The Business of Tech podcast

Projectworks founder Matthew Hayter and new CEO and Silicon Valley veteran Mark Orttung dive into the details on what’s happening with the $100 million company's international push.? Plus, Ben and Peter discuss Bluesky Social’s sudden rise in popularity as people leave Elon Musk’s X by the millions. https://lnkd.in/gKt6uaS2

Peter Griffin was in California for the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket, carrying more satellites to support One New Zealand's deal with SpaceX for satellite to mobile connectivity.? We dig into the details of that deal, including whether competitors can possibly keep up. Then, our featured guest is Alex Kendall, one of NZ's most successful tech expats in recent years. Alex Kendall is the founder of Wayve, an autonomous vehicles company that raised US$1 billion earlier this year.? He talks about his journey from being raised on a farm in Canterbury, to leading one of the most promising artificial intelligence companies in the world. Read a little about his story at the link, and if you like what you read check out the full interview in the podcast. https://lnkd.in/gPDAcBmm

Last year, we prematurely dubbed 2023 the year of AI but how could we have known what 2024 would bring. Generative AI has solidified its position in the pantheon of disruptive technologies as hype settled into pragmatism and tech talent worldwide put it to work. We've assembled three AI experts from across NZ's industry to discuss the year in AI that was and look ahead at what to expect in the year to come. Our panel comprises Callaghan Innovation chief executive Stefan Korn, Simply Privacy director and principal Frith Tweedie, and SupaHuman AI founder and CEO Dave Howden. Plus, Peter Griffin and Ben Moore can't help but share their views on where AI is headed. https://lnkd.in/gmTNZ_iF

Donald Trump is back in the White House: we discuss how US tech billionaires influenced the recent election, what the new administration might mean for influential US tech policies, and how it could impact NZ's tech industry. Then, we're diving into data with Snowflake's New Zealand country manager Tony Shaw. Shaw shares how any size of organisation can benefit from data analytics and AI, emphasising the importance of having high-quality, consolidated information to drive business outcomes.? He also talks generative AI and the role that good data practice has in realising its potential and mitigating risks. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. https://lnkd.in/ggyUwaHx

Due to illness, this weeks episode will be out later than usual, likely on Friday. Apologies for the inconvenience.

What's it like to go from an iPhone 8, to an iPhone 16? What about a 15 to a 15 Pro? You may have heard Garth Bray and Ben Moore talking iPhones in the latest episode, but you may not have known that it was actually video recorded as a special feature, just for our LinkedIn audience. It's The Business of Tech's first foray into video (and boy have we learned a lot, excuse the framing) but likely won't be the last! Full episode available here: https://lnkd.in/gCvUHBbK

New Zealand's big bet on fibre has paid off in spades, according to a new report by Deloitte that found the $5.5 billion that government and private companies invested into the super fast internet infrastructure has delivered $31b in value due to productivity gains. Two economists from Deloitte Access Economics, Liza Van der Merwe and Mayuresh Prasad, walk us through the findings from that report, and what the future may hold for fibre in NZ. Plus, the first part of a new segment where Garth Bray upgrades from an iPhone 8 to an iPhone 16 and lets us know what he thinks of the latest in smartphone tech. There may even be a video to come, if we can get software to play ball! The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. https://lnkd.in/gCvUHBbK

It's an age of reckoning for the monopolistic tendencies of Big Tech and this week Paul McIntyre, executive editor of media and marketing news outlet Mi3Australia, helps us gain an understanding of the anti-competition trials Google is facing around the globe. McIntyre sheds light on Google's online advertising dominance, how it manipulated an industry to get there, and the regulatory challenges it's facing as a result. Just returned from Virginia, where he covered the latest antitrust case against Google, he offers a insights from his firsthand account of the proceedings and what they mean for the tech giant's future. Plus, we explore the cautionary tale of a mental health app's chatbot that was led astray and consider the use of generative Al in sensitive contexts. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. https://lnkd.in/g8EuH4YF

This week's guest is Mahesh Muralidhar, aka the entrepreneur trying to seed six unicorns, the CEO of Phase One Ventures, and formerly of Canva where he was employee 25. ?? Listen for free at the link below, or subscribe on iHeartRadio or wherever you get good podcasts. Mahesh shares insights into the necessity for New Zealand's software startups to expand into the lucrative US market, and how to go about it. He discusses the unique benefits of NZ founders on the global stage and some cultural things that might hold them back. Plus, Ben Moore and Peter Griffin unpack the Auckland teen caught smishing with specialised hardware and how China exploited backdoors that US telcos were made to leave open due to regulation. The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. https://lnkd.in/gfANHyc4

???? On the latest episode of The Business of Tech, 2degrees chief technology and information officer Stephen Kurzeja talks to Ben Moore and Peter Griffin about the intricate process of merging the systems of two large telecommunications companies: 2degrees and Vocus. Kurzeja shares the thought process behind choosing what to keep and what to retire, where to add new products, and where to rein it in. ?? He discusses company culture, AI, and maintaining a laser focus on customer experience during such massive transitions. Plus, ComCom's call for better telecommunications coverage maps and Australia mulls mandatory AI guardrails. ???? The Business of Tech is sponsored by 2degrees for Business. Streaming on iHeartradio and wherever you get your podcasts. https://lnkd.in/gZpRcCKy