NZTech expansion mirrors tech sector growth

The substantial growth of the country’s umbrella tech organisation NZTech is indicative of the rapid expansion of the nation’s fastest growing industry, says its CEO Graeme Muller.
 
NZTech has its eighth annual meeting in Auckland today and NZTech now represents more than 400 organisations across the New Zealand technology landscape who collectively employ 100,000 people. 
 
“Our members are startups, local tech firms, multinationals, education providers, financial institutions, major corporations, network providers and high-tech manufacturers. Our goal is to stimulate an environment where technology provides important social and economic benefits for New Zealand,” Muller says.
 
“There is significant growing awareness of the importance of technology for New Zealand’s future prosperity, not just as a sector, but its impact throughout our economy.
 
“NZTech will continue to raise the profile of the tech sector as a place to work, a place to create and export ideas and as a critical pillar of the New Zealand economy.
 
“Technology is critical for the future prosperity of New Zealand. The tech sector now employs six percent of the country’s workforce. It is the fastest growing segment of our economy generating eight percent of our GDP and nine percent of our exports.
 
“However, it is the actual use of technology that will truly drive prosperity for New Zealand. Better use of the Internet could result in $34 billion in economic growth, better use of IoT could be worth more than $2.2 billion across nine use cases alone and smarter use of data could be worth $4.5 billion.”
 
Board chair Mitchell Pham says NZTech’s rapid expansion can be seen in national alliances with the new AI Forum, FinTechNZ, IoT Alliance and NZTech startups communities. 
 
“Our existing regional connections such as with Canterbury continue to strengthen, while new ones being fostered and developed include the Bay of Plenty and Waikato,” Pham says.
 
“The government continues to be actively involved with the tech sector as we work together to develop our international positioning as a leading digital nation,” he says.

Planning is already underway to expand NZTech’s Techweek festival in 2018 to attract hundreds of international investors and tech talent to New Zealand’s showcase tech and innovation event next May. 
 
Photo: (L-R) NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller, deputy chair Rachel Kelly and chair Mitchell Pham.