Discover the journey of Guy Horrocks—New Zealand’s iPhone app pioneer turned global founder, advisor, investor, artist, and community builder in 2025.
In the world of global tech entrepreneurship, few stories are as bold, creative, and quietly influential as that of Guy Horrocks. A Kiwi founder who started building iPhone apps before the App Store existed, Guy’s journey spans continents, industries, and disciplines—from mobile to SaaS, data platforms to art galleries.
Guy Horrocks: The Kiwi Entrepreneur Who Helped Shape Mobile Tech
As of 2025, he’s not just a successful founder. He’s a board director, startup advisor, artist, and community builder, deeply rooted in both New Zealand and New York City. His story offers more than inspiration—it delivers insight into how modern entrepreneurs can build globally while staying grounded in values and creativity.
The First iPhone App Company – Before Apple’s App Store
In 2007, when most people were just figuring out how to use their new iPhones, Guy Horrocks was already building for it. He co-founded Polar Bear Farm, the world’s first iPhone app company, releasing native apps during the jailbreak era—before Apple launched its official App Store.
His team created:
- The first Twitter client for iPhone
- A video recording app (before iPhones could natively record)
- Early tools like search apps and messaging platforms
- Products featured in global media including TechCrunch, CNN, and Fortune
In 2008, Guy showcased their work at Macworld—on the same stage where Steve Jobs had introduced the iPhone a year earlier. Polar Bear Farm wasn’t just early—they were pivotal in showing what mobile software could be.
Carnival Labs: From New Zealand to the World’s Biggest Brands
Building on this momentum, Guy co-founded Carnival Labs in 2008, a mobile agency that would go on to create over 120 branded apps for clients like:
- DreamWorks
- CNN
- TIME Magazine
- Taco Bell
- Kraft
- HBO
- Pepsi
Under his leadership, Carnival’s work:
- Surpassed 100 million downloads
- Had 70+ apps featured by Apple
- Claimed multiple #1 App Store spots
- Won awards for mobile marketing innovation
In a pre-unicorn era, Carnival Labs proved that a Kiwi agency could lead the global mobile conversation.
From Services to SaaS: Carnival.io and the Power of Push
Seeing the opportunity beyond one-off projects, Guy led Carnival Labs into the SaaS world with the launch of Carnival.io, a mobile marketing automation platform. It helped brands send personalized push notifications, automate campaigns, and deeply understand user behavior on mobile.
With backing from Google Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, and investors like Gary Vaynerchuk, Carnival.io scaled fast and was acquired in 2016 by Sailthru, a U.S.-based personalization platform. Guy stayed on as GM of Mobile & Partnerships, leading integration and client strategy.
It was a textbook product-led pivot—showing how a founder can evolve from builder to platform creator.
Solve.io: Helping Brands Make Smarter Decisions with Data
Guy’s next venture, Solve.io, aimed to help ecommerce brands make faster, smarter decisions using real-time data. Launched around 2019, Solve connected tools like:
- Shopify
- Stripe
- Klaviyo
- Meta Ads
- Google Analytics
It translated complex backend data into operational clarity—automated dashboards, Slack alerts, and insights for teams drowning in spreadsheets.
Though Solve didn’t reach unicorn status, it served a real need during the COVID-era ecommerce boom and reflected Guy’s instinct for spotting pain points early. The lessons from Solve now live on in how he advises and invests in the next generation.
2025 and Beyond: Advisor, Director, Investor
Today, Guy serves as a board director and advisor across sectors, offering guidance drawn from real-world scale and startup struggle.
Key roles include:
- NZ Mint – Board director helping modernize a legacy brand
- NZME – New Zealand’s largest media house
- Jade Software – Christchurch-based tech company
- Tracksuit – A fast-growing marketing intelligence platform
- Halter – Agri-tech startup revolutionizing livestock management
He also invests in DTC brands like:
- Maude
- Raaka Chocolate
- Otherland
- Butler Bakeshop
His edge lies in bridging product, branding, operations, and growth strategy—something few advisors can do.
Flat White Meetup: Connecting Kiwi Founders Across the Globe
Alongside his business ventures, Guy founded the Flat White Meetup, an informal but powerful community that connects New Zealand entrepreneurs living abroad—primarily in New York, San Francisco, and London.
What started as casual coffee catchups turned into:
- A cross-border Kiwi founder network
- A platform for peer learning and honest founder conversations
- A cultural anchor for Kiwis building far from home
These events prioritize authenticity over ego—and reflect Guy’s belief that community is as important as capital.
The Artist Within: Creating Beyond Code
Few founders blend creativity and commerce like Guy Horrocks. Alongside his business career, he’s also a visual artist, sharing his work through gallery shows and online. His art is expressive, intuitive, and deeply human—a counterbalance to his analytical startup world.
His Instagram account, @guyhorrocks, features both tech insights and art, showing how creativity can fuel entrepreneurship rather than distract from it.
In an industry often driven by metrics, Guy’s art reminds us: founders are creators first.
Final Word: A Kiwi Legacy, Still in Motion
From launching the world’s first iPhone app company to advising billion-dollar brands, Guy Horrocks has done more than succeed—he’s shaped an era.
What sets him apart isn’t just timing or execution. It’s how he’s built—with empathy, creativity, and community in mind. He’s a founder’s founder, an advisor with operator scars, and a reminder that great entrepreneurship is about more than scale—it’s about impact, longevity, and meaning.
As the New Zealand startup ecosystem continues to mature in 2025, Guy Horrocks remains a key figure—not just for what he’s built, but for how he’s helped others build too.
FAQs
Q1. Who is Guy Horrocks?
Guy Horrocks is a New Zealand-born tech entrepreneur known for building successful global startups and pioneering advancements in the mobile app industry.
Q2. What is Guy Horrocks famous for?
He is famous for co-founding Polar Bear Farm, the world’s first iPhone app development company, and later for his work with mobile marketing and technology ventures.
Q3. How did Guy Horrocks contribute to the tech industry?
Horrocks helped launch early mobile applications even before the App Store officially opened, positioning him as an early innovator in mobile technology.
Q4. What major companies has Guy Horrocks founded?
Apart from Polar Bear Farm, he also founded Carnival Labs, a mobile marketing automation platform, and continued building successful ventures afterward.
Q5. How has Guy Horrocks impacted global startups?
Through his pioneering work in mobile technology and strategic leadership, he has significantly influenced how startups approach mobile marketing and user engagement on a global scale.
