Tag Archives: Kiwi Landing Pad

Community, Kiwi Start Ups, NZ Inc

Kiwi Tech Day in San Francisco

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Post by Annaleisha Rae.

In conjunction with NZICT, we hosted our first ever “Kiwi Tech Entrepreneur Day” at KLP this week. California State Senator Leland Yee along with former California Assembly Speaker pro Tempore Fiona Ma and NZ Consulate General Leon Grice opened the event. The agenda for the day was jam packed with both inspirational stories and helpful advice on some of the practical issues that businesses face when coming to the US. The NZICT mission brought up-and-coming kiwi entrepreneurs here to San Francisco to listen to experiences of cultivating success in the San Francisco area and the benefits that have come about through being involved in a tech hub like the Kiwi Landing Pad.

We began with hearing from some KLP companies who spoke about the challenges they have encountered and how they are really starting to get traction in market. They included Vend, Xero, Mako Networks, Biomatters, Eventfinda and Booktrack.

Edith Yeung from Venture Capitalist firm Right Ventures gave us an insight into her role, Kirstin Schlenger gave kiwi-specific immigration advice, Jeff Ryan from CBS Interactive talked about the current recruitment conditions here in the US. Jamie Sutherland spoke about Xero‘s ever-expanding business that began it’s US office right here in the Kiwi Landing Pad. Henri Eliot from Board Dynamics gave some really good advice on setting up an effective board and establishing good governance.

With so many entrepreneurs and successful start-ups sharing their ideas, learning from top executives really emphasized the Bay Area’s thriving kiwi tech community and verified the importance of the Kiwi Landing Pad and it’s position here in the global innovation center of SoMa, San Francisco. The speakers shared some great tips and advice for the budding entrepreneurs with discussions about immigration, establishing a presence in the US market and considerations and differences about operating here in San Francisco.

Ian Taylor’s company (Animation Research Limited) showcased their America’s Cup racing simulator and Chris Smith from the America’s Cup STQRY app spoke about his growing success. “The Kiwi Landing Pad has played an important part in STQRY’s success in the U.S. It provides an environment that encourages entrepreneurship and networking. I look forward to seeing what other cool kiwi companies join the Landing Pad in the future!”

We ended the day with some cold MOA beer and the chance to network.

Check out the TV One News coverage Team NZ Flies on water and on land at Kiwi Landing Pad and California based Kiwi journalist, James Robinson’s post about the day NZ ingenuity hits large in San Francisco.

 

 

Community, Kiwi Start Ups, NZ Inc

Sailing into San Francisco’s world of opportunities

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Guest Post: Annaleisha Rae

If there is one thing that I have learnt in my lifetime, it is the importance of taking opportunities when they are presented to you. So although it was not originally the motive of my trip, the chance to come and spend my three-month vacation at the Kiwi Landing Pad was too enticing to pass.

I am a 21-year-old student from AUT University in Auckland, in my final year of Communications majoring in Public Relations. This has always been the degree I wanted to pursue, hoping to become the next Pippa Wetzel or even Suzy Cato. Although I still think that would be fun, my aspirations have turned to public relations since taking a year off to travel around the world with the Volvo Ocean Race and gain work experience with CAMPER’s media team.

So now I have ended up in San Francisco, primarily involved with the America’s Cup, as my dad (Tony Rae) is a sailor onboard the kiwi boat. The Kiwi Landing Pad had been talking to AUT about an opportunity for someone to help out with their busy schedule of events surrounding the Cup – and so, here I am, snatching up an amazing opportunity.

After only two days here in the SoMa district, the midst of the world’s tech scene, it is mind-blowing to realise what goes on from day to day and the value of a place like the Kiwi Landing Pad for us little Kiwi’s to try and make sense of exactly how this city works and how we can make it work for us. Judging by what I have already learnt from this experience, the next three months are going to be full-on, inspirational and a whole heap of fun.

Community, Kiwi Start Ups, NZ Inc

Nursing a vision into reality

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Guest Post: Greg Elisara CEO + Co Founder HerePin

I’ve tried to learn a lot about entrepreneurship over the last 12 months. I took part in Auckland Startup Weekend and HerePin won 30 days at the Kiwi Landing Pad. I’ve followed the “must follow” blogs. I’ve attended a bunch of seminars, conferences and meetups. I’ve chatted with fellow entrepreneurs. I’ve tried to absorb as much as I can. Some of this effort has been beneficial, some not.

But I also wasted a lot of time trying to think up the perfect product. I wish I had come to Kiwi Landing Pad much sooner.

Time that would have been better spent just getting out and talking to people. I have found in San Francisco that being a stranger in strange land (or at least someone from a ‘cool’ place) to be an enormous benefit. People want to know what you’re here for - and when you tell them, they want to know what it is you’re working on. This is gold, because every person gives you an opportunity to pitch to them and learn from their response. Sometimes I think I should give everyone I talk to $5 because each conversation is revealing and rewarding in one way or another.

As entrepreneurs, we are wired to make things happen - to nurse a vision and turn it into reality. And while it seems there are so many factors to take into account, I’ve come to understand that you might as well get on with it. Connecting and sharing is a good place to start. Which is why I wish I’d come sooner. There have been so many people who have contributed to this trip being more than I had hoped - providing insight, advice, support, companionship.

At a San Francisco meetup I randomly attended - by the way, don’t shy away from serendipity when in San Francisco. I came across this quote that, as an early-stage startup, particularly resonates with me.

[quote]“To achieve greatness, start where you are, use what you have and do what you can.[/quote]

Arthur Ashe

Community, Kiwi Start Ups, NZ Inc

Never make a cold call to Silicon Valley

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Post by Catherine Robinson, Director San Francisco Kiwi Landing Pad.

Kea Chairman, Phil Veal believes that New Zealanders should never need to make a cold call when doing business in overseas markets.This really resonates with what we are trying to achieve at the Kiwi Landing Pad here in San Francisco. We provide an office space in the centre of gravity for IT, but our real value lies in the curated community that we have built to support and embed it. The expat community play a key role in being able to make connections and introductions for New Zealand technology companies launching into the USA.

I spoke at the annual Kea Inspire Days that were held in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. The Kea Inspire Days culminate in the World Class Awards and dinner that celebrates some of our most famous and successful residents and expats. Keep an eye out for next years Kea Inspire Days and learn from other New Zealanders who are up there on the world stage.

I was asked to speak about what it takes for a company to go from surviving to thriving in my experience as an entrepreneur who has done just that. Here is an overview of what I spoke about.

Adapt to be understood.

The most common hurdle companies need to overcome is to recognize that they need to adapt. We come from an incredible start point - our New Zealandishness means that we are respected, hardworking and community focussed global residents. Because travel is such a big part of life for most NZers, we are very aware of life offshore. From a business perspective we look at overseas markets and the most exciting element is the size of the market. And we head off suitcase in hand ready to sell to a market often 100+ times our local domestic market but, our sales and marketing collateral are often based on what has worked in New Zealand. Succeeding offshore is being able to adapt to the market, fast.

I had the rather embarrassing situation of being completely misunderstood when ordering coffee in San Francisco. I said Catherine but the barista heard Effnn - the barista calling out Effnn latte in a packed cafe wasn’t cool. English is the first language in the US, but there are some significant differences in the way we speak. As a tourist that is ok- but to achieve cut-through in a very competitive market place, make sure you stand out for your technology and business idea.

Slow down, be concise, remove the colloquialisms. “Yeah, Nah, Yeah” is confusing to most Americans. The words “overseas” and “offshore” are commonly used in New Zealand and Australia - because we’re surrounded by oceans. In the USA, people say “domestic” vs “international.”

Adapt your messaging.

Be able to speak to the vision of where your market is headed . For example, don’t get hung up on whether or not Google glass will make you look like a glass-hole, or worse still - a dork. The notion of the internet of things is coming and we will be scanning, driving, flying and wearing devices that are embedded with internet enabled technology. Think about what opportunities this may open up for you. It’s not about having a working prototype - just the ability to position your companies vision for the market and the key role your technology will play in this environment.

Be careful of leading with where you are from. Before you know it you have wasted your 30 allocated minutes with a top US VC and you haven’t even mentioned your exciting new product. Kiwi Landing Pad Managing Director John Holt also addresses this in a recent piece featured in the NZ Herald.

Adapt and keep on adapting as your market does.

A barrier or hurdle that a lot of companies add is that they feel isolated being in New Zealand. While we are 10,000km’s from San Francisco and Silicon Valley, we don’t have to feel isolated. Isolation is a feeling and not a geographical state. Through being based in market or travelling regularly and connecting to influencers, companies, analysts and teams in market, you can easily be better connected to what is happening in market.

Being connected means that you can adapt and adjust your company and product faster.

 

Community, Kiwi Start Ups, NZ Inc

USA Lattes and Kea Inspire Days

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Post by Catherine Robinson, San Francisco Director Kiwi Landing Pad.

Next week I am travelling to New Zealand for the 2013 Kea Inspire Day series. This year is going to be bigger and better than ever, with a world class line-up of presenters from home and abroad delivering inspiring stories, in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. This year I am speaking alongside a contingent of Kiwi Landing Pad companies, giving our insights into living and working in the USA. The theme for this year is “From Surviving to Thriving”. We will be sharing key insights for doing business in the USA - breaking down myths and stereotypes, and strategies to help you win in the highly competitive San Francisco Bay Area tech scene.

My story starts with an awkward cup of coffee. And a simple but important lesson for successfully doing business in the USA and globally - overlooked by many New Zealand companies who arrive in the USA. Come along and be inspired by our real stories and hard-won learnings that will help you transform your business from staying afloat to thriving in the most competitive technology marketplace on the planet.

Inspire Days starts in Christchurch on Monday May 20 and I will be joined by CEO + Founder of BIMstop, Scott Barrington. Scott is an early alumni of the KLP Catapult progam 10 months ago. Click here for ticket info.

Tuesday May 21 we will be in Wellington. I will be joined by Chris Smith, CEO+ Founder of STQRY. Chris is a regular visitor to the Kiwi Landing Pad when he comes to San Francisco. For tickets to Inspire Wellington, please contact Grow Wellington here.

Auckland on May 22 I will be joined by Paul Cameron, CEO + Co-founder of BookTrack, and entrepreneur Olly Johnston who recently returned from a 3 months at Kiwi Landing Pad. Click here for ticket info.

 

 

 

 

 

Community, Kiwi Start Ups, Sponsor Profiles

From the Angel Fest - Phil McCaw talks Movac, Trademe and KLP

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Phil McCaw and Mark Vivian from Movac engrossed during pitching event

Phil McCaw is Managing Partner of Wellington based investment firm Movac. Movac invests in New Zealand based companies with potential for rapid and large scale growth. Investment is a key piece of the start up ecosystem and this week San Francisco hosted the Angel Capital Association (ACA) Summit. The angels in town meant an influx of entrepreneurs, investors, advisors and 1above water bottles at Kiwi Landing Pad. Conversations around KLP revolved around deal flow, customer acquisition strategies, demand generation, value propositions, pitching and exit strategies.

Movac’s most notable investment to date has been TradeMe and as the New Zealand high tech community has grown and evolved, so too Movac have evolved to meet and understand the demands and challenges for start up companies. This includes both raising funding and accessing the resources and people that can help companies succeed. One such resource that Movac sponsors is the Kiwi Landing Pad along with a group of other New Zealand and US investors and New Zealand’s Ministry of Business and Innovation.

Phil is a very experienced investor and advisor to a number of companies. Phil sat down with Kiwi Landing Pad and broke down how he got started as an investor, he talks through some of the investment Movac have made and why they sponsor the Kiwi Landing Pad. Phil talks about how Kiwi Landing Pad is beginning to have a tangible impact on New Zealand’s investment and technology scene through providing an environment where companies can find their feet and step out into a trusted, curated local community of advisors and experts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Community, Kiwi Start Ups

The Birthplace of Silicon Valley

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367 Addison Road Palo Alto - the humble garage where HP began and is the site officially recognized as the birthplace of Silicon Valley

Guest Post from Kiwi Landing Pad founder and entrepreneur John Holt.

I’ve worked for several large multinational companies during my career but none of those experiences were as impactful as my time at Hewlett Packard. Recently, we got the opportunity (thanks Duane!) to visit Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard’s original corporate office suite. I was just as excited to be there again as I was during my first visit nearly 15 years ago. It was great to take the KLP team there and add the visit to our “roadie” of iconic and influential companies and locations in Silicon Valley. Bill and Dave’s original office was a garage - barely room for a modern car and located in a a suburban street not far from the centre of Palo Alto City. Unremarkable physically but recognised as the official birthplace of “Silicon Valley”.

 

HP Labs built in the 1960′s is where Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard worked everyday until they retired.

Having visited the offices and the HP Garage again several thoughts come to mind that are just as relevant today as they were at the inception of HP in 1939. The HP founders were engineers by training and entrepreneurs by nature - smart, resilient and determined. These qualities added to their devout respect of people which laid the platform to create a multinational successful business that people wanted to work for.

Their business “manual” published as “The HP Way” was more than just a company edict - it was the way that business and management was conducted at HP everyday. One of my most memorable sayings from this was their belief that people inherently come to work to do a good job and will do so if they are given the right resources and treated with respect. It never ceases to amaze me how impactful a visit is for even for those who have limited knowledge of the HP story.

  • People with focus, determination and a devout culture of inspiring people and treating them well, will build successful and enduring companies.
  • Innovation and the ability to innovate is not in isolation likely to build a great business. Sales and managing talent around innovation to deliver it to the market with a scalable business model is critical.

The HP story is inspiring historically but it also serves as a compelling motivation to me as an entrepreneur to build something from nothing. The company certainly faces its fair share of challenges currently but even having spent a small amount of time back on site you can still feel the HP spirit and the founders original influence which will almost certainly help them overcome those.

Bill Hewlett’s office left exactly as it was the day he left.

If you want to check out the Birthplace of Silicon Valley for yourself, it is located in Palo Alto. you can stop by the HP Garage anytime - 367 Addison Avenue, Palo Alto. Visits to Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard’s offices at HP Labs are by appointment only. It is still home to their largest research centre and visit’s need to be arranged.

Thanks again to the HP team for allowing us to stop by.

Community, Kiwi Start Ups

Discovering the vibrant tech scene for myself

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For a bit of background, I’m Janet, a kiwi who has been living in Melbourne the last four years, working as a Mobile Producer developing iOS and Android apps. As a bit of a tech nerd, I have always had a desire to come to San Francisco and explore Silicon Valley and discover the tech scene and vibe for myself.

I wasn’t disappointed. Walking down the street, on the Bart, at the cafes or a bar between trivia questions; the small talk is tech talk. The best small talk ever.

Arriving into San Francisco and going straight to The Kiwi Landing Pad to be welcomed by the kiwi accent made this place feel like a home away from home. And they understood every word I said which was refreshing. Catherine and the team have the down low on the best coffee spots in the area, affordable accommodation -and where the celebrities are hanging out (we talked sweet chili sauce with Jared from Subway!). Having a base here has made such a positive difference and has given me the security I wanted arriving into a new city.

The office is located in the hub of the tech action and is close to public transport and the centre of San Francisco. I’m working on a small business idea while I’m here, but I’ve also been using this opportunity to pursue job applications and meet with companies who inspire me. I would encourage you to contact as many of the tech companies you want to meet while you’re here. Sometimes it comes down to being in the right place at the right time, but it’s worth making contact, as they’re often open to meeting up for a chat. Meeting the people who are building the tech you use and love has been pretty inspiring.

I cannot recommend it highly enough. Come to San Francisco and get a taste for where the real tech development happens. Spend your down time talking tech ideas with like minded locals and co-working colleagues. If you’re into tech and you want to get into the action, San Francisco is where you’ll live your dream.

NZ Inc, Resident, Sponsor Profiles

KLP Resident Profile : NZTE

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Learn more about NZTE at the Kiwi Landing Pad on their resident page.

NZTE Business Development Manager for the San Francisco Bay Area, John Bryan, helps Kiwi companies moving to the USA’s start-up mecca. From his desk space at the Kiwi Landing Pad in San Francisco, John is able to meet New Zealand grown companies and identify ways in which he can help them to succeed in the US.

After working with many New Zealand companies through his role at NZTE, we were curious as to the observations John has made, and in particular, areas in which he thinks Kiwi tech companies could improve on to further boost their transition to the United States.

One of the key things that John would like to see companies doing while still in New Zealand, is to start thinking beyond our coastal borders, right from the get go. He stresses the importance of building that overseas market growth potential in, even from the very early stages:

“Often times you’ve made decisions about the product and your feature set based on the needs of the local market and that may not translate into the US.” says John.

John is excited by the innovative ideas he has come across in New Zealand, but would like to see companies pay more attention to making sure that their business strategy is just as solid.

“Where I often see the breakdown is on the business side of that. When we get to - What are the business fundamentals? What’s your market strategy? Have you done the competitive analysis?” he added.

In order to ensure New Zealand based tech companies understand what is required to succeed in the US market, John is eager to forge relationships with the companies as early as possible.

He also reiterates the important role that the Kiwi Landing Pad plays in giving Kiwi companies early first hand experience in the US through the Catapult program. Then later when ready to enter the US market, by taking away the usual barriers and allowing the companies to return as residents of the Landing Pad.

Overall John is enthusiastic about the role that New Zealand tech companies stand to play on a global level:

“I think we can have a steady stream of interesting, cool companies coming out of New Zealand that are doing things that aren’t being done anywhere else in the world.”

Community, Kiwi Start Ups

KLP Resident Profile: Streamtime

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Learn more about Streamtime on their resident page.

Like many New Zealanders that hop around the globe, San Francisco was not Kate McLeod’s first stop overseas. But after picking up some anglicised vowel sounds and valuable London-based experience, the Streamtime Business Development Manager now calls the sunny capital of the tech universe home.

As the US based representative of Kiwi company Streamtime, Kate has been on the ground in San Francisco for a year and a half now. The decision to join the Kiwi Landing Pad was a no brainer for the company who were keen to take advantage of the time saving resources and network in place. They especially valued the community aspect of the Landing Pad, given that Kate was to be heading up Streamtime’s US presence as their first employee Stateside. Hello real live colleagues!

Now with an office location in the heart of SOMA, just blocks away from where many of San Francisco’s creative agencies base themselves, Kate has been able to help Streamtime establish a presence and reputation on the ground. And it’s the reputation in particular that they’re focusing on. As Kate pointed out “It’s an interesting market to focus on [creative agencies], in that they know all of the marketing tricks. So we like to use word of mouth, social, and just being nice people to get our brand out there.”

For those advertising and design agencies that have become part of Streamtime’s growing client base, the product offers a way to streamline the way they manage their time and money. “But we go a lot further”, says Kate. “Streamtime takes care of everything from tracking new business to quoting, then the actual job management, scheduling and time capacity planning, through to invoicing and reporting.” It’s already an essential tool for many agencies in NZ, Australia, UK and a number of other places around the globe. Now American creative agencies are starting to discover its headache reducing powers.

Streamtime’s US growth since arriving at the Landing Pad a year and a half ago has been an intentional slow burn. They’re not preoccupied with instantly becoming a Fortune 500 company and building a campus in Palo Alto, instead they are focusing on building “a great culture and a great company with great people”. And although Kate had experience working for Streamtime previously in London, doing business in San Francisco has meant a slightly different way of operating. Kate’s advice to Kiwi companies when calling American customers? “Be concise, on the ball. Just get to the point and don’t waste their time.” Oh, and go easy on the small talk, the word is that it doesn’t go down as well here as it does in NZ and the UK.