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.
AI is having its “peak hype” moment, but beneath the noise there is a very practical question most New Zealand business owners are asking: Will this actually help my business run better, or is it just another shiny tech distraction?
Hamilton startup EC8 has created a world first in the building industry by developing automation technology to measure and cut plasterboard. It is now making its technology available to builders, so they can cut down building times, have accurate plasterboard cuts, and decrease waste. “It’s a world first – nobody has used automation for mass volume plasterboard for building,” says EC8 founder, Christopher Staal. In 2018, Staal and his family renovated their home. He found that putting up plasterboard was ‘a pain’, and wondered how it could be more quickly and easily done. “The building industry suffers from a lack of automation, so the idea was ‘where can I apply all the cheap automation to the building industry?’, and that’s
If you’re not taking cybersecurity seriously, you could well be the target of criminal activity. Bill Bennett walks you through the threats and your best. Phishing’ has been around since the dawn of the Internet, yet it remains New Zealand’s most reported cybercrime. It’s a way of getting past cyber defences by tricking people into handing over passwords or other key information. When criminals get this information, they use it to steal money, install ransomware or access private data. Cert NZ, the government’s Computer Emergency Response Team, says that in addition to passwords, criminals may be looking for your credit card or online banking details, or personal information and documents they can use to impersonate you – such as your
Sandymount Distillery recently received notification from EKOS that it has achieved carbon neutral status, and its owner/distiller couldn’t be happier. The distillery, located in Sandymount Road on the Otago Peninsula, has been in commercial operation since May 2021, and owner and distiller Richard Wilson is particularly pleased to have reached this milestone before the business’s second birthday. He says, “This is what I’ve been working towards since I built my first still. It’s really something to celebrate.” Wilson is aiming to create some of Aotearoa’s best craft spirits, using the property to provide the resources, and replenishing the property by replanting and encouraging the growth of native forest and habitat. The EKOS certification, which needs to be renewed annually, assesses
Scheduled to launch with a $2.5 million Seed round, Bspkl is a novel manufacturing start-up developing innovative ways to produce catalyst coated membranes for the hydrogen industry. Bspkl is set to launch breakthrough manufacturing technology and catalyst coated membranes (CCM) products to meet the growing demands of the clean hydrogen industry. This product offers solutions through sustainable manufacturing and protecting declining natural resources available for manufacturing hydrogen. The successful $2.5 million round led by WNT Ventures with participation from Australian firm Investible, the wider WNT Investor Group, and other investors, represents the first spin-out company from Crown Research Institute, GNS Science. The $2.5 million includes a $750,000 Repayable Grant from Callaghan Innovation’s Technology Incubator Programme, which supports the development of deep-tech
In an age of increasingly sophisticated cybercrime, Russell Craig shares how to make your business a tougher target for cybercriminals, at less cost. In these inflationary times, small and medium businesses are looking to do more with less. For some, this might include considering cutting back on security spending. SMBs have had a lot to deal with over the past few years, and weeks, and cybersecurity can often feel like just another cost of doing business. However, for boards and business leaders who are held responsible for protecting their organisation’s data, it’s vital not to be caught asleep at the wheel. Across the Tasman, courts have fined business leaders who have been found in breach of their obligations to protect
Some of the world’s top innovators and business minds will be in Auckland for “Future State”, an event which explores the driving forces behind the next era of tech innovation. Presented by Spark Lab and Semi Permanent, the event will be hosted at Spark Arena on Thursday 11 May with around 1300 people expected to attend. Aimed at attracting people from emerging small businesses right through to large enterprises, the event promises to be a regular fixture on the New Zealand business calendar with an international calibre of speakers from some of the world’s most innovative and successful companies, including adidas, Google, VICE media and more. Spark Marketing Director, Matt Bain says the one-day event will deliver a series of
Upcoming event
Thursday 30 July 2026 | 7:00am – 9:00am
📍 Covert Theatre, 51 Mackelvie Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland
Everyone talks about the importance of business strategy, but what does it actually mean in practice? Strategy trainer Ryan Sproull cuts through the jargon to give SME owners a clear, practical framework for thinking strategically about their business.
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