This week on the Business of Tech powered by Two Degrees Business, we're talking about the future of Wellington. I'm Peter Griffin and this is a subject close to my heart as I'm now in my twentieth year living right in the center of the capitol. It's a wonderful place to live and to be honest, I never expected to say that as an orchander via Dublin, who came here to study creative writing and expected to be on the first plane north after finishing my degree. But I fell in love with the place and with a woman living here, and the rest is history. But the city has some big problems now. Our infrastructure is dilapidated, economic growth is stagnant, and the public sector cuts have seen a lot of smart people leave in the last couple of years. Wellington used to be the center of our tech sector, with huge successes like zero and Trade. Me founded here. Believe that doubling down on tech, on startups and innovation a massively successful film industry is the way to attract top talent to the city, inject more capital into our companies and create more high paying jobs. We're not alone in having that idea. A couple of weeks back, during Tech Week, Auckland's Mayor Wayne Brown launched a new innovation and technology alliance, bringing together the public and private sectors to attract capital and boost productivity. He wants Auckland to be the Silicon Valley of the South Pacific. A little bit cringy, but let's face it, Auckland is the center of startup activity now and has a lot going for it. As for the capital, a lot of smart people have been thinking about how to revive some of the glory associated with the city's golden run of tech and entrepreneurial success in the early two thousands into the twenty tens. Last week, the think tank Vision for Wellington, up of prominent Walentonians who want a new direction for the city, featured tech luminaries on a panel discussion giving their suggestions for what we should focus on. For instance, Rod Drury, who after a huge success with Zero divides his time between Wellington and Queenstown, suggested the city is the perfect place for young people to get a start in their career and we need to do a lot more to attract them here.

This week on the Business of Tech powered by Two Degrees Business, we're talking about the future of Wellington. I'm Peter Griffin and this is a subject close to my heart as I'm now in my twentieth year living right in the center of the capitol. It's a wonderful place to live and to be honest, I never expected to say that as an orchander via Dublin, who came here to study creative writing and expected to be on the first plane north after finishing my degree. But I fell in love with the place and with a woman living here, and the rest is history. But the city has some big problems now. Our infrastructure is dilapidated, economic growth is stagnant, and the public sector cuts have seen a lot of smart people leave in the last couple of years. Wellington used to be the center of our tech sector, with huge successes like zero and Trade. Me founded here. Believe that doubling down on tech, on startups and innovation a massively successful film industry is the way to attract top talent to the city, inject more capital into our companies and create more high paying jobs. We're not alone in having that idea. A couple of weeks back, during Tech Week, Auckland's Mayor Wayne Brown launched a new innovation and technology alliance, bringing together the public and private sectors to attract capital and boost productivity. He wants Auckland to be the Silicon Valley of the South Pacific. A little bit cringy, but let's face it, Auckland is the center of startup activity now and has a lot going for it. As for the capital, a lot of smart people have been thinking about how to revive some of the glory associated with the city's golden run of tech and entrepreneurial success in the early two thousands into the twenty tens. Last week, the think tank Vision for Wellington, up of prominent Walentonians who want a new direction for the city, featured tech luminaries on a panel discussion giving their suggestions for what we should focus on. For instance, Rod Drury, who after a huge success with Zero divides his time between Wellington and Queenstown, suggested the city is the perfect place for young people to get a start in their career and we need to do a lot more to attract them here.

I think the idea around how he pets Wellington's what's.

I think the idea around how he pets Wellington's what's.

How unique about it. It's that great networking city early in your working career. Sorry to you know kids discussion twenty times for different things going on. But I think what's called about an asset like don't need a car, So.

How unique about it. It's that great networking city early in your working career. Sorry to you know kids discussion twenty times for different things going on. But I think what's called about an asset like don't need a car, So.

If you're a young person in the twenties, you don't have to waste time with the car, the car insurance and parking cars, or you need really as.

If you're a young person in the twenties, you don't have to waste time with the car, the car insurance and parking cars, or you need really as.

A laptop and somewhere to live.

A laptop and somewhere to live.

So as a thing, I think we should have a strategy of trying to attract people in their twenties, not just people to go at a university, but people that just want to come and have the big city experience like I had coming from full State into some of the floways cuts in the provinces.

So as a thing, I think we should have a strategy of trying to attract people in their twenties, not just people to go at a university, but people that just want to come and have the big city experience like I had coming from full State into some of the floways cuts in the provinces.

Don't have to be super and to do the Uni track, just come and live here. So how do you make that easier? We have to make it affordable for them to live.

Don't have to be super and to do the Uni track, just come and live here. So how do you make that easier? We have to make it affordable for them to live.

That was Rod speaking at the Vision for Wellington event. Also on the panel was Brooke Roberts, the co founder and co CEO of Chaersease, which has become the go to app for key We equity investors now. Brooke talked about the city's proximity to nature and beaches being something that we really have going for us, but also the need for Wellington to invest more in the startups that can produce wealth for the city.

That was Rod speaking at the Vision for Wellington event. Also on the panel was Brooke Roberts, the co founder and co CEO of Chaersease, which has become the go to app for key We equity investors now. Brooke talked about the city's proximity to nature and beaches being something that we really have going for us, but also the need for Wellington to invest more in the startups that can produce wealth for the city.

On top of that, you know what I love about Wellingtons being able to run around the waterfront and the hills being able to super dawn and then go to they need to meetings and then fund bilance is quite rare in willing to make it possible than is needing more into growing. I can't be even attracted color to day.

On top of that, you know what I love about Wellingtons being able to run around the waterfront and the hills being able to super dawn and then go to they need to meetings and then fund bilance is quite rare in willing to make it possible than is needing more into growing. I can't be even attracted color to day.

It's easy to live out here or purposely to raise.

It's easy to live out here or purposely to raise.

Families and to recapital wall and face back to what it was from what's possible and local standards for city can.

Families and to recapital wall and face back to what it was from what's possible and local standards for city can.

So the tone of the night was basically that we've got a great compact city offering a fantastic lifestyle and networking opportunities, but these networks have become disconnected, particularly in the wake of COVID. To rebuild a vibrant tech sector, we need to double down on those lifestyle factors the city has going for it. We need to attract talent, more investment and have better links between our universities and startups. We also need leadership for the city with a clear vision for the future. Sitting in the audience along with me listening to that vision for Wellington panel was Ralph Heinem, the co founder of Volpara Health, a startup that created pioneering software for improving the accuracy of breast screening ma as. The software is now used to screen literally tens of millions of people worldwide, and last year, after a stint on the Australian Stock Exchange, Volpara was acquired by South Korean medical imaging software company Lunet in a deal value at around three hundred million dollars, one of the biggest exits from a Wellington company in the last twenty years. Ralph, like me, came to Wellington and fell in love with this place. He's now an active investor in startups in the cety, including lit Maps, which I featured on the podcast a few episodes ago. So I caught up with Ralph on a sunny Wellington day at his Mount Victoria home after the panel discussion to get his thoughts on what he'd heard and his plans for wally Forge, a new group he's formed that will act to promote events, networking and investments for the Wellington startup scene. Here's the interview with Volpara Health co founder Ralph Heinem. Ralph, Welcome to the Business of Tech. Great to see you and to have you on for the first time.

So the tone of the night was basically that we've got a great compact city offering a fantastic lifestyle and networking opportunities, but these networks have become disconnected, particularly in the wake of COVID. To rebuild a vibrant tech sector, we need to double down on those lifestyle factors the city has going for it. We need to attract talent, more investment and have better links between our universities and startups. We also need leadership for the city with a clear vision for the future. Sitting in the audience along with me listening to that vision for Wellington panel was Ralph Heinem, the co founder of Volpara Health, a startup that created pioneering software for improving the accuracy of breast screening ma as. The software is now used to screen literally tens of millions of people worldwide, and last year, after a stint on the Australian Stock Exchange, Volpara was acquired by South Korean medical imaging software company Lunet in a deal value at around three hundred million dollars, one of the biggest exits from a Wellington company in the last twenty years. Ralph, like me, came to Wellington and fell in love with this place. He's now an active investor in startups in the cety, including lit Maps, which I featured on the podcast a few episodes ago. So I caught up with Ralph on a sunny Wellington day at his Mount Victoria home after the panel discussion to get his thoughts on what he'd heard and his plans for wally Forge, a new group he's formed that will act to promote events, networking and investments for the Wellington startup scene. Here's the interview with Volpara Health co founder Ralph Heinem. Ralph, Welcome to the Business of Tech. Great to see you and to have you on for the first time.

Great to be here, Peter, I mean, I'm going to enjoy the conversation. Let's crack into it.

Great to be here, Peter, I mean, I'm going to enjoy the conversation. Let's crack into it.

Well, there was a great conversation last night. You and I attended this Vision for Wellington events. Some familiar and iconic faces from the Wellington tech community, the likes of Rod Drury, founder of Zero, Brooke Roberts, the co founder of Chersey's Great Company, a lot of New Zealanders are using, serge Van dam a serial investor in companies in Wellington, and Stephen Cummings, the professor of Innovation and Strategy at Victoria University. So it was a great panel. We're going to get your thoughts on what they said last night about the potential to use one of our strengths, which is tech, to sort of reinvigorate the city, which, let's face it has been in a bit of a funk since COVID. But first I just want to remind listeners off your success story coming to New Zealand after this great academic career at Oxford and setting up Volpower Health, which has been a huge success, grew to be listed on the ASX. Has since been acquired by a South Korean company, so a really successful exit there. Still based in Wellington, still employing a lot of people here, dozens of patents, so creating real intellectual property and helping women all over the world with the AI powered screening software that you've developed. So this is exactly the sort of company as the people said last night, we need more off and how do we do it? How do we sort of ten x or one hundred times what's going on here? But first just yeah, dial back to coming out of Oxford University in the UK, what brought you to New Zealand and the genesis of Volpower.

Well, there was a great conversation last night. You and I attended this Vision for Wellington events. Some familiar and iconic faces from the Wellington tech community, the likes of Rod Drury, founder of Zero, Brooke Roberts, the co founder of Chersey's Great Company, a lot of New Zealanders are using, serge Van dam a serial investor in companies in Wellington, and Stephen Cummings, the professor of Innovation and Strategy at Victoria University. So it was a great panel. We're going to get your thoughts on what they said last night about the potential to use one of our strengths, which is tech, to sort of reinvigorate the city, which, let's face it has been in a bit of a funk since COVID. But first I just want to remind listeners off your success story coming to New Zealand after this great academic career at Oxford and setting up Volpower Health, which has been a huge success, grew to be listed on the ASX. Has since been acquired by a South Korean company, so a really successful exit there. Still based in Wellington, still employing a lot of people here, dozens of patents, so creating real intellectual property and helping women all over the world with the AI powered screening software that you've developed. So this is exactly the sort of company as the people said last night, we need more off and how do we do it? How do we sort of ten x or one hundred times what's going on here? But first just yeah, dial back to coming out of Oxford University in the UK, what brought you to New Zealand and the genesis of Volpower.

Yeah, the APHD in Oxford on breast AI applied to Paragrams for the textion early texts of breast cancer. Tried to commercialize that in nineteen ninety nine but it was a bit too early, but we switched into brain imaging instead and we were very successful at that and we ended up selling the companies to effectively to Siemens in two thousand and three, at which point Mike Kiwi partner who is now. My wife said, look, she had to come back here from Oxford to finish off a medical degree a targo. Would I come back with her? And I said, well started the company. I was kind of free and easy and never been to New Zealand. It was like, yeah, all right, I'm on the way, let's go to go to Wellington and interesting kind of flying in. Obviously that was always exciting flying into Wellington, and it was particularly on my first visit here. I was very exciting and I thought, this is the kind of place for me. It's got big exciting storms and lots of activity, lots of energy and the lots of interesting things going on. That was two thousand and three, Peter, and then they consulted for some of the top medical emagine companies right around the world. In two thousand and nine, I come back and talked to the guy in Oxford, professor Mike Brady, and we said, all stuff we did fifteen years ago, now is the time for And we could have done it anywhere in the world at that point, but I or we chose to do it in Wellington, to start vol Pier in Wellington. And we did it because quite quite simply, it was just so easy starters where we started to have Skype, which meant kind of global stuff started to play in quite nicely, and we had fairly good internet too. It felt so easy here to access the government, access early stage funding. And then as we started growing, we realized actually there's a huge number of really good software engineers in Wellington. In medical space were to breastcoats, you need really high quality people who really can test the head out of software, you know, no bugs or that kind of stuff, and there was lots of those around Wellington. But that thing that we found as well was as we started to get going was there was there's a lot of people around here with computer vision or AI skills because of the film industry. So back then typically an American would come over and work Wetter They would very conveniently bring a partner along and that part and would often come and work at bop A. So there was a really good relationship and it was a fantastic base to which to start to grow the company. People say, well, you kind of developed the company and the biggest market was the US. Shouldn't you have done it in the US? But I actually feel that well, with the Internet now, you don't have such issues of the tyranny of distance, but also being outside the market just makes you think about things in a different way, and I think vob Ai was just very good at looking at things in different ways from here. And the other thing which as I look back and reflect on now, is that lots of companies came in to our space in the US, funded by USBC, and they were always trying tens and tens and tens of millions, but it all burned out within one or two years. Because medical and a lot of deep tech stuff, you can't do it in one or two years. It's a long term game and you need to have a sustainable company and a sustainable workforce.

Yeah, the APHD in Oxford on breast AI applied to Paragrams for the textion early texts of breast cancer. Tried to commercialize that in nineteen ninety nine but it was a bit too early, but we switched into brain imaging instead and we were very successful at that and we ended up selling the companies to effectively to Siemens in two thousand and three, at which point Mike Kiwi partner who is now. My wife said, look, she had to come back here from Oxford to finish off a medical degree a targo. Would I come back with her? And I said, well started the company. I was kind of free and easy and never been to New Zealand. It was like, yeah, all right, I'm on the way, let's go to go to Wellington and interesting kind of flying in. Obviously that was always exciting flying into Wellington, and it was particularly on my first visit here. I was very exciting and I thought, this is the kind of place for me. It's got big exciting storms and lots of activity, lots of energy and the lots of interesting things going on. That was two thousand and three, Peter, and then they consulted for some of the top medical emagine companies right around the world. In two thousand and nine, I come back and talked to the guy in Oxford, professor Mike Brady, and we said, all stuff we did fifteen years ago, now is the time for And we could have done it anywhere in the world at that point, but I or we chose to do it in Wellington, to start vol Pier in Wellington. And we did it because quite quite simply, it was just so easy starters where we started to have Skype, which meant kind of global stuff started to play in quite nicely, and we had fairly good internet too. It felt so easy here to access the government, access early stage funding. And then as we started growing, we realized actually there's a huge number of really good software engineers in Wellington. In medical space were to breastcoats, you need really high quality people who really can test the head out of software, you know, no bugs or that kind of stuff, and there was lots of those around Wellington. But that thing that we found as well was as we started to get going was there was there's a lot of people around here with computer vision or AI skills because of the film industry. So back then typically an American would come over and work Wetter They would very conveniently bring a partner along and that part and would often come and work at bop A. So there was a really good relationship and it was a fantastic base to which to start to grow the company. People say, well, you kind of developed the company and the biggest market was the US. Shouldn't you have done it in the US? But I actually feel that well, with the Internet now, you don't have such issues of the tyranny of distance, but also being outside the market just makes you think about things in a different way, and I think vob Ai was just very good at looking at things in different ways from here. And the other thing which as I look back and reflect on now, is that lots of companies came in to our space in the US, funded by USBC, and they were always trying tens and tens and tens of millions, but it all burned out within one or two years. Because medical and a lot of deep tech stuff, you can't do it in one or two years. It's a long term game and you need to have a sustainable company and a sustainable workforce.

So from day one at Volpira, it.

So from day one at Volpira, it.

Used to kind of drive me mad that people weren't working twenty four hours a day. On the other hand, I kind of realized it made all these people they were here for the long run and they weren't going to burn out. So that was a real kind of a real benefit of bit of being in Wellington, as well being the ability to do deep tech, to be patient to grow stuff over the long term.

Used to kind of drive me mad that people weren't working twenty four hours a day. On the other hand, I kind of realized it made all these people they were here for the long run and they weren't going to burn out. So that was a real kind of a real benefit of bit of being in Wellington, as well being the ability to do deep tech, to be patient to grow stuff over the long term.

Yeah, and that theme really came through last night because it's a small city, but the access to the green belt here, to surfing at Lyle Bay and cycle tracks and all that. You know, people are able to do their work. You can get out into nature. But your story is quite similar to some of the people on the stage last night, Like Rod came from the Hawk's Bay and he relates his story of coming to the city for the first time and why it was such a good place. You came here through circumstances. You know, your partner was a Kiwi and came back to Wellington to complete his studies. But you could have gone in the last few years. Rod could have gone. Cheersy's is very big. He is operating in Australia now, Brooke could have could have gone. But you're all still here. So it's something about this place, even that it's gone through tough times in recent years, that keeps you here and investing. You're an investor in lip Maps, Wellington based startup, So what is it that keeps you here?

Yeah, and that theme really came through last night because it's a small city, but the access to the green belt here, to surfing at Lyle Bay and cycle tracks and all that. You know, people are able to do their work. You can get out into nature. But your story is quite similar to some of the people on the stage last night, Like Rod came from the Hawk's Bay and he relates his story of coming to the city for the first time and why it was such a good place. You came here through circumstances. You know, your partner was a Kiwi and came back to Wellington to complete his studies. But you could have gone in the last few years. Rod could have gone. Cheersy's is very big. He is operating in Australia now, Brooke could have could have gone. But you're all still here. So it's something about this place, even that it's gone through tough times in recent years, that keeps you here and investing. You're an investor in lip Maps, Wellington based startup, So what is it that keeps you here?

Yeah, he's a great question. And you know you just walked up around Mount Victoria, right. Yeah, we live in such a stunningly beautiful place. You know, it's just stunning weather and today and just stunningly beautiful. Along with that, though, yeah, we do because because of that geography, we get big storms. I actually love big storms, and I think Rod touched on that last night. Someone touched on that last night. It's very dramatic here when you get the big storms coming through, and I actually loved I love being in the office here or off downtown and the big storm rolls through, bundles of rain against the window. You think the windows are going to come in. It's all very dramatic and exciting, but then it blows through and it's just as stunning afterwards. So it's so I kind of like all that. But the other thing that really came over last night they used the word easy.

Yeah, he's a great question. And you know you just walked up around Mount Victoria, right. Yeah, we live in such a stunningly beautiful place. You know, it's just stunning weather and today and just stunningly beautiful. Along with that, though, yeah, we do because because of that geography, we get big storms. I actually love big storms, and I think Rod touched on that last night. Someone touched on that last night. It's very dramatic here when you get the big storms coming through, and I actually loved I love being in the office here or off downtown and the big storm rolls through, bundles of rain against the window. You think the windows are going to come in. It's all very dramatic and exciting, but then it blows through and it's just as stunning afterwards. So it's so I kind of like all that. But the other thing that really came over last night they used the word easy.

I used the word simple.

I used the word simple.

You know.

You know.

I love it goes to the US or wherever you come back, and you fly into the airport and it's just so simple. Get out taxi, ten minutes to the city center, walk up the road to the house.

I love it goes to the US or wherever you come back, and you fly into the airport and it's just so simple. Get out taxi, ten minutes to the city center, walk up the road to the house.

From the house here in malt Victoria, we're very lucky.

From the house here in malt Victoria, we're very lucky.

We can walk ten minutes to the beach, five minutes to the green Belt, fifteen minutes downtown to Cuba Street. You know, it's just it's all simple and easy. Yeah, it was a theme last night around cars. You know, we very rarely drive cars unless we really have to. And there's just that simplicity of life and stuff, I guess, you know, along with the location, the storms and that simplicity is a very outdoorsy place where where you know, we love the outdoors that you talked about going up on the green Belt. I used to, especially at Volpira, get stressed or whatever, walk along the top of the green Belt.

We can walk ten minutes to the beach, five minutes to the green Belt, fifteen minutes downtown to Cuba Street. You know, it's just it's all simple and easy. Yeah, it was a theme last night around cars. You know, we very rarely drive cars unless we really have to. And there's just that simplicity of life and stuff, I guess, you know, along with the location, the storms and that simplicity is a very outdoorsy place where where you know, we love the outdoors that you talked about going up on the green Belt. I used to, especially at Volpira, get stressed or whatever, walk along the top of the green Belt.

You could see the whole world up there.

You could see the whole world up there.

There were raging storm and it would battery, but it would inspire you at the same time.

There were raging storm and it would battery, but it would inspire you at the same time.

And you know, I kind of love that.

And you know, I kind of love that.

And I think all those factors really helped to form the people, right the people. You know, there's that you know, we often talk about the people being the most important, you know, to me, only you can't come from Looton is a working class town, kind of deck down South, And yeah, we all support Looton Town, which is the best, best team, best football club in the world. But you know, there's always these jokes about Manester United and everyone that goes to watching has pron cocktail, sandwiches and drinks, caviar, and you don't get any of that crap in Wellington. You know, it's all kind of down to earth people. Everyone's everyone's friendly, helping people and all that kind of stuff, and everyone's up for a beer or a coffee and it's just the people really make it at the end of the day.

And I think all those factors really helped to form the people, right the people. You know, there's that you know, we often talk about the people being the most important, you know, to me, only you can't come from Looton is a working class town, kind of deck down South, And yeah, we all support Looton Town, which is the best, best team, best football club in the world. But you know, there's always these jokes about Manester United and everyone that goes to watching has pron cocktail, sandwiches and drinks, caviar, and you don't get any of that crap in Wellington. You know, it's all kind of down to earth people. Everyone's everyone's friendly, helping people and all that kind of stuff, and everyone's up for a beer or a coffee and it's just the people really make it at the end of the day.

Yeah, and two thousand and three, when when you got here was really the start of this real nascent scene. It started with trade me then you know, Rod was working here on Glazier Systems and that the genesis of Zero was more like two thousand and six, but you had Over the Hill and Mirrima, you had really burgeoning film scene happening with Sir Peter Jackson and Sir Richard Taylor. So there was a lot going on that was twenty plus years ago, and some of those people are still here. But there's a sense that we've sort of lost what was so great about the tech ecosystem. I mentioned COVID, you know, and Rod talked last night about how the towns sort of emptied out, particularly government, and it hasn't quite come back. But what else explains that? What do you think has happened so that we really don't have that thriving tech ecosystem that we once did.

Yeah, and two thousand and three, when when you got here was really the start of this real nascent scene. It started with trade me then you know, Rod was working here on Glazier Systems and that the genesis of Zero was more like two thousand and six, but you had Over the Hill and Mirrima, you had really burgeoning film scene happening with Sir Peter Jackson and Sir Richard Taylor. So there was a lot going on that was twenty plus years ago, and some of those people are still here. But there's a sense that we've sort of lost what was so great about the tech ecosystem. I mentioned COVID, you know, and Rod talked last night about how the towns sort of emptied out, particularly government, and it hasn't quite come back. But what else explains that? What do you think has happened so that we really don't have that thriving tech ecosystem that we once did.

I agree co Cove has been a big impact, but also it feels like we've kind of lost some of the coherence behind the scenes that could be related to the government and the Council and their views on staff. Both those entities seem to be breaking things apart rather than trying to help us bring things together. And as we talked about a bit earlier, it kind of feels like this constant disruption willing to nound all we want to do. Well, I want to do is get companies moving. All I want to do is my breast cancer research to go on and save more families from cancer. But I'm stuck, you know, fighting this seven story tower block at the end of the road which is never going to be built, and it's just a waste of their time, it's a waste of my time. But there's some ideological thing happening. I think a government and council level. There's just not letting people get home with stuff. And I think we're Rod touched on that yesterday as well, right up and with his dreams of more bike paths around the place, especially up in the green Belt and things like this.

I agree co Cove has been a big impact, but also it feels like we've kind of lost some of the coherence behind the scenes that could be related to the government and the Council and their views on staff. Both those entities seem to be breaking things apart rather than trying to help us bring things together. And as we talked about a bit earlier, it kind of feels like this constant disruption willing to nound all we want to do. Well, I want to do is get companies moving. All I want to do is my breast cancer research to go on and save more families from cancer. But I'm stuck, you know, fighting this seven story tower block at the end of the road which is never going to be built, and it's just a waste of their time, it's a waste of my time. But there's some ideological thing happening. I think a government and council level. There's just not letting people get home with stuff. And I think we're Rod touched on that yesterday as well, right up and with his dreams of more bike paths around the place, especially up in the green Belt and things like this.

Yeah, it's about sort of being really intentional and deliberate about where you want the city to go. And as we sit here, we're just looking out at what you were saying about this plot of land behind you, which is going to have this massive place at the end of a private road in a very poky space.

Yeah, it's about sort of being really intentional and deliberate about where you want the city to go. And as we sit here, we're just looking out at what you were saying about this plot of land behind you, which is going to have this massive place at the end of a private road in a very poky space.

They want they want that.

They want they want that.

Yeah, yeah, so they're being deliberate about de insification in some areas, but it seems to be at the expense of an economic vision for the city.

Yeah, yeah, so they're being deliberate about de insification in some areas, but it seems to be at the expense of an economic vision for the city.

Yesterday was great because the vision for wanting to event because there was kind of people were talking about economics and you don't really hear that from the council and certain things. Yeah, obviously COVID come along. But the other thing that was very useful used to be very useful was it used to be quite easy to kind of get government funding early on, especially for SaaS companies, but then the Labor government under Grant Robertson come in and they changed it to this really complicated tax R and D credit thing which only bigger companies could understand. So Bobar actually ended up doing pretty well on that because by that stage we were a bigger company. But in my view, it really took away a lot of really good funding for very early SaaS companies and waiting towards a SAS central place. So yeah, you know it ended up our MP in many ways championed this change to the rule. In my view, that helped cripple some of the kind of SaaS infrastructure that was going on. And I'm not sure we ever recovered from that.

Yesterday was great because the vision for wanting to event because there was kind of people were talking about economics and you don't really hear that from the council and certain things. Yeah, obviously COVID come along. But the other thing that was very useful used to be very useful was it used to be quite easy to kind of get government funding early on, especially for SaaS companies, but then the Labor government under Grant Robertson come in and they changed it to this really complicated tax R and D credit thing which only bigger companies could understand. So Bobar actually ended up doing pretty well on that because by that stage we were a bigger company. But in my view, it really took away a lot of really good funding for very early SaaS companies and waiting towards a SAS central place. So yeah, you know it ended up our MP in many ways championed this change to the rule. In my view, that helped cripple some of the kind of SaaS infrastructure that was going on. And I'm not sure we ever recovered from that.

And then COVID and you know, objectively, the R and D Texas sin of hasn't really achieved its aim was still around one point four or one point five percent of GDP spent on R and D. The whole idea of this was to get more businesses investing in R and D so that we would spend two or maybe three percent of our GDP on R and E, which is what other advanced small nations are doing. So it hasn't really hit the mark, has it?

And then COVID and you know, objectively, the R and D Texas sin of hasn't really achieved its aim was still around one point four or one point five percent of GDP spent on R and D. The whole idea of this was to get more businesses investing in R and D so that we would spend two or maybe three percent of our GDP on R and E, which is what other advanced small nations are doing. So it hasn't really hit the mark, has it?

No?

No?

As I say, and again it's good for big companies. I remember we first did it. You need like ten accountants and sixteen Deloitte people to work out what was going on. Small companies can't afford that. And you know, the thing, the way it was before, as a SaaS company, you get some you get money up front, and that would be such even if it's like fifty k or sixty k. It would be so useful having that money to help you go get ambitious and really go for growth. And one of the things I think back on a lot, and Brooke from shares his touch on this last night was even though we'd already sold a company when I come to Wellington started up Volpara, I always remember getting ten k from I think it was grow Grow Wellington at the point it was ten k to do some capability buildings, have a quality system in the country to start with.

As I say, and again it's good for big companies. I remember we first did it. You need like ten accountants and sixteen Deloitte people to work out what was going on. Small companies can't afford that. And you know, the thing, the way it was before, as a SaaS company, you get some you get money up front, and that would be such even if it's like fifty k or sixty k. It would be so useful having that money to help you go get ambitious and really go for growth. And one of the things I think back on a lot, and Brooke from shares his touch on this last night was even though we'd already sold a company when I come to Wellington started up Volpara, I always remember getting ten k from I think it was grow Grow Wellington at the point it was ten k to do some capability buildings, have a quality system in the country to start with.

It was just a real nudge.

It was just a real nudge.

It was like, you know, there is stuff around here, there is people to support you. You know, it does actually make sense to do it in Wellington. And so and Brooke talked about it last night to early Stage and you know, they went to Creative HQ and then there was some nudge. They got some money and there was this kind of nudge. And I really think that one of the things that that SaaS funding used to be that kind of nudge, that you know, supporting nudge, and I think we've kind of lost that. And one of the things I've been talking to a lot of people about rebuilding the ecosystem, and that's what welly forged. But also I really do believe we need early stage nudge funding of zero to fifty k. You've got have you've got a good idea, it convinced sort of whatever it is, five or six people to put in ten k. Let's get some nudge funding going in into those founders who turn up. They might not be techie, you know, they might not be rich, they might not be able to go to their favorite or on call to get the money. But you know there's a bunch of I think there's enough people around Willington now that should be able to come together and really do that kind of true very early stage angel investing.

It was like, you know, there is stuff around here, there is people to support you. You know, it does actually make sense to do it in Wellington. And so and Brooke talked about it last night to early Stage and you know, they went to Creative HQ and then there was some nudge. They got some money and there was this kind of nudge. And I really think that one of the things that that SaaS funding used to be that kind of nudge, that you know, supporting nudge, and I think we've kind of lost that. And one of the things I've been talking to a lot of people about rebuilding the ecosystem, and that's what welly forged. But also I really do believe we need early stage nudge funding of zero to fifty k. You've got have you've got a good idea, it convinced sort of whatever it is, five or six people to put in ten k. Let's get some nudge funding going in into those founders who turn up. They might not be techie, you know, they might not be rich, they might not be able to go to their favorite or on call to get the money. But you know there's a bunch of I think there's enough people around Willington now that should be able to come together and really do that kind of true very early stage angel investing.

Yeah, and look there is angel HQ, which if you're a wholesale investor you can put twenty five or fifty k into something. There are a few opportunities like that, but it really goes to the larger theme that Surge van Dam was talking about. Here's actually a clip of Surge talking about the constrained capital for high growth companies.

Yeah, and look there is angel HQ, which if you're a wholesale investor you can put twenty five or fifty k into something. There are a few opportunities like that, but it really goes to the larger theme that Surge van Dam was talking about. Here's actually a clip of Surge talking about the constrained capital for high growth companies.

Yes, so just on the capital a's long that we have a shortage of capital and the wall so probably these.

Yes, so just on the capital a's long that we have a shortage of capital and the wall so probably these.

Themes about I've just written around numbers here, so doing a quote media or a media personality one hundred billion dollars and q WE saved over across a whole lot of funds fifty billion and leans in two there or fifty billion and probably speaking so well John billion dollars on kiwi's money sitting there and managed, which two of one percent of there is and great basics like what we talk about here. So basically you've got one hundred thousand bucks save for your retirement and aggregate two hundred bucks of that is going to companies a lot.

Themes about I've just written around numbers here, so doing a quote media or a media personality one hundred billion dollars and q WE saved over across a whole lot of funds fifty billion and leans in two there or fifty billion and probably speaking so well John billion dollars on kiwi's money sitting there and managed, which two of one percent of there is and great basics like what we talk about here. So basically you've got one hundred thousand bucks save for your retirement and aggregate two hundred bucks of that is going to companies a lot.

Of years these as an investor.

Of years these as an investor.

So you're all of you who actually have KEYWI savers or are actually saving through some other mechanism and have influencing government, you can actually have your voice certain give that feedback that you actually want.

So you're all of you who actually have KEYWI savers or are actually saving through some other mechanism and have influencing government, you can actually have your voice certain give that feedback that you actually want.

To participate in the future companies of New Zealands.

To participate in the future companies of New Zealands.

So so towards Yeah, it's basically saying, now, you know, we have a lot of money in iq WE saver, pension funds, all that sort of thing, but only a tiny, tiny fraction of that is going into high growth companies. There aren't really any mechanisms for local investment where people might want to support investing in Wellington's startups. What do you think we need to do to address this.

So so towards Yeah, it's basically saying, now, you know, we have a lot of money in iq WE saver, pension funds, all that sort of thing, but only a tiny, tiny fraction of that is going into high growth companies. There aren't really any mechanisms for local investment where people might want to support investing in Wellington's startups. What do you think we need to do to address this.

I agree with Surged on that, and you know, I can't understand where it's going on the key we saver staff. I understand, you know, some of the other things again mentioned we sit around waiting too much for the council or for the government to come and rescue us.

I agree with Surged on that, and you know, I can't understand where it's going on the key we saver staff. I understand, you know, some of the other things again mentioned we sit around waiting too much for the council or for the government to come and rescue us.

You know they're not coming.

You know they're not coming.

And the tech sector and you know, entrepreneurs around here, we've got to get together and we've got to solve this ourselves. Yeah, and I really believe it's kind of it's time for wanting to people to put up the hand to upcome this nudge fund for early investors to get things moving. I'm certainly not going to wait around for the government. You know that that could be a long, long, long, long time.

And the tech sector and you know, entrepreneurs around here, we've got to get together and we've got to solve this ourselves. Yeah, and I really believe it's kind of it's time for wanting to people to put up the hand to upcome this nudge fund for early investors to get things moving. I'm certainly not going to wait around for the government. You know that that could be a long, long, long, long time.

What was your capital journey like obviously you ended up listening, so that was great, and you had mechanism there to raise money, But in those intervening years, what was the real first influx of funding that allowed you to do what you needed to do with full power?

What was your capital journey like obviously you ended up listening, so that was great, and you had mechanism there to raise money, But in those intervening years, what was the real first influx of funding that allowed you to do what you needed to do with full power?

Yeah, So if you go back to the first company in Oxford, you know, we were very successful there. People made where it was times ten the money and that company started up on that very much was family and friends money.

Yeah, So if you go back to the first company in Oxford, you know, we were very successful there. People made where it was times ten the money and that company started up on that very much was family and friends money.

Was it good?

Was it good?

It's hugely stressful obviously because you know something your brother or your sister and time you're seeing there like how's my money going? And he's like wow, no, yeah, quite a few more years. But you know they waited and they got a really good return out of that.

It's hugely stressful obviously because you know something your brother or your sister and time you're seeing there like how's my money going? And he's like wow, no, yeah, quite a few more years. But you know they waited and they got a really good return out of that.

Then. Yeah, when I moved here.

Then. Yeah, when I moved here.

I started to company up with free professors then around the world, and we went back to those early investors in Oxford and said that we're going to do a company. It's going to be Wellington, New Zealand.

I started to company up with free professors then around the world, and we went back to those early investors in Oxford and said that we're going to do a company. It's going to be Wellington, New Zealand.

Are you in?

Are you in?

And so yeah, the capital journey really was that those first investors reinvesting into this kind of next company.

And so yeah, the capital journey really was that those first investors reinvesting into this kind of next company.

And again I think Phil Royal.

And again I think Phil Royal.

Touched on that last night though kind of the once founders do one thing that they'll do it again.

Touched on that last night though kind of the once founders do one thing that they'll do it again.

And look at right and Atomic and I mean and Sam Morgan, Row and Simpson, a lot of them at Wellington based company. So it's really about people, isn't it. If you weren't here in Wellington saying I want to do Vulpower here, your supporters and all that would have said okay, doing in Oxford.

And look at right and Atomic and I mean and Sam Morgan, Row and Simpson, a lot of them at Wellington based company. So it's really about people, isn't it. If you weren't here in Wellington saying I want to do Vulpower here, your supporters and all that would have said okay, doing in Oxford.

Yeah they were, but they supported us here and so in the Endia we were very kind of grateful for that. But then over time we got we found there was a really wealthy guy over in Australia, Roger Allen, who just loved the whole saving families from cancer color view and he got heavily involved in it. And I always remember Roger because one of the things he said, and I think this is pertinent to a lot of New Zealand investor, is his viewpoint always was that what you're doing is really good for the world. So you know, I have a choice. I could give money to charity, I could put into companies see innovation, and you know, potentially get some money back. I can recycle. So he'd always tend towards companies which are doing good as his form of.

Yeah they were, but they supported us here and so in the Endia we were very kind of grateful for that. But then over time we got we found there was a really wealthy guy over in Australia, Roger Allen, who just loved the whole saving families from cancer color view and he got heavily involved in it. And I always remember Roger because one of the things he said, and I think this is pertinent to a lot of New Zealand investor, is his viewpoint always was that what you're doing is really good for the world. So you know, I have a choice. I could give money to charity, I could put into companies see innovation, and you know, potentially get some money back. I can recycle. So he'd always tend towards companies which are doing good as his form of.

Whatever that word is. It has a hard one there.

Whatever that word is. It has a hard one there.

And Joe we talked a lot earlier about kind of some of the numbers. But for Para, at least a year ago we were at obviously we were castro, it was castro positive and it was bringing in ten tens of millions of revenue, but also forty percent of all US breast cancer screens were being done using volpar our software's Yeah, that is you know whatever. It was fifteen sixteen million women each year getting the benefits of our software. So yeah, that was you know, that was that was incredible buzz. And going back to the start of opera, so we had Oxford sort of investors come in. We we had Roger Allen come in. But then as we came towards ASX, Neil Craig and Craigs re supported us so that they ended up raising five million for us as a pre IPO round and that led to the AX. And what do you remember that journey for various things. What one is because we got investment in from ox to start with. From the very start, we had to communicate a lot with the investors. So every month the all reports going out to all these people in the UK who probably thought, well, someone probably thought my money's going to New Zealand. I'll never see that again. But yeah, they are getting these regular reports and that whole report reporting really set us up for the AX because we were very used to gear to.

And Joe we talked a lot earlier about kind of some of the numbers. But for Para, at least a year ago we were at obviously we were castro, it was castro positive and it was bringing in ten tens of millions of revenue, but also forty percent of all US breast cancer screens were being done using volpar our software's Yeah, that is you know whatever. It was fifteen sixteen million women each year getting the benefits of our software. So yeah, that was you know, that was that was incredible buzz. And going back to the start of opera, so we had Oxford sort of investors come in. We we had Roger Allen come in. But then as we came towards ASX, Neil Craig and Craigs re supported us so that they ended up raising five million for us as a pre IPO round and that led to the AX. And what do you remember that journey for various things. What one is because we got investment in from ox to start with. From the very start, we had to communicate a lot with the investors. So every month the all reports going out to all these people in the UK who probably thought, well, someone probably thought my money's going to New Zealand. I'll never see that again. But yeah, they are getting these regular reports and that whole report reporting really set us up for the AX because we were very used to gear to.

Reporting two people.

Reporting two people.

So yeah, the capital journey for us was Craigs. We never really took any VC money for here for various reasons that there was one VC got very close to putting in a substantial amount, but then there was a there was a disaster one of there other companies, and they're to throw money into that one.

So yeah, the capital journey for us was Craigs. We never really took any VC money for here for various reasons that there was one VC got very close to putting in a substantial amount, but then there was a there was a disaster one of there other companies, and they're to throw money into that one.

So I've all switched around. Yeah, very much.

So I've all switched around. Yeah, very much.

So yeah, look and there is there's more more money. Robbie Paul from ICE has to Interest just day a graph showing the participation of international vcs in their funding rounds and it and the curve is just going up and up and up. So the international players are looking down here. They're scouting for talent. So that the capital thing is it's not it's not perfect. What you've said is the real early stage stuff. We need more of that obviously, and.

So yeah, look and there is there's more more money. Robbie Paul from ICE has to Interest just day a graph showing the participation of international vcs in their funding rounds and it and the curve is just going up and up and up. So the international players are looking down here. They're scouting for talent. So that the capital thing is it's not it's not perfect. What you've said is the real early stage stuff. We need more of that obviously, and.

Then touched on that last night, the plant more seeds planted.

Then touched on that last night, the plant more seeds planted.

Yeah, we've talked about you you need a city that's a great place to live. And we do have the wildlife. We've talked about the landscape. The cultural heart of the city is still still intact and people and Stephen Cummings reflected on that last night, and you acknowledge that, you know, the university hasn't particularly got this right to date, but things are changing. There's a little incubator and shared working space on the Pipotier campus, So we went in near a couple of weeks ago to meet lit Maps who are based there. So that's really coming along. Here's what he said about what they need to get right and do better to get that talent pipeline going for the industry.

Yeah, we've talked about you you need a city that's a great place to live. And we do have the wildlife. We've talked about the landscape. The cultural heart of the city is still still intact and people and Stephen Cummings reflected on that last night, and you acknowledge that, you know, the university hasn't particularly got this right to date, but things are changing. There's a little incubator and shared working space on the Pipotier campus, So we went in near a couple of weeks ago to meet lit Maps who are based there. So that's really coming along. Here's what he said about what they need to get right and do better to get that talent pipeline going for the industry.

I think, in fairness forcunity hasn't been the most receptive university to.

I think, in fairness forcunity hasn't been the most receptive university to.

Providing help for people from the community coming in. But I think we're fixing that now and I think you know that. The Tech Awards on Friday night was interesting to me how many people thank the University of Autland and thanks the Center for Innovations and Entrepreneurship with the University of Auckland for the support that they have given them.

Providing help for people from the community coming in. But I think we're fixing that now and I think you know that. The Tech Awards on Friday night was interesting to me how many people thank the University of Autland and thanks the Center for Innovations and Entrepreneurship with the University of Auckland for the support that they have given them.

What don't we have The University of Auckland had when it's set up a sense for renovation and entrepreneurship.

What don't we have The University of Auckland had when it's set up a sense for renovation and entrepreneurship.

They had local government support like we did, like we do, They had university support.

They had local government support like we did, like we do, They had university support.

Like we do, but they also had private and corporate investors investing.

Like we do, but they also had private and corporate investors investing.

In student entrepreneurship.

In student entrepreneurship.

So that's my provocation, if you believe it's recorded, be a mental outcome and support, but also think about maybe what you could do to sort of scattered those manities that the surge talked about.

So that's my provocation, if you believe it's recorded, be a mental outcome and support, but also think about maybe what you could do to sort of scattered those manities that the surge talked about.

That's my propilication, gearing high for money.

That's my propilication, gearing high for money.

So Stephen Cummings is basically saying, yeah, there needs to be a more collaboration, more cohesive way of fostering all that entrepreneurial talent. What you've generally been like with Volpara actually finding great talent from the Wellington area or attracting people to this city.

So Stephen Cummings is basically saying, yeah, there needs to be a more collaboration, more cohesive way of fostering all that entrepreneurial talent. What you've generally been like with Volpara actually finding great talent from the Wellington area or attracting people to this city.

We really didn't have a huge amount of issues. Obviously during COVID and stuff that there was, there was issues, and you know, it comes like Vaultpire a lot of the deep tech ones you get out of universities, you're always trying to do good and you're on a mission. So for volt Pier of saving fans from breast cancer and that was always a very powerful poll for people. So yeah, we used to get some outstanding engineers from ron Wellington. We did bring in FDA skills from overseas.

We really didn't have a huge amount of issues. Obviously during COVID and stuff that there was, there was issues, and you know, it comes like Vaultpire a lot of the deep tech ones you get out of universities, you're always trying to do good and you're on a mission. So for volt Pier of saving fans from breast cancer and that was always a very powerful poll for people. So yeah, we used to get some outstanding engineers from ron Wellington. We did bring in FDA skills from overseas.

But again, you know a lot of these people, especially in.

But again, you know a lot of these people, especially in.

Today's year us, were keen to know, keen to try try somewhere else and so that again that was relatively easy to find those people and pull them down.

Today's year us, were keen to know, keen to try try somewhere else and so that again that was relatively easy to find those people and pull them down.

And because Oxford and Cambridge are I mean, Cambridge is one of the biggest innovation ecosystems in the world in its own right. When you have a highly innovative, successful university at the heart of it, the stuff that spins off and the capital that attracts the talent from all over the world, and we do. Yeah, we've got a pretty good at university here in Victoria and mass as well, plus all the Crown Research Institute, so we do have quite a good sort of base of scientific expertise.

And because Oxford and Cambridge are I mean, Cambridge is one of the biggest innovation ecosystems in the world in its own right. When you have a highly innovative, successful university at the heart of it, the stuff that spins off and the capital that attracts the talent from all over the world, and we do. Yeah, we've got a pretty good at university here in Victoria and mass as well, plus all the Crown Research Institute, so we do have quite a good sort of base of scientific expertise.

No, absolutely no, there was a whole science city concept which I'm actually a real believer in. The well Itto's ability of science was amazed when you know, whenever you go into the Hut for example, and you know, you're always sitting down with someone random and they're telling you their fifty year journey of understanding MRI or coils or.

No, absolutely no, there was a whole science city concept which I'm actually a real believer in. The well Itto's ability of science was amazed when you know, whenever you go into the Hut for example, and you know, you're always sitting down with someone random and they're telling you their fifty year journey of understanding MRI or coils or.

Whatever it is.

Whatever it is.

And I do really believe that Wellington has got like an outstanding science based around here, and I actually do believe a lot of it is getting There's a certain amount of wastage there, people getting laid off or retiring when they should be continuing to contribute to Wellington and to you know, to the overall new Zealand economy. One of the things I did about a year or eighteen months ago was started called something called Welly Breast Hub. It's kind of using my experience in breast cancer try and raise up the breast cancer research across the country. It's kind of expanding now into Australia. It's about to kind of go global as well. But I first felt well, if I could do that, then you know, one of the guys who won those MRI experts or experts on coil could equally do a community like that to try and raise the whole level up as well. And yeah, the key to doing it is you want people. We were very grounded. We've put people with a good mix of academic and commercial kind of views on stuff. And you have to use digital technology. So you know, bob Pya becomes successful. Well, one of its big successes was using a system called Yama at the heart and Bob was very very science based and anything in the world happened around breast cancer, whether it was detection, diagnosis, treatment or whatever, we wanted to know about it. We wanted to teach everyone in the company about it. So even if you're an accountant or the salesperson, we would teach you that science. The whole company kind of grew this culture of science and understanding of breast cancer in all its forms, and I really believe that that was one of the big reasons. And I'd love to see some of that kind of thinking and science city concepts kind of come through. And the other thing Peter which touched on it is Welly Forge as well, and part of that is part of that is building on side city and yeah where where things like it just really annoyed me. Over the last couple of years. I'd hear about a talk via some LinkedIn post and I'd turn up there and it'd be fifteen people sitting in a room and I'm like, if you circ, if you told people about this, there'll be journalists here, there'd be students here, they'll be public here, the agent invested here, they be you know, be real movac and these guys would come along as well and just start to hear your message and start to kind of get your branding, you get your name known, and start to kind of build up that kind of base level of understanding. But there's a whole series of these kind of talks and which i'd miss or I've got to hear about secondhand somehow and go along with it to be empty. And I'm like, these are great networking events, these are great learning opportunities. These these are kind of things where Wellington should be here learning, building, growing, networking, getting inspired to actually go out there and do it themselves.

And I do really believe that Wellington has got like an outstanding science based around here, and I actually do believe a lot of it is getting There's a certain amount of wastage there, people getting laid off or retiring when they should be continuing to contribute to Wellington and to you know, to the overall new Zealand economy. One of the things I did about a year or eighteen months ago was started called something called Welly Breast Hub. It's kind of using my experience in breast cancer try and raise up the breast cancer research across the country. It's kind of expanding now into Australia. It's about to kind of go global as well. But I first felt well, if I could do that, then you know, one of the guys who won those MRI experts or experts on coil could equally do a community like that to try and raise the whole level up as well. And yeah, the key to doing it is you want people. We were very grounded. We've put people with a good mix of academic and commercial kind of views on stuff. And you have to use digital technology. So you know, bob Pya becomes successful. Well, one of its big successes was using a system called Yama at the heart and Bob was very very science based and anything in the world happened around breast cancer, whether it was detection, diagnosis, treatment or whatever, we wanted to know about it. We wanted to teach everyone in the company about it. So even if you're an accountant or the salesperson, we would teach you that science. The whole company kind of grew this culture of science and understanding of breast cancer in all its forms, and I really believe that that was one of the big reasons. And I'd love to see some of that kind of thinking and science city concepts kind of come through. And the other thing Peter which touched on it is Welly Forge as well, and part of that is part of that is building on side city and yeah where where things like it just really annoyed me. Over the last couple of years. I'd hear about a talk via some LinkedIn post and I'd turn up there and it'd be fifteen people sitting in a room and I'm like, if you circ, if you told people about this, there'll be journalists here, there'd be students here, they'll be public here, the agent invested here, they be you know, be real movac and these guys would come along as well and just start to hear your message and start to kind of get your branding, you get your name known, and start to kind of build up that kind of base level of understanding. But there's a whole series of these kind of talks and which i'd miss or I've got to hear about secondhand somehow and go along with it to be empty. And I'm like, these are great networking events, these are great learning opportunities. These these are kind of things where Wellington should be here learning, building, growing, networking, getting inspired to actually go out there and do it themselves.

And we used to that around in two thousand and three, and I remember going to some of those events and they were humming, and there was a lot more shared working spaces. There was more of a vibe around tech in this in the city. We seem to have lost that. What's the goal with Welly Forge? How are you going to get involved in trying to foster that?

And we used to that around in two thousand and three, and I remember going to some of those events and they were humming, and there was a lot more shared working spaces. There was more of a vibe around tech in this in the city. We seem to have lost that. What's the goal with Welly Forge? How are you going to get involved in trying to foster that?

Yeah, so again I'm always a big fan of using using tech tech well, but I've always had you know, I've used tech many times now. PI was built around Yama Tech, right, and actually we're about to use Yama I think Rod talked about it at some point. That's sort of video we'll try that. I think they moved away for it, but it was it was next.

Yeah, so again I'm always a big fan of using using tech tech well, but I've always had you know, I've used tech many times now. PI was built around Yama Tech, right, and actually we're about to use Yama I think Rod talked about it at some point. That's sort of video we'll try that. I think they moved away for it, but it was it was next.

Went through a period from about a decade yea. It was massive. It wasn't as a tool for collaboration, and that.

Went through a period from about a decade yea. It was massive. It wasn't as a tool for collaboration, and that.

So it's always been a big fan of building communities kind of digitally and welly Ford is going to be that. Yeah, it's it's going to be an email list. But the kind of the news that is going to cover all the Wellington success stories. We don't celebrate success enough in Wellington. You know, lip maps, buying research Rabbit. Let's just you know, recap on that. So a small weddingtor company raises money, hits a million dollars of URR and buys an American competitor.

So it's always been a big fan of building communities kind of digitally and welly Ford is going to be that. Yeah, it's it's going to be an email list. But the kind of the news that is going to cover all the Wellington success stories. We don't celebrate success enough in Wellington. You know, lip maps, buying research Rabbit. Let's just you know, recap on that. So a small weddingtor company raises money, hits a million dollars of URR and buys an American competitor.

That's quite a unique story, right, yeah, yeah.

That's quite a unique story, right, yeah, yeah.

And I think you covered it. I don't remember the Dominion Post covering it. Probably not all the story you talked about earlier. VOPI got brought by South Korean company last year and that's one of the biggest exits in Wellington.

And I think you covered it. I don't remember the Dominion Post covering it. Probably not all the story you talked about earlier. VOPI got brought by South Korean company last year and that's one of the biggest exits in Wellington.

Oh yeah, absolutely, it's three hundred million dollars for.

Oh yeah, absolutely, it's three hundred million dollars for.

A long long time. Yeah. So but you know, I didn't see anything that don post about this.

A long long time. Yeah. So but you know, I didn't see anything that don post about this.

And that goes to what Stephen Cummings was saying. You know, we celebrated our sports stars and that and this is a common sort of complaint through New Zealand's recent history. Are entrepreneurs and that don't really get much of a look in so Peter Beck and that obviously rocket lab or inspiring success, but yeah, there's just so many of them really in this town. You don't really hear much about.

And that goes to what Stephen Cummings was saying. You know, we celebrated our sports stars and that and this is a common sort of complaint through New Zealand's recent history. Are entrepreneurs and that don't really get much of a look in so Peter Beck and that obviously rocket lab or inspiring success, but yeah, there's just so many of them really in this town. You don't really hear much about.

Welly Ford is going to celebrate those successes and hopefully journalists like yourself and others will go, oh, actually that's an interesting story. I'll I'll write that up and yeah, that'll inspire the next generation of people coming through.

Welly Ford is going to celebrate those successes and hopefully journalists like yourself and others will go, oh, actually that's an interesting story. I'll I'll write that up and yeah, that'll inspire the next generation of people coming through.

We're going to cover all the wedding. It's an event in Wellington.

We're going to cover all the wedding. It's an event in Wellington.

Which is kind of science translational or tech tech translational. You know, we want to want to know about it and tell everyone and so and yeah, we're gonna start to bring together the the whole ecosystem. So there's something called the Wellington Startup Collective, for example, run by Brent's by Sir Jimmy McGee and then Surge and a few others and Trent as well. And again you know, not a huge amount of people know that. So it's start linking up this email news that we'll start mentioning the angels that you mentioned earlier. We'll start mentioning this collective and I'd love to build that up and then introduce this early stage venture fund as part of it as well, and then moving on and it was a topic last night as well as that, you know, we really need somewhere to interact, you know, in a casual way. So Welly Forge is going to host an event Undercurrent on the junior team and it's a great little venue and it's all designed for talking.

Which is kind of science translational or tech tech translational. You know, we want to want to know about it and tell everyone and so and yeah, we're gonna start to bring together the the whole ecosystem. So there's something called the Wellington Startup Collective, for example, run by Brent's by Sir Jimmy McGee and then Surge and a few others and Trent as well. And again you know, not a huge amount of people know that. So it's start linking up this email news that we'll start mentioning the angels that you mentioned earlier. We'll start mentioning this collective and I'd love to build that up and then introduce this early stage venture fund as part of it as well, and then moving on and it was a topic last night as well as that, you know, we really need somewhere to interact, you know, in a casual way. So Welly Forge is going to host an event Undercurrent on the junior team and it's a great little venue and it's all designed for talking.

Yeah, it's great underground on Tory Street in center Wellington.

Yeah, it's great underground on Tory Street in center Wellington.

Yeah, it's just good.

Yeah, it's just good.

It's an excellent venue for kind of the atmosphere we want to create. But you know, we need to start creating that space where if I go and have a coffee somewhere downtown and there's surgeries standing there and we have a little chat or some of the other people prefer me it's an incubator kind of more in the center of town with open doors where there's much more flow of people coming in and out and stuff, just to get those casual interactions moving.

It's an excellent venue for kind of the atmosphere we want to create. But you know, we need to start creating that space where if I go and have a coffee somewhere downtown and there's surgeries standing there and we have a little chat or some of the other people prefer me it's an incubator kind of more in the center of town with open doors where there's much more flow of people coming in and out and stuff, just to get those casual interactions moving.

Yeah, and these are all things that you know, you don't need the Council to give its approval to. I mean there's a lot of things where I mean last night that you can get off the ground. It's really reclaiming our own destiny. And deciding what I said he wants to be. And there was a lot of talk about people getting more engaged in the democratic process. Actually Rod said it should be compulsory to vote. So there's a few interesting views on that. But there's the things that you're doing with wellly forward and that, as Rod and other said, it's very competitive and if you want to attract the best talent and the capital, you've got to roll out the mount and say this is what we're good at.

Yeah, and these are all things that you know, you don't need the Council to give its approval to. I mean there's a lot of things where I mean last night that you can get off the ground. It's really reclaiming our own destiny. And deciding what I said he wants to be. And there was a lot of talk about people getting more engaged in the democratic process. Actually Rod said it should be compulsory to vote. So there's a few interesting views on that. But there's the things that you're doing with wellly forward and that, as Rod and other said, it's very competitive and if you want to attract the best talent and the capital, you've got to roll out the mount and say this is what we're good at.

No.

No.

No, I loved you know, I cycle ever walk every out and I'm grateful for some of those bike paths. But you just can't force people to do stuff like that. And you can't, you know, you have to take them along the journey. So you can't have some ideological things saying from now on, everyone's going to walk or cycle. It doesn't work for the older generation, disable people, you know, all that kind of group.

No, I loved you know, I cycle ever walk every out and I'm grateful for some of those bike paths. But you just can't force people to do stuff like that. And you can't, you know, you have to take them along the journey. So you can't have some ideological things saying from now on, everyone's going to walk or cycle. It doesn't work for the older generation, disable people, you know, all that kind of group.

It's just it's just not the right way doing it.

It's just it's just not the right way doing it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yes, you know, we heard that vision from Rodolph and it just it was just beautiful term this, you know, with the capital of urban adventure. To me, it really resonated because it really touches on you know, adventure, extreme winds, extreme rain, beautiful sunny days, biking, walking up the green Belt, plus starts and being creative and the council and others. You know, they talk about creativity and in their mind that's all about arts and stuff. But you know, science is incredibly creative, Tech is incredibly creative, and it's it's when you start mixing all together you get magic happening. Yeah, and that's kind of Welly Forward and other initiatives that we need to get magic happening again.