said the city's startup week has been "hugely important" in getting out the word to New Zealand-based companies about the opportunities associated with working here.

With more than 30 New Zealand companies that have opened offices in Denver, Burner and New Zealand's regional Consul-General Jeremy Clarke-Watson said the city is officially a kiwi hub.

The 6th largest foreign direct investor in the state, more and more New Zealanders see Colorado as a place where they want to tour, live and do business, Clarke-Watson said. He said similarities in the outdoor lifestyle and Denver's geographical location are common benefits cited by companies that locate here.

Lynch said Denver's location allows Parkable workers to travel to either coast of the U.S. in a few hours, and its central time zone allows for the company to work with both New Zealand and United Kingdom time zones for at least half of the workday.

"It's an ideal location for serving the whole world, really," she said. For that reason, Lynch said Parkable has considered moving even more of its central operations to Denver.

On Platte Street, she and Powell said they have found a community not just with other New Zealand companies, but with their Australian cousins.

The city of Denver and Australian business organization AUSDenver last year launched an Australian business hub at the Galvanize office, marking a first-of-its-kind initiative to capitalize on a significant amount of inquiries from the region.

Xero, a small business accounting platform from New Zealand, has its Denver headquarters on Platte Street, and several cafes in the area have developed menus that reflect a taste of home for business workers from New Zealand and Australia that include flat white coffees, Burner said.

"You hear a lot of accents as you walk that street," he said.

Powell said working in a tightly knit community of businesses from a similar region has unmatched value. He said that the community has helped Parkable get ahead of questions that they might not have even known to ask, such as the details of getting health insurance for employees.

Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/

United Announces Largest South Pacific Expansion in Aviation History, Including New Direct Flight to Christchurch, New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 19:43:03 GMT

United adds 40% more flights between the U.S. and Australia/New Zealand next northern winter, including new non-stop service to Christchurch, new routes from L.A. to Brisbane and Auckland, and more flights from San Francisco to Brisbane and Sydney

United serves more destinations in Australia and New Zealand than all U.S. carriers combined

Next winter, United will have more flights and serve more destinations between the U.S. and Australia and the U.S. and New Zealand than any other carrier in the world

CHICAGO, April 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today announces the largest South Pacific network expansion ever to and from the continental U.S., including the first non-stop flight between San Francisco and Christchurch set to commence on December 1. United will be the only carrier to directly connect the U.S. and the South Island of New Zealand. With 66 flights between the US and Australia/New Zealand every week, United will operate nearly 40% more flights from the U.S. to Australia and New Zealand next northern winter versus last year.

The carrier is adding new direct flights from Los Angeles to Brisbane and Auckland and increasing service to the region from its San Francisco hub with daily flights to Brisbane, twice daily flights to Sydney and flying larger aircraft to Melbourne. And thanks to United's relationships with Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia, travelers can enjoy easy one-stop connections from these cities to more than 50 destinations in the region.

United already flies to more destinations in Australia and New Zealand than all other U.S. carriers combined, and now will have more flights and serve more destinations in the region from the U.S. than any other carrier in the world. Tickets are now on sale on the airline's mobile app and on United.com – just in time for customers to plan their trips for the region's peak winter season.

"This past winter, United enhanced our network and became the largest carrier to the South Pacific region. Now, this upcoming winter, we will expand even further," said Patrick Quayle, Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances. "Our strong partnerships with Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia provide unparalleled connectivity, and with our historic expansion across five destinations in New Zealand and Australia, United is the clear choice for customers' travel to the region."

San Francisco – Christchurch, NZ*

Starting December 1, United will be the only airline to offer direct flights between the U.S. and New Zealand's South Island, with the first direct San Francisco-Christchurch service. United will fly this route three times weekly on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. United's new flight to Christchurch is part of the airline's broader expansion efforts in New Zealand and next winter, the airline will be nearly 70% larger in New Zealand than in 2019.

Los Angeles – Auckland*

Next winter, United will build on its position as the largest U.S. airline to Auckland, adding four weekly flights from Los Angeles. United is the only U.S. carrier to serve Auckland year-round with its existing service from San Francisco. United will fly its Los Angeles-Auckland route on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, starting October 28.

Los Angeles – Brisbane*

In winter 2022, United became the only airline to offer direct flights between Brisbane and San Francisco. On November 29, United will add to this service by adding three weekly Los Angles-Brisbane flights on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner – becoming the largest carrier between the U.S. and Brisbane.

More Flights to Sydney and Brisbane

In addition to adding new flights to its schedule, United will also increase its flying from San Francisco to Brisbane and Sydney. Starting October 28, United will offer daily flights between San Francisco and Brisbane on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and will be able to fly nearly triple the number of customers to Brisbane from the US next winter than it did in 2022. The airline will also fly twice daily between San Francisco and Sydney on Boeing 777-300ERs starting October 28, offering more flights to Sydney from the U.S. than any other carrier.

More Seats to Melbourne

This past winter, United became the largest airline from the U.S. to Melbourne, increasing from ten to fourteen weekly roundtrip flights, with one daily flight from both San Francisco and Los Angeles. Starting October 28, United will deploy its largest airplane on flights between San Francisco-Melbourne. The 777-300ER will add nearly 100 daily seats to each departure. Compared to winter 2019, United will offer 65% more seats to Melbourne.

*flights subject to government approval

About United

United's shared purpose is "Connecting People. Uniting the World." From our U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers. United is bringing back our customers' favorite destinations and adding new ones on its way to becoming the world's best airline. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".

Source: United Airlines

Efficiency a key priority in expansion of agri-tech company Halter

Mike Hearn — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 00:10:05 GMT

Agri-tech company Halter says it has focused on growing its core business, and research and development after securing $85 million in capital.

The company, which was founded in 2016, creates electronic collars that use sound and vibration to guide and contain individual cows without the need for fences.

The Series C funding was led by US venture capital giant Bessemer Venture Partners, known for backing companies such as LinkedIn and Rocket Lab.

Bessemer joined existing investors DCVC, Blackbird, Promus, Icehouse and Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck.

Halter founder and chief executive Craig Piggott - who once worked for Rocket Lab - said the company's main growth objectives revolved around its existing product.

"How do we continue to be more efficient - in terms of helping farmers to be more efficient, how do we keep increasing the benefits for them," he said.

"The key priority is more about improving the product and success for our farmers rather than any big expansion plans. They are there but they come second."

Piggott said any overseas expansion would be anchored on countries that farm in a similar way to New Zealand.

Bessemer partner Tess Hatch said Halter was a company that revolutionised livestock farms.

"The company's suite of software as a service products manages everything from pasture grazing and livestock movements to animal health, ultimately reducing labour costs and increasing revenue, while at the same time decreasing farm emissions," she said.

Halter's collars were leased under a "per-cow subscription model" that was based on the features required by farmers.

The company would own and maintain the collars.

Source: https://www.rnz.co.nz/

Entries open for 2023 AmCham – DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards

Mike Hearn — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 04:52:28 GMT

Entries open for 24th AmCham – DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards for companies doing business with the USA, in conjunction with United Airlines.

The American Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce the launch of the 2023 AmCham – DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards in conjunction with United Airlines. 2023 is the twenty fourth year these awards have been held and they celebrate business achievement between New Zealand and the United States. The US is New Zealand's third largest trading partner with bilateral trade now worth around $20 billion – goods exports to the USA $7.8b and imports from the USA $7.8b.

To allow us greater flexibility there are no set categories for the three exporter awards. Once applications are in the judges will decide on three categories.

With United Airlines returning to flying back to NZ and post Covid, we are bringing back the Contribution to Tourism with the USA award.

As Sustainability and Climate Change are such an important issue we will select one for the finalists to receive a Commitment to sustainability/Climate Change award.

Commenting on the awards, Mark Foy, Managing Director, New Zealand & Pacific Islands, DHL Express, said “DHL Express is proud to partner with AmCham to deliver the 2023 AmCham-DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards. We know that the USA remains as one of the top exporting destinations for New Zealand businesses, who we see using ingenuity to improve business processes. Innovation and Kiwi ingenuity are at the heart of numerous Kiwi export success stories and we look forward to seeing the high calibre of this year’s finalists”.

Awards categories are:

3 Exporters of the Year to the USA

Bilateral Connections with the USA

Investor of the Year to or from the USA

Contribution to Tourism with the USA

This year we will also select a finalist from the above categories for a Commitment to sustainability/Climate Change award.

The Supreme Award winner is selected from winners of each of these awards. AmCham also presents an award to the Member/Supporter of the Year.

Timetable:
Entries close 5pm on 30 May
Week of 26 July finalists interviewed by awards judges
29 August Awards dinner in Auckland

If you require any other information about entering the 2023 awards please contact Mike Hearn, by email mike@amcham.co.nz or phone 09 309 9140.

2023 © Am

Microsoft expands its investment in New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 05:29:53 GMT

Microsoft has received Overseas Investment Office (OIO) consent to purchase additional land, enabling it to expand its cloud infrastructure in New Zealand.

As recognised by the OIO, this investment will benefit Aotearoa by introducing additional capital into the country, creating approximately 50 new full time equivalent (FTE) jobs once the datacenter on this site is operational, plus 300 temporary FTE jobs during construction of the datacenter.

This development is a recognition of the long-term opportunity we see in Aotearoa, and a sign of commitment from Microsoft to continue to assist in powering the country’s digitalisation journey. New Zealand’s economy proves to be resilient despite global macroeconomic challenges and its growth potential, underpinned by strong democratic foundations and the rule of law, creates a favourable business environment. This additional investment aims to meet anticipated customer demand for our cloud services in the future.

We already see strong uptake of cloud computing in New Zealand and high interest in the next generation of artificial intelligence-powered technologies. According to a recent IDC White Paper, commissioned by Microsoft, Public Cloud Services Opportunities and Dividends to the Australian and New Zealand Economies*, public cloud adoption generated $23.9 billion in new revenues for New Zealand businesses in 2022 – around six per cent of GDP. By 2026, cloud delivery is expected to add $21 billion to the economy above this level and generate 134,000 new jobs as a result of new capabilities and growth.”

Following the initial disclosure in 2020, announcing Microsoft’s intention to construct a datacenter region in New Zealand, Fonterra, the Accident Compensation Corporation, BNZ and Auckland Transport have decided to move to Microsoft Cloud. We’re also working alongside partners such as TupuToa, Rea, PwC and DXC to equip students, jobseekers, and workers with digital skills to ensure Aotearoa thrives in a digital future. We announced a micro-credential programme alongside national vocational training provider, Te Pūkenga, and TupuToa, aimed at filling the need for skilled cybersecurity experts, while boosting diversity. Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand has already committed to welcoming paid apprentices as part of the programme.

We also have sustainability firmly in mind as we build our hyper-scale cloud. With around 80 per cent of NZ’s electricity currently generated from renewable sources, we are well-placed to make New Zealand’s datacenter region one of the most sustainable on the planet. Microsoft has an ongoing commitment to supporting organisations on their decarbonisation journey through platforms such as Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability, but that starts with ensuring our own cloud is net carbon neutral. One of our global sustainability commitments is to execute power purchase agreements equivalent to 100% of our energy needs by 2025. Last year, we signed an agreement with sustainable electricity retailer, Ecotricity, to ensure our datacenter region is powered by 100 per cent carbon free energy. Microsoft will only be using Toitū net carbonzero certified electricity sourced from solar, wind and hydro.

We look forward to continuing to empower every New Zealand organisation and all New Zealanders to achieve more.

Maciej Surowiec, Government Affairs Lead New Zealand, Corporate, External & Legal Affairs (CELA)

Big Tech Company Celebrates Decade Partnership With Company-X

Mike Hearn — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 02:39:19 GMT

A US multinational digital communications technology giant is celebrating a decade long partnership with New Zealand software specialist Company-X.

Cisco Systems Inc, in San Jose, California, became a client of Company-X, in 2013 shortly after the software specialist was founded by Jeremy Hughes and David Hallett in Hamilton, Waikato.

Cisco asked Company-X for help and expertise with several international projects and the relationship continues today.

This makes Cisco one of Company-X’s first and oldest clients.

"We've been working with Company-X for several years now and they are a top-notch development and technology partner,” said iTalent Digital Cisco Account Manager Maritza Quintanilla.

“Their team has amazing talent, a great mix of innovative and creative developers, project managers, business analyst and quality assurance team members who strive to deliver results and value.

“They've helped our fortune 50 client company execute a cutting-edge platform, leading the efforts from concept to execution and they are a genuine pleasure to work with . . . flexible, engaged and responsive.”

Quintanilla’s comments echo those of Cisco project manager Ashela Webb.

“They handle themselves professionally internally with peers and leaders. Every resource provided to us, from program management to development, has the ability to think on his or her feet and get the job done.”

"Company-X manages to find resources that keep updated, continuously bringing new technology and development insights to our organisation.”

Hamilton City Council was Company-X’s first client by a few months.

The council involved Company-X co-founder and director David Hallett in the architecture of its eServices Portal. The job required integration with existing regulatory information systems and various payment gateways. The council was one of the first local government services to use the RealMe identify verification service.

The New Zealand Police National Road Policing Centre Calibrations Services in Wellington was also an early client.

Police Calibration Services asked Company-X to build a system to record and audit speed testing devices and calibration results as well as assess legal tolerances across a range of devices.

Due to the nature of law enforcement, all equipment used to assess legal tolerances in New Zealand must be regularly calibrated for accuracy, while ensuring every individual device is always accounted for.

The devices are complex in number, type, and technology, and include laser guns, radar, speed cameras and static speed test sites, passive and evidential breathalysers, and weighing scales.

It was also critical to ensure an ISO 17025 quality process was followed, recorded and auditable.

“New Zealand Police Calibration Services were extremely happy with our iterative rapid prototyping approach and the speed with which we delivered the final application,” said Company-X co-founder and director Jeremy Hughes. “Without heavyweight analysis and program specification, we were able to deliver speed to market along with significant cost savings.”

Calibrations Services Manager Senior Sergeant David Martin said police had enjoyed a long-term relationship with Company-X.

About Company-X

Company-X offers world-leading software savvy delivered with a can-do attitude.

Founded in 2012 by software specialists David Hallett and Jeremy Hughes, Company-X immediately won contracts with New Zealand government departments and a US multinational.

The team has grown to more than 50 New Zealand-based software specialists, with only the best and brightest passing the Company-X interview and assessment process.

The Company-X team prides itself on experience in a wide range of technologies and languages and loves challenging problems.

Company-X ranked on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500™ Asia Pacific, a list of the fastest-growing technology companies in the Asia Pacific region, in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Company-X has won many awards:

Company-X won an ExportNZ Top Tech Companies of 2022 award.
Company-X won the Best Professional Service Innovation Award in the Hamilton Central Business Association Central Business District Awards 2021
Company-X software quality assurance tester Jes Elliott won the Reseller News Women in ICT (Information and Communication Technology) 2021 Rising Star Award.
The Independent Software Vendor Award at the Reseller News Innovation Awards 2020 for state-of-the-art software that turns text into human-like audio files at a fraction of the cost of booking a voice artist, recording studio and sound engineer.
The Independent Software Vendor Award at the Reseller News Innovation Awards 2019 for a hands-free auditing application developed for AsureQuality.
The Service Excellence and Global Operator awards at the Westpac Waikato Business Awards in 2018.
The Services Exporter of the Year category at the Air New Zealand Cargo ExportNZ Awards 2017.
The Homegrown Innovators Independent Software Vendors Award at the Reseller News ICT Industry Awards 2017.
The Roading Asset Management Innovation Award at the Road Infrastructure Management Forum in 2017 for the One Network Road Classification Performance Measures Reporting Tool built for the New Zealand transport sector.

New Zealand Startup Moves HQ to Atlanta After Receiving Local Investment

Mike Hearn — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 03:43:08 GMT

Cerulean Labs, a New Zealand startup with a sketch-based conceptual design tool for architects, is moving its headquarters to Atlanta. The announcement comes after the early-stage startup landed a seed investment round led by Atlanta-based Shadow Ventures.

Shadow Ventures is known as a venture firm focused on using tech to transform the built environment (think architecture, landscape, urban planning, and the like). KP Reddy, Shadow Ventures’ Founder and CEO, told Hypepotamus that while specific numbers about funding and hiring plans will not be disclosed at this time, Atlanta will serve as the “beachhead” for Cerulean and the team will be “hiring sales and marketing resources in Atlanta.”

The move will be about “developing and commercializing” the startup’s iPad-based design tool, Spaces, according to a press statement by Cerulean Labs.

“It’s been a long process to get to this point, but I am thrilled to have Shadow Ventures lead our Series Seed round,” said founder of Cerulean Labs Campbell Yule in a statement. “For a start-up like Cerulean Labs, it was essential to find an investor who understands our market. I have been impressed from day one by the entire Shadow Ventures team and I’m excited about partnering with them in 2023.”

Mr. Reddy added that “unlike many VCs that prioritize warm introductions, we prioritize meritocracy. Like most of our portfolio, [Cerulean Labs] first met us by applying via our website. From first meeting to close, we generally take 12 weeks on average. This deal was slightly longer due to some of the holiday slow down at the end of the year.”

The Local Built Environment Tech Scene

Shadow Ventures makes investments around the globe, but has Southeast companies like PropTech startups Ecobot, Kairos, and Green Badger in its current portfolio.

Cerulean Labs’ move to Atlanta comes as the Southeast has seen more momentum in the overall PropTech, ConstructionTech, and built environment tech scene recently. Some of the bigger headlines over the last two years include Louisiana’s Levelset being acquired for $500 million, Nashville’s Built Technology closing a $88 million funding round, and Atlanta’s cove.tool securing a $30 million Series B.

That momentum could mean more opportunities for startups like Cerulean Labs.

“While residential construction has slowed, commercial construction is still growing. With talent shortages and supply chain challenges, the industry continues to seek innovation to execute on record project backlogs,” added Mr. Reddy.

Source: https://www.globalatlanta.com

Mark Wahlberg’s message to Kiwis after Wahlburgers opens in Auckland: ‘Can’t wait to visit soon’:

Mike Hearn — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 22:24:27 GMT

Mark Wahlberg has shared a special message for his Kiwi fans after the opening of his first Wahlburgers restaurant in New Zealand last week.

The actor took to Instagram to share a video message for his New Zealand customers, saying, “Kia ora! Massive congratulations to the New Zealand Wahlburgers team and the Mustaca family for opening our first ever Wahlburgers in Viaduct Harbour at Princes Wharf at Shed 22.

“Our first ever restaurant in New Zealand, what an honour.”

The Hollywood star went on to say that he “cannot wait” to visit New Zealand and enjoy a cold beer and a Kiwi-style burger with his fans.

“God bless you and your beautiful country, I cannot wait to visit soon,” he added, before recalling his time in Aotearoa filming The Lovely Bones with Sir Peter Jackson.

“I had the most remarkable time in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. I can’t wait to see you again, God bless you and thank you.”

Wahlberg spent some time in Wairarapa in October 2007 shooting the film at several locations near Greytown and Masterton. He starred in the film alongside Saoirse Ronan and Rachel Weisz.

It comes after Aotearoa’s first-ever Wahlburgers restaurant opened last week at the former Euro restaurant site as eager diners queued up to experience the actor and his brothers’ joint venture.

Wahlberg, who has an estimated US$350 million net worth, founded Wahlburgers in 2011 with his brothers Donnie and Paulie Wahlberg. Two more Wahlburgers restaurants are set to open in Tauranga and Queenstown this year.

The NZ branch will be operated by the Mustaca family, which owns Australia’s largest independent cinema chain, United Cinemas.

Last year, Wahlburgers Australia and New Zealand chief executive Sam Mustaca scouted locations across Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch.

He said the team are “thrilled to bring Wahlburgers to guests in New Zealand”.

“We had been following the concept for years and with its natural ties to the entertainment industry, bringing Wahlburgers into the experience at United Cinemas just seemed like a perfect fit,” he said.

He said the decision to expand to New Zealand was motivated by their Kiwi staff overseas.

“They’ve always spoken so beautifully about the place. If it wasn’t for those people we probably wouldn’t have come here.”

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

Kiwi drinks company Alcohol-Free (AF) sets sights on US market

Mike Hearn — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 20:14:51 GMT

Kiwi-based non-alcoholic drinks company Alcohol-Free (AF) is launching across the United States this April.

Founder Lisa King said the company has “just done a really soft launch online” on its website and Amazon US, and is now preparing for its launch with premium US grocery retailer Sprouts Farmers Market.

Set to market in the US as Free AF, King says, “We very much play to the meme. Sometimes we’re called curious AF, sometimes it could be sexy AF or posh AF. We wanted to make it really fun and not boring.”

King told the Herald: “From April 1, we are going to be arranged in almost 400 stores nationwide in the US.”

She said AF will be sold at 393 of Sprouts’ 400 outlets across America. She says Sprouts is similar to NZ-based grocery retailers Farro Fresh and Moore Wilson’s.

“That’s a really massive win for us,” King said.

Sprouts is an Arizona-based retailer that attracts smaller, health-focused suppliers in the US including food startups. The company reported US$1.6 billion in total sales in its latest quarterly earnings last November.

Kings said US retailers are “where New Zealand supermarkets were a couple of years ago”, having limited options for non-alcoholic drinks.

“AF will be one of the first products that they will stock in this new category.”

She said: “We always wanted it to be a global brand, and so the way we’ve kind of designed it and the business model around it was to always take it beyond New Zealand.”

AF drinks are available at most supermarkets in Aotearoa and on their website coming in at around $45 for a 12-pack of 250ml cans.

King said the AF team first visited the US last June to gauge the market.

“There was this big opportunity. There weren’t many products like ours and the supermarkets hadn’t quite got into it and so we just saw this window for us to get in there,” King said.

“Only six months ago, we were standing in LA with no plans. Now we’ve just made our first production of AF over there before Christmas.”

AF launched the Curious AF Bottle Shop in Ponsonby last year, which King said was initially a pop-up store.

She said the store gave Kiwis access to global brands “people hadn’t seen in New Zealand before”.

“There were alcohol-free beers, wines that actually taste decent, champagne, spirits.”

“We actually went and tasted about a hundred different products from around the world and we curated the best 30 and bought them in,” King said.

She said: “That was so popular that everyone asked us to make [the store] permanent. And so we opened up a permanent shop on Crummer Rd in November.”

“I’m still quite surprised with just the amount of people that are coming,” King said.

King started AF after she stopped drinking alcohol a few years ago.

“I was really missing my gin and tonic and I could see this trend was happening overseas, particularly in places like the UK,” she said.

King said the “sober curiosity movement” was gaining traction internationally and saw an opportunity to fill the gap in the market at home with products “that just tasted really good, were really complex, and not highly filled with sugar”.

“I just thought something that was ready to drink, really convenient, tasted really good and sophisticated was missing in the market, so it became a bit of a lockdown project,” King said.

She said a factor in the brand’s success is their pioneering Afterglow ingredient which AF’s website says “is a 100 per cent natural botanical extract that mimics the pleasant warmth of drinking alcohol without the alcohol”.

King said: “Afterglow is really unique in making you feel like you are actually drinking something alcoholic.”

She said her team has focused on food science and reconstructing the “depth and texture” of alcohol in their products.

“When you take alcohol out of something, it tastes quite thin and watery so we knew we needed something to give you that kind of complexity and mouth feel,” King said.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

VerifyMe Acquires Assets of Digital Identity Brand Protection Company, Trust Codes Limited

Mike Hearn — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 02:52:03 GMT

Strategic acquisition increases VerifyMe's service offerings, and geographic markets

LAKE MARY, Fla. , March 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- VerifyMe, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRME) together with its subsidiary PeriShip Global LLC ("PeriShip Global"), (together "VerifyMe," "we," "our," or the "Company") provides brand owners time and temperature sensitive logistics, supply chain monitoring, authentication, and data-rich consumer engagement services, announced today that it has acquired the assets of Trust Codes Limited, a New Zealand business specializing in unique item level codes for brand protection, data intelligence and consumer engagement technology with an expertise in the food and agriculture industry. This acquisition will strengthen VerifyMe's ability to deliver product traceability services to a global customer base.

Trust Codes Limited, founded in 2013, delivers cloud-based brand protection based on a unique per-item digital identity. Leveraging advanced algorithms and machine learning, the Trust Codes solution helps protect brand and product authenticity, increases data visualization of a product through the end to end supply chain, and creates a data-driven engine to inform and educate consumers of the product. Brand owners are able to engage directly with their consumer to build brand trust and connect to the provenance of a product. Trust Codes Limited currently has employees in New Zealand and Australia and an existing customer base with recurring revenue.

Patrick White, VerifyMe's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "With much of Trust Codes customer base being in the food space, it provides a great opportunity to leverage that with PeriShip's customers and service offerings. We believe the two organizations have significant synergies, and with the innovative and sophisticated proprietary platform of Trust Codes and VerifyMe's presence in the US and Europe we will continue to grow our existing market share and expand into new markets to include Australasia and China."

"Trust Codes Limited with its experienced management team and its proven brand protection solutions is excited at the opportunities this transaction creates for us to work with the VerifyMe team and expand our full suite of services into the US market and globally," said Paul Ryan, Trust Codes Limited, CEO.

About VerifyMe, Inc.

VerifyMe, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRME), together with its wholly owned subsidiary PeriShip Global, is a software driven logistics provider of high-touch, end-to-end logistics management. We provide logistics management from a sophisticated IT platform with proprietary databases, package and flight-tracking software, weather, and flight status monitoring systems, as well as dynamic dashboards with real-time visibility into shipment transit and last-mile events. In addition, VerifyMe provides brand protection and consumer engagement solutions allowing brand owners to gather business intelligence. To learn more, visit www.verifyme.com.

About Trust Codes Limited

Trust Codes, based in New Zealand, provides brand protection based on a digital identity for each unique item. Connecting brands to consumers, the use of unique QR codes or IoT, coupled with GS1 standards, enables transparency and traceability through a product's lifecycle. Trust Codes leverage advanced algorithms to protect authenticity and brand value. Data-driven storytelling allows visibility of the journey for each item through the supply chain to the consumer's hands. For additional information, please visit: https://www.trust.codes.

Maxigesic Rapid® tablets gain US FDA approval.

Mike Hearn — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 23:03:25 GMT

AFT Pharmaceuticals (NZX.AFT, ASX.AFP) today announces the US Food and Drug Administration has approved a rapid release tablet form of Maxigesic for the management of mild to moderate acute pain in the US.

The approval for Maxigesic Rapid® - a unique, patented combination of 325 mg of paracetamol and 97.5 mg of ibuprofen that deploys a patented rapid release technology1 – opens an analgesic market to AFT in the US that is worth around US$7.16 billion and is expected to grow by 5.8% a year between now and 2027.

AFT Managing Director Dr Hartley Atkinson says: “We are delighted with the FDA approval of this prescription medicine and excited about the growth opportunities it opens for the company. We have held talks with potential US licensees for the medicine and are evaluating US market entry plans to maximise its commercial potential. We also importantly see this as a therapeutic option to help doctors battle the opioid epidemic in the US.

Dr Atkinson said the FDA approval for Maxigesic Rapid release tablets represents the first step for the family of medicines in the important US market. The company is awaiting approval for the intravenous form of the patented medicine Maxigesic IV and is also considering the release of other dose forms in the market.

The US approval follows on other commercial successes with Maxigesic. Maxigesic Oral Liquid, a patented unique combination of 160mg paracetamol and 48mg ibuprofen per 5ml oral suspension for children, has recently received approval in an additional 12 European countries via the European Union’s decentralized registration procedure.

The approval clears the way for registration approvals of the medicine in Estonia; Hungary; Lithuania; Latvia; Slovenia; Bulgaria; Cyprus; the Czech Republic; Romania; Slovakia; Greece and Poland.

AFT Managing Director Dr Hartley Atkinson says: “The Maxigesic commercialisation programme continues to make steady progress and the increasing regulatory approvals and consequent launches will contribute to our international sales going forward.”

Source: https://investors.aftpharm.com/

Tracksuit raises $5M to make brand tracking more accessible

Mike Hearn — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 00:47:09 GMT

Tracksuit, a New Zealand-based brand tracking startup, wants to take on traditional market research players by offering a more affordable, accessible brand insights tool.

“Market research and brand tracking has been around for a long time, and it usually consists of a consultant coming in on a quarterly or biannual basis with a 100-page slide deck and a lot of complex data that looks behind not forward,” Matt Herbert, co-founder and co-CEO of Tracksuit, told TechCrunch, noting that most market research services have been reserved for enterprise-level companies, leaving smaller and mid-sized companies with less access to such insights.

“With Tracksuit, we wanted to make an affordable, always-on, easy-to-use way of accessing these insights.”

Tracksuit launched in 2021 with an intuitive dashboard that tracks metrics like brand awareness, consideration, preference and usage, and measures them against a company’s competitive set. It’s a software-as-a-service product with a flat fee that Herbert says is 10x cheaper than the current standard.

Tracksuit’s tool now tracks insights for more than 1,300 brands across New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and, most recently, the United States. The company recently closed $5 million in its first external round, and will use the money to expand further into the U.S. market. Tracksuit made its first hire in New York City in November, and is building a 10-person team there to support expansion.

The round, led by Blackbird, also included participation from Shasta Ventures, Icehouse Ventures, Ascential and brand consultant Mark Ritson.

“Strong brands are the difference between good companies and great companies – whether they’re selling physical products or software,” said Phoebe Harrop, a partner at Blackbird, in a statement. “The magic of Tracksuit is giving companies across every industry a common language for measuring, talking about and investing in brand health.”

“A common language.” That’s what Herbert told TechCrunch Tracksuit is trying to achieve — a standard for evaluating, understanding and communicating the value of brands.

The startup is targeting mid-sized, growing consumer brands across food and beverage, FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods), retail, direct-to-consumer and financial services. Herbert said half of its customers come from the existing brand tracking market, but the other half is a new segment entirely that has previously not been served by the market research industry. Some key customers today include Made by Nacho, Charity: Water and Athletic Brewing Company.

Herbert says the strong demand for the company’s product suggests a shift in how consumer businesses approach marketing. They’re focused “less on immediate conversion and more on building long-term growth through highly effective, creative marketing,” he said.

Tracksuit gathers insights by surveying target customers around the globe. It uses those surveys to set up a brand’s fundamentals: What’s the total addressable market? How well is the brand known, how well is it considered, where is it most preferred? What do people really think and feel about the brand, and how does that shift over time?

From there, Tracksuit goes deeper.

“Each brand will have strategic pillars or value propositions that they want to own, so we help those brands track how well they are performing against those brand pillars and how well their comms and advertising and marketing is shifting the needle on those perceptions and attributes for the consumer,” said Herbert, as he showed me a demo of Tracksuit’s “unprompted imagery” feature, a word cloud that shows which words come to mind for a specific brand, positioned next to a similar word cloud for that brand’s biggest competitor.

All of these insights help brands ask the big question of What’s the job to be done? It’s hard to sell to someone who hasn’t heard of your brand, so maybe Tracksuit’s insights could help a brand learn that it has to increase awareness before anything else.

“What is the opportunity to grow and where should that be focused in your advertising, communications and marketing strategy?” said Herbert.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/

NZ investors receive boost after US grants excepted status

Mike Hearn — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 22:09:34 GMT

New Zealand has been granted excepted foreign state investor status from the United States, making it easier for New Zealand investors to invest in the US and deepen ties with a key trade partner.

“This is a very positive outcome for New Zealand after being granted provisional excepted status in January 2022. We are one of only a few countries to be awarded this status,” Grant Robertson said.

“Ministers and officials from across a number of agencies have worked tirelessly to secure an exemption and I would like to thank them for their efforts and hard work in achieving this goal.

“New Zealand’s inclusion in the excepted states list alongside Australia, Canada, and the UK will lower the barriers for New Zealand investors and support further growth in investment into the US and provide more options for diversification.

“New Zealand firms developing critical technologies or dealing with critical infrastructure such as renewable energy, as well as in personal data, stand to benefit. It also makes it easier for government investment vehicles like the NZ Super Fund to invest in the US in areas such as green technologies.

“Receiving excepted foreign state investor status has been a priority for New Zealand since 2018, when the US introduced reforms that increased the requirements for screening investments in sensitive areas. Australia, Canada and the UK were given exceptions in 2020 and put New Zealand investors at a disadvantage when compared to investors from these countries.

Trade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor welcomed the status.

“This is a positive step towards stronger trade and business links with a very good friend of New Zealand,” Damien O’Connor said.

“New Zealand has undertaken a series of reforms to the Overseas Investment Act since 2018, including around investment screening, bringing the Act in line with overseas investment regimes, including in the US,” Grant Robertson said.

“This decision reflects US confidence in New Zealand’s foreign investment regulatory settings and the close relationship between the two countries.”

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

TOP

Slalom Comes To New Zealand With New Office in Auckland

Mike Hearn — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 06:23:31 GMT

‘Fiercely human’ consultancy arrives to support local and global customers

Auckland – February 7, 2023 – Slalom, the global business and technology consulting company, today announced the opening of a new office in New Zealand. Slalom’s office in Auckland will serve customers throughout the country, including notable local companies Air New Zealand, Fidelity Life and Vector, and global partners such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Salesforce, and Snowflake.

Slalom expects to hire more than 50 professionals through the next year to support customers who want help to accelerate their growth and transformation, embrace emerging technology, and deliver initiatives faster and better. Slalom’s initial service offering for New Zealand includes a range of industries, including agriculture, technology, manufacturing, financial services, health, and life sciences.

“Slalom New Zealand sets itself apart from competitors because our consultants are local, but our capabilities are global and we can help New Zealand customers expand their reach around the world,” said Michael Shimota, President and Country Leader, Australia and New Zealand. “We offer clients end to end services, from strategic consulting to building amazing products, so they can connect more deeply and best serve their customers.”

Auckland is the fourth Asia-Pacific office to open in the past three years following Melbourne, Sydney, and Tokyo. “Customers like to work with Slalom because we are different,” said John Tobin, Slalom Co-Founder and Executive President of EMEA and APAC. “Our purpose-driven, fiercely human approach is how we can help New Zealand companies address their strategic, technological, and business transformation needs.”

Slalom’s global team of 13,000 is an award-winning partner to 400 of the most innovative technology companies in the world, including AWS, Salesforce, Google Cloud, Microsoft, and Tableau. It has been recognized as a best company to work for by Fortune Magazine, Glassdoor, Forbes Magazine, and Human Rights Campaign.

About Slalom

Slalom is a purpose-led, global business and technology consulting company. From strategy to implementation, our approach is fiercely human. In seven countries and 44 markets, we deeply understand our customers—and their customers—to deliver practical, end-to-end solutions that drive meaningful impact. Backed by close partnerships with over 400 leading technology providers, our 13,000+ strong team helps people and organizations dream bigger, move faster, and build better tomorrows for all. We’re honored to be consistently recognized as a great place to work, including being one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For seven years running. Learn more at slalom.com.

US Retail Embraces Disruptive Kiwi Tech, Records 10% Of Retail Photo Print Market

Mike Hearn — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 03:00:30 GMT

MEA celebrates 10-year anniversary and 10% market share

Photo and retail specialist MEA today announced a new milestone with its capture of 10% of the US retail photo print market. The company's ad-tech and e-commerce solutions are disrupting the retail photo print industry, driving photo-lab growth and transporting customers into stores such as CVS and Walgreens.

Convenient phone apps, a growing gifting culture, and rising demand for personalized photo products are driving online photo print growth. The US retail photo print market is expected to reach $786 million this year, with over 4.2 billion 4x6" prints developed at stores.

MEA's 10% market share milestone coincides with the 10-year anniversary of its flagship photo print app Printicular. During that period, the company has focused on sustainable growth, solidifying its position as a leader in the field and is already connected to over 21,000 stores and photo labs in 11 countries.

MEA's solutions help photo and retail businesses grow.

The company has secured 10% of the US retail photo print market and 21,000 connected stores.

MEA's proprietary technologies and sustainable growth make it a stand-out in the tech sector.

"As MEA celebrates ten years of growth and success, our focus on sustainable growth and strategic technology investments has driven the company's achievements," said Bruce Seymour, Managing Director of USA at MEA. "We're thrilled to see the impact of our solutions on the retail photo print market."

For more information, get in touch at USA 203.599.1111, email info@we-are-mea.com, or visit https://www.meaphototech.com/

About MEA

MEA is a growth engine for the photo and retail industry. Our unique ad tech and e-commerce solutions help photo-labs grow and drive customers into stores. Over 21,000 stores and photo-labs in 11 countries are live on MEA’s technology platform. MEA owns photo printing apps including Photo Prints+, Photo Prints Now, Local Prints Now, and Printicular. MEA services customers worldwide and is based in New Haven, CT, USA and New Zealand.

AFT to develop antibiotic eye drop

Mike Hearn — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 23:05:53 GMT

AFT Pharmaceuticals (NZX: AFT, ASX: AFP) today announces it has reached agreement with Latitude Pharmaceuticals Inc to license Latitude’s key technology to develop a stable antibiotic eye drop for patients at risk of serious eye infections.

The total addressable market is estimated by AFT Pharmaceuticals and Latitude Pharmaceuticals as US$1 billion globally.

Latitude is a formulation development contract research organization based in San Diego, United States, that provides innovative drug formulation development services and proprietary drug delivery systems to the human and veterinary pharmaceutical industries.

The licensed intellectual property involves a patented aqueous stable formulation for an antibiotic eye drop. The antibiotic is already approved for treating a wide range of medically important bacterial infections including those caused by the antibiotic resistant MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) bacteria. However, no approved ophthalmic solution for this antibiotic currently exists for the treatment of serious, potentially sight-threatening infections, with the market being served with eye drop solutions made by compounding pharmacies.

AFT Managing Director Dr Hartley Atkinson says “Such extensive off-label use has validated the market potential for this antibiotic for treating a number of important ophthalmic conditions and the availability of a registered pharmaceutical product would enable insurance coverage in the key USA market while avoiding the risk of contamination from compounding operations.”

The planned development programme is expected to take 3-4 years up to the point of regulatory filings globally including in the major markets of USA, Europe, China, and Japan. The programme is intended to be included within the company’s existing research and development budget, which is forecast to be circa $12m per annum in the FY2023 and FY2024 financial years.

Dr Atkinson says: “We see this as a very worthwhile area to help the treatment of patients at risk of a serious eye infection due to drug resistant super bugs. It also offers an attractive global commercial opportunity and is aligned with our recent drive to further build up our research and development pipeline to fuel our global growth aspirations.”

Latitude President, Dr Andrew Chen, says the agreement with AFT Pharmaceuticals is an exciting opportunity for the company.

“Partnerships with companies like AFT Pharmaceuticals are essential for realising a technology’s full potential. AFT has the networks, skills, and resources to make the most of this important opportunity, and it is exciting to partner with them on this journey.”

AFT has considerable expertise in drug repurposing work (reformulation of existing drugs) having started such projects with Maxigesic back in 2004 and has previously conducted clinical studies in several countries around the world.

AFT has developed and out-licensed patented repurposed pharmaceutical products in over 100 countries and, to date, launched these products in some 53 countries. AFT also in-licensed a significant number of products and has a growing number of existing R&D programmes.

Source: https://investors.aftpharm.com/

CropX Acquires Tule, Further Expands in California with New Solutions for Specialty Crops and Drip Irrigation

Mike Hearn — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 23:52:30 GMT

NAPA, CA -Jan. 31, 2023/PRNewswire — CropX Technologies, a global leader in digital solutions for agronomic farm management, today announced its acquisition of Tule Technologies, a precision irrigation company based in California. This acquisition brings new data capture technologies to the CropX Agronomic Farm Management System and expands its market in California drip-irrigated specialty crops.

The CropX system offers its users real-time mobile and desktop insights and advice on irrigation, disease control, nutrient management and more, based on above-ground crop sensing data and below-ground soil monitoring. Tule brings a complementary new mode of data collection from above the plant canopy that precisely determines crop water use, which will enhance CropX’s artificial intelligence predictions, recommendations and automations, and add to its solutions for drip-irrigated specialty crops such as tree-nuts and vineyards.

“We are excited to welcome Tule to CropX, expanding our offerings to our customers to solve agronomic problems. With Tule’s canopy data incorporated into the CropX system, CropX is adding a new and powerful dimension to the world’s most complete precision irrigation solution,” said Tomer Tzach, CEO of CropX Technologies.

Effective immediately, all Tule employees will join CropX, adding expansive on-farm and client service expertise in the specialty crop and drip irrigation space, as well as technology talent to CropX’s growing global team.

“At Tule, we’ve admired CropX for their agronomic expertise, engineering excellence, and global ambition,” said Dr. Tom Shapland, CEO of Tule Technologies. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to join the CropX team.”

The acquisition comes at a time of increasing demand for precise watering technologies in agriculture. “The farming industry is at the frontlines of global challenges to balance food security with water and other natural resources,” said Dr. John Gates, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Product at CropX. “We are committed to helping our customers manage water confidently and efficiently with technology. Tule’s unique tech and vast experience with California vineyards and orchards are a perfect fit.”

This is the fourth acquisition CropX has made since 2020 and the second US-based company. CropX acquired Nebraska-based CropMetrics in the first quarter (Q1) of 2020, New Zealand-based Regen in Q4 of 2020, and Netherlands-based Dacom Farm Intelligence in Q3 2021, in each case adding expertise, technologies, customers, data and expanding markets. CropX will do the same with Tule working to incorporate the team and technology into an easy-to-use yet powerful agronomic farm management system. The final results being a more robust solution to more farmers and enabling a sustainable and connected agriculture industry.

About Tule Technologies

Founded in 2014 with backing from Y-Combinator and others, Tule (pronounced “too-lee”) combines proprietary technology, agronomic expertise, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence to provide farmers with irrigation decision support solutions. Their unique in-field sensor, developed at the University of California, Davis, is the only commercially-available device for measuring Actual Evapotranspiration (i.e., the water use of a farm field). The company’s customers include the winemakers who tend to coastal California’s most prized vineyards to the agronomists who farm thousands of acres of tree crops in California’s inland valleys.

https://cropx.com/

Award Winning Kiwi Coding Robot to Launch in the US

Mike Hearn — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 03:31:24 GMT

Kaibot, the small New Zealand AI-enabled learning robot designed to help five-15-year-old children learn to code, will launch this week at the Future Education Technology Conference (FETC) in New Orleans.

The Kiwi-designed robot and its online platform Kaibot in Kainundrum has already won acclaim, taking out the Learn-to-Code category in the Smart Toys Competition in Dubai 2023, and being named as a finalist in the DA top EdTech product of the year award for 2023.

Over the next three months, Kaibot will be put through its paces in front of thousands of teachers throughout the US.

Such is the level of interest in Kaibot that influential tech educators will be participating in workshops and professional development seminars featuring Kaibot at FETC and other educational events throughout the US this year.

Founder Bruce Jackson says that he’s excited to get Kaibot in front of the education community for real hands-on demonstration.

“Kaibot is designed to make learning to code, fun, intuitive and challenging, and to hold the attention of the youngest school children through to more capable teenage coders.

“I'm a firm believer that coding is an essential skill, just like reading and math. Even if you don’t want to get into a computer science role in the future, a basic understanding of code will be useful even in traditional fields, even if you're going to be a doctor or a lawyer,” Jackson says.

Kaibot is unique in the way it blends coding, learning, and 3D visualization to create a fun and engaging learning experience that can be scaled up in complexity as the child learns.

The innovative palm-sized black and blue robot is coded using a deck of cards with commands printed on them - Kaibot scans the sequence of cards and then plays back what’s been scanned, allowing it to participate in races and challenges.

The robot can be operated entirely without using a computer screen if desired, or with the addition of its online platform, Kaibot in Kainundrum, its exploits can be viewed in an interactive 3D environment on a computer or iPad, allowing the use of block-based coding and the ability to develop their own games using lasers, gates and mirrors.

The beauty of Kaibot is that this allows the educator to choose the amount of technology that is brought into play, depending on the age and stage of the participant, using a blend of the physical and the digital worlds.

A unique feature is the ability to use braille-imprinted coding cards meaning that blind, or hard-of-sight students are also able to participate in coding education and fun challenges.

“We wanted an inclusive product, no matter what difficulties the child may be facing. No matter what gender, or if they’re visually impaired, or hearing-impaired, we want to improve education equity,” Jackson says.

Leading educators are already impressed by Kaibot and Konundrum and are developing comprehensive learning plans featuring the robot. Some will be presenting these plans at workshops and professional development seminars at FETC and other shows throughout the US.

One leading academic in this field, Rudy Neufeld, CEO, President and Senior Author at Neufeld Learning Systems Inc. has published a 260-page resource; “First Steps in Coding through Mathematical Thinking and Game-Based Learning” - which presents lesson plans and suggested activities utilising Kaibot for beginners to advanced learners in coding from concrete to the abstract.

“Robots engage the minds of students in rich, exploratory, open-ended enquiries, thereby creating, ‘Communities of Innovation’, as students work together and share their explorations and findings,” says Neufeld.

“The processes of understanding how to code takes the learner through a rich field of mathematical concepts. When you create code, you are speaking mathematics. In coding, one teaches a robot which then gives feedback, to reflect the thinking by giving a visual, concrete result,” he says.

Jackson’s passion for robotics and coding began 5 years ago, when he took his son along to a school open-day that promised an introduction to coding. He discovered that there weren’t actually the kind of interactive learning devices available on the market to make it easy to teach coding to youngsters – so, he set out to create his own.

His first product ‘Kai’s Clan’ broke new ground, creating a STEAM toolbox for students 8+ years old, also winning International Product Awards. Kai’s Clan is a great ‘next-step’ resource for educators and kids who’ve done a little bit of scratch/blockly in the classroom. When Covid hit, Jackson and his team took the time to expand – KaiBot was conceived.

Ronel Schodt, Kai's Education, Sales and Marketing Manager says that with computer science and digital technologies now becoming a compulsory part of the curriculum right around the world, that means the potential for KaiBot is enormous.

“We are very excited to be attending FETC and finally revealing Kaibot to the world,” she says.

“FETC attracts the most dynamic and innovative education leaders and professionals from around the world and is known as the best place to engage with the thought leaders who are leading the charge in classrooms.

“The level of support we’ve received is incredible and we can’t wait to meet everyone and let Kaibot show what it can do,” she says.

(ends)

For more information, contact:

PR Representative, Paul Blomfield, paul@paulblomfield.com PH: 021 970 871

Ronel Schodt, Kai's Education, Sales and Marketing Manager, ronel@kaisclan.ai PH: +64 21 746 871

Kai’s Education website: Kai's Education Home - Kai's Education (kaiseducation.com)

Delta’s new Auckland-Los Angeles flights bring competition to Air NZ route

Mike Hearn — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 22:02:13 GMT

Delta will debut a Los Angeles-Auckland service in October, bringing much-needed competition to the route.

The airline will operate daily flights between from October 28 using an Airbus A350-900 aircraft, it announced today.

The giant US carrier will take on Air New Zealand as the only airline flying the Auckland-Los Angeles route non-stop, although there are some indirect services through the Pacific. Passengers have complained of high prices on Los Angeles route and Delta becomes the only US airline on the routes.

American Airlines didn’t reinstate the Auckland-Los Angeles services it ran before the pandemic.

Delta will have more than 1750 weekly flights to 85 destinations around the globe this northern summer and has just been named the most punctual airline in the US.

“With brand-new flights this year to cities like Auckland, Geneva and London-Gatwick, we’re giving customers more options to enjoy the premium experience and elevated hospitality they have come to know and expect from us,” said Joe Esposito, Delta’s senior vice president of network planning.

Delta operates more than 150 daily flights from Los Angeles to 53 destinations across the globe as the airport’s leading premium global carrier.

“LAX continues to grow its global network of destinations that are connecting Angelenos to every corner of the globe, and Delta’s addition of nonstop service from Los Angeles to New Zealand is in lockstep with the airline’s commitment to expand and improve service to our region,” said Justin Erbacci, chief executive officer of Los Angeles World Airports.

Delta offers connections to 45 cities in the America’s through Los Angeles.

Auckland Airport’s chief executive, Carrie Hurihanganui, said Delta’s announcement was a wonderful way to start the year

“Los Angeles has always been a popular choice for Kiwi travellers, either heading to experience the best of California, or to destinations across the United States and beyond. It’s also real a vote of confidence in New Zealand as a high-quality travel and tourism destination. ‘‘

North America is the country’s second largest inbound market, after Australia.

The airline says on flights between Auckland and LAX, customers have a choice of three cabin types from economy to a business class offering with a lie-flat seat.

For the second year in a row, Delta earned a top Cirium award for global operational excellence. The award reflects Delta’s operational complexity, and the exemplary work of Delta people to achieve on-time performance while limiting the impact of disruption to its customers.

Delta was the most on-time North American airline in 2022. Of Delta’s 1,004,684 flights last year tracked by Cirium, 83.63 per cent arrived on time, Cirium reported.

Delta has more than 90,000 staff and has more than 4000 daily flights to more than 275 destinations on six continents. It flies 200 million customers a year.

The entry of Delta to the Los Angeles route will follow head-to head competition on another of Air NZ’s prized services: Auckland to New York. Qantas has announced plans to start flying that route from the middle of the year.

And more capacity is being added to mainland China routes now that country has eased Covid-19 restrictions. It is expected that by April 50 per cent of pre-pandemic capacity will be re-instated. Flights to, and through China, on carriers China Southern and China Eastern will further increase competition on longhaul routes and put downward pressure on fares.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

Rakon scopes US buyouts as Biden bolsters component supply chains

Mike Hearn — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 21:05:53 GMT

Twenty-five year M&A veteran retained to identify targets.

Auckland-based GPS component maker Rakon is targeting US acquisitions to gain access to top-tier America companies.

CEO Sinan Altug told shareholders yesterday there were "clear synergies" in buying a US-based business with local US manufacturing to strengthen existing customer relationships.

"An acquisition of this nature could also put Rakon in a good position to benefit from the Biden Administration's initiatives to grow US-based semiconductor supply chains," Altug wrote in a New Year message.

Rakon, which has thrived during recent global chip shortages, had retained mergers and acquisitions veteran Angus Cooper as it focused on identifying companies that could complement its existing operations.

Cooper boasts 25 years of public company experience and successfully led over 30 acquisitions, with a track record of delivering value to shareholders, Altug said.

"Our M&A efforts focus on identifying companies that would complement our existing operations, provide access to new markets and technologies, and ultimately drive long-term value for our shareholders, he said.

Meanwhile, construction at Rakon India’s new manufacturing facility in Bengaluru (Bangalore) is nearing completion. Clean room facilities were finished and the process of transferring manufacturing operations from the existing site had begun.

Other key growth projects were tracking well, Altug said.

These included a new nanotechnology production process supporting five products and generating strong customer interest; a suite of products for low earth orbit satellites which were establishing Rakon in that ecosystem; and a new semiconductor chip.

Altug said Rakon would also shortly move its UK semiconductor chip development team to new offices in Cambridge, to tap into a "vibrant" talent pool in the heart of the UK's semiconductor design ecosystem.

Source: https://www.reseller.co.nz/

Volpara signs five new contracts with a combined value of NZ$12.3M

Mike Hearn — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 01:23:28 GMT

Volpara Health Technologies (“Volpara,” “the Group,” or “the Company”; ASX:VHT), a global leader in software for the early detection of breast cancer, today announced that it has signed five-year contracts with five of North America’s leading healthcare providers, representing over US$7.8M in TCV (NZ$12.3M1).

The new volume-based contracts include the full breadth of Volpara software: Deal Customer Description Contracted software TCV Bon Secours Mercy Health The United States’ fifth largest Catholic health care ministry with 48 hospitals is one of the nation’s 20 largest health care systems Volpara Risk Pathways™ US$1.55M

Adventist Health A faith-inspired, non-profit integrated health system serving more than 80 communities on the West Coast and Hawaii Volpara Patient Hub™ Volpara Risk Pathways™ Volpara Scorecard™ US$1.69M

Northside Hospital One of Georgia’s leading health care systems serving 5 million patient annually. Volpara Patient Hub™ Volpara Risk Pathways™ Volpara Scorecard™ US$1.93M

Duly Health and Care The largest independent, multi-specialty physiciandirected medical group in the Midwest Volpara Analytics™ Volpara Risk Pathways™ Volpara Scorecard™ US$1.45M

Onsite Women’s Health An innovator in the delivery of breast health services through a collaborative care model partnering with OB/GYN and primary care practices nationwide Volpara Analytics™ Volpara Scorecard™ US$1.19M

The company also announces that Centura Health, a 19-hospital health system serving patients across Colorado and western Kansas, has renewed for an additional five-years. The contract is a further US$887K (NZ$1.4M1) in TCV.

Volpara Group CEO Teri Thomas said: “Volpara is delighted to partner with such large and wellrespected organisations to save even more families from cancer. The growing demand for Volpara’s breast software, which brings together cancer risk assessment, density scoring, image quality optimization, and patient tracking and reporting, reflects an industry transformation to more datadriven, personalized, high-quality care.” Thomas adds: “These new contracts are also representative of the “elephant” commercial opportunities Volpara is prioritizing to drive recurring revenue growth. The upgrades and renewals reflect the success providers rely on Volpara to deliver.”

Installation is expected to occur within the next six to twelve months. All contracts are expected to contribute to revenue growth from FY24 onwards and all contracts are for an initial five-year subscription license term with annual payments. Each customer has the right to terminate their contract after 3 years, except for Bon Secours Mercy Health. Consideration paid upon signing for each contract is not considered material.

Source: https://www.volparahealth.com/

Parrot Analytics Partners With University Of Chicago, McGill University, And Duke University

Mike Hearn — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 04:28:39 GMT

Parrot Analytics Partners With University Of Chicago, McGill University, And Duke University To Study Local Community Impact Of Hit Global Series

Los Angeles, CA – December 19, 2023 – Parrot Analytics has joined the University of Chicago, McGill University and Duke University to study the impact of OTT platforms and streaming services in shaping communities of taste around the globe and the dynamics between local audiences and the global accessibility of content.

The collaboration is between the University of Chicago’s departments of East Asian Languages and Civilizations (EALC) and Cinema and Media Studies, Duke University’s department of English and McGill University’s department of English. It is funded by the Franke Institute for the Humanities at the University of Chicago.

Parrot Analytics’ suite of global audience demand data measurement will help the universities’ collaboration, which aims to understand how global shows achieve cross-regional success and the role played by distribution platforms in influencing audience tastes and consumption patterns.

“Our initial case study will investigate Squid Game to better understand the dynamics of its viral success,” said Hoyt Long, professor of Japanese literature, from the University of Chicago. “We propose to do this by collecting digital trace data from three different regions (US, Japan, and South Korea) to analyze audience response patterns in each region and the kinds of discussions it triggered.”

“What kinds of shows achieve cross-regional success? What is the relation of these shows to local production and consumption markets? What can more fine-grained analysis of demand signals tell us about these larger dynamics?” said Professor Richard Jean So from McGill University. “For all of these questions, we need Parrot Analytics’ robust global audience demand data to understand how new distribution platforms are influencing taste and consumption patterns.”

"Scholars have long been interested in the cultural reception of books, film, and television, but we haven’t had access to extensive audience data across nations and languages. Approaches such as ours aim to unite quantitative methods of cultural study with qualitative understandings of the meaning and impact of television shows in different communities around the world," says Aarthi Vadde, Professor of English at Duke University.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this study to help academia understand the factors that go into making a local piece of content an international success, impacting communities and audiences across the globe”, said Alejandro Rojas, VP of Applied Analytics at Parrot Analytics. “What made Squid Game such a hit, and what can we learn about the global attention economy by carefully reconstructing one of its recent media successes? Through comparison with this larger background and other high demand shows, we hope to explain the distinctiveness of its viral success and what it says about the potential of SVOD services like Netflix to capture global media attention.”

About the University of Chicago department of Cinema and Media Studies:

Since its founding in 1995, the academic program in Cinema and Media Studies has assembled a group of leading scholars in the field and developed a world-wide reputation for original, rigorous, and influential scholarship. This scholarship spans the historical and theoretical understanding of motion pictures as a mass phenomenon whose scale, reach, and cultural implications are bound up with the historical experience of modernity and globalization.

About the University of Chicago department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations:

The Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations (EALC) is at the forefront of innovative humanistic approaches to the study of China, Japan, and Korea, past and present. Faculty specializations range from ancient palaeography to contemporary cinema and digital studies, but interdisciplinary and interregional paths of inquiry are also a core component of faculty research.

About the Duke University department of English:

The Department of English at Duke is a top-ranked program for the study of English-language literature across multiple continents and through a range of representational forms including novels, poetry, film, and new media. Expertise in the department ranges in time, from the earliest Medieval written manuscripts to the most recent 21st century developments in digital culture. Duke is widely known for its commitment to interdisciplinary research, including programs like Data+, which bring the resources of data science to bear on the study of history and culture.

About the McGill University department of English:

The McGill English Department is a globally top-ranked English department which specializes in the research and teaching of English-language literature, as well as film and other forms of culture, such as television and digital culture.

Joint USTR and Department of Commerce Readout of the First Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Negotiating Round

Mike Hearn — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 01:54:54 GMT

BRISBANE – The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the Department of Commerce joined the first negotiating round for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) in Brisbane, Australia from December 10-15, 2022. The round was hosted by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The interagency U.S. delegation was led by Sarah Ellerman, IPEF Pillar I Chief Negotiator and Assistant United States Trade Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific (Acting), and Sharon H. Yuan, Department of Commerce Counselor and Chief Negotiator.

Approximately 450 officials from the United States, Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam attended the negotiating round.

Ahead of the meetings in Brisbane, USTR officials shared Pillar I (Trade) negotiating text with IPEF Partners for the following topics: trade facilitation, agriculture, services domestic regulation, and transparency and good regulatory practices. During these text-based discussions, IPEF Partners shared their enthusiasm for creating a high-standard agreement that can create sustainable and inclusive economic growth throughout the region.

In addition to text-based discussions, USTR officials held detailed conceptual discussions for the following topics under Pillar I: environment, labor, digital economy, competition policy, and inclusivity. The United States highlighted the ambitious scope of this pillar, which is detailed in the ministerial statement that was released following the IPEF ministerial meeting in Los Angeles, California in September 2022.

Before the negotiating round, the Department of Commerce shared text for Pillar II (Supply Chains) and Pillar IV (Fair Economy: Tax and Anti-Corruption), as well as a concept paper for Pillar III (Clean Economy), with IPEF Partners. Throughout the week, Department of Commerce officials led in-depth discussions of these pillars with IPEF Partners. IPEF Partners engaged in a productive exchange of ideas as they collectively seek to achieve high-standard outcomes and deliver concrete benefits to enhance the economic competitiveness of their respective economies. Following the September convening in Los Angeles, the Department of Commerce released ministerial statements for Pillars II, III, and IV.

Collectively, the four pillars that comprise the framework represent a shared vision for an open, connected, prosperous, and resilient Indo-Pacific region.

On the margins of the negotiating round, the U.S. delegation engaged a wide variety of stakeholders on recent updates and conversations with IPEF Partners. Staff from the Senate Finance Committee and the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means traveled to Brisbane and were briefed by USTR and Department of Commerce officials. USTR and the Department of Commerce will continue to provide regular updates and briefings to stakeholders and Congress as negotiations progress in keeping with our strong commitment to transparency in the development and implementation of the Biden-Harris Administration’s trade agenda.

The United States will continue to engage with IPEF Partners and will participate in additional in-person negotiating rounds in 2023. Additional details regarding the next in-person negotiating round will be shared at a later date.

For more information on IPEF, please visit www.ustr.gov/ipef.

Lionsgate Partners With Parrot Analytics To Expand Global Marketing Capabilities

Mike Hearn — Sun, 18 Dec 2022 05:00:03 GMT

Motion Picture Group taps Parrot Analytics to accelerate marketing innovation, analytics and audience activation in multi-year deal.

Los Angeles (December 14, 2022) - Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group has partnered with Parrot Analytics, the industry’s leading global audience analytics and content valuation company, in a multi-year marketing intelligence and innovation agreement. The partnership will enable Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group to access Parrot Analytics’ entertainment analytics and valuation product suite as the studio looks to continue its success in today’s attention economy.

“In this time of unprecedented industry transformation, we continue to be focused on innovation and successful value-creation strategies for the studio and our partners,” added Whitney Harris, SVP, Head of Data and Consumer Insights, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. “The capabilities offered by Parrot Analytics will enhance our marketing analytics and enable faster and better decision making to unlock the full value of our IP.”

Parrot Analytics is the industry leader in quantifying global audience demand for content, enabling media and entertainment companies to better understand the value of content globally and respond to a rapidly evolving, digital-first audience landscape.

“Lionsgate is one of the most innovative and entrepreneurial studios in the motion picture industry and we’re thrilled to partner with such a forward-thinking team,” says Parrot Analytics CEO Wared Seger. “From content valuation to marketing analytics, the Lionsgate-Parrot Analytics teams are innovating at the cutting-edge of today’s attention economy.”

In leveraging Parrot Analytics’ global audience analytics, Lionsgate joins a rapidly growing roster of industry leaders, including such studios as Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, and Sony Pictures; media and technology companies including Amazon, Comcast, and Google; networks such as Sky and Turner; government agencies such as Canadian Media Fund and British Film Institute; and streaming services such as HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video.

About Lionsgate

Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) encompasses world-class motion picture and television studio operations aligned with the STARZ premium global subscription platform to bring a unique and varied portfolio of entertainment to consumers around the world. The Company's film, television, subscription and location-based entertainment businesses are backed by a 17,000-title library and a valuable collection of iconic film and television franchises. A digital age company driven by its entrepreneurial culture and commitment to innovation, the Lionsgate brand is synonymous with bold, original, relatable entertainment for audiences worldwide.

Pictor announces funding round after successful launch in New Zealand and USA of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Test

Mike Hearn — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 01:27:06 GMT

$5 million raise to accelerate global market development and product development

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, December 05, 2022— Pictor, a global leader in immunodiagnostics, today announced a funding round to help accelerate pipeline product development projects along with market development activities within Australia/New Zealand, the US and Europe for its Human Health and Animal Health portfolios.

This follows the recent successful launch of the PictArray™ SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibody Test through Rako Science in New Zealand and key partners in the US. “The test better informs patients and doctors in determining whether the patient should be immunized or boosted,” said Pictor’s Chief Medical Officer Tadd Lazarus, MD.

Pictor’s multiplex technology enables two key different approaches – testing for multiple diseases or testing for different stages/multiple markers of a disease, all within a single enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test well. This can provide both greater sensitivity (accuracy), higher throughput and cost efficiencies.

Within the Human Health space, Pictor’s current focus is expanding access to its highly accurate tests for COVID-19 antibodies and accelerating the development of its test for tropical fevers. Pictor has also leveraged its multiplex platform to develop an Animal Health business and is poised to launch two tests in Q2, 2023. The PictArray™ Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) and PictArray™ Johne’s Disease tests, developed with support from the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund, will enable more accurate and effective dairy and beef herd management both in New Zealand and internationally.

In announcing the financing, Pictor CEO Howard Moore said: “This funding round provides a potential opportunity for investors to realize a significant increase in value through the near-term commercialization of our current pipeline, along with acceleration of future product development projects.”

Former Morrison & Co. CEO Marko Bogoievski is helping lead the current funding round following his investment and involvement in Pictor since early 2022.

About Pictor

Pictor is an in vitro diagnostics company that offers a patented multiplexed platform for highly accurate and efficient testing of complex and infectious diseases for human and animal health. PictArray™ multiplexed technology makes it possible to test multiple disease markers in a single test simultaneously — with higher sensitivity, faster throughput, and reduced turn-around time. The company’s lead product, the PictArray™ SARS-CoV-2 IgG ELISA Kit, enables more informed clinical intervention to manage the threat of COVID-19. For more information, please visit http://pictordx.com, https://www.linkedin.com/company/pictorltd and @PictorLtd on Twitter or Facebook.

About Marko Bogoievski

Known as a high-conviction investor, Marko Bogoievski served as the chief executive officer of New Zealand-based Morrison & Co before stepping-down in December 2021. His career saw him lead Morrison & Co to become a global leader in infrastructure investment, specifically focused on data, renewable energy and healthcare. In his thirteen-year tenure with Morrison & Co, Bogoievski led growth in funds under management to over US$20 billion.

Source: https://pictordx.com/

Oritain Global Ltd takes out supreme award at the 2022 AmCham - DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards for companies doing business with the USA

Mike Hearn — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 09:30:00 GMT

The 2022 AmCham - DHL Express Success & Innovation Gala Awards event was staged tonight at the Pullman Hotel.

AmCham President Jonathan Mason commented “that after three years of disruption it was good to be back holding these awards in their original format, as well as being back at the Pullman Hotel”. He went on to say that the diversity and quality of the entries and finalists shows that New Zealand companies continue to be world leaders.

New Zealand’s goods trade with the USA has been growing at around 6% per annum over the last decade and we are seeing more technology and services companies doing business with the USA.

Minister Damien O’Conner was the keynote speaker and presented the three exporter awards.

Commenting on the 2022 AmCham-DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards, Mark Foy, Managing Director, New Zealand & Pacific Islands, DHL Express, who announced the supreme winner said: “Oritain Global has established itself as a leading innovator with their focus on continuous improvement a testament to their achievements. Oritain’s successful growth into the US market is a reflection of their market research and DHL congratulates them on this award.”

The judges’ comments were “that from humble beginnings in Dunedin, Oritain has become a world leader in its field. With most of its revenues being tied to the US, Oritain has done much to enhance the reputation of New Zealand as a trusted partner among many firms as well as with government agencies in the United States. The company impressed the judges with the uniqueness of their customer value proposition, the integrity of their brand and the trust it engenders, and the potential the firm has to become a household name as the industry benchmark for provenance in both the United States and more broadly”.

The winners were:

Bilateral Connections Award with the USA & Supreme winner – Oritain Global Ltd
Oritain provides excellence in product traceability to protect businesses reputations and build trust in their brands.

US Company of the Year – Investor of the Year to or from the USA – DCI Data Centers
DCI Data Centers is a data center owner and operator that is challenging the way facilities are built and operated.

Best Emerging Exporter of the Year to the USA - Market2x Group Ltd Technology platform to optimise transport across supply chains, increase efficiency and reduce both costs and carbon emissions.

High Growth Exporter of the Year to the USA – Fileinvite Ltd
The simplest, most secure, document collection software for professionals. Request files, forms, data and e-signatures all through a secure document portal.

Best established Exporter of the Year to the USA – Buckley Systems Ltd
Manufacturer of precision electromagnets including magnetic systems design, engineering and integration.

Nigel Murphy from Auckland University of Technology won the 2022 AmCham Supporter of the Year award.

At the dinner four of our long standing members were presented with their 25-year membership plaques:
General Electric International Inc.
Meat Industry Association of New Zealand
PAE (New Zealand) Ltd
The University of Auckland

In addition to AmCham’s lead awards sponsor DHL-Express and our airline partner, United Airlines, the awards are also supported by ANZ Bank, Ironside McDonald Intellectual Property, Lockheed Martin NZ, media partner The Business and wine supporter Constellation Brands.

JW Marriott coming to Auckland

Mike Hearn — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 06:23:26 GMT

Marriott International, Inc. has announced it has signed an agreement to introduce its JW Marriott brand to New Zealand.

The property, currently known as Stamford Plaza, is slated to be fully converted into Marriott’s JW Marriott brand by mid 2024. The hotel is co-owned by Archipelago Capital and CP Group and will undergo a NZ$20m refurbishment in phases.

JW Marriott Hotel Auckland is expected to bring its signature luxury brand, inspired by the principle of mindfulness, to Auckland. The 286-room hotel will delight guests with warm and thoughtful service and encourage them to be fully present - taking mindful moments that help them revitalize mind, body and spirit, and celebrate with family and friends.

“There are now more than 100 hotels in 35 countries and territories that carry our founder’s name, JW Marriott. This latest signing is another example of Marriott’s dominant expansion in the region and a testament to our confidence in the recovery of travel, particularly the luxury market which we believe is set to thrive in Australia, New Zealand and Pacific region,” said Richard Crawford, Vice President of Hotel Development for Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific, Marriott International.

Alvarium Investments Founder and global Co-Chair, Andrew Williams agreed it was an opportune time to capitalise on current market conditions.

“We see New Zealand as a secure real estate market, buoyed by a rebounding hospitality and tourism sector, and well-positioned post the peak of the pandemic. This co-investment aligns with our long-term approach of working with teams that have a proven high-performing record to drive returns for our clients and our firm through timely investment opportunities. We are proud to introduce the iconic JW Marriott brand into the Auckland market with our partners CP Group and Archipelago Capital."

Managing Director of CP Group, Prakash Pandey, said, “we couldn’t be happier to be commencing a partnership with Marriott International. As the world’s largest hotel company, they have the proven power to deliver the very best commercial outcomes for this landmark asset. Importantly to us, Marriott are the global leaders in luxury hotels and I am confident that together we will deliver a new standard of hospitality excellence in the Auckland market.”

JW Marriott Hotel Auckland is anticipated to feature an executive lounge and lobby bar, 100-seat buffet restaurant and a smaller speciality dining venue that will extend a culinary offering to truly nourish the body. A 320m² function space and four meeting rooms will allow guests to connect socially over meaningful gatherings. In addition, the property will include an indoor heated swimming pool, large fitness centre, spa and sauna. There are also plans to introduce the brand’s signature JW Garden, a thoughtful, multi-sensory experience, that will support the hotel’s culinary programs.

Sean Hunt, Area Vice President, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific, Marriott International noted, “Marriott International is committed to growing our luxury portfolio, with New Zealand being one of our top priorities. The introduction of the JW Marriott brand in New Zealand reflects our confidence in the Australian, New Zealand and Pacific luxury market, and follows the success of the JW Marriott Gold Coast, as well as the forthcoming openings of W Sydney, The Ritz Carlton Melbourne and the St Regis Gold Coast.”

Source: https://www.meetingnewz.co.nz/

AAIP prioritizes openness, cooperation in latest IPEF submission

Mike Hearn — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 06:09:22 GMT

The American Association for the Indo-Pacific, the region’s only Indo-Pacific-focused U.S. business coalition, stated in its submission to the U.S. government that ensuring openness and cooperation with business is key to the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework’s success.

The submission, which consolidates views from members of AAIP’s IPEF Taskforce, effectively argues that ensuring regulations are transparent and that governments provide open conditions for businesses of all sizes across the region must be a priority.

AAIP Interim President Jackson Cox said, “The IPEF’s 14 members can take concrete steps toward an agreement that will ensure a level playing field across the region, which will lead to greater economic integration and prosperity for all.”

Mr. Cox also said the agreement can help address emerging, next-generation issues, such as supply chains, digital innovation, and ESG, including support for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are essential to many economies in the region.

Mr. Cox welcomed the move to the negotiation phase of the IPEF process, encouraging negotiators to make concrete progress in the year ahead.

“The IPEF can build on the good work already done in other agreements, such as USMCA, CPTPP, and RCEP. It is important that governments move forward where they can on issues based on previous agreements, perhaps with some early harvest announcements next year.”

Mr. Cox also emphasized how important it will be for the U.S. government and other IPEF members to consult with businesses going forward, noting that the agreement covers a range of novel policy areas and initiatives.

“Businesses have important and unique perspectives on the IPEF and understand what will and won’t work in the new global trade environment. AAIP is committed to supporting the IPEF and greater regional economic integration over the long term.”

AAIP represents U.S.-headquartered businesses with operations across the Indo-Pacific, including technology, transport, healthcare, finance, and manufacturing firms. AAIP is the only U.S. business association with a dedicated IPEF Taskforce, which was launched in August and comprises AAIP corporate members, AAIP advisors, and many of the AmChams from IPEF economies.

Read submission

Mobile Mentor Awarded GSA Contract by the US Government

Mike Hearn — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 20:10:42 GMT

Mobile Mentor, a rapidly growing technology services company and Microsoft partner, is pleased to announce their contract award with the GSA (General Services Administration). The award allows the Mobile Mentor team to provide federal, state and local government agencies with services to modernize IT operations and improve cyber security using the latest in Microsoft security technologies.

Mobile Mentor, a rapidly growing technology services company and Microsoft partner, is pleased to announce their contract award with the GSA.

GSA (General Services Administration) is the procurement and contracting vehicle for the United States Federal Government. The award allows the Mobile Mentor team to provide federal, state and local government agencies with services to modernize IT operations and improve cyber security using the latest in Microsoft security technologies.

Mobile Mentor was officially granted vendor status to the GSA as a small business in late October. In 2022, the federal contracting goal for small business reached 27.2 percent of total federal contracting funds.

“Partnering with the GSA to provide services to the federal government is a huge privilege,” said Denis O’Shea, CEO and Founder of Mobile Mentor. “It opens the door for our team of industry-leading experts to make a real impact and allows us to do our part in ensuring the security of crucial federal agencies.”

Since the founding of the company in 2004, Mobile Mentor has partnered with a variety of government agencies internationally to modernize IT operations and improve security for the mobile workforce. In 2021, Mobile Mentor won Microsoft’s international partner of the year award for modern endpoint management, positioning the company as a global leader in securing the modern hybrid workforce.

“By embracing modern security practices like Zero Trust and Passwordless Authentication, we help government agencies to achieve the optimum balance between security and user experience,” continued O’Shea. “We believe security and user experience are equally important in today’s world where security threats are everywhere, and employees are increasingly working remotely, relying on their technology every minute of the day. This intersection of security and employee experience defines the workplace of the future, and we are proud to be leading the way with our government clients and strategic partners such as Microsoft.”

About Mobile Mentor
Mobile Mentor empowers people to achieve more by unlocking the full potential of their technology. With operations in the USA, Australia and New Zealand, Mobile Mentor is the remote partner for the remote workforce. Founded in 2004, Mobile Mentor has enabled millions of people to increase security and productivity with their laptops, tablets, smartphones, and apps. For more information, please visit http://www.mobile-mentor.com.

Source: https://www.prweb.com/

Infrastructure: Amazon Web Services data cloud centres come with golden lining

Mike Hearn — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 00:07:27 GMT

Over the next 15 years, Amazon Web Services plans to spend $7.5 billion building cloud computing data centres in New Zealand.

The investment will create a local AWS Region that’s due to open for business in 2024. It means customers who must store data locally will be able to run the same tasks available to AWS customers elsewhere.

Tiffany Bloomquist, AWS New Zealand country manager for the commercial sector, says the large-scale technology infrastructure investment will create 1000 jobs and contribute $10.8b to local GDP over that period.

The New Zealand AWS region will be one of 25 regions the company operates around the world — there are, at the time of writing, 81 availability zones.

“An AWS region is a physical location where we cluster multiple data centres,” explains Bloomquist.

“We call each group of these data centres an availability zone and each region contains a minimum of three isolated and physically separated availability zones. They’ll be placed around Auckland.

“Each availability zone has its own independent power and cooling. The zones are connected by a redundant, ultra-low latency (the time data takes to travel between locations and back again) network. There are the highest levels of physical security, compliance and data protection.”

There are four considerations AWS makes when designing availability zones.

Top of the list is the environment. The company says it goes to great pains to invest in locations that are sustainable. Bloomquist says that means thinking about environmental threats such as floods, extreme weather events and, in the case of New Zealand, earthquakes.

Another factor is the way the data centres are powered. AWS’ goal for its Auckland data centre is to use 100 per cent renewable energy. Says Bloomquist: “New Zealand has been investing significantly on that front which makes it an ideal location for us”.

The second key consideration is physical security. It depends on the location, but it can mean making sure there are an appropriate number of security guards, and that there is the right kind of fences, video cameras and intruder detection. “Physical security is absolutely our responsibility and it’s something we take very seriously.

AWS’s third consideration is the actual physical infrastructure: the building, the equipment inside and the ancillary equipment that keeps it running. This includes cooling — data centres can generate a lot of heat — and fire protection systems.

The fourth consideration is around the data. That’s where AWS has to share accountability with its customers.

It can keep its side of the deal by restricting access, maintaining clear separations and by using threat detection and security tools. But its responsibility can only go so far.

Bloomquist says when the company builds a business case before making a significant investment, it works backwards from what its customers need: “We listen to what they ask for. Our primary focus is to understand what their key user cases are. Then we can look at the investment we need to make to ensure we address that customer demand.”

For AWS’s New Zealand customers, who are mainly Auckland-based, a key demand is for lower latency.

AWS has New Zealand customers that already use its Sydney, Singapore or even US data centres. It takes time for data to travel to those locations and come back again.

This isn’t vital for every application, but there are tasks where low latency is essential, keeping everything in Auckland means latency is extremely low.

Another New Zealand customer demand is for data sovereignty, that’s necessary when rules or regulations require data to be kept in-country.

AWS is 20 years old and New Zealand companies have used cloud for much of that time.

So why is the company investing here now?

Bloomquist says the Covid pandemic accelerated companies thinking about how to scale businesses and manage costs better. They struggle with rising inflation and the scarcity or expense of talent. All these pressures combine to push companies to use more cloud computing. She says the local cloud spending is expected to rise 22 per cent this year.

Although New Zealand companies have used cloud computing for as long as their overseas counterparts, they have been slower than those in other countries to adopt the more advanced services cloud technology offers.

Bloomquist says: “We want customers to start thinking about the possibilities when the cloud is used with artificial intelligence, machine learning, advanced data analytics and even 5G technology. These are areas where we see cloud really differentiating. This is why the work we’ve done with Spark is so exciting.”

Earlier this year, Spark worked with AWS on two proof-of-concept projects for standalone 5G. While mobile phone networks have upgraded to 5G technology, the carriers have yet to see all the benefits of the upgrade because many of their background systems still run on older systems and rely on 4G infrastructure. AWS joined Spark, Mavenir and Nokia to show where the technology can go.

Bloomquist sees the potential for virtual and augmented reality along with real-time video analytics.

“We wanted to reduce latency; Spark has said that in some cases they have reduced latency by up to 70 per cent”.

Another possibility cloud offers is for, say, a manufacturer to build a digital twin of an entire manufacturing line.

“You’d be able to see all the physical systems represented virtually and customers would be able to go in and troubleshoot problems without touching anything.”

Getting advanced projects off the ground requires a pipeline of skilled talent.

Bloomquist and AWS are in the process of developing the Hāpori Wāhine programme which is a four-week, community-based programme for Kiwi women looking for the kind of cloud skills careers that are in demand. The programme includes a network of professionals to help participants kick-start careers in technology. Specifically, Hāpori Wāhine aims to reach women who might not have previously considered working in technology.

Other programmes from AWS include Cyber Skills Aotearoa which aims to give intermediate and high school students the skills they need to stay safe online and, in some cases, inspire students to consider careers in cyber security.

The AWS re/Start programme aims to prepare unemployed or under-employed people for careers in cloud computing. It’s a full-time 12-week course that, on completion, will connect students with potential employers.

AWS in New Zealand

$7.5b investment from AWS.
1000 jobs will be created.
$10.8b will be added to the local GDP.
100% renewable energy goal.
22% expected rise in local cloud spending this year.
12-week AWS re/Start programme to prepare unemployed or underemployed people for careers in cloud computing.
Amazon Web Services is an advertising sponsor of the Herald’s Infrastructure report.
Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

NZGDA And The US Embassy Partner For Game Event Focused On Social Change

Mike Hearn — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 05:45:01 GMT

The New Zealand Game Developers Association and the US Mission to Aotearoa New Zealand are partnering together to create Koia Jam, a game jam competition devised to stimulate New Zealand to think about anti-bullying, anti-harassment, and anti-disinformation online.

While there are long-standing policies, infrastructure, and regulations in place to ensure the safety of children on playgrounds and in vehicles, there is little in the way of safeguards for online places where young people are spending an ever growing amount of time. This has led to a proliferation of disinformation, misinformation and online cyberbullying over the past few decades, and has had innumerable consequences for mental health.

Video games have long been a place for learning, social exchange, and building connections with people online, and its potential for driving social change has only recently been explored. Games like “Concrete Genie” and organisations like Games for Change have empowered a new generation of game creators and social innovators to combat toxic online cultures.

“Stimulating social change through media is incredibly difficult, but there are few mediums more suited to the challenge than games. Koia Jam will provide an opportunity for people to explore the themes of misinformation and online safety in an engaging way and to spark critical thinking on complex issues” says NZGDA Chairperson Chelsea Rapp.

Koia Jam is a 48 hour game jam, a time-limited hack-a-thon where small teams attempt to create a playable game over a single weekend. Game Jam competitions can be intensely social experiences, relying on close, functional teamwork.

“Bullying and the spreading of disinformation are global challenges, including in the gaming world. These are some of the biggest obstacles to being online nowadays in both Aotearoa New Zealand and the United States. We are proud to partner with NZGDA for Koia Jam 2022 to spread a message of positivity and inclusion online. Let’s play games and have fun together,” says U.S. Ambassador Tom Udall.

Taking place from November 25-27, Koia Jam also features a series of web interviews with New Zealand game developers who discuss the idea of driving social change through game development. These can be found on the NZGDA facebook page. Learn more about Koia Jam or register your team by visiting Koia.nz.

Significant United States opportunity for Westgold butter

Mike Hearn — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 21:52:10 GMT

Westgold butter produced at Westland Milk Products’ new Hokitika plant, is on the shelves of 550 Walmart stores across 19 states in the United States.

The launch of Westgold butter into the potentially lucrative United States market follows Westland’s $40 million investment last year in the new Hokitika butter manufacturing plant which has doubled capacity of the company’s consumer butter production to a total of 42,000 tonnes a year. The new plant was officially opened in July this year.

Westland’s General Manager Sales and Marketing, Hamish Yates, says the launch of Westgold butter into Walmart stores is significant and the first step in the company’s global expansion into the United States market.

“The United States market for our Westgold butter has huge potential. We know that consumers in the United States are butter users, often having multiple brands and types of butter on hand for different purposes,” Hamish Yates says.

“Also in our favour is our point of difference based around our high grass-fed percentage, our unique West Coast of New Zealand origin and our Westgold attitude.’’

Hamish Yates says Westgold’s challenge will be to stand out to shoppers in the United States butter market which is dominated by long-standing brands. Consumers are in a habit of purchasing the familiar brands they grew up with, he says.

For the first time Westgold was launched into a new market supported from the outset by a full consumer-facing brand marketing campaign

Westgold’s marketing team developed the campaign taking into account research findings to determine the drivers for purchase, how consumers learn about new food brands, where they shop, their household demographics, approaches to cooking with butter, and more.

Key insights from this research show that a little over half of all “family chefs’’ in the United States bake weekly, that 67 per cent of these family chefs discover new foods from social media posts and that 65 per cent find out about new food from shopping in store.

Around half these family chefs are highly likely to purchase global food brands, and 83 per cent of family chefs prefer organic and/or grass-fed butter.

Hamish Yates says the insights were invaluable in developing a campaign which centres around positioning Westgold as a ‘Natural Champion’. Promotional activity to date in the United States has included sampling events to introduce consumers to the brand, underway currently in California with a 12-day tour of the ‘Butter Bar’, encouraging them to try the product. Also in play is advertising on Walmart’s online shopping platform, and digital channels, a social media influencer campaign across TikTok, Instagram, and email direct marketing.

Source: https://www.westland.co.nz/

Auror founders named winners of EY Entrepreneur of the Year award

Mike Hearn — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 21:23:21 GMT

James Corbett, Tom Batterbury and Phil Thomson, the founders of crime prevention and detection software Auror, have been named winners of the EY Entrepreneur of The Year award for 2022.

The trio were chosen from a field of five category winners and will represent New Zealand at the World Entrepreneur of the Year awards in June next year against winners from more than fifty other countries.

Vaughan Fergusson, head judge for the category, said Auror has the potential to be a massive Kiwi global success story.

“Entrants are typically strong across two to three aspects of the judging criteria, but Auror’s entry was strong across them all, and that’s what made them stand out,” Fergusson said.

“What impressed us was the work they are doing to make the world a better place, and because the tool has been in use across multiple countries for a number of years, they had some really amazing stats to demonstrate the impact they’re making.

“By changing the way we prevent crime, they are making people feel safer in the workplace and community, and that’s a really good thing. What’s exciting is that as Auror further establishes itself in bigger markets like the US.”

Auror’s software helps retailers around the world reduce losses, and police prevent crime.

More than 80 per cent of retailers in New Zealand use the platform and Auror saves NZ Police 200,000 hours a year in investigations.

The Auror founders, who had won the Tech and Emerging Industries category, beat Lumin’s Max Ferguson (Young category), Dawn Aerospace’s Stefan Powell (Product), Brooke Roberts, Leighton Roberts and Sonya Williams of Sharesies (Services) and Stuart Wilson of Modica (Master).

Other awards on the night included the Social Impact Award which went to Jennifer Del Bel from soy candle company Downlights New Zealand, and Carrfields Limited, which took home the Family Business Award for Excellence award.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

FDA to allow sales of a2 Milk formula in the United States

Mike Hearn — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 23:30:00 GMT

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will allow the sale of a2 Milk infant formula in the US.

A2 Milk's share price rallied today by 40c or 7.0 per cent to $6.15 on the news.

In August, a2 Milk said the FDA had deferred its request to sell product in the States.

Speculation earlier this year that a2 Milk would get the nod from the FDA prompted a spike in its share price.

The FDA has been allowing product made overseas into the highly-controlled US infant formula market as a result of severe shortage.

A product recall by Abbott Nutrition and the months-long closure of a major formula production facility in Sturgis, Michigan, prompted the shortage.

"Today, the US FDA is providing an update on additional steps it has taken that will lead to more infant formula available in the US under the agency's increased flexibilities," it said in a statement.

The FDA also said it would allow product produced in Ireland for French food group Danone into the country.

Separately, a2 Milk said it believed the FDA's move represented a "significant opportunity" to develop its brand in the infant formula category over the long term but expected its margins to be lower than average.

The FDA said a2 Milk's a2 Platinum infant formula for babies up to six months old, and a2 Platinum follow-on formula for 6-12 month would be allowed for sale.

"Both products (Danone and a2 ) will be sold at major US retail outlets," it said.

The FDA said it reviewed information about nutritional adequacy and safety, including microbiological testing, labeling and additional information about facility production and inspection history.

"The agency continues to dedicate all available resources to help ensure that safe and nutritious infant formula products remain available for use in the US," it said.

"Important progress has been made toward improving the infant formula supply in the US and paving the way for a more robust and diverse marketplace for the future," it added.

The FDA issued guidance in May 2022 outlining a process by which it would not object to the importation of infant formula products intended for a foreign market, or distribution in America of products manufactured here for export to foreign countries.

"This guidance also may provide flexibilities to those who manufacture infant formula products domestically and may be able to further increase the quantity of domestically-produced product for the US market," it said.

A2 Milk is supplied by NZX-listed Synlait, in which it has a 20 per cent holding.

Separately, a2 Milk said the FDA's move was a major opportunity to develop its brand in the IMF category over the long-term, but it expected margins to be lower than average.

A2 Milk said it was difficult to predict formula sales potential in the highly competitive US market.

"In the near-term, and prior to confirming distribution plans, sales during 2023 are expected to be up to 1 million cans all within the second half of 2023, assuming enforcement discretion remains in place throughout the period," it said.

"Actual sales will ultimately depend on customer demand, consumer offtake, supply shortages and market conditions at the time."

In terms of 2023 earnings impact, while incrementally beneficial, the company expected gross margins to be lower than average, and distribution costs to be higher.

A2 Milk's managing director and CEO David Bortolussi said the company was pleased with the US announcement.

"We have scalable production capacity in New Zealand with Synlait plus existing a2 Milk US sales, marketing and supply chain capability that can be leveraged.

"We are increasing our supply to respond to this situation, while importantly ensuring that we continue to meet the needs of our other infant formula consumers and trade partners in China and other markets. If the US requires further support over an extended period, we have the proven ability to scale up significantly."

Jarden's director of equity research Adrian Allbon said the FDA approval was good news for a2.

"I think people will perceive it as definitely positive news because it provides market access," Allbon said.

"The only issue is the market access is temporary, they have to go through the full process and the US market structure is quite different."

He said there was a rebate scheme, which effectively enshrined the monopoly status in each state of a particular brand "which is why they have such a concentrated situation to start with".

Allbon said how positive the news for A2 Milk was dependent on how ultimately the FDA and the US government wanted to reset the industry structure.

Over the last seven years, a2 Milk has been investing in its liquid milk business in the US, based in Boulder, Colorado.

In September, the FDA announced new guidance providing a pathway for infant formulas operating under enforcement discretion in the US to remain on the market.

"This will help ensure the US continues diversifying its infant formula market, and make families less susceptible to shocks in the infant formula market," it said.

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/

Boeing to Provide Sustainment Services for New Zealand’s P-8A Fleet

Mike Hearn — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 20:34:57 GMT

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, October 26, 2022 - Boeing [NYSE:BA] has bolstered its regional sustainment capability and expanded its footprint in New Zealand with the signing of a Head Agreement with the New Zealand Defence Force to support its new fleet of P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

Executed by Boeing Defence Australia vice president and managing director, Scott Carpendale and the New Zealand Chief of Defence Force, Air Marshal Kevin Short, the first contract under the agreement is for sustainment services for an initial six-year period.

“The initial contract comprises engineering and supply chain services,” said Carpendale.

“Subject to performance, it will extend through the life of the fleet in rolling three-year extensions.”

Rob Whight, Integrated Project Team Leader for the New Zealand Ministry of Defence added that Boeing Defence Australia brought proven sustainment capability for the P-8A Poseidon platform and opportunity for knowledge transfer to the New Zealand Defence Force.

“The partnership is key to the New Zealand Defence Force’s sustainment strategy and they are looking forward to Boeing’s contribution over the life of type,” said Whight.

The contract comes on the back of Boeing Defence Australia’s recent contract award for P-8A deeper maintenance for the Royal Australian Air Force, with Australia becoming only the second country outside of the United States to undertake the complex and specialised sustainment services.

To support the New Zealand contract, Boeing has established a new business entity, Boeing New Zealand Limited, which will employ a local team backed by the strength of Boeing Australia and our international P-8 program teams.

“Our long-term objective is to expand P-8A support in New Zealand in response to the emerging needs of our customer, while pursuing other campaigns and capitalising on synergies between Australian and New Zealand programs,” said Carpendale.

“The Head Agreement acknowledges the importance of the relationship between the New Zealand Defence Force and Boeing in support of the platform, and provides a framework for future growth.”

New Zealand’s fleet of four P-8As will be based at Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Ohakea with the first expected to arrive in country in December 2022.

The initial sustainment contract commenced in October 2022 and runs to September 2028.
Source: https://www.boeing.com.au/

The Kiwi Businessman Bringing Billion-Dollar Global Franchises To New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 02:10:59 GMT

Auckland businessman, Stewart Germann, known to some as ‘The Franchise Coach’, has today announced an agreement with London-headquartered global franchise marketing and advisory company, World Franchise Associates, granting him licence to introduce a portfolio of global franchising heavyweights to the New Zealand market.

The deal captures an initial portfolio of nine international franchise brands, including seven restaurants and two non-food brands, which together represent total global revenues exceeding $5 billion NZD and employ tens of thousands of staff around the world.

The portfolio includes the iconic TGI Fridays restaurant brand which was founded in the US in 1965 and now boasts almost 700 restaurants in more than 50 countries.

Other notable brands include the highly successful Earl of Sandwich chain, and relative newcomer Teriyaki Madness, which since opening in 2005 has expanded rapidly to 110+ restaurants around the world and was labelled by Restaurant Business as the number one fastest growing big restaurant chain.

Germann, whose business, The Franchise Coach, specialises in both helping existing Kiwi businesses transition to a franchise model, and introducing international franchises to the New Zealand market, says the deal represents a significant opportunity for Kiwis who would like to leverage the power of global brands with proven successful models, for New Zealand customers.

“Having access to this portfolio of global opportunities means that when Kiwi clients approach me, we can be very strategic about marrying them with the right sort of opportunity,” says Germann. “We can look at any relevant expertise, location, financial and lifestyle considerations they might have, and set prospective franchisees up with a recipe for success that’s been tested in the most competitive global markets.”

Troy Franklin, Managing Partner at World Franchise Associates, says bringing this opportunity to Germann was an obvious choice.

“Stewart is a globally regarded expert in franchise law, and his law firm, SGL, has for many years been involved in helping broker significant franchise deals, and facilitating and simplifying complex structural arrangements in the New Zealand market,” says Franklin.

“Since taking the reins as The Franchise Coach, a consultancy with an impeccable forty-year pedigree, Stewart has further bolstered his reputation as a master at connecting the right people with the right opportunity at the right time. We’re excited to have Stewart onboard, finding the right partners to bring some truly iconic brands to Kiwi shores.”

Germann is encouraging enquiries from any New Zealand residents considering their next business venture, and says due diligence and franchise application processes can begin immediately, with the right candidates.

Finance Minister to lead business delegation to US

Mike Hearn — Sun, 09 Oct 2022 23:31:08 GMT

Grant Robertson departs this evening with a business delegation to New York, after which he will travel to Washington DC for meetings.

“The New York leg of the trip has been developed by Air New Zealand alongside their new non-stop service from Auckland. It presents an opportunity to continue promoting New Zealand’s Reconnection Strategy and strengthen business ties in the United States,” Grant Robertson said.

“It also provides a valuable opportunity to engage with Kiwi business leaders and highlight New Zealand’s tourism offerings on the world stage.”

The Finance Minister will attend the World Bank and International Monetary Fund annual meetings in Washington DC. He will also meet with the US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, senior officials from the Biden administration and Finance Ministers from around the world.

“These meetings provide an opportunity to engage with counterparts on geopolitical issues, including matters relating to New Zealand’s and the Pacific’s economic security, trade, the recovery from COVID-19 and ongoing matters such as supply chain issues, global inflation and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

“We are all facing an uncertain global economic environment, and I am keen to hear the insights and perspectives of other countries on their approach and to share New Zealand’s story with them.”

“This trip is a great opportunity to reconnect in person with the US Government, international financial institutions, APEC, and our partners in the Asia-Pacific region as we look to reconnect New Zealand to the world and strengthen relationships with our business and trade partners,” Grant Robertson said.

The Minister will return to New Zealand on October 18.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Air Tahiti Nui prepares for takeoff on new Seattle service

Mike Hearn — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 05:06:24 GMT

Air Tahiti Nui is preparing to celebrate the first non-stop service connecting Seattle to Tahiti. The inaugural flight, TN51, will depart Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) at 1230hrs local time on Wednesday 05 October and arrive in Tahiti at 1910hrs local time on Wednesday 05 October.

The service marks the start of a new partnership between Air Tahiti Nui and Alaska Airlines, one of North America’s most prestigious carriers and a leader in the Northwest region.

This codeshare partnership will enable travellers to connect with nearly 100 cities in North America through the Seattle hub. Major cities on the network to be enjoyed by travellers include Vancouver, Boston, Chicago, Miami, and New York City.

The arrangement also offers a world first for Air Tahiti Nui passengers to use their Club Tiare miles on the Alaska Airlines' network. Passengers can also earn Club Tiare miles on Alaska Airlines routes beyond Seattle. Reciprocally, Alaska Airlines customers can earn or use their Mileage Plan miles when travelling with Air Tahiti Nui.

General Manager Pacific Daniel Eggenberger says, “The route complements the long-established Los Angeles route that connects The Islands of Tahiti with North America. This has proven very popular for New Zealand and Australian travellers, especially with highly competitive pricing since the border re-opening in May. With Seattle being a departure point for cruises towards Alaska, we expect a strong interest from the cruise market out of New Zealand and Australia.”

The partnership further demonstrates Air Tahiti Nui's commitment to continually developing and enhancing its customer offering to deliver the best travel experience to our favourite destinations. The airline is internationally recognised and, for the fourth consecutive year, has been awarded 'Best Airline in the South Pacific,' – Global Traveler GT Tested Awards, as well as carrying the 'APEX 5 Star Major Airline' rating. In 2021 Air Tahiti Nui's 787-9 Tahitian Dreamliner was also awarded ‘Best Airline Design – Oceania Region’ at the DesignAir Awards.

Route Days Departs Arrives Aircraft Flt No. Papeete – Seattle Tue, Sat 9.35pm 10.00am+1 787-9 TN52 Seattle – Papeete Wed, Sun 12.30pm 7.10pm 787-9 TN51

www.airtahitinui.com

President Biden Unveils First-Ever Pacific Partnership Strategy

Mike Hearn — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 20:44:48 GMT

“The United States is a proud Pacific power. We will continue to be an active, engaged partner in the region.” President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

“The history and the future of the Pacific Islands and the United States are inextricably linked.” Vice President Kamala Harris

The Pacific Islands region – an “ocean continent” spanning nearly 15 percent of the Earth’s surface – is a vital sub-region of the Indo-Pacific. It holds opportunities and challenges, from the climate crisis to an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. The United States recognizes that geography links the Pacific’s future to our own: U.S. prosperity and security depend on the Pacific region remaining free and open.

To that end, the Biden-Harris Administration is elevating broader and deeper engagement with the Pacific Islands as a priority of its foreign policy. This national strategy, the first-ever from the U.S. government dedicated to the Pacific Islands, both reflects and advances that commitment. It supports the Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States and is aligned with the goals of the Pacific Island Forum’s 2050 Strategy.

As part of its Pacific strategy, the United States will pursue four objectives:

I. A STRONG U.S.-PACIFIC ISLANDS PARTNERSHIP

The foundation of our engagement in the Pacific Islands must be strong ties between the United States and the Pacific Islands, individually and collectively. We will:

Fulfill and Increase U.S. Commitments to the Pacific: We will fulfill our historical commitments and strengthen our enduring relationships with the full Pacific Islands region, including by:
- Successfully completing negotiations on the Compacts of Free Association (COFA) with the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia
- Successfully concluding negotiations on the South Pacific Tuna Treaty Annex amendments and associated Economic Assistance Agreement for 2023 and beyond
Build U.S. Capacity to Support the Pacific: The United States will demonstrate the level of diplomatic attention the Pacific deserves and position ourselves to best meet the needs of Pacific Island countries, including by:
- Expanding U.S. diplomatic missions from six to nine across the Pacific
- Deploying additional personnel across the Pacific
- Reestablishing a USAID mission in Fiji

II. A UNITED PACIFIC ISLANDS REGION CONNECTED WITH THE WORLD

The Pacific Islands region is stronger united, with the Pacific Islands Forum at its core. The Pacific Islands Forum provides a platform for Pacific Islands to speak with a common voice to drive Pacific priorities and engage other partners, including the United States ‑ a proud Dialogue Partner of the organization. We will coordinate with other nations and do so according to principles of Pacific regional cooperation, transparency, and accountability. We will:

Bolster Pacific Regionalism and Elevate the Pacific in the Regional Architecture: The Pacific Islands are stronger when regional institutions are strong. The United States will continue to support the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), ensuring it remains at the center of the regional architecture. The U.S. will elevate its commitment to Pacific regionalism by:
- Appointing the first-ever U.S. envoy to the PIF
- Encouraging connectivity with existing multilateral groupings, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Quad
- Supporting other regional organizations
Coordinate with Allies and Partners, within and beyond the region: The United States will continue to closely coordinate with our Allies and Partners to ensure our support for the Pacific Islands is effective and meets the needs of the people. We will prioritize consultation and coordination with the Pacific Islands and the PIF, including by:
- Bolstering the Partners in the Blue Pacific, an initiative among Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom to better meet the needs of people across the Pacific

III. A RESILIENT PACIFIC ISLAND REGION PREPARED FOR THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND OTHER 21ST CENTURY CHALLENGES

The Pacific Islands region faces daunting and mounting challenges. Chief among these challenges is the climate crisis, an existential threat to many Pacific Islands. The United States is committed to maintaining its global leadership in combatting the climate crisis, while partnering with the Pacific Islands in adapting to and managing the impacts of climate change on lives, health, and livelihoods. The region also faces challenges to security and sovereignty, including in the maritime domain. The Biden-Harris Administration will work in partnership with Pacific governments and people to ensure they have the autonomy and security to advance their own interests. We support the Pacific Islands as they guard against corruption and protect the dignity of Pacific Islanders. We will:

Combat the Climate Crisis and Build Climate Resilience in the Pacific: Of all the 21st-century challenges we face, none is more pressing for the Pacific Islands region than climate change. We will collaborate with the Pacific Islands to tackle the climate crisis and limit its effects on the Pacific, including by:
- Striving to enhance the adaptive capacity and build upon the resilience of Pacific Islands to the devastating impacts of climate change through the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE)
- Collaborating with partners and international institutions to improve Pacific Island countries’ access to adaptation finance from multiple sources
- Driving action and supporting investment in climate mitigation in the region
Support Marine Conservation, Maritime Security, and Sovereign Rights: The United States will support the Pacific Islands as they continue to shoulder the great responsibility of stewardship over the Blue Pacific Continent, including by:
- Increasing United States Coast Guard (USCG), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Department of Defense (DOD) presence
- Coordinating security cooperation and training with likeminded partners and with civil society
- Developing sustainable, climate resilient “blue” economies to sustainably manage Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), including fisheries and protected areas and coordinate security cooperation and training with other partners
Support good governance and the human rights of all people: The Pacific Islands region is home to diverse democracies and participatory governance. The United States will continue supporting democracy, human rights, and good governance, including by:
- Building capacity among Pacific Island stakeholders in government, private sector, media, academia, and civil society

IV. EMPOWERED AND PROSPEROUS ISLANDERS

To fully empower the Pacific to capitalize on the opportunities of the 21st century, the United States is committed to increasing trade and investment with the Pacific Islands, including through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment; expanding people-to-people ties, including through the Peace Corps; increasing English-language programming and overall professional advancement; bolstering health architecture in the Pacific; and providing educational and development opportunities for Pacific Islanders, with a particular focus on women and youth.

Create Economic Opportunities and Forge Connectivity: The United States will partner with the Pacific Islands and partners and allies to drive economic growth and prosperity regionally and globally. We will focus on key logistics, transportation, and technologies to enhance connectivity within the Pacific Islands region and with the world, including by:
- Collaborating with partners on submarine cable implementation and upgrades and other connectivity options
- Working with Pacific Island leaders to leverage private sector solutions to advance strategic projects and commercial priorities in the region.
Bolster Health Architecture to Promote Health Security: The United States will partner with public-health experts and networks to improve how the region effectively prevents, detects, and responds to infectious disease threats, including by:
- Working to meet the COVID-19 vaccination needs of the region to lift the Pacific Islands out of the emergency phase of COVID-19
- Strengthening regional health security in preparation for future outbreaks
Partner with Pacific Islanders to Strengthen People-to-People Ties and Seize 21st Century Opportunities. We will support Pacific Islands in their objective to ensure that everyone can realize their full potential including by:
- Offering enhanced educational experiences through student and professional exchange, enhanced curriculum, and the establishment of Pacific Studies programs in the United States
- Empowering Pacific youth through leadership development opportunities
- Returning Peace Corps volunteer presence to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and Vanuatu this year and actively exploring options for opening missions in other countries
  Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/

Tech Unicorn Deel Launches In New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 03:39:57 GMT

Deel, a global hiring, payroll and employee experience platform that helps businesses hire contractors and employees in over 150 markets, today launches in New Zealand.

Founded in 2019, Deel makes global hiring accessible to all companies. It helps businesses easily enter new markets, hire talent wherever they are, at the same time managing teams, contractors, and payroll in multiple markets – all in one centralised platform. When a company hires workers, Deel takes on the responsibility to ensure the business is compliant with local laws.

Deel expands into New Zealand in the midst of an unprecedented workforce crisis. The NZ Reserve Bank states that there are now double the job vacancies than there are unemployed people in New Zealand. A June 2022 study by Hays, found that 91% of employers of professionals are experiencing a skills shortage. With 83% saying it will impact the effective operation or growth plans of their organisation, with this number being higher (96%) in New Zealand’s tech sector.

“In light of the chronic talent shortages in New Zealand, employers are looking beyond our borders for the right people. Previously there have been significant roadblocks to hiring international talent including lengthy entity set-up times averaging six-to-eight months, compliance risks, confusing local laws, complicated tax systems and hefty fines if you don’t get this right. Deel’s platform and compliance expertise solves these issues, giving businesses the tools to expand, hire, and pay teams more easily than ever before,” said Shannon Karaka, Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand.

Fast growing Tauranga-based LawVu, which develops software for organising in-house legal teams, is using Deel to add to its 120 strong workforce as it signs large international clients.

“LawVu has the capital and international customer opportunities to create a global significant business - we just need the staff to help make it happen. Deel enables us to expand rapidly into new international markets, confident that we can do so in an efficient and compliant manner that also creates a positive experience for new staff working remotely for a start up headquartered in New Zealand,” says Karly Boast, VP of People.

Hiring Trends

The rise of extended remote working as an option, alongside the challenge of cross border immigration introduced by the pandemic, has driven a new global hiring movement. According to Deel’s latest data, the most popular countries that NZ businesses are hiring overseas talent from include the United States, UK, Philippines and Australia.

Additionally, the top roles that New Zealand companies are hiring for are software developers, digital designers, software engineers and sales team members.

NZ’s talent is highly sought after by overseas companies. The USA, Australia, UK, Canada and Singapore are the top countries currently hiring NZ talent.

Research from Kea New Zealand, who have formed a strategic partnership with Deel, shows 60% of Kiwis living offshore want to remain connected to New Zealand and support New Zealand businesses to grow. Kea Global CEO Toni Truslove says being able to work for a Kiwi company while living offshore is one way to do that.

“Hiring offshore Kiwi allows companies to tap into a community of people who understand the New Zealand culture and business landscape, but also understand the landscape of the market they are based in. This is a huge advantage when it comes to growing a team offshore.”

Deel also provides payroll services that make it easy to pay employees and contractors globally, in their preferred currency, in one bulk payment, and with just a click. The platform supports 120+ currencies, and contractors have access to 15 different withdrawal options ranging from local payment networks to cryptocurrency.

Globally, Deel serves 9,000+ customers, including Airwallex, Coinbase, Dropbox and Shopify.

Deel has raised US$630 million dollars in total from venture capitalists such as Andreessen Horowitz and Y Combinator. It raised US$425 million in October 2021, valuing Deel at US$5.5 billion, making it the highest-valued company in the global hiring, payments, and compliance space.

Christchurch Call Initiative on Algorithmic Outcomes

Mike Hearn — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 03:21:11 GMT

Today New Zealand, the USA, Twitter, and Microsoft, announced investment in a technology innovation initiative under the banner of the Christchurch Call. This initiative will support the creation of new technology to understand the impacts of algorithms on people’s online experiences.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms play a growing role in our everyday lives, including in how we organise information, and experience the internet. A majority of the content we encounter and view online is curated by algorithms in some form.

Through the Christchurch Call to Action, we have committed to work together to better understand the impacts that algorithms and other processes may have on terrorist and violent extremist content. Leaders and the Call Community regard this algorithmic work as a top priority.

In order to study those impacts, we have to overcome challenges around: how to protect user privacy and proprietary information; how to investigate impacts holistically across society; and how to achieve reproducibility, affordability, and scale for independent researchers. Working with an open-source non-profit organisation called OpenMined, the Algorithms Initiative will develop and test ground-breaking privacy-enhancing software infrastructure to address those challenges and help us move forward work under the Call.

While this initiative won’t tell us all we need to know about the outcomes algorithms are driving online, it will help us better access data so researchers can answer these very questions.

The Christchurch Call Initiative on Algorithms is committed to supporting this work so that we can empower independent researchers to help us build safer platforms and more effective interventions to protect people both online and offline.

If successful, these technologies will be made available to the whole Christchurch Call community and beyond it. The technology, once tested and proven in the Call context, could open up a new field of algorithmic research with a much wider application.

Our community wants to understand the role of online activity as a factor in radicalisation, how terrorist and violent extremist content spreads across platforms. The privacy protective technology being developed through our initiative is one of the most promising ways to open those questions to independent research at a suitable scale. It could also help people working in a number of other fields.

We hope that this work will ultimately help the Christchurch Call Community to understand what online service providers, community organisations, and governments can do to make the online environment safer and more user-friendly.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said: “We simply won’t make the progress we need on these important issues, without better understanding how they are operating in the real world in the first place. Companies, governments, civil society, we will all benefit from this initiative. It will help us create the free, open and secure internet we are all driving for.”

Brad Smith, of Microsoft, said: “The Christchurch Call is about bringing governments, tech companies, and civil society together to make meaningful progress to stop the spread and amplification of violent extremist content online. The responsible use of AI, including explaining how algorithms recommend content to people on social media platforms, is an important challenge we must address.”

Vijaya Gadde, of Twitter, said: “Our work with the New Zealand Government and Microsoft to support the development of innovative technology by OpenMined is a key building block to significantly expand the ability of researchers to understand the role of algorithms in content discovery and amplification while protecting the privacy of people’s data. There is significant potential to provide a far more robust evidence base for a policy debate of critical importance to the future of online services.”

Andrew Trask, of OpenMined, said “Few in civil society have been able to study how major algorithms impact society, owing to privacy, security, and logistical challenges. We think that privacy enhancing technologies can remedy these challenges, and we're optimistic that this project will set the precedent that they can.”

Background and FAQs:

What is the Christchurch Call Initiative on Algorithmic Outcomes?

New Zealand, the USA, Twitter, and Microsoft are working under the Christchurch Call, partnering with OpenMined, to develop new software tools that will help facilitate more independent research on the impacts of user interactions with algorithmic systems.

What will the Christchurch Call Initiative on Algorithmic Outcomes do?

As the first project under this initiative, the partners will work together to build and test a set of privacy enhancing technologies. Once tested, replicated, and validated, these technologies could form the basis for an infrastructure to support independent study of impacts of algorithms and their interactions with users, including across multiple platforms and types of platforms, and could dramatically lower the barriers to doing this work.

If successful, these technologies will be made available to the Christchurch Call Community and could help support independent research that fulfils our collective Call Commitments, potentially opening up wider applications and new fields of responsible AI research beyond the Call itself.

How does this respond to the Christchurch Call Commitments?

Christchurch Call Supporters have committed to working together and with Civil Society to understand the outcomes of algorithms and other processes that may drive users towards terrorist and violent extremist content, to make changes where this occurs, and to develop effective interventions based on information sharing.

The technologies developed with the help of this initiative should help to overcome some of the barriers identified through our existing work and enable information exchanges among civil society, industry and government, to make it possible to realise those commitments.

Why is it needed?

At the moment it is costly and administratively complex for online service providers to provide access to independent researchers to study impacts on users, while complying with ethical and regulatory obligations. Current secure access programmes often entail significant costs and time from researchers and firms alike. That greatly reduces the possible scale and breadth of external studies of the sort needed to understand the impacts of algorithmic systems. That means independent research typically only studies user impacts on a single platform rather than across a broader demographic (i.e. across multiple platforms).

This new technology is intended to reduce the cost and complexity of access for independent researchers, and allow a multitude of different studies, for instance looking at how social issues manifest online, the impacts of user interactions on artificial intelligence, and the effectiveness of different actions intended to promote a safer online environment. It could also enable studies on a range of other algorithmic and responsible AI topics.

For example, Governments should not require access to private user data from online platforms. However they can benefit from insights obtained by independent researchers that can help inform policy. Civil Society has an interest, among other things, in ensuring privacy is preserved, and that human rights outcomes are effectively assessed and acted upon. These privacy enhancing technologies could help facilitate and scale access to allow important insights without governments or other parties requiring access to the base data.

What is being developed?

Software infrastructure is being built which will integrate a new set of privacy enhancing technologies (PETs). This will enable data scientists to remotely study data and algorithms distributed across multiple secure sites. Technologies including remote execution, federated learning, differential privacy, and secure multi-party computation will enable this remote research in a way that conforms to the data-use policies of the platform under study.

The current project plan envisages work taking place approximately over a 9-month timeframe with a total cost of approximately US$1.5m.

In brief these milestones are to:

Build the underlying software and systems for the new infrastructure.
Do a proof of concept test using synthetic data to show that the system works.
Trusted partner(s) test out the system on real datasets, showing reproducibility and proof of function.

What is each partner contributing?

New Zealand is providing a financial contribution and assistance with establishing the initiative. New Zealand will also provide coordination between the Call Community and the project to ensure transparency, visibility, and that opportunities are maximised for Call supporters and partners to make use of the project’s output.

The support of New Zealand and the USA will help to ensure the project outcomes are developed on behalf of the wider Call Community and will be tested for different types of online service provider.

Twitter‘s ML Ethics, Transparency and Accountability team will be providing the proof-of-concept for the PET’s infrastructure. At the conclusion of Phase 1, trusted partners will be able to securely access and replicate the findings of our Algorithmic amplification paper published last year. Enabling secure access to this data is a milestone in data transparency and security.

Microsoft is providing financial support to the initiative and is exploring options to enable the initiative to be tested on a different platform.

How can I be involved?

As part of the project, OpenMined will provide periodic briefings for the Call Community about its work, and an opportunity to discuss its potential applications.

In subsequent phases of this work, there will be scope for other online service providers who want to test the capabilities of the new tool on their system, and for Call supporters who wish to help finance the development and testing of new functions and capabilities.

We envisage that these tools will take some time to build, test, validate, and refine. In the long term they hope to create significant new opportunities for independent researcher involvement and the application of these tools across the Call Community and beyond it.

If the pilot is successful, what are the next steps?

If successful, the pilot will prove that the underlying techniques can be scaled to meet real-world legal, policy and other requirements. Subsequent phases could focus on additional testing, moving towards building a production-ready system to enable use for a wide range of objectives by a wide range of independent researchers.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

'All guns blazing': The former Scarfies turned student bed kings taking on the US

Mike Hearn — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 22:02:04 GMT

First Dunedin, next step, the lucrative American market for a pair of entrepreneurial former Scarfies.

The Flatpack Co founders Angus Syme, 23, and Cam Leigh, 22, have just made a whirlwind trip around New Zealand’s campuses visiting first-year students.

That market – young people set to go flatting next year – is the company’s bread and butter. The Flatpack Co specialises in boxed mattresses and frames and a guarantee of delivery on the first day a student moves into their new flat.

And it has worked, with the pair selling and delivering some 3000 beds over the last couple of years. In February, Stuff reported that The Flatpack Co was set to turn over its first million dollars.

“We blew it out of the water ... we’ve had a fantastic year,” Syme said.

That success meant the pair are now looking to expand to the United States.

Syme said their business model was about getting in front of students the entire year, and getting them to pre-order their bed before they finished the year, “so they can go away for summer and not worry about it” – meaning that by the time other companies tried to target returning students, they were already committed to The FlatPack Co.

It was during their first year at the University of Otago that the pair came up with the idea to supply beds to fellow students, putting in $5000 a piece to buy 30 second-hand beds from graduating students and re-selling them to their mates.

“There is a culture, in Dunedin especially, to buy a bed from us.’’

Of the 4000-odd first-year students at Otago university, the company sold beds to 550 of them last year, and this year is on track to sell between 800 and 900 to them.

The success of their Dunedin-born idea is a key part of their American drive, as the New Zealand student city has been their strongest market.

To replicate that in the United States, the pair researched similar “college towns”, contacting students over social media about their universities – often three times the size of those in New Zealand.

Many of those were in the Midwestern US, with the pair also looking for college towns made up of mainly houses as opposed to apartment complexes with already furnished accommodation.

Syme and Leigh will visit mattress wholesalers in the US next month, later heading to some of those colleges to employ teams of students.

And if all goes well, the pair plan to return to the US in January “on a one-way ticket”.

“We are all guns blazing, ready to rip, s... and bust.”

The pair will start in Kansas, before concentrating on college towns in other states including Indiana, Virginia, Texas, Ohio, Nebraska, Alabama and Arizona.

“The plan is we will be in 25 universities in five years,” Syme said. “The goal is to immerse ourselves in the college.”

Despite their aspirations for America, New Zealand remained an important market, they said, with the pair looking at employing a “hot-shot grad” to become the manager.

Source: https://www.stuff.co.nz/

solarZero Announces Acquisition by BlackRock Real Assets

Mike Hearn — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 22:03:56 GMT

Partnership will accelerate New Zealand’s transition to 100% renewable electricity with over $1.0bn on track to be deployed over next decade

AUCKLAND. solarZero, New Zealand's leading provider of solar, battery storage and energy services, announced today that a fund managed by BlackRock Real Assets has agreed to acquire the company . New Zealand is currently leading Asia Pacific's clean energy transition, and solarZero has built the region's largest virtual power plant using its proprietary smart battery and energy management platform. BlackRock's Climate Infrastructure business, which sits within BlackRock Real Assets, will work with solarZero's management team to build on the company's market leading track record and drive its next phase of growth, both in New Zealand and internationally.

"Kiwis want clean and resilient energy. BlackRock Climate Infrastructure team's investment and backing will enable us to rapidly scale, grow our energy services network, and accelerate the transition to a 100% clean energy future" said Andrew Booth, Founder and CEO of solarZero. "By 2030, 50% of the world's energy will be generated in the Asia Pacific region. The window to prevent the worst impacts of the climate crisis is closing fast and the power couple of solar plus storage isone of the few true paths to energy security, stable power prices, prosperity, and a liveable planet."

solarZero's unique energy-as-a-service model accelerates solar and battery uptake without the need for government subsidies and with $0 upfront removes the barrier of a $25,000 plus upfront to install and maintain a solar and battery system. Uptake of the service is flat across the deprivation index, democratising renewable energy to help ensure that the transition to a net-zero economy will bring about a more equitable society.

solarZero is installing a new system every 35 minutes and plans to invest $1.0 billion in new insolar and battery systems across New Zealand over the next 10 years. The service currently powers the homes of almost 9000 families, generating over 89GWh of energy each year and with over 48MWh of storage its service provides active support to the national grid by reducing peak loads across the country by 16MW every day. Combined, solarZero customers have saved over $4.5 million on their power bills, reducing carbon emissions by 10, 950 tonnes, the equivalent of planting 102,000 trees.

Charlie Reid, Asia-Pacific Co-Head of BlackRock's Climate Infrastructure team said, "New Zealand is widely recognised as a global leader in renewable energy and climate finance, and we are pleased to make our first investment in this market. Our move into New Zealand demonstrates BlackRock's commitment to invest in attractive markets as part of our broader efforts to offer a flow of addressable global climate investment opportunities for our clients. solarZero is a global pioneer, and we look forward to supporting its expansion into other Asia-Pacific markets and, at the same time, to accelerating New Zealand's net zero journey."
solarZero co-developed with Panasonic, the world leading battery manufacturer, its smart battery platform which is at the heart of its energy service. The platform gives customers a personalised energy plan and connects them together to form clean, resilient virtual power plants—freeing them from power outages and rising energy costs.

"Our engineers in Japan and Singapore have spent the past five years working alongside solarZero's team in Auckland to achieve significant design, technology and cost breakthroughs. This is a world-first battery platform design, and we are looking forward to working alongside solarZero and the BlackRock Climate Infrastructure team to take this breakthrough technology global," said Stewart Fowler, Managing Director of Panasonic New Zealand.

solarZero, a recipient of numerous financial and technology innovation awards, turns homeowners and businesses into active members of the new energy economy by giving them the freedom to generate, store, and control their own clean energy, and support their communities.

END

About solarZero
solarZero is a smart solar energy service which allows homeowners to power their homes by streaming the sun’s energy and converting to usable electricity - at a price which can be up to 30% cheaper than buying electricity from the grid. This unique solar energy service requires no upfront costs. The hardware of the system remains the property of solarZero, who manage the installation, maintenance, and servicing while the homeowner enjoys the benefits without the investment. The solarZero system comprises solar panels and a smart battery - allowing stored power to be accessed even when the sun isn't shining or in a power cut.

About BlackRock Real Assets
In today’s dynamic and complex global investing market, BlackRock Real Assets seeks to help clients access real assets that could help meet their investment goals by providing a distinct range of well defined, outcome orientated strategies, along the investment risk-return spectrum.

BlackRock Real Assets' dedicated teams of industry and sector specialists deliver global reach, with deep local expertise. They have decades of relevant experience, are deeply embedded in their operating industries by sector and geography and have developed strong partnership networks over time. BlackRock’s culture of risk management, knowledge sharing and investment discipline sets BlackRock Real Assets apart and underpins all that they do. With over 400 professionals in 30 offices managing over US$70 billion in client commitments as of June 30, 2022, BlackRock Real Assets partners with clients to provide solutions tailored to individual portfolio needs such as income, growth, liquid or balanced real assets outcomes.
https://solarcity.co.nz/

Air New Zealand takes NASA climate science mission to new heights

Mike Hearn — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 04:42:47 GMT

Air New Zealand’s daily operations are now helping to enable new research into climate change, with a ground-breaking approach to collecting data for the global scientific community.

In a world-first, Air New Zealand flight NZ8844 took off this morning from Christchurch to Nelson carrying a NASA next-generation satellite receiver.

Using direct and reflected GPS and Galileo signals, the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver will collect unique environmental data to better predict storms and enable new climate change research.

Air New Zealand is the first passenger airline in the world to join a NASA earth mission, working together since 2020 on the design, installation and certification of the receiver onboard one of its Q300 aircraft.

Air New Zealand Chief Operational Integrity and Safety Officer Captain David Morgan says climate change is a shared challenge and the airline does not shy away from its responsibilities to address it.

“With a network stretching from Kerikeri to Invercargill and flying at an altitude of around 16,000 feet, the Q300 was the perfect aircraft to pilot this mission.”

“Flying much closer to the land and sea than NASA’s satellites, our aircraft can collect a daily feed of high-resolution, high-quality data, with significant potential for the science community.”

The University of Auckland has established a Science Payload Operations Centre to receive and process the data in what could become New Zealand’s largest source of environmental data. Project Lead, Professor Delwyn Moller, says the collaboration will put Kiwi scientists at the forefront of this emerging field.

“The data produced by this collaboration will be made publicly available, opening up a range of research possibilities, with many potential uses – from flood risk management to agriculture and resource planning.

“Air New Zealand’s commitment to the project’s success will hopefully inspire other airlines around the world to use their own aircraft for the benefit of science.”

The data collected in flight will also feed into NASA's Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS). Dr Will McCarty, NASA's CYGNSS Program Scientist in the agency's Earth Science Division, says the data from Air New Zealand flights will extend the CYGNSS mission to monitor environmental changes over land.

"CYGNSS bounces GPS signals off the ocean to measure wind speeds to help predict hurricanes and cyclones. Over land, the technology can determine soil moisture levels, so it can also monitor climate change indicators such as drought, flooding and coastline erosion.

“The receiver that Air New Zealand is flying has advanced capabilities with the potential to be used for future space bound missions, so we’re excited to test these out.”

The project to fly a next-generation GNSS-R receiver on Air New Zealand’s aircraft to advance earth observation has been gifted the name Rongowai, combining the Māori words rongo (to sense) and wai (water).

For video of David Morgan, Delwyn Moller, b-roll footage, and the original announcement of the project in 2020 https://airnz.sharefile.com/d-s83cb9c5e42ff4d2f8323fe5d2621c020

Note to editors:

Air New Zealand has 23 of the 50-seat Q300 turboprop aircraft in its fleet. The Q300s operates to 19 domestic ports, with each aircraft flying around 50 services a week.
NASA's Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) mission is a constellation of eight small satellites which measure wind speeds over the Earth's oceans. It works by measuring GNSS signals, such as GPS, reflected off the surface of the ocean. This increases the ability of scientists to understand and predict cyclones. However, this approach can also be used to collect environmental data for other purposes and the potential of this land-based science is just beginning to be realised.
GNSS reflections over land are sensitive to soil moisture with possibilities to monitor droughts and flooding, and track coastal and wetland conditions, monitoring erosion. In the long-term, these dynamics are impacted by climate change, so this data can be used to inform research.
The advanced features of the next-generation receiver flying on Air New Zealand’s Q300 include: the capability to receive reflections from up to 20 satellites (CYGNSS can receive up to four), compatibility with GPS and Galileo (E.U.) satellites (as opposed to only GPS), and polarimetric capability which may help for vegetation characterisation and interpretation of more complex terrestrial scattering
The dense and frequent measurements provided by Air New Zealand aircraft will benefit NASA in several ways. CYGNSS has good satellite coverage of the northern part of the country, including the area around Auckland, so there will be plenty of overlap between its measurements and those collected by Air New Zealand. Daily comparisons between satellite and aircraft data will be possible over a sustained period, building out a picture of environmental change across seasons and during weather events such as flooding. After enough time, longer term climatic changes could be detectable.
CYGNSS satellites orbit the tropical storm belt with coverage down to 38 degrees latitude. Through the Q300 network, Air New Zealand measurements will extend well south of this, meaning data will be captured across New Zealand for the first time.
The CYGNSS mission science is led in partnership by researchers at NASA and the University of Michigan, including Professor Chris Ruf of the Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, who is the Principal Investigator in the NASA CYGNSS Earth Venture Mission. The receiver installed on Air New Zealand’s Q300 was developed by the University of Michigan for NASA's Earth Science Technology Office.
The Science Payload Operation Centre at the University of Auckland has been developed by a team of researchers from the University of Auckland and the University of Canterbury. It will support GNSS-R data handling and operations, integrated instrument calibration and measurement validation. It will also support field work for these purposes.

Gallagher kickstarts global Technical Support expansion

Mike Hearn — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 23:11:28 GMT

Gallagher, the leading security solutions manufacturer, is proud to announce the expansion of its technical support services to the Americas with a dedicated team of people based in Atlanta, Georgia.

The team in the Americas will create stronger connections in the region, while also alleviating the New Zealand team’s current load of operating all day and all night.

“It’s an evolution of our technical support. We’ve been providing 24/7 technical support from New Zealand and we’re growing really quickly elsewhere, particularly in the Americas. So, this expansion has been a couple of years in the making,” says Shane Keesom, Gallagher’s Technical Support Manager.

“Expanding our global support capabilities is a natural progression of our vision to provide exceptional customer experiences. The team here in the Americas adds to the diversity within our global team,” says Paul Wilson, the Gallagher’s Director of Technical Services for North America.

The new team consists of four engineers, servicing the entire globe during their shift, with one member who is able to provide technical support in Spanish too.

“This is going to be gold, being able to talk to our partners and customers in their own language and lingo,” says Matthew Dean, Gallagher’s Technical Support Team Leader.

To find out more about Gallagher’s 24-hour technical support team structure and plans, join Dean and Keesom as they lend their voices in the latest Tech Talk podcast episode hosted by Chief Technology Officer at Gallagher, Steve Bell. Listen here.

https://security.gallagher.com/

Marken reaches an agreement to acquire the medical courier business of Cedra Express, expanding UPS Healthcare capabilities in New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 04:55:11 GMT

Marken, a critical part of UPS Healthcare, has reached an agreement to purchase the medical courier business of Cedra Express, a New Zealand-based transportation and logistics provider serving the life science and pharmaceutical segment.

This acquisition will enhance Marken’s presence and capabilities as a healthcare logistics provider in the region.

‘With this new direct presence in New Zealand, Marken will be able to expand its service offerings to the local clinical trial client base, including our patient-centric solutions such as Home Healthcare and Direct to/from Patient services’, said Marken President Ariette van Strien.

The medical courier business of Cedra Express will now become Marken New Zealand, with operations in Christchurch and Auckland. Marken has had a strategic partnership with Cedra Express since it was founded in 2001 by Graham Tappin, who will support this exciting transition of the medical courier business from Cedra Express to Marken New Zealand.

‘We are excited to reach agreement to acquire this New Zealand-based business, which will help position Marken as the preferred partner for innovative clinical trial and cell and gene supply chain logistics solutions throughout the biopharma and healthcare landscape’, said Wes Wheeler, President, UPS Healthcare. ‘We welcome the expertise and capabilities this brings to UPS Healthcare and Marken, helping to serve customers’ complex, global needs. We thank Graham for his years of dedicated support to Marken and look forward to continuing to serve customers across New Zealand.’

Customers in the region will continue to benefit from Marken’s world-class real-time tracking with GPS technology, specialised packaging solutions, temperature monitoring and end-to-end visibility. Find out more about Marken here.

Trade and Agriculture Minister to visit USA to deepen bilateral and regional cooperation

Mike Hearn — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 01:15:13 GMT

Minister for Trade and Export Growth and Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor will visit the USA this week to help further New Zealand’s economic recovery through cooperation efforts with a range of US and Indo-Pacific partners.

“My focus is on export growth so we can ensure New Zealand is best protected from the rough edges of a global downturn. We’re continuing to work in partnership with our businesses to take full advantage of our open borders,” Damien O’Connor said.

In Los Angeles, Damien O’Connor will represent New Zealand at a ministerial meeting on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). IPEF is a regional cooperation initiative, developed by the United States and now involving 14 economies throughout the Indo-Pacific region, including New Zealand.

“New Zealand has been actively engaged on the IPEF since its inception last year. I am looking forward to meeting face to face with my ministerial counterparts from other IPEF economies and taking stock of how the scope of the Framework is shaping up,” Damien O’Connor said.

“IPEF presents a unique opportunity to boost regional cooperation on a range of future-focused economic, trade and climate issues. At the ministerial meeting in Los Angeles, I will be seeking to ensure that the scope of IPEF contains meaningful commercial elements, drives global climate action, and has a focus on sustainability and inclusivity which is at the heart of New Zealand’s trade policy.”

While in Los Angeles, he will also hold bilateral meetings with ministerial counterparts from other IPEF economies.

In San Francisco, the focus will be on growing New Zealand’s relationship with California and supporting sustainable agriculture connections.

This will build on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s and Minister O’Connor’s visit to California in May this year, where the Prime Minister and Governor Newsom witnessed the signing of a new climate partnership.

“We have an exciting partnership with California on shared economic, agriculture and climate ambitions. I’m looking forward to meeting with California Agricultural Secretary Karen Ross and visiting innovative companies and the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,” Damien O’Connor said.

“California is a world leader in technology and has some of the world’s most ambitious climate goals. By growing our partnership with California we will create new opportunities for New Zealand businesses and improve our access to new technologies that will make the New Zealand economy more competitive and sustainable.”

Damien O’Connor will depart New Zealand on Tuesday 6 September. He will be in San Francisco on 6-7 September and Los Angeles on 7-9 September, returning to New Zealand on Sunday 11 September.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Texas Chicken™ Signs Expansion Agreement with New Zealand Franchisee as Part of Continued International Growth

Mike Hearn — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 05:24:41 GMT

Good Taste Co Pty Limited to open 20 additional restaurants starting in 2023

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Texas Chicken™, one of the largest quick service restaurant chains in the world, announced today a new expansion deal with existing New Zealand franchisee George Constantinou through his company Good Taste Co Pty Limited, who will add 20 units to his current five restaurants as part of a new development agreement with the brand. Those 20 new restaurants – in the brand’s updated Blaze design – will begin to open in 2023.

Impressed by the brand’s solid presence in the APAC region, George became a franchisee in 2015 and has been a dedicated leader ever since, bringing the bold, spicy flavors of Texas Chicken™ to New Zealand backed with support and encouragement from the brand.

“Texas Chicken™ – through its global reach as well as its understanding of local flavors and customs – is a true leader and collaborator in the growing fried chicken segment,” said Constantinou. “The brand has helped my franchise organization tackle challenges and identify opportunities for innovation and growth, offering significant support in all areas of the business.”

Aside from being part of the brand’s extensive international growth plans, these additional Texas Chicken™ restaurants are also part of the re-branding campaign known as the Blaze initiative, which features a modernized dining experience and elevated food and service quality. Constantinou and his team are currently exploring various areas throughout the country to find the ideal location for his restaurants expected to open next year.

This expansion announcement comes after the recent announcement of the agreement reached for the Texas Chicken franchisee in Malaysia to add 125 additional restaurants, furthering its reach and responding to its increasing popularity in Asia Pacific.

Russ Sumrall, Sr. Vice President, International Strategic Development, coordinated the expansion agreement with Constantinou. Sumrall added, “We are very grateful to George and his team for their leadership in the region and their trust in Texas Chicken™. Of course, we are always proud to bring our brand to new countries, but I love it even more when our existing franchisees request to build more Texas Chicken™ restaurants! There’s no doubt more and more Kiwi’s will get to know the flavorful legendary taste of Texas soon!”

About Church’s Texas Chicken® / Texas Chicken™

Founded in San Antonio, TX, in 1952 by George W. Church, Church’s Texas Chicken®, along with its sister brand Texas Chicken™ primarily outside of the U.S., is one of the largest quick-service chicken restaurant chains in the world. The brands specialize in Original and Spicy Chicken freshly prepared throughout the day in small batches that are hand-battered and double-breaded, Tender Strips®, sandwiches, honey-butter biscuits made from scratch and freshly baked, and classic, home-style sides all for a great value. Texas Chicken™ and Church’s Texas Chicken® have more than 1,500 locations in 26 countries and global markets and system-wide sales of more than $1 billion. For more information about Church’s Texas Chicken®, visit churchstexaschicken.com. For information on Texas Chicken™, visit texaschicken.com.

News Showcase is launching in New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 00:16:35 GMT

Kiwis have more ways to access news and information than ever before. Today, we are announcing major new investments that will continue our support of New Zealand’s vibrant and diverse news industry to help people find quality journalism and contribute to the sustainability of news organizations. These investments will also help newsrooms engage their readers in new ways, today and into the future.

Launching Google News Showcase in Aotearoa New Zealand

To support news organizations and readers in New Zealand, we’re launching Google News Showcase, our curated online experience and licensing program. News Showcase panels display an enhanced view of an article or articles, giving participating publishers more ways to bring important news to readers and explain it in their own voice, along with more direct control of presentation and branding.

Starting today, News Showcase is rolling out in New Zealand with seven news publishers representing more than 20 publications, including national, regional and local news outlets like the New Zealand Herald, RNZ, Crux, Newsroom and Pacific Media Network. This launch builds on News Showcase deals signed with more than 1,700 news publications in more than 17 countries, including Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, India, Germany, Brazil, Italy and Argentina.

News Showcase panels from our New Zealand news partners will begin appearing on Google News on Android, iOS and the web, and in Discover on iOS and Android. The panels direct readers to the full articles on news publications’ websites, enabling them to deepen their relationships with readers.

“By helping us build deeper relationships with readers, Google News Showcase will support the development of the BusinessDesk brand, which in turn boosts our editorial operation,” says Matt Martel, General Manager of BusinessDesk, a leading business and economy digital publication. “Our relationship with Google is a key factor in growing our newsroom from five to more than 20 journalists."

News Showcase highlights news publishers that are investing in comprehensive public interest journalism, giving them a new way to curate their high-quality content on Google’s News and Discover surfaces and bringing essential news coverage to Kiwis looking for it.

“Being able to further highlight the talent of NZME’s 300 editorial staff across our newsrooms is a really positive development," says Michael Boggs, NZME CEO. “NZME is strongly focused on transforming our business digitally, and the Google News Showcase partnership supports that focus."

“At RNZ we’re huge fans of making sure the brilliant stories from our award-winning journalists reach as many people as possible,” says Megan Whelan, Interim Chief Content Officer of RNZ, New Zealand's independent public service multimedia organization. "This new agreement is another way to make sure trusted public media content is available to more people via Google News, and that’s definitely a good news story.”

As part of our licensing agreements with publishers for News Showcase, we're also paying participating news organizations to give readers access to some of their paywalled content. This feature means readers will have the opportunity to read more of a publisher’s articles than they would otherwise be able to, encouraging them to learn more about the publication — and potentially subscribe.

"Pacific people from all over the world follow the news and journalism of our New Zealand-based newsroom,” says Don Mann, CEO of Pacific Media Network, a public interest broadcaster that works to empower Pacific cultural identity. “We aim to be the preeminent Pacific media entity for the Pacific diaspora and our relationship with Google will help us achieve this.”

“Crux has already developed a large, loyal local readership, but Google News Showcase will provide our readers with options like the ability to follow their own personal mix of trusted news sources,” says Peter Newport, Managing Editor of Crux local news for Queenstown, Wānaka and Cromwell. “We’re excited about the opportunity, and we think it’s a great initiative in support of strong New Zealand journalism.”

Google News Initiative programs in New Zealand

Google News Showcase is just our latest effort to support publishers of all sizes and the news industry in New Zealand. Through the Google News Initiative (GNI) we have been partnering with news publishers around the world to build a sustainable, diverse and innovative news ecosystem. The team offers training, products and funding to journalists and newsrooms to help strengthen their work in the digital age, and has reached more than 800 journalists and journalism students in New Zealand. These high-demand GNI programs provide an introduction to many of the core skills required to run a digital news business, based on the best practices and lessons of other news publishers around the world.

Digital news business fundamentals for news organizations: The GNI Digital Growth Program offers a six-part free business training, consulting and support workshop to help New Zealand news organizations succeed online.
Journalist Training Camp: At Ngā Kete Wānanga Marae marae, 25 journalism cadets representing multiple ethnicities, languages, and the rainbow and disability communities participated in the Te Rito Training Camp, a digital journalism training course with the Google News Teaching Fellow and heard from some of New Zealand’s leading journalists.
Digital skills training for journalists: In partnership with Telum Media, open sessions around the country are free for journalists to learn the latest tools and processes to support digital reporting. This includes training on tools like Google’s research tool, Pinpoint, which journalists can use to support their reporting and creative data visualization techniques.
Election policy and misinformation tracking: Building on years of support from the GNI for Policy New Zealand, the team’s latest iteration will provide a digital tool for journalists to understand and report on ahead of local elections. This creates a database for candidates’ key election policies, supporting journalists’ ability to track misinformation.
Media literacy for primary school students: In partnership with Squiz Kids, media literacy module, “Newshounds,“ is a plug-and-play resource for teachers, children and their parents, aimed to empower young people to think critically about the media they consume and give teachers the confidence to teach media literacy in the classroom.

As New Zealand publishers continue to embrace technology to deepen their engagement with readers, we’re proud to be strengthening our commitment to working with and supporting publishers in Aotearoa. Through News Showcase, our other News products and GNI programs, we’re proud to promote quality journalism and a reliable and diverse news industry.

Mooven Propels Infrastructure Tech Shake Up Into The US

Mike Hearn — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 05:17:30 GMT

Construction tech start-up opens San Francisco office, building on Australia and New Zealand market success

Construction tech platform Mooven, today announced its launch into the United States, opening an office in San Francisco as the start-up spearheads its global expansion and reshapes the economics of how infrastructure is delivered and the resulting community impact.

“There’s an expanding gap between what is being delivered and what is actually needed for transport infrastructure in the United States,” said Micah Gabriels, CEO and co-founder of Mooven. “With 43 per cent of the country’s roads in poor or mediocre condition, these challenges cannot be solved by maintaining the status quo. The industry has suffered flat productivity for decades, with other sectors speeding ahead in line with the digital economy.”

Founded in 2017, the New Zealand technology business successfully cracked the Australia and New Zealand market amid its efforts to help government authorities and construction companies implement smarter ways of working to reach the promise of our future cities, faster.

Mooven brings the right data and contextual awareness closer to decision makers, enabling them to accelerate the speed at which infrastructure projects are completed, while minimising disruption to local communities. The contextual insights illustrate the impact on the transport network caused by such works, such as traffic congestion or noise pollution, and enables delivery teams to plan smarter and adjust when needed.

The US expansion comes at a time when President Biden's $1 Trillion USD infrastructure bill has passed, providing significant stimulus funding and growth for the sector, with an intention to repair a backlog in transport systems, modernise existing infrastructure and support the transition to a clean economy. But there is pressure to mobilise quickly.

“In the past, there hasn’t been enough money to maintain historic roads, nor enough to build new. Too often, we’ve seen the US treat infrastructure investment as a political football, but now the challenge is to spend Biden’s stimulus quickly and efficiently. However, this is a challenge in a sector McKinsey identifies less than three percent of projects are completed on time and in budget, largely due to historical inefficiencies that have too long impacted the way construction outfits work.

“In a political environment where complaints and public opinion matter, the pressure is on to implement wider productivity benefits and make sure progress can occur without grinding cities to a halt. Mooven comes in as firebreak, providing context that spans far beyond what it has previously relied on, so teams can work faster and smarter.”

Located in San Francisco, Mooven’s US main office will primarily focus its efforts on the west coast of North America, with the area frequenting heavier traffic congestion, and less developed public transport.

“Our experience in Australia and New Zealand put us in a unique position to export our advanced IP and knowledge to a similar but much larger market. The US, like Australia and New Zealand are unusual in the developed world with large road networks per capita and relatively low public transport usage.”

The company will capitalise on its existing Australia and New Zealand customer base with a presence in the US market – including Lendlease, Transurban, Jacobs, AECOM and WSP – to spearhead its ambitious goal of achieving a 20 per cent increase in US infrastructure delivered for the same budget.

Breaking into the US, according to Gabriels, will position Mooven to make a material and lasting impact on how infrastructure is delivered globally, so it can achieve its mission of creating space for cities to thrive.

About Mooven

Mooven is a construction technology platform providing construction companies, engineering consultants and government authorities with increased flexibility and agility, enabling them to accelerate the delivery of infrastructure, while minimising the city-stopping impacts and disruption.

Spanning far beyond what the industry has previously relied on, Mooven brings the right data sources together into an operational tool used to tailor construction activity based on current conditions.

Mooven gives its users contextual insight into the effects of infrastructure projects and maintenance activity on road users and surrounding communities, covering network aspects like journey times through the area, delays, queuing, speeds, noise and dust. Bringing this data into one place, with an understanding of not only the immediate worksite but also the flow on impacts to the surrounding city, Mooven provides a holistic view to enable contractors, infrastructure firms and governments to make evidence-based decisions.

Whether it be across capital works, rehabilitation, maintenance or network operations, Mooven helps customers accelerate delivery time and achieve improved community outcomes, while minimising community complaints or safety concerns.

Mooven works with major construction firms like LendLease, Accionia, Downer, WSP, Jacobs, Georgiou, WBHO Infrastructure and government authorities like Queensland Department for Transport and Main Roads, Wellington Water and Waka Kotahi (New Zealand Transport Agency) across Australia and New Zealand. Mooven extends its presence to the United States, where it spearheads its purpose to accelerate delivery of important infrastructure projects while minimising community impacts in the new market.
https://www.mooven.com/

Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau thanks New Zealand travel trade & media at Auckland industry event

Mike Hearn — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 06:16:59 GMT

Grapevine, Texas has travelled to Auckland for their first in market sales mission, since engaging with Canuckiwi back in early 2020. Grapevine has remained active and engaged with the trade over the last two years, providing many training experiences and events, from live on location webinars to scavenger hunts, trivia events and a rock painting event.

Heather Egan Director of Leisure and International Sales met and presented Grapevine to a full house of Auckland trade and media at Non Solo pizza in Parnell.

Heather is looking forward to hosting key media to the 36th annual GrapeFest in September. GrapeFest is the largest wine festival of the Southwest and boasts the largest consumer-judged wine competition in the nation.

At the same time Heather will be taking rocks painted by New Zealand and Australian trade and media partners from their event in 2021, to place them in the international section of the Grapevine Rock Art Trail. The Rock Art Trail has earned a Guinness World Record title for the largest display of painted rocks.

With the launch of the American Airlines flight from Auckland to DFW on 1 November 2022, he timing of this mission has been even more significant. Grapevine, Texas is only 10 minutes away from DFW giving Kiwis direct access to be able to base themselves in Grapevine and explore the area including Dallas and Fort Worth before renting a car to drive to Oklahoma to explore Route 66 and more.

ABOUT GRAPEVINE, TEXAS

Historic Grapevine, Texas is the premier go-to destination when planning a meeting or convention in Texas. Grapevine, centrally located between Dallas and Fort Worth, provides visitors a sophisticated escape from the big city. Show guests will enjoy Grapevine’s superior meeting facilities, seminar spaces, dining, the Urban Wine and Craft Brew Trail and opportunities for shopping along Main Street in Historic Downtown, Grapevine Mills, Bass Pro Shops, Grapevine Towne Center and more. Grapevine’s annual festivals and events draw visitors from around the globe. For more information, visit GrapevineTexasUSA.com.

Govt signs NZ–USA agreement launching new opportunities for space sector

Mike Hearn — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 02:29:29 GMT

An agreement signed today between the New Zealand and United States governments will provide new opportunities for our space sector and closer collaboration with NASA, Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash said.

Stuart Nash signed the Framework Agreement with United States Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy Sherman. The signing followed Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Vice President Kamala Harris welcoming of the completion of negotiations on this agreement during their meeting in Washington, DC on 31 May 2022.

“We have an incredibly innovative space sector in New Zealand. Despite our small size, we’ve become a notable player in the global space industry, and signing the Framework Agreement marks an exciting step for our space sector,” Stuart Nash said.

“This is a huge opportunity for Kiwi companies and researchers to collaborate more closely with the US and NASA. It will facilitate space science, technology and cooperation, and focuses on building connections between our two countries’ civil space sectors and research communities.

“A close relationship with the United States is highly beneficial for supporting a thriving space sector in New Zealand. This already includes government regulatory cooperation to enable launches from New Zealand and an active dialogue on space policy issues.

“Last month, Rocket Lab launched the historic CAPSTONE Mission in support of NASA’s Artemis Program, the first-ever lunar mission launched from New Zealand soil. This was a significant milestone for Rocket Lab and is an excellent example of what can be achieved when we collaborate with our international partners.

“At a practical level, the agreement outlines a number of modes of cooperation, including exchange of data and personnel, flying instruments on aircraft and spacecraft and education and public outreach. These include space science, earth observation, education and space sustainability.

“The Framework Agreement will reduce the need to negotiate complex one-off contractual arrangements for specific missions and research projects, and increases New Zealand’s visibility as a priority space partner within the United States. This will not only improve our already world-leading research and innovation, but will also positively impact our economy. The New Zealand space sector is worth over $1.7 billion, with a space manufacturing industry that generates around $247 million every year in revenue,” Stuart Nash said.

Source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

Google Cloud Announces First Cloud Region in New Zealand

Mike Hearn — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 23:27:51 GMT

New region to support growing Kiwi customer base, including Government and Financial Services

SUNNYVALE, Calif, and Auckland, New Zealand — Today, Google Cloud announced its first cloud region is coming to New Zealand to meet growing demand for cloud services locally and around the world. Globally, Google Cloud also recently shared plans to add cloud regions in three additional countries — Malaysia, Mexico, and Thailand — to join five other previously announced regions coming soon to Berlin, Dammam, Doha, Tel Aviv, and Turin.

The New Zealand cloud region will give Kiwi businesses the choice to keep their data onshore, retain data sovereignty and drive their digital transformation efforts locally with speed, security and scalability at the core. A recent report by AlphaBeta, commissioned by Google New Zealand, found that if leveraged fully, digital transformation could create up to NZD$46.6 billion in economic value by 2030, the equivalent of the GDP of Canterbury and Hawkes’s Bay.

"Kiwis are world famous for ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit and we want to give New Zealand businesses the right platform to serve as a foundation for growth and innovation," said Alister Dias, Vice President, Google Cloud Australia & New Zealand. "Whether it's getting smarter about the use of data, or having the flexibility of an open-platform that can adapt to changing market and regulatory conditions, our New Zealand region will give customers key controls that will enable them to maintain low latency and the highest security, data residency, and compliance standards."

When launched, the region will bring high-performance, low-latency services and products to local customers, and will have three zones to help protect against service disruptions. Google Cloud currently has a Dedicated Cloud Interconnect in Auckland to support New Zealand customers. The New Zealand cloud region will be Google Cloud’s third region in Australasia, joining Sydney and Melbourne. Google Cloud has 11 cloud regions already in operation in JAPAC.

Google has now marked 15 years on the ground in New Zealand, and last year announced the opening of its first purpose-built office in Auckland as well as the establishment of a New Zealand-based engineering team, to drive deeper adoption of AI and ML across the country.

“For over 15 years our team has been working closely with businesses, communities and educators in New Zealand to support them with the skills they need to succeed in a digital future,” said Caroline Rainsford, Country Director, Google New Zealand. “Bringing a new cloud region to Aotearoa shows Google’s increasing investment and will allow us to partner more deeply with local businesses, to deliver on our unique ability to bring enterprise and consumer ecosystems closer together - across Search, YouTube, Cloud - to deliver more powerful customer experiences, quickly and securely.”

“Kami was born out of the digital native era, where in order to scale globally we needed a partner like Google Cloud who could support us on our ongoing innovation journey. We have since delivered an engaging and dependable experience for millions of teachers and students around the world, so it’s incredibly exciting to hear about the new region coming to New Zealand. This investment from Google Cloud will enable us to deliver services with lower latency to our Kiwi users, which will further elevate and optimise our free premium offering to all New Zealand schools,” said Jordan Thoms, Chief Technology Officer at Kami.

“Our customers are at the heart of our business, and helping Kiwis find what they are looking for, faster than ever before, is our key priority. Our collaboration with Google Cloud has been pivotal in ensuring the stability and resilience of our infrastructure, allowing us to deliver world-class experiences to the 650,000 Kiwis that visit our site everyday. We welcome Google Cloud’s investment in New Zealand, and are looking forward to more opportunities to partner closely on our technology transformation journey,” said Anders Skoe, Chief Executive Officer at Trade Me.

“Digital transformation plays a key role in helping Vodafone deliver better customer experiences and connect all Kiwis. We welcome Google Cloud’s investment in New Zealand and look forward to working together to offer more enriched experiences for local businesses, and the communities we serve,” said Jason Paris, Chief Executive Officer at Vodafone New Zealand.

“The new Google Cloud region will help to address organizations’ increasing needs in the area of digital sovereignty and enable more opportunities for digital transformation and innovation in New Zealand. With this announcement, Google Cloud is providing customers with more choices in accessing capabilities from local cloud regions while aiding their journeys to hybrid and multi-cloud environments," said Daphne Chung, Research Director, Cloud Services and Software Research, IDC Asia/Pacific.

With 34 regions and 103 zones currently in operation around the world, Google Cloud’s global network of cloud regions is the foundation of the infrastructure it is building to support customers of all sizes and across industries.

About Google Cloud
Google Cloud accelerates every organization's ability to digitally transform its business. We deliver enterprise-grade solutions that leverage Google's cutting-edge technology — all on the cleanest cloud in the industry. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted partner to enable growth and solve their most critical business problems.