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/
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.
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/
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
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/
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/
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.
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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 UnlimitedTātaki 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
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
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 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
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