The Funding Files

In this episode of the Funding Files, we interview Rowan Simpson, a key figure in Aotearoa New Zealand's tech scene. He recounts his founding and funding journey, starting with Flat Hunt, which was acquihired by Trade Me, leading to his early involvement in Trade Me's growth and eventual $750 million exit. He later became an early investor and employee at Xero, and invested in Vend and Timely, contributing both capital and expertise. He recently wrote a book called 'How to Be Wrong' that shares some really interesting stories from behind the scenes in those companies.In the pod, Rowan shares his experience joining Trade Me, and then leaving for his OE thinking that it hadn't worked. He was called home when the platform started taking off, and he had to make a slightly awkward call to the bank when the exit occured to ensure his account wasn't frozen.We hear about Vend's funding rounds, including successful venture capital raises and a near-fatal funding collapse that required tough decisions and restructuring. He reflects on the discipline and focus that funding constraints can impose, and the emotional toll on teams, founders and investors.  He also highlights the importance of selecting investors who add value beyond money, advocating for focusing on 'who' invests rather than just valuation or amount raised. He also talks about funding instruments, contrasting convertible notes and equity rounds, cautioning founders about misconceptions. Rowan possibly contraversially tells founders to avoid focusing on exit plans, noting that venture investments typically take over a decade to mature, and stresses investing in resilient teams. He recounts his investment in Xero's IPO, acknowledging the long and volatile journey before its success. In this episode, Rowan provides invaluable insights into startup funding, and stories about the highs, the lows, and the perseverance required to build successful companies in Aotearoa, New Zealand.-- Kia ora and welcome everyone to THE FUNDING FILES, where we explore the highs, lows and cashflows of funding a business in Aotearoa New Zealand. Huge thanks to the founders for sharing their stories, to our board for inspiring us to make this pod, and to Rory Harnden for making our design and intro string.

In this episode of The Funding Files we interview Peter Russell, founder of Reterniti, a company creating stones from cremated ashes so no pet or person is ever forgotten. Russell shares that the idea came from a deeply personal experience with his dog, Hogan, whose ashes were buried under a rock later built over by a council toilet block. Frustrated by how ashes are typically handled, Russell set out to innovate within the slow-moving “death care” industry, working with Callaghan Innovation to develop a patented process that solidifies ashes into beautiful stones. The company aims to reframe how people connect with death and memory, offering an alternative to traditional urns or burials.Russell explains that they began with pets before naturally expanding to human use, as customers recognized the emotional value of the product. The stones have become a way for people to keep, carry, or even place their loved ones in significant locations. Operating first in New Zealand, the company has since launched in Australia, where it’s establishing local manufacturing to avoid cross-border transport of ashes, which is a key consumer concern. With growing international interest, particularly from the UK, Europe, and the US, Russell sees massive global potential. To fund this expansion, they have moved from being self-funded to welcoming a private investor and are now raising capital through equity crowdfunding on PledgeMe. They have already raised their minimum goal, and have 5 days left to hit their maximum here: https://www.pledgeme.co.nz/investments/624-reterniti-holdings-ltdDiscussing lessons from his funding journey, Russell reflects on the challenges of financing a physical product in a market dominated by digital and AI ventures. He emphasizes the importance of perseverance, careful financial planning, and resilience, sharing how he went unpaid for three years while building the company. He attributes the company’s success to clear storytelling, strong intellectual property protection, and meaningful customer engagement. Looking ahead, Reterniti plans to scale operations in Australia before expanding to North America and Europe. His key advice to founders: ensure personal financial stability, expect the journey to take longer than planned, and pursue the vision wholeheartedly — so you never “die wondering.”-- Kia ora and welcome everyone to THE FUNDING FILES, where we explore the highs, lows and cashflows of funding a business in Aotearoa New Zealand. Huge thanks to the founders for sharing their stories, to our board for inspiring us to make this pod, and to Rory Harnden for making our design and intro string.

On this episode of the Funding Files we’re interviewing Sasha McLeod who recently raised $20k in three hours to fund the first production run of her re-usable liquid medicine syringe.Sasha, a mother and digital marketing professional, created DoseBuddy because of her own shitty experiences using single-use medicine syringes. She partnered with a product developer found on Instagram to design and prototype the product. Initial funding came from personal savings from her and her husband, followed by a successful loan from Kiwibank after preparing a detailed business plan. Sasha recently launched a crowdfunding campaign on PledgeMe, raising over $48,000 so far, supported by a strong pre-launch marketing strategy including building a 4,000-person waitlist and authentic storytelling on social media. The product is currently only available in New Zealand due to medical device regulations, with plans to expand internationally after obtaining the required approvals. Sasha chats about the emotional journey of entrepreneurship, the importance of focusing on marketing alongside product development, and advises founders to build a supportive crowd before launching. She’s a huge supporter of “Building in Public” and shares a masterclass of how to launch a crowdfunding campaign.Her campaign is still live on PledgeMe until 4 November 2025, so check it out here: https://pledgeme.co.nz/projects/8602-a-syringe-that-doesn-t-suck-- Kia ora and welcome everyone to THE FUNDING FILES, where we explore the highs, lows and cashflows of funding a business in Aotearoa New Zealand. Huge thanks to the founders for sharing their stories, to our board for inspiring us to make this pod, and to Rory Harnden for making our design and intro string.

In this episode of the Funding Files, Simone Woodland from Circle Living shares her journey from architecture and social entrepreneurship in the UK to founding a co-housing community in Golden Bay, New Zealand. After securing a 14.5-hectare site from a local farmer with a 10% deposit and a promise they’d figure out how to fund the rest in 9 months, Simone went on to develop 34 homes with a focus on community, sustainability, and land regeneration. Over the course of the development Simone raised “Farmer Finance” (or vendor finance), loans from future residents at competitive interest rates, and multiple bank mortgages. After their first development, the founders decided to start Circle Living, to expand co-housing projects across New Zealand, using a limited company structure to secure land and manage developments with investment from residents and external investors. They are currently raising capital through equity crowdfunding, with the campaign closing Tuesday, 29 October 2025 at 8pm NZ. Learn more here: https://www.pledgeme.co.nz/investments/619-circle-living-ltdChallenges included managing emotions and financial risks in a post COVID world, especially amid rising interest rates during construction. The project exemplifies sustainable development preserving land and fostering intergenerational support, with ongoing capital raising to fund further neighborhoods. Simone highlights the social benefits of co-housing, including shared care, community meals, and diverse age groups living together, promoting connection and support.-- Kia ora and welcome everyone to THE FUNDING FILES, where we explore the highs, lows and cashflows of funding a business in Aotearoa New Zealand. Huge thanks to the founders for sharing their stories, to our board for inspiring us to make this pod, and to Rory Harnden for making our design and intro string.

In this episode of the Funding Files, Jessica Manins, co-founder of Beyond Studios, shares the rollercoaster journey of her gaming business 🎢 From COVID shutting down her interactive VR arcade game weeks after it launched in the US through to later paying out dividends to shareholders.She shares how she got into tech, from her early work at Star Now and community building at Biz Dojo, through to founding Beyond.Beyond began as a service company in the augmented reality space, later developing their own product, Oddball, a multiplayer VR arcade game which they licensed to Two Bit Circus in LA. Her first funding came through a personal friendship with Xero co-founder Rod Drury, followed by angel rounds in New Zealand. The COVID-19 pandemic forced layoffs and a reckoning for the business - could they even survive? They decided to keep going and pivot to consumer VR games for home use, supported by further investment. Beyond also collaborated on virtual worlds, including a project linked to Snoop Dogg's team. They also diversified into VR fitness programs for schools and VR therapy for people with breast cancer. Highlights include showcasing their game at Apple's WWDC for the Vision Pro headset and paying dividends to early investors. Jessica focuses on the importance of validated products, strong investor relationships, and the resilience needed in the funding (and business) journey.-- Kia ora and welcome everyone to THE FUNDING FILES, where we explore the highs, lows and cashflows of funding a business in Aotearoa New Zealand. Huge thanks to the founders for sharing their stories, to our board for inspiring us to make this pod, and to Rory Harnden for making our design and intro string.