Amplify Tech Talk

Techweek is a nationwide series of events, showcasing and celebrating New Zealand technology and innovation. It provides a platform for everyone to meet, share ideas and create connections to enhance our future world. Every year Techweek attracts a large audience from the local community as well as the business, education, and policy sectors. New Zealand’s technology and innovation sectors are growing rapidly and Techweek fosters that growth by providing the national ecosystem with a week-long opportunity for connection and collaboration.  Amplify is providing a local platform of various events for people to meet, share ideas and create connections to enhance our future world.  If you would like to host a Tech and innovation event please contact Averil Naumai at Amplify - averil@taupo.biz.  

Tech Talk Taupo is our official NZ Tech Week event here in Taupo.  The theme for Techweek 2022 is Connect for a better Tomorrow.

From robots to startups, communication to product innovation - this will be a morning of inspiration and aspiration.

The event is suitable for all ages, registrations are essential and there is no charge to attend.

Jaron Burbridge (Zoom): Jaron Burbidge is the Country Manager for Zoom in New Zealand, a role he has held since April 2021.  Jaron has over 2 decades experience in the unified communications and IT industry, having worked for TANDBERG, IBM, Microsoft and Amazon Web Services. Jaron is driven by what technology can do to empower people to accomplish more.  Jaron will be speaking on enhancing collaboration and communication in the future hybrid workplace

Imche Fourie (Outset Ventures) Imche is the CEO of Outset Ventures, New Zealand's Home of Deep Technology, the largest science and engineering venture incubator in the country. Working on the intersection of deep tech and venture capital, she is passionate about backing inquisitive people with visions of impact.  She aims to build NZ's science and innovation sector with long-term goals and inclusivity in mind and does so through her work as an Executive Council member of BioTechNZ, Board Member at the Employers and Manufacturers Association, and Independent Member on a Callaghan Innovation board subcommittee.  She is also a founding member of several organisations aimed at getting young people involved with investment and governance. Curiosity and community sit at the heart of everything she does.  Imche will be speaking about 'Deep Technology Investment Demystified'

Jonathan Miller (Callaghan Innovations) Jonathan has a background in technology commercialisation and before taking on his present role leading the Regional Business Partner Network at Callaghan Innovation, he was in the Future Insights team there, providing thought leader in emerging technology and future trends. Jonathan also produced a comprehensive report on Artificial Intelligence for Callaghan Innovation and has served terms on the boards of the NZ Technology Industry Association (NZTech) and the NZ IoT Alliance.  Jonathan will be talking about some interesting trends for the future in NZ that could create spaces for innovation and share what Callaghan Innovation is up to.

Louise McFarlane (Easy Crypto) Combining a passion for education and a love of crypto, Louise found the perfect position as Head of Customer Success for Easy Crypto. After becoming interested in the crypto space in 2017, and joining the wild ride of crypto she has grown her knowledge and experience in the industry since then.

She is particularly interested in how blockchain can be a game changer for creatives through NFTs and how it can also challenge the traditional systems such as banking and supply chains.  Louise will be speaking on the basics of crypto (Crypto 101), blockchain and NFTs.

Anton Mitchell and Jessica Manins (Beyond Fun) Beyond is an award-winning game studio on a mission to bring VR to the masses. With the goal of bringing people closer together, we combine the latest immersive technology with social play, bringing the future of fun to life.  Our unique game mechanics and quality artwork sets us apart in the VR world. We live and breathe innovation that sparks joy.  Beyond includes an innovative team of game developers and designers working on cutting-edge cross-platform play. Their first game, Oddball, a world-first multiplayer free-roam LBVR game, debuted at Two Bit Circus in 2020 & received all 5-star reviews on TripAdvisor.  In January 2022 they launched Burrows, an NFT collection of beautiful metaspaces in collaboration with Non Fungible Labs and Fluf World while raising $1M for charity through their Snoop Studio Burrow Auction.   Later this year, in collaboration with Wētā Workshop, Beyond is releasing Combonauts, a multiplayer collectible party game.Anton is a leader in the New Zealand VR sector with over 5 years leading the development of immersive experiences including digitising New Zealand's Treaty of Waitangi in He Tohu VR, building a virtual driving application and bringing the multiplayer VR game Oddball to life.  He has been the lead producer on the Burrows at Beyond,  ensuring the art is exceptional and the development is smooth!  Jessica spent 20 years working in film, theatre, and tech, and has landed in a reality that finally feels right. A virtual one.   Jessica is all about finding the fun, empowering others to be creative, and making bold moves in the creative technology sector.

Matt Browning (Salt + Tonic):  Matt Browning (Director of Salt + Tonic) leads a team that delivers projects all around the world, with open work currently in America, Canada, Spain, Nigeria and of course around Aotearoa. They recently won the Innovation and Technology Award at the 2021 Rotorua Business Awards, and were named as one of the Top 20 Global Experts by an American software company.

The team is based entirely in Rotorua and creates apps and software in all shapes and sizes - whether removing paperwork and stress, or delivering virtual reality or artificial intelligence projects. Matt will be talking about augmented and virtual reality storytelling, with demonstrations also available in the foyer!

A complimentary morning tea is provided and registration is essential for catering purposes.  We look forward to seeing you there!!