From Edge to Epicenter: Building the NZ Innovation Ecosystem | NZVC Portfolio Day
How founders, investors, and institutions are shaping the next decade of ANZ innovation.Live on stage with TechMates (hosts Mark Pavlyukovskyy & Hendrik Remigereau), three heavyweight voices dive into the state of the NZ startup ecosystem: Shaun Quincey (rowed the Tasman; now building Simfuni for insurers), Janine Grainger (co-founded Easy Crypto; exited earlier this year), and Jacques Richter (Investment Director at NZ Growth Capital Partners, managing the Aspire seed fund). They get specific on what’s great here—access, trust, regulators who take meetings—and what’s hard: under-capitalization, distance, and the cultural “tall poppy” tax on big ambition.This panel strips out the fluff: how to use New Zealand as a sandbox then go global, why “enterprise infiltration” is a real skill, what investors actually fund at seed, and why exits, mafias, and more diverse founders are the next unlock. You’ll also hear hard numbers on ecosystem growth (6× since 2019) and a challenge to scale from ~1,000 to 5,000 startups in the pipeline.🌏 NZ as incubator → world as market: high-trust access, global translation is the test.🏛️ Regulation: open-door chats vs “regulation by enforcement” overseas.🧭 Enterprise infiltration: find the real buyer, ask for money early.💸 Capital & culture: the comfy $10M plateau, under-capitalization, and fund size reality.🌿 Tall poppy & ambition: cheer louder, tell a bigger story, survive the pivots.👩💻 Diversity matters: “stop funding the same founder mold”; women still under-funded.🧑🤝🧑 Talent & bravery: remote-first teams, culture as hiring edge, lower the barrier for movers.📊 Ecosystem math: 6× EV since 2019; aim for ~5,000 startups, not ~1,000.Connect with the GuestsShaun Quincey — https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-quincey-53548132Janine Grainger — https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-graingerJacques Richter — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacques-richter-a216b324Learn more about NZVC & HostsNZVC: https://www.nzvc.co.nzMark Pavlyukovskyy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavlyukovskyy/Hendrik Remigereau: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hendrik-remigereau-09a03067/If this sharpened your startup/business brain, hit 👍 and subscribe for more New Zealand founder deep-dives.00:00 – Intro02:59 – Would you build again in New Zealand?04:21 – Working with regulators in New Zealand vs. abroad05:18 – Investor perspective on scaling beyond NZ06:28 – Comparison with building companies in Germany06:50 – Pros and cons of building from NZ (Sean on access and ambition)08:17 – The $10M lifestyle business trap in NZ08:40 – Under-capitalization and growth of local VC ecosystem10:12 – The importance of startup “mafias” in NZ11:01 – Janine on exiting and mentoring new founders12:28 – Investor view: learning from exits and spinouts12:52 – Mark and Janine on founder culture in Silicon Valley14:25 – Developing startup culture and access for new founders15:29 – Underselling ambition: the Kiwi mindset16:41 – Sean on Tall Poppy syndrome17:57 – Janine on selling to an Australian company and founder ambitions19:53 – Jacques on VC fund maturity and exit sizes20:46 – How investors decide which founders to back22:19 – What investors look for: meaningful problems and narratives23:18 – What needs to change in the NZ startup ecosystem?23:47 – Sean’s vision: capital, education, and share options reform26:00 – Janine: Stop investing only in “Mark Zuckerberg types”26:53 – Jacques: NZ’s VC growth and what’s next28:22 – Audience question: Where do the best startup ideas come from?30:15 – The role of passion in solving problems31:03 – Human capital and building great workplaces32:00 – Sean on attracting global talent to NZ33:10 – Discussion: Is NZ talent density enough?#startups, #NewZealand, #business, #venturecapital, #founders, #regulation, #talent, #ESOP, #globalexpansion, #womenintech, #innovation, #fintech, #crypto, #AI, #robotics, #ecosystem, #SaaS, #NZTech, #TechMates, #podcast
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