Daniel Batten's life is anything but conventional. He grew up off-grid on the wild beaches of New Zealand, studied philosophy and drama, became an actor, then accidentally launched one of NZ’s first angel-funded tech startups—without writing a single line of code or knowing much biology. Today, he’s a climate tech investor, startup coach, and one of the most vocal voices on why Bitcoin could help solve climate change.In this episode, Daniel shares his journey from surf to startups—and why most people (including his former self) misunderstand the true power of Bitcoin mining. Spoiler: it’s not about Lambos.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✅ Why self-awareness is the ultimate founder superpower✅ What coaching can unlock that advice never will✅ How Bitcoin mining could mitigate methane and accelerate renewable energy✅ The “Power to Weight Ratio” trick for perfect startup pitches✅ What most people (and media) get wrong about Bitcoin & climateWhy This Episode Might Change How You Think About Startups (and Bitcoin):🧠 The science of scaling people, not just products🗣️ Communication strategies that win investors and top-tier talent🌱 How crypto can actually help the planet—no, seriously🎭 The unexpected parallels between acting and entrepreneurship🔗 Connect with Daniel:https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielsbatten/🔗 Learn more about NZVC:https://www.nzvc.co.nzMark Pavlyukovskyy – https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavlyukovskyy/Hendrik Remigereau – https://www.linkedin.com/in/hendrik-remigereau-09a03067/🎯 Tags:#TechMatesPodcast #BitcoinForGood #StartupCoach #ClimateTech #FounderLife #AngelInvesting #BitcoinMining #MethaneMitigation #PowerToWeightPitch #ScalingPeople #DanielBatten #DeepTech #SustainableInnovation #GreenCrypto #NZStartups
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1:22:27
How This Young Founder Beat Elon Musk
Stefan Powell transitioned from early rocketry experiments to co-founding Dawn Aerospace, a company pioneering rapid, reusable spaceflight. As CEO and CTO, he's leading the development of the Mk-II Aurora—a rocket-powered aircraft designed to fly to space twice in a single day, offering a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional launch systems. And yes, Elon Musk is watching. 👀What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✅ How aircraft-like operations are revolutionizing space access✅ The business model enabling multiple daily flights without toxic emissions✅ Dawn's approach to competing with established players like SpaceX✅ Insights into scaling a deep-tech startup from prototype to global impactWhy This Episode Will Change Your Perspective on Aerospace:🌍 Exploring sustainable practices in spaceflight📈 Understanding the economics of rapid, reusable launch systems🚀 The evolving landscape of the space industry beyond traditional giants🔗 Connect with Stefan Powell:https://www.linkedin.com/in/spowell111/🔗 Learn more about NZVC:Website: https://www.nzvc.co.nzMark Pavlyukovskyy – https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavlyukovskyy/Hendrik Remigereau – https://www.linkedin.com/in/hendrik-remigereau-09a03067/⏳ Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction: From early experiments to aerospace innovation06:22 – Founding Dawn Aerospace and early challenges13:15 – Development of Mk-II Aurora and its unique capabilities23:40 – The importance of green propulsion in modern spaceflight38:10 – Competing in the aerospace industry without massive funding46:55 – Building a hardware company in New Zealand58:00 – Advice for aspiring deep-tech entrepreneurs🔔 Subscribe for in-depth conversations with pioneers in technology and innovation.#TechMatesPodcast #AerospaceInnovation #SustainableSpaceflight #StartupJourney #GreenTech #DawnAerospace #FutureOfFlight #NewSpace
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1:17:01
How I Sold My Robotics Startup
David Inggs went from catching snakes in South Africa to building robots that Fortune 500 companies rely on. As co-founder of Rocos (acquired by DroneDeploy), he cracked the code on how to remotely control robot fleets at scale—and now he’s revealing what most AI robotics startups get dangerously wrong. What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✅ The "gold rush" trap – Why most robotics startups fail (and how Rocos survived)✅ Shocking truth about humanoid robots – Why Boston Dynamics’ tech is both overhyped and underrated✅ How to sell to enterprises – The playbook for landing oil/gas, mining, and defense clients✅ Silicon Valley vs. New Zealand – Why building deep tech outside the Bay Area is an advantage✅ Acquisition secrets – How Rocos got bought without ever pitching to investorsWhy This Episode Will Change Your Mind About AI & Robotics:🤖 "Robots are still dumb" – David’s brutal take on why AI won’t fix robotics anytime soon🛑 The hidden risk – Why cloud providers (AWS, Google) could wipe out startups overnight🇳🇿 Underdog advantage – How a NZ company out-engineered global competitors⚡ The next big wave – What’s coming after drones and warehouse bots🔗 Connect with David Inggs:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/david-inggs🔗 Learn more about NZVC:Website: https://www.nzvc.co.nzMark Pavlyukovskyy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavlyukovskyy/Hendrik Remigereau - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hendrik-remigereau-09a03067/🔔 Subscribe for unfiltered founder stories and tech insights!#TechMatesPodcast #Robotics #AI #StartupJourney #Entrepreneurship #DeepTech #DroneDeploy #BostonDynamics #FutureOfWork
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1:29:44
America’s Secret Weapon Against China? A New Zealand Startup
From backyard experiments to securing defense contracts, David Moodie, founder of Foundry Lab, is revolutionizing how industries prototype and produce metal parts. By combining 3D printing with microwave technology, his team is making metal casting faster, cheaper, and more accessible than ever before.What You’ll Hear in This Episode:✅ How frustration with traditional casting led to an industry-changing innovation.✅ The wild journey of melting metal in a microwave to create rapid casting.✅ Why automotive and defense industries are betting big on this breakthrough.✅ The challenges of scaling deep tech and winning over investors.✅ Lessons on resilience, risk-taking, and building a hardware startup from scratch.Why This Episode Will Change Your Perspective:🔥 Disrupting an 8,000-year-old industry with a radically new approach.🚀 How a startup from New Zealand landed on the radar of global giants.💡 The future of metal manufacturing—no factories, no delays, just instant casting.🔗 Learn more about Foundry Lab:Website: https://www.foundrylab.comDavid Moodie – LinkedIn🔗 Learn more about NZVC:Website: https://www.nzvc.co.nzMark Pavlyukovskyy – LinkedInHendrik Remigereau – LinkedIn🔔 Subscribe for more founder stories and deep tech insights!#TechMatesPodcast #StartupJourney #ManufacturingInnovation #Entrepreneurship #DeepTech #FoundryLab #MetalCasting #IndustrialDesign
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1:31:30
What It Takes to Build a Tech Unicorn from New Zealand
Philip Fierlinger co-founded Xero, a global accounting powerhouse, but his journey didn’t stop there. Now, he's reshaping the B2B wholesale industry with Upstock, a platform transforming how businesses order supplies.Hosted by Mark Pavlyukovskyy, a Silicon Valley success story, and Hendrik Remigereau, a former leader in Europe’s largest AI ecosystem turned venture capitalist, TechMates dives into the game-changing strategies behind some of Australasia’s most ambitious startups.🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:✅ How Xero disrupted an industry and went public with almost no revenue.✅ The bold strategy that made Xero the darling of accountants and the enemy of MYOB.✅ Why Peter Thiel’s "go big or go home" approach clashed with Xero’s guerrilla growth strategy.✅ How Upstock is quietly building a Shopify-like marketplace for wholesale.✅ The key to creating a product so good that customers refuse to use anything else.Why This Episode Will Change Your Perspective:📈 Scaling Lessons: When rapid hiring turned from an advantage to a liability.🌍 The Future of AI & Design: Why the best AI products won’t even tell you they use AI.💡 The Next Big Thing: How Philip’s new venture is solving a trillion-dollar inefficiency in supply chains.🔗 Learn more about NZVC:Website: https://www.nzvc.co.nzMark Pavlyukovskyy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavlyukovskyy/Hendrik Remigereau - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hendrik-remigereau-09a03067/🔗 Learn more about Philip:https://www.linkedin.com/in/fierlinger/🔗 Learn more about Upstock:https://www.upstock.app🔔 Subscribe for more founder stories and startup insights!#StartupJourney #TechEntrepreneur #Xero #FounderStory #B2BSaaS #WholesaleTech #BuildFast #AIInnovation
Welcome to TechMates, the podcast where we spotlight the trailblazing founders and game-changing startups transforming Australasia.
Hosted by Mark Pavlyukovskyy, a Silicon Valley success story, and Hendrik Remigereau, a former leader in Europe’s largest AI ecosystem turned venture capitalist, TechMates dives deep into the counterintuitive mindsets and bold strategies that drive extraordinary achievements.
From tackling challenges with innovation to turning skeptics into believers, we uncover the untold stories behind the visionaries daring to disrupt the status quo.
New Zealand