Kiwi SMEs are using AI. Can AI find them?
More small businesses are putting AI to work. Far fewer know what it tells their customers, and the experts don’t agree on where to start.
More small businesses are putting AI to work. Far fewer know what it tells their customers, and the experts don’t agree on where to start.
Ministry of Awesome wants 5,000 high-growth start-ups in New Zealand. Its new Christchurch hub is where it starts building them.
I went to Las Vegas for SuiteWorld and AI World expecting big bets on AI. Behind the bright lights, the smartest ones turned out to be the least flashy.
A year after its Las Vegas debut, NetSuite’s biggest update in almost three decades is reaching Kiwi businesses. The more interesting question is who it might reach next.
Equity-free funding, global mentors and a US$10,000 prize are on the table – but the deadline is closing fast.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has argued that artificial intelligence presents New Zealand with more opportunities than threats. However, coming into the election, business leaders aren’t on the same page.
With India’s market growing fast, a two-day Auckland summit next month asks what it takes for Kiwi businesses to get a foothold.
Every party now has a pitch for small business. So why do so many of the people who work for themselves feel like they’re talking to an empty room?
Looking for new suppliers? Sri Lanka Expo 2027 is bringing 750+ exporters and 2,000 international buyers together in Colombo this January.
Spare capacity sitting idle? It could be paying for your next marketing campaign while your cash stays where you need it.
The uncertainty isn’t going anywhere. ScotPac’s Lindsay Fisher says the businesses that grow are the ones that stop waiting for it to.
In under two years, Dani Archer went from no clients to eight schools. Now the Tauranga sole trader has taken out the top prize at The David Awards 2026.
Growing past a handful of staff brings more customers, more systems and more revenue. New research suggests it also makes a business a bigger cyber target.
Many tradies and salon owners already spend money on marketing. The harder question is which of that spend actually brings in paying customers, and Thryv says its new platform can answer it.
Franz Josef’s West Coast Wildlife Centre has been named the West Coast’s top business for 2026, winning the Development West Coast Supreme Award at the Leading Light Business Excellence Awards.
Kiwibank’s General Manager of Business Banking Rod Morris tells NZBusiness, Kiwibank has stepped up to change the game for early-stage business founders with its new funding pathway, built to unlock opportunity and foster sustainable business growth.
Finalists are in, and with entries up nearly 50 percent on two years ago, The David Awards judges have never had a harder job.
Eric Clark, CEO of Manhattan Associates, believes complexity is becoming a permanent part of the operating environment. Clark discusses why that can create opportunity, what other industries can learn from retail, and how technology and AI can help businesses manage it.
Two years after leaving corporate life, Josh Burgisser built Burgs Digital into a full-stack marketing agency. He talks to David Nothling-Demmer about the attention economy, why video isn’t optional for small businesses showing up online, and convincing his own father to become a client.
Kiwi innovation meets smart marketing. Telescopicgoal is transforming the way football is played and trained around the world, all with a clever, adjustable aluminium goal and a creative, targeted approach to reaching customers.
More than 60 exhibitors, 75 speakers, leading franchise brands and 1,600 attendees are expected at Due Drop Events Centre this September.
Where are they now? Brolly Sheets Founder Diane Hurford on 20 years of bed-wetting, bandanas and building a business that stuck.
Some of New Zealand’s most influential science, business and policy figures will gather in Auckland next week to grapple with a question that has dogged the country for decades: How does New Zealand turn its ideas into lasting prosperity?
Leading a multi-national company takes guts, hard work and determination but without good governance, structure, and processes there is risk for shareholders – no matter how hard you work.
New Zealand’s leaders are shrinking their own ambitions in isolation. Revved Co-founder Rochelle Moffitt wants to put them in a room together instead.
Taupō’s The Cozy Corner isn’t just a café, it’s a community hub where inclusivity, wellness, and sustainability meet. With a menu that caters to every dietary need, a great team culture, and a commitment to values-driven business, owner Camilla Baker has built an eco-friendly café that sets the standard for hospitality with heart.
New Zealand small businesses are facing one of the biggest shifts in customer discovery since the rise of Google Search, as AI-powered tools change how consumers find, compare and choose who to hire.
More than 80 percent of people don’t independently verify AI-generated information. As AI becomes the first place customers go for answers, that trust is creating a new challenge for New Zealand businesses.
We’re told the economy and the environment are locked in a trade-off. Autex’s Jonathan Mountfort says that’s a false choice, and shows how circular thinking is already building a healthier version of both.
New Zealand research into scientist-entrepreneurs has identified an “IP paradox”: Intellectual property is seen as essential to start-up success, yet often experienced as a costly, complex barrier. Here’s what the findings mean for founders, investors and the wider SME community.
The Mindful Fashion New Zealand Climate Action Programme is an initiative designed to catalyse action and support the local industry on its decarbonisation journey. With the New Zealand clothing and textile industry predominantly made up of SMEs, Mindful Fashion has designed its programme to address common barriers to action these businesses typically face. Currently each business needs to embark on emissions measurement and reduction independently, with cost, time and knowledge significant barriers. The Mindful Fashion programme provides industry specific guidance and tools, support to participants during the measurement process, and workshops to collaborate on developing reduction strategies. One of the key takeaways from recent analysis is the New Zealand fashion industry’s desire to address its climate impact. Mindful Fashion Programme Director
The process of selling a business is not straightforward, says Benjamin Sutton. But the key is to be better prepared, and here’s how. Navigating the steps involved requires good planning and a clear strategy. As another generation of business owners prepare to monetize all their hard work, below are our six top tips for mid-cap businesses and their owners as they prepare for sale. Tip 1 – Focus on your people: Identify those people who have the specialised knowledge and skills that are key to your business success and involve them in the sale process early. Consider incentivising them with some transaction-based incentives but if this is not possible aim to just support and excite them. For staff who have never experienced
Despite most businesses increasing wages over the past 12 months, new research reveals that around a third (32%) of SMEs are struggling to fill vacancies as the impacts of a tight labour market and high inflation send business confidence to near-record lows. The latest MYOB SME Snapshot – a survey of more than 500 local SMEs – has revealed that more than half (59%) of SMEs have increased wages but finding talent to fill job roles remains an ongoing struggle. Insights from the survey also showed that SME confidence in the economy has fallen to a level close to that recorded at the beginning of the first national lockdown in March 2022 (79%). Nearly three-quarters (72%) of SME owners and
Seequent has been named the PwC Hi-Tech Company of the Year at the 2022 NZ Hi-Tech Awards. The awards celebrate New Zealand’s most successful high-tech companies and the highest achieving individuals. Seequent CEO Graham Grant says he’s incredibly proud of the Seequent team, both present and past – who have worked with remarkable skill, focus and passion for building Seequent into a global subsurface software success story. “Ten years ago, we first entered the NZ HiTech Awards in the export category with a big vision. With a relentless focus on innovation, growth and being the best we can – we’re now thrilled to be named the NZ Hi-Tech Company of the Year after previous recognition as a finalist. “While we’ve
KidsCan and Pet Refuge founder Julie Chapman talks to NZBusiness about the challenges and rewards of running a business in the charity sector. Julie Chapman is one of New Zealand’s most successful leaders in the not-for-profit sector. She established KidsCan in her garage in 2005 starting with a $40,000 grant. KidsCan is now New Zealand’s leading children’s charity dedicating to providing the essentials to Kiwi kids affected by poverty, with annual revenue of over $20 million. Last year Julie established her second charity Pet Refuge which provides temporary shelter and care for pets affected by domestic violence, keeping them safe while their owners escape abuse. The charity has just celebrated its one-year anniversary. NZB: What prompted you to start Pet Refuge? Julie:
Samantha Gadd offers some advice on retaining employees in difficult times. There is no doubt the state of our economy and global headlines are top of mind for every business owner and leader. We are nervous about cost increases, reduced market confidence and rethinking our business strategies to ensure acceptable results in 2022/23. Employees are also nervous. The cost-of-living crisis is impacting every single New Zealander and unfortunately, I don’t think any business is immune from these challenges. A huge risk and cost for most employers is employee turnover. In this environment, we need to do whatever it takes to reduce this risk, and hang onto our people. Here are my tips for employee retention. Ensure your EVP (employee
Upcoming event
Wednesday 11 November 2026 | 7:00am – 9:30am
📍 New Zealand International Convention Centre, 101 Hobson Street, Auckland
One week after the election, Ready to Rise returns for ‘After the Result’ to help Kiwi SME owners plan ahead for their next bold move, and hard-won growth. Get your tickets for this must-attend business breakfast.
Latest issue
The money’s out there, but getting it has rarely felt harder. Our October/November issue looks at who’s lending, what investors want and what rising rates mean for your next move. It also celebrates The David Awards 2026 winners, who backed themselves anyway.
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