NZTech Update – The year in review…

Hi Readers

How exciting, only a few more days until a well earned rest. Last week, I was preparing a note for an organisation considering joining NZTech, when I realised just how much we have accomplished recently. That’s when it occurred to me we should share this with everyone! It has been a big year and we have accomplished great work with the support of our members. NZTech is completely funded by memberships, so I sincerely encourage you and your organisation to join the NZTech family. Without the support of paying members, none of this would have happened.

Our driving purpose:
A prosperous New Zealand underpinned by technology

CONNECT
Grow the voice of technology by helping the sector connect
In the past year, we have doubled membership to almost 200 members and we hosted 40+ member events throughout New Zealand. Additionally, we have put in place alliances with Canterbury Tech, associations of NZ Software, EdTechNZ, Spatial Industry, Precision Ag, Blockchain and Game Developers to create a “star alliance” of the tech sector. NZTech now represents over 400 organisations who have more than 67,000 employees. We are currently helping three new associations to launch in early 2017; FinTechNZ, the NZ IOT Alliance and the AI Institute.

PROMOTE
Promoting the tech sector and the importance of technology
We published the Digital Nation report highlighting the size and growth of the tech sector and the importance of technology for all sectors across New Zealand. Over 1500 copies have been downloaded or distributed. We also placed over 60 mainstream media news stories about tech resulting in nearly 1000 mentions on TV, radio, print and online channels.

ADVANCE
Helping develop tech education, skills and talent

As the input for the tech sector and the entire economy we put a lot of effort into this focus area. From participating in advisory groups for the new digital technology curricula and for numerous tertiary ICT degrees, to conducting a feasibility study on potential pathways for school students into the tech sector. We have also partnered with ITP, NZRise and MBIE to establish the Digital Skills Forum, a collaboration between industry and the government (MBIE, Immigration, Min Ed, TEC, NZQA, DIA, GCIO, DPMC, NCPO) to address digital skills shortages. This forum is working on projects such as a national skills survey, the development of connected STEM pathways, and immigration pathways for people with proven IT experience but lacking an IT degree.
We also developed and hosted a two day summit on Education and Technology, in partnership with Conferenz and in collaboration with Education New Zealand, Ministry of Education and Core Education, bringing 400 tech firms, teachers, principals and policy makers together to learn from each other and to focus on accelerating digital teaching through our schools.

Ensuring strong government relations and understanding of technology
With a full time government relations role based in Wellington we have had a high level of engagement with multiple agencies. Throughout the year we have briefed the Ministers of Finance, Internal Affairs, Commerce, Tertiary Education, Education, Small Business, Science and Innovation. We have also been working with MBIE, NZTE, Callaghan Innovation, NZ Story, StatsNZ, MoE, NZQA, CareersNZ, N4L, TEC, DIA, GCIO, DPMC, NCPO, MFAT, IRD, Treasury, Ministry of Women, TPK and local economic development agencies.

We produce an annual Government and Technology Summit every February and an annual Security Summit every October.

Growing tech exports 
We hosted two successful international delegations this year, to Vietnam for the launch of Kiwi Connection and to Denver for the world’s largest education and technology event. To help put New Zealand on the map we are running Techweek, a weeklong festival of tech events throughout New Zealand to inspire people into the tech sector and to showcase our best tech firms to international media and investors. We are also working with NZTE, MBIE and NZ Story to develop a strong NZ tech story to compliment the NZ Story work and have started the initial work on a weekly 30 min TV series about New Zealand’s cool tech people and businesses in style of country calendar, with Nigel Latta and NZTE. As Minister Joyce once said, we know we will have made it when there is a Country Calendar of Tech on TV.

It’s a long list and there will be even more to do next year. Thank you for any support you can give during 2017. Meanwhile, have a very restful break over Christmas.

Best wishes
Graeme

GOVERNMENT SUMMIT – FEB 17

SEEKING SUBMISSIONS

ENTRIES NOW OPEN!

CONNECT

Do you have business in Canada? Considering Canada as an export market or entry point to the US? The Canada New Zealand Business Council is the place to go for information, advice and connections.

The Techweek’17 programme is taking shape, we present a sneak peek of what’s on offer, 6-14 May, 2017. If you have an event idea that fits our themes, please submit your concept.

Considering entering the 2017 NZ Hi-Tech Awards? close 6 March. Read our advice from the judging panel. Entries close 6 March, winners announced during TechWeek’17.

PROMOTE

Watch our favourite Singularity Summit presentation; Sue Suckling, Chair of both NZQA and Callaghan Innovation discussing the Future of Education. View all the #SUNZ presentations here.

Special discounted registrations for the 5th Annual Summit MobileTech2017 close tomorrow. Use the promo code: xPAANZ. The primary industry event runs 22-23 March, 2017, Rotorua.

Applications for the EHF and the Global Impact Visa open in early 2017. Until then, please express your interest here. Don’t forget new dates for the R9 Rev Up, 28-29 January in Wellington.

ADVANCE

Open Data NZ, a government initiative to promote open data has published a list of open data resources on data.govt.nz. Learn more about the Open Data NZ programme here.

New Zealand has ranked top of the tables for ‘ease of doing business’. NZTech Chair Mitchell Pham takes a closer look at what contributes to this and why kiwis are doing so well. Read it here.

Following the recent NZTech Advance Security Summit in Wellington, read our report on addressing a critical cybersecurity skills shortage and our recommendations.

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