Startup Theatre Podcast

Why is government so bad at adopting new technology? And what would it take for New Zealand to build an economy where tech and startups sit alongside our traditional industries?
This week, Serge Van Dam sits down with Wellington Mayor and former Cabinet Minister Andrew Little for a wide-ranging conversation about government, technology, risk and the future of New Zealand’s economy.
Andrew gives an unusually candid view from inside government, including why the public sector is so risk-averse, why agencies gravitate towards large consulting firms and established technology providers, and why Kiwi startups can sometimes find it easier to win government customers overseas than at home.
They also explore Wellington’s opportunity to become a genuine global startup city. Andrew lays out an ambition for 100 new startups a year, more globally significant technology companies, and a city where tech becomes a fundamental part of Wellington’s economic identity.
The conversation covers AI inside local government, the $600,000 council website controversy, legacy technology in healthcare, procurement incentives, New Zealand’s “weightless economy”, and why political leaders struggle to articulate a compelling vision for a modern technology-driven economy.
Plus, Andrew reflects on leadership, failure, resilience, his own technology literacy, what he admires about entrepreneurs, and whether he might ever invest in a startup himself.
A fascinating conversation about what happens when politics, government and startups collide — and what New Zealand needs to do differently if technology is going to help drive the next chapter of our economy.
Startup Theatre is hosted by Troy Hammond, Serge Van Dam and Adrienne Muir.
This episode is brought to you by Maximus — an AI-powered go-to-market agency for B2B companies. Find out more at MaximusGTM.com.

Why is government so bad at adopting new technology? And what would it take for New Zealand to build an economy where tech and startups sit alongside our traditional industries?
This week, Serge Van Dam sits down with Wellington Mayor and former Cabinet Minister Andrew Little for a wide-ranging conversation about government, technology, risk and the future of New Zealand’s economy.
Andrew gives an unusually candid view from inside government, including why the public sector is so risk-averse, why agencies gravitate towards large consulting firms and established technology providers, and why Kiwi startups can sometimes find it easier to win government customers overseas than at home.
They also explore Wellington’s opportunity to become a genuine global startup city. Andrew lays out an ambition for 100 new startups a year, more globally significant technology companies, and a city where tech becomes a fundamental part of Wellington’s economic identity.
The conversation covers AI inside local government, the $600,000 council website controversy, legacy technology in healthcare, procurement incentives, New Zealand’s “weightless economy”, and why political leaders struggle to articulate a compelling vision for a modern technology-driven economy.
Plus, Andrew reflects on leadership, failure, resilience, his own technology literacy, what he admires about entrepreneurs, and whether he might ever invest in a startup himself.
A fascinating conversation about what happens when politics, government and startups collide — and what New Zealand needs to do differently if technology is going to help drive the next chapter of our economy.
Startup Theatre is hosted by Troy Hammond, Serge Van Dam and Adrienne Muir.
This episode is brought to you by Maximus — an AI-powered go-to-market agency for B2B companies. Find out more at https://maximusgtm.com/

How do you build and sell an AI startup in under two years?
In this episode of Startup Theatre, Troy Hammond, Serge Van Dam and Adrian Muir sit down with Jessica Venning-Bryan, CEO and Co-founder of Factor, fresh off the company's acquisition by NZX-listed Gentrack.
Jessica shares the incredible journey from identifying a major problem in the global energy industry to building an AI-powered SaaS platform that was acquired in record time. She also opens up about founder relationships, raising capital, leadership, work-life balance, and why your career doesn't have to follow a straight line.
In this episode we cover:
How Factor was built and acquired by Gentrack
The fastest startup exits in New Zealand
Finding billion-dollar problems hiding in plain sight
Building AI products for the energy sector
How to prepare your startup for acquisition
Due diligence lessons every founder should know
Why founder relationships matter
Raising venture capital as a female founder
Leadership, motherhood, and entrepreneurship
Why careers should be "jungle gyms", not ladders
Critical thinking, AI, and the future of education
What Jessica would build next
Whether you're building a startup, investing in technology, leading a team, or dreaming of your first exit, this episode is packed with practical lessons from one of New Zealand's most impressive founders.
🎧 Subscribe for more conversations with founders, investors and operators building the future.
This podcast was brought to you by Oxygen Advisors
Oxygen Advisors is New Zealand's leading outsourced finance partner for startups and high-growth businesses, providing accounting, bookkeeping, tax, CFO, payroll and revenue operations services to help founders scale with confidence. Learn more at www.oxygenadvisors.co.nz.
#StartupTheatre #JessicaVenningBryan #Factor #Gentrack #Startup #AI #SaaS #Founder #Entrepreneurship #TechNZ #WomenInTech #StartupExit

Sacha Judd, Co-founder and COO of Lume Music, joins Startup Theatre to discuss the future of music, creator monetisation, and building a startup in one of the world’s toughest industries.
We explore why the traditional music industry model is failing independent artists, how streaming platforms changed the economics of music, and why creator-owned communities could become the future.
Sacha shares the story behind Lume Music and the company’s mission to help artists grow audiences, connect directly with fans, and build sustainable careers.
Topics include:
Music-tech startups
Creator monetisation
AI and the future of music
Independent artists and streaming platforms
Startup growth and entrepreneurship
Fan communities and creator ownership
Building disruptive technology businesses
Hosted by Troy Hammond and Adrienne Muir on Startup Theatre.

Jamie Beaton, founder of Crimson Education, joins Startup Theatre for a wide-ranging conversation on ambition, AI, education, startups, and the future of New Zealand.
Jamie shares his journey from New Zealand student to Harvard and Yale, building Crimson Education into a global company, and why elite universities still matter in an AI-driven world.
We discuss:
Why top universities are becoming more competitive
AI’s impact on careers and education
Whether SaaS is dead
Why New Zealand struggles with ambition
Charter schools and fixing education
Debate, entrepreneurship, and critical thinking
The future of startups and talent in NZ
Free speech and modern universities
What parents should focus on right now
One of the most intellectually honest and thought-provoking Startup Theatre episodes yet.
Hosted by Troy Hammond and Serge Van Dam.

In this episode of Startup Theatre, Troy Hammond and Serge Van Dam sit down with Simon Archer, founder of PolicyCheck, to unpack one of the biggest untapped problems in global fintech: understanding insurance.
Simon shares the story behind leaving a successful corporate career to build in the AI era, driven by a simple but powerful realisation. He had already missed one major wave and wasn’t going to miss the next.
The conversation moves beyond the typical startup narrative into something more grounded. What actually happens when you leave corporate? Why most founders aren’t prepared, no matter how much theory they consume, and how building with AI is fundamentally changing how companies are created.
At the core of the episode is a problem most people have experienced but rarely question. Insurance is a promise, yet billions in claims are denied each year because people don’t fully understand what they’ve signed up for . PolicyCheck is taking a data-first approach to fix that.
They also get into:
Why workflow products are becoming obsolete and data is the real opportunity
The shift to lean teams and shared product ownership
Building in New Zealand versus Australia
The reality of incubators in an AI-first world
What it actually takes to build a globally relevant company from NZ
This is a conversation about timing, conviction, and solving problems that genuinely matter.
Links:
PolicyCheck: https://policycheck.com
Simon Archer: https://linkedin.com/in/simonarcher