NZ Tech Podcast

In this episode, host Paul Spain chats with Alain Richardt, founder of Atomic Tessellator. Learn about Alain’s unconventional journey from global tech consultancy to bootstrapping world-class innovation from his living room and discover how this Kiwi deep tech startup is using AI and physics-based simulation to design new materials at the atomic level, before they are physically created.
Plus, the latest in tech news including:
Minister David Seymour urges Pharmac to use more AI
Rocket Lab Acquires Iridium in $14B Deal to Challenge Starlink
SpaceX plans mobile service to rival U.S. carriers
Global “Operation Endgame” disrupts cybercrime assembly line
Apple price hike due to memory costs
Anthropic calls for action over alleged Alibaba Claude cloning

A big thank you to our show partners One NZ, Spark, PwC, Workday, 2degrees, Fortinet and Gorilla Technology.

Join Paul Spain and JD Trask (Raygun & Autohive) as they dive deep into the future of AI, SaaS businesses, and the evolution innovation. Discover JD Trask’s journey from founding Raygun to launching Autohive, hands-on insights from adopting AI across teams, and candid commentary on innovation, risk, security, and growth in a rapidly changing tech landscape. Essential listening for anyone passionate about technology, entrepreneurship, and AI’s impact on business.
Special thanks to our show partners: Fortinet, Workday, Spark New Zealand, One New Zealand, 2degrees, and Gorilla Technology.

Host Paul Spain is joined by Glenn Maiden, Chief Security Officer at Fortinet and Director of Threat Intelligence Operations at FortiGuard Labs, Australia and New Zealand. Glenn brings invaluable insights into today’s rapidly evolving digital threat landscape with practical advice for organisations of all sizes on how to bolster cyber defences against current and future threats.
Paul and Glenn also dive into the latest tech news including:
TUANZ call for cross-party tech strategy for New Zealand’s digital
Anthropic Suspends latest AI Models Following US Security Directive
SpaceX launches largest IPO in history
The emergence of autonomous AI drones in warfare

Thanks to our partners: Fortinet, One NZ, Workday, 2degrees, Spark, PwC New Zealand, and Gorilla Technology.

Host Paul Spain sits down with Jonathan Good, Co-Founder and CEO of Scentian Bio, to dive into the "digitisation of smell and taste “and what it means for industries in New Zealand and beyond. Jonathan shares about the realities of fundraising both locally and abroad, and the challenges and opportunities of bringing cutting-edge chemical sensing technology to market.
Plus, Paul and Jonathan explore the latest tech news, including:
Health New Zealand’s Hybrid Cloud Migration
Spark’s Verified Call Feature Against Scams
Workday’s Go Platform expands to NZ & AU
2degrees’ Shaping Business Study 2026
Is AI More Expensive Than Humans?
UN Report warns of the Environmental Impact of AI

A big thank you to our show partners One NZ, Spark, Workday, 2degrees, Fortinet and Gorilla Technology.

Host Paul Spain is joined by Sam Allen and Nick Walton, co-founders of NZ Boat Register, to explore how Kiwi innovation is improving marine visibility and asset tracking using AquaGPS, a Starlink-enabled GPS solution. The conversation also covers the latest in tech news, including:
Game changing Nvidia chip coming to Windows laptops and PCs
MSD Welfare decisions moving to AI Automated Decision-Making
New Zealand’s First Deepfake Porn Prosecution
One New Zealand AI Trust Report (2026)
New Zealand Government budget’s impact on the tech sector
Experimental chip demo shows 1000x performance gains

Special thanks to our show partners: Fortinet, Workday, Spark New Zealand, One New Zealand, 2degrees, and Gorilla Technology.