A panel discussion hosted by Vision for Wellington on the future of the city and how tech and innovation can help reinvigorate the city's fortunes - featuring Rod Drury, Brooke Roberts, Serge van Dam, and Stephen Cummings.

A panel discussion hosted by Vision for Wellington on the future of the city and how tech and innovation can help reinvigorate the city's fortunes - featuring Rod Drury, Brooke Roberts, Serge van Dam, and Stephen Cummings.

The Business of Tech, hosted by leading tech journalist Peter Griffin. Every week they take a deep dive into emerging technology and news from the sector to help guide the important decisions all Business leaders make.

Issues such as cybersecurity, retaining trust after a cyberattack, business IT needs, purchasing SaaS tools and more.

New Episodes out every Thursday. Follow or subscribe to get it delivered straight to your favourite podcatcher.

@petergnz

@businessdesk_nz

Proudly sponsored by 2degrees Business!

 

The Business of Tech, hosted by leading tech journalist Peter Griffin. Every week they take a deep dive into emerging technology and news from the sector to help guide the important decisions all Business leaders make.
Issues such as cybersecurity, retaining trust after a cyberattack, business IT needs, purchasing SaaS tools and more.
New Episodes out every Thursday. Follow or subscribe to get it delivered straight to your favourite podcatcher.
@petergnz
@businessdesk_nz
Proudly sponsored by 2degrees Business!
&nbsp;

The Business of Tech

Vision for Wellington - tech and innovation panel May 2025

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/3341fbca-9182-4fd6-9d75-b2f1017b7d7b/transcript

J.D. Trask, the Wellington-based entrepreneur behind global software success Raygun, is back with a new venture, one he believes could have an even greater impact than the internet itself. 

In the latest episode of The Business of Tech podcast, Trask sat down with me to introduce Autohive, a platform designed to make AI automation accessible for every business, not just those with deep technical resources.

Trask’s well-established company, Raygun, is a quiet powerhouse in the tech world, providing error and performance monitoring for software used by everyone from Domino’s Pizza to HBO. With its behind-the-scenes tech and 93% of its revenue coming from exports, Raygun has flown under the radar in New Zealand, operating with a lean team from just off Wellington’s Courtenay Place.

But as generative AI exploded onto the scene in 2023, Trask saw a seismic shift underway. He described the electrifying moment he realised AI’s potential to transform business productivity. 

"I cannot put down thinking about this, this is going to be a bigger revolution than the internet,” he remembers thinking. Autohive was born, and launched last week with a platform allowing anyone to make their own agents - with no coding experience required.

Tune in to listen to the interview in full - streaming on iHeartRadio and wherever you get your podcasts.

J.D. Trask, the Wellington-based entrepreneur behind global software success Raygun, is back with a new venture, one he believes could have an even greater impact than the internet itself.&nbsp;
In the latest episode of The Business of Tech podcast, Trask sat down with me to introduce <a href="https://www.autohive.com/">Autohive</a>, a platform designed to make AI automation accessible for every business, not just those with deep technical resources.
Trask&rsquo;s well-established company, Raygun, is a quiet powerhouse in the tech world, providing error and performance monitoring for software used by everyone from Domino&rsquo;s Pizza to HBO. With its behind-the-scenes tech and 93% of its revenue coming from exports, Raygun has flown under the radar in New Zealand, operating with a lean team from just off Wellington&rsquo;s Courtenay Place.
But as generative AI exploded onto the scene in 2023, Trask saw a seismic shift underway. He described the electrifying moment he realised AI&rsquo;s potential to transform business productivity.&nbsp;
"I cannot put down thinking about this, this is going to be a bigger revolution than the internet,&rdquo; he remembers thinking. Autohive was born, and launched last week with a platform allowing anyone to make their own agents - with no coding experience required.
Tune in to listen to the interview in full - streaming on iHeartRadio and wherever you get your podcasts.

"Bigger than the internet”: Autohive aims to put AI agents in every Kiwi business

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/ef6f4019-95ca-4c06-ba15-b31500140dd8/transcript

By now, you’ve probably participated in a video conference call that’s been recorded and automatically transcribed, with a meeting summary sent to you within seconds of the meeting ending.

The likes of Teams, Otter, Zoom and Fireflies are using artificial intelligence to parse our language for insights and meaning, translating long, meandering meetings into useful summaries.

But Christchurch startup Contented AI is taking this a step further, with its transcription app also mining conversations for information that can be turned into action tables, SWOT analysis, deep dives, and decision logs.

On the Business of Tech this week, Contented AI founders Lucy Pink and Hannah Hardy-Jones explain how they've bootstrapped a company that aims to be the "Canva of conversations". Listen to the full interview. PLUS: Dr Sarb Johal answers my big question of the week: What part of your life should always stay analogue, no matter how smart tech gets?

By now, you&rsquo;ve probably participated in a video conference call that&rsquo;s been recorded and automatically transcribed, with a meeting summary sent to you within seconds of the meeting ending.
The likes of Teams, Otter, Zoom and Fireflies are using artificial intelligence to parse our language for insights and meaning, translating long, meandering meetings into useful summaries.
But Christchurch startup Contented AI is taking this a step further, with its transcription app also mining conversations for information that can be turned into action tables, SWOT analysis, deep dives, and decision logs.
On the Business of Tech this week, Contented AI founders Lucy Pink and Hannah Hardy-Jones explain how they've bootstrapped a company that aims to be the "Canva of conversations". Listen to the full interview. PLUS: Dr Sarb Johal answers my big question of the week: What part of your life should always stay analogue, no matter how smart tech gets?

Contented AI’s quest to turn conversations into business gold

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/b5d2a1ea-ea30-4179-a108-b30e001e9f72/transcript

This week on The Business of Tech podcast, we unpack the sixth annual 2degrees Shaping Business Study, a barometer for the mood and ambitions of Kiwi business leaders as we hit the midpoint of 2025. 

The headline? Optimism is back, at its highest level since the research began, with more New Zealand companies describing themselves as thriving rather than just surviving.

Optimism on the rise

After years of economic turbulence, the study finds that over half of businesses anticipate revenue growth in the coming year. As Mark Callander, CEO of 2degrees, told me on the podcast, given the “survive to 2025” mantra that coloured our thinking last year, it’s little surprise that 45% of them are feeling more optimistic this year.

“What’s more encouraging is that a lot of those businesses deem themselves to be more productive,” he said. 

“Many of them have launched a new product or service in the last 12 months. And again, off the back of that, the intention around investing in business development, sales and marketing is also increasing. 

“So, some really positive indicators in terms of the way businesses are feeling. And I think it’s a great outlook to move from surviving to thriving towards the second half of this year.”

Register to download the 2025 2degrees Shaping Business Study.

This week on The Business of Tech podcast, we unpack the sixth annual <a href="https://www.2degrees.nz/business/shaping-business-study?srsltid=AfmBOorixu600BNgn0cWD2SOPpIfbSQi9bxi7BSkoyjj7yshE0xddKKW">2degrees Shaping Business Study</a>, a barometer for the mood and ambitions of Kiwi business leaders as we hit the midpoint of 2025.&nbsp;
The headline? Optimism is back, at its highest level since the research began, with more New Zealand companies describing themselves as thriving rather than just surviving.
Optimism on the rise
After years of economic turbulence, the study finds that over half of businesses anticipate revenue growth in the coming year. As Mark Callander, CEO of 2degrees, told me on the podcast, given the &ldquo;survive to 2025&rdquo; mantra that coloured our thinking last year, it&rsquo;s little surprise that 45% of them are feeling more optimistic this year.
&ldquo;What&rsquo;s more encouraging is that a lot of those businesses deem themselves to be more productive,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Many of them have launched a new product or service in the last 12 months. And again, off the back of that, the intention around investing in business development, sales and marketing is also increasing.&nbsp;
&ldquo;So, some really positive indicators in terms of the way businesses are feeling. And I think it&rsquo;s a great outlook to move from surviving to thriving towards the second half of this year.&rdquo;
Register to download the <a href="https://www.2degrees.nz/business/shaping-business-study?srsltid=AfmBOorixu600BNgn0cWD2SOPpIfbSQi9bxi7BSkoyjj7yshE0xddKKW">2025 2degrees Shaping Business Study</a>.

Kiwi businesses shift gears: Optimism, innovation, and ambitions for growth

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/5598ff8a-172b-4ee0-81d0-b30600a6d305/transcript

Vision for Wellington - tech and innovation panel May 2025

The Business of Tech

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