NZ Tech Expo organisers have outlined plans for a new technology and business event in Auckland, expected to draw 3,000 participants and more than 80 exhibitors.
The event is being positioned as a meeting point for technology companies, investors, founders and corporate decision-makers, with a focus on fintech, software as a service, education technology and artificial intelligence. The programme will include an Executive Track for senior leaders and a Student Track for secondary school students.
According to organisers, the expo has support from Auckland Council, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, AWS, Creative HQ and New Zealand Growth Capital Partners. That backing gives the event a measure of institutional support as it seeks to establish itself in a crowded industry calendar.
Executive focus
The Executive Track will be limited to 200 founders, executives, investors and decision-makers. Co-designed by Flux B2B, it will focus on strategy, AI and technology, export and growth, trust and leadership, and talent and skills.
Rather than standard presentations, the format will use keynotes, lightning talks and facilitated roundtables. Sessions will operate under Chatham House rules, allowing participants to discuss commercial and operational issues without public attribution.
Flux B2B will also produce an insights report drawn from the discussions, intended to capture themes and practical lessons from the day for the wider business and technology sector.
Student track
A separate Student Track will bring together 300 Year 12 and 13 students. Co-designed with Nexties, it will focus on exposing students to career paths in the technology sector through panels and access to exhibitors.
Students will hear from founders, engineers, designers, marketers and business leaders about how careers in the industry develop and what different roles involve. The track is intended to give younger attendees a clearer sense of where their skills and interests could fit within New Zealand's technology economy.
The emphasis on school-age participants broadens the event beyond a typical trade show. It also reflects wider concern in the sector about talent pipelines and how to connect education more directly with industry demand.
Business links
David Downs, Chief Executive Officer of Education New Zealand and an ambassador for the event, said in-person meetings still matter for the sector.
"Getting people together in one space is important. We've spent years behind screens, especially during COVID, and I think we're still rebuilding some of that collaborative muscle," Downs said.
He also linked the event to the structure of New Zealand's technology sector, which is spread across several regional centres.
"New Zealand is a long, thin country with tech ecosystems scattered everywhere. That's great, but bringing them together is even better, and a big expo lets us benchmark ourselves, see who we want to work with, get inspired and create business value.
"New Zealand business needs to grow and become more productive, and technology is a massive lever for that, but we need to use it cleverly, smartly and at speed. If people don't get behind things like this, we never make that next step," Downs said.
Organisers argue that a central challenge for many companies is not a shortage of information, but difficulty reaching the right commercial relationships. That includes finding customers, partners, investors and suppliers who can help businesses move beyond an early growth stage.
Lucas Grossi, the event's founder, said the programme has been designed around that need.
"Founders and executives will have opportunities to make the expo a working day - to learn, connect and solve real problems. Everyone else will have a chance to connect with people and organisations that can help them make progress with their ideas, careers and businesses," Grossi said.
He added: "No meaningful business is built alone."
Grossi also framed the event as part of a longer effort to create business connections, rather than a one-day showcase.
"Over the last year, I've spoken with founders, business owners, operators, investors, government representatives, industry groups and technology companies," he said.
"All these people have different priorities and face different challenges, but one thing kept coming up, and it wasn't a lack of information. Company leaders are struggling to find the right customers, partners, investors and suppliers - and have the right conversations to scale their business.
"Business still moves at the speed of trust, and trust is built between people. This is why the expo exists. It's not just a one-day event, it's a 120-day platform for businesses to connect and discover new ideas, products and partners to take Kiwi technology global," Grossi said.