Shows
TechMatesThis Startup Knows What You’ll Eat Next 🥑He turned a side hustle fixing walls into a quarter-million-dollar student business—and he's now reshaping the food insights industry.Join us as we explore the entrepreneurial journey of Toby Hilliam (Skilton), a seasoned entrepreneur from New Zealand and founder of Appetise, a cutting-edge platform that provides consumer insights for some of the world’s leading food and beverage brands. 🌱Starting from humble beginnings fixing holes in student flats, Toby Hilliam (Skilton) grew his entrepreneurial skills through ventures across various industries, ultimately recognizing an opportunity in the underserved market of consumer insights for grocery brands. 📈Key T...2025-07-231h 00
TechMatesBuilding the School of the Future 🎓She started her first business selling sherbet at age five—now she runs a revolutionary global online school.🎧 Listen On:👉 Spotify – https://spoti.fi/4is21QI👉 Apple Podcasts – https://apple.co/42KZ2x1Join us as we dive into the remarkable journey of Penelope Barton, CEO of Crimson Global Academy, an innovative online education platform transforming the traditional schooling model globally. Join us as we dive into the remarkable journey of Penelope Barton, CEO of Crimson Global Academy, an innovative online education platform transforming the traditional schooling model globally. Penelope shares her inspiring e...2025-07-161h 12
TechMatesInside the Australian Startup Launching Hyperspectral SatellitesWinning hackathons at 16 and launching satellites by 26—meet the founder revolutionizing Australia's space tech.Join us as we chat with Shoaib Iqbal, the dynamic founder behind Esper Satellites, a groundbreaking Australian startup that leverages hyperspectral imaging technology to monitor Earth’s resources and environmental conditions from space. 🛰️ Shoaib’s entrepreneurial journey began as a teenager winning hackathons in Saudi Arabia, eventually propelling him to build a pioneering space tech company in Australia. 🌍Discover how Shoaib transitioned from simple DIY electronics to sophisticated hyperspectral sensors, the critical lessons learned from pivoting use-cases, and how his company is on track to deploy a const...2025-07-091h 05
TechMatesWhy Sam Altman Backed This Kiwi StartupFrom programming on punch cards in rural New Zealand to leading a multi-million dollar EdTech success story. 💻🎧 In this inspiring episode, we speak with Bob Drummond, a visionary New Zealand entrepreneur who navigated from humble beginnings programming with punch cards in a tiny rural school to pioneering Kami, one of the world's leading digital education platforms. 🌐 Bob shares his fascinating journey of early innovation, international entrepreneurial adventures, significant tech breakthroughs, and critical lessons learned from both remarkable successes and challenging setbacks. 📚Discover how Bob Drummond’s varied experiences—from video stores to billion-dollar software exits—shaped his entrepr...2025-07-021h 32
TechMatesHow AI Is Revolutionizing Language LearningDropped out of high school after a handshake gone wrong—now he runs a $50M AI-driven language empire.Dive into the extraordinary journey of Finn Puklowski, a New Zealand entrepreneur who transformed personal setbacks into the highly successful Fluency Academy, an AI-powered, creator-led language education platform. Finn candidly shares the rollercoaster ride from bankruptcy in his early 20s to scaling Fluency Academy into a $50 million powerhouse with over 35 million followers globally.Learn how Finn leverages the creator economy, AI technology, and deep market insights to revolutionize how languages are taught, especially in markets like Brazil, and his vision for th...2025-06-231h 06
TechMatesDairy Without Cows: The Science Changing Food ForeverBorn in Soviet-era Moscow and now revolutionizing dairy without cows—this entrepreneur is reshaping New Zealand’s future.In this insightful episode, we speak with Irina Miller, founder of DaisyLab, a groundbreaking New Zealand startup utilizing precision fermentation to create dairy-identical proteins without cows. Irina’s remarkable journey begins in Soviet-era Moscow, spans entrepreneurship adventures, and culminates in her pioneering efforts to revolutionize the dairy industry sustainably.Discover Irina's personal motivations behind DaisyLab, including her eye-opening experiences in Russia’s rapidly changing society, her initial reluctance towards entrepreneurship, and how her passion for animal welfare led to the crea...2025-06-161h 15
TechMatesWhy Fusion Energy is Closer Than EverFrom failing physics grades to building New Zealand’s groundbreaking fusion reactor startup—meet the entrepreneur rewriting the rules of energy. Join us in this captivating conversation with Ratu Mataira, founder and CEO of OpenStar, a revolutionary New Zealand startup pioneering fusion technology. Ratu shares his journey from struggling undergraduate physics student to becoming an industry leader determined to solve one of humanity’s most significant challenges: clean, limitless energy through fusion reactors. Discover how OpenStar has rapidly achieved milestones that took others decades, using innovative superconducting magnet technology inspired by Ratu’s deep physics background.This e...2025-06-071h 25
TechMatesInside Blue Origin's Latest Space TripMeet the Kiwi entrepreneur who made history aboard Blue Origin!In this thrilling episode, we talk to Mark Rocket, a groundbreaking New Zealand tech entrepreneur and aerospace pioneer. Mark recently soared into space on Blue Origin's NS-32 mission, becoming the first New Zealander to experience suborbital spaceflight. He shares firsthand details about his extraordinary journey—from rigorous training to the awe-inspiring moment he floated weightlessly above the Earth.Dive deep into Mark's entrepreneurial adventures—from founding Rocket Lab and launching the Southern Hemisphere’s first private rocket, to leading Kea Aerospace, revolutionizing environmental monitoring and teleco...2025-06-0514 min
TechMatesHow I Built & Sold NZ's #1 Crypto Startup 🚀She turned a $3,000 Bitcoin curiosity into one of New Zealand’s biggest crypto exits.Meet Janine, founder and CEO of Easy Crypto, who successfully navigated the turbulent crypto market—overcoming regulation hurdles, market crashes, and intense skepticism—to build and exit one of New Zealand's most notable crypto startups. From early challenges of securing banking relationships to eventually selling to Australia's SwiftX, Janine candidly shares the rollercoaster journey, valuable insights into fintech innovation, and the future of digital currencies.In this episode, you'll hear surprising truths about running a crypto business, why banks initially turned her aw...2025-05-281h 21
TechMatesFirst Kiwi in SpaceHe changed his name to Rocket, launched New Zealand's first private space vehicle, and is set to become the first Kiwi in space 🚀.Meet Mark Rocket, a pioneering New Zealand entrepreneur who transitioned from playing in rock bands to launching the Southern Hemisphere’s first private rocket into space with Rocket Lab 🛰️.Now leading Kea Aerospace, he's innovating in stratospheric drone technology. In this episode, Mark dives deep into his unconventional journey—from growing up in grungy Christchurch to making groundbreaking strides in aerospace 🌌, and preparing to fulfill his lifelong dream 🌠 as the first Kiwi scheduled to journ...2025-05-221h 07
TechMatesCan AI Really Fix Academic Research?He turned frustration with clunky academic tools into a million-dollar deep tech startup.👉 Youtube - https://bit.ly/3Rwqaur👉 Spotify – https://spoti.fi/4is21QI👉 Apple Podcasts – https://apple.co/42KZ2x1Meet Axton, a New Zealand tech entrepreneur who went from severe childhood asthma and tinkering with remote-controlled aircraft to founding Litmaps, a pioneering startup transforming academic research through AI-powered citation mapping. In this episode, Axton dives deep into overcoming early challenges, pivoting from medical aspirations to technology entrepreneurship, and scaling Litmaps to 400,000 global users and a recent $1M ARR milesto...2025-05-131h 02
TechMatesFrom $50 to Millions: Investing Tips I Wish I Had at 17 💸He flipped a coin on a café table and accidentally rewired how New Zealand invests. 🎧 Listen on:👉 Spotify – https://spoti.fi/4is21QI👉 Apple Podcasts – https://apple.co/42KZ2x1New Zealand entrepreneur Leighton — co-CEO of Sharesies, ex-Army trumpeter and accidental brewery founder — walks us through the wild arc from $50 teenage investment clubs to running an 800-thousand-user wealth platform. You’ll hear how a three-week basic-training stint, a coin toss, and a missed $2 000 Ethereum buy shaped a mission to “create one million millionaires.”Beyond the fintech origin story, Leighton drops candid takes on democratizing w...2025-05-061h 18
TechMatesHow Bitcoin Mining Could Save the PlanetDaniel Batten's life is anything but conventional. He grew up off-grid on the wild beaches of New Zealand, studied philosophy and drama, became an actor, then accidentally launched one of NZ’s first angel-funded tech startups—without writing a single line of code or knowing much biology. Today, he’s a climate tech investor, startup coach, and one of the most vocal voices on why Bitcoin could help solve climate change.In this episode, Daniel shares his journey from surf to startups—and why most people (including his former self) misunderstand the true power of Bitcoin...2025-04-231h 22
TechMatesHow This Young Founder Beat Elon MuskStefan Powell transitioned from early rocketry experiments to co-founding Dawn Aerospace, a company pioneering rapid, reusable spaceflight. As CEO and CTO, he's leading the development of the Mk-II Aurora—a rocket-powered aircraft designed to fly to space twice in a single day, offering a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional launch systems. And yes, Elon Musk is watching. 👀What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✅ How aircraft-like operations are revolutionizing space access✅ The business model enabling multiple daily flights without toxic emissions✅ Dawn's approach to competing with established players like SpaceX✅ Insigh...2025-04-161h 17
TechMatesHow I Sold My Robotics StartupDavid Inggs went from catching snakes in South Africa to building robots that Fortune 500 companies rely on. As co-founder of Rocos (acquired by DroneDeploy), he cracked the code on how to remotely control robot fleets at scale—and now he’s revealing what most AI robotics startups get dangerously wrong. What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✅ The "gold rush" trap – Why most robotics startups fail (and how Rocos survived)✅ Shocking truth about humanoid robots – Why Boston Dynamics’ tech is both overhyped and underrated✅ How to sell to enterprises – The playbook for landing oil/gas...2025-04-041h 29
TechMatesAmerica’s Secret Weapon Against China? A New Zealand StartupFrom backyard experiments to securing defense contracts, David Moodie, founder of Foundry Lab, is revolutionizing how industries prototype and produce metal parts. By combining 3D printing with microwave technology, his team is making metal casting faster, cheaper, and more accessible than ever before.What You’ll Hear in This Episode:✅ How frustration with traditional casting led to an industry-changing innovation.✅ The wild journey of melting metal in a microwave to create rapid casting.✅ Why automotive and defense industries are betting big on this breakthrough.✅ The challenges of scaling deep tech and winning over investors.✅ Lessons on resilience, risk-taking, and building a h...2025-03-271h 31
TechMatesWhat It Takes to Build a Tech Unicorn from New ZealandPhilip Fierlinger co-founded Xero, a global accounting powerhouse, but his journey didn’t stop there. Now, he's reshaping the B2B wholesale industry with Upstock, a platform transforming how businesses order supplies.Hosted by Mark Pavlyukovskyy, a Silicon Valley success story, and Hendrik Remigereau, a former leader in Europe’s largest AI ecosystem turned venture capitalist, TechMates dives into the game-changing strategies behind some of Australasia’s most ambitious startups.🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:✅ How Xero disrupted an industry and went public with almost no revenue.✅ The bold strategy that made Xero the darling of...2025-03-181h 04
TechMatesWhy I Left Silicon Valley for New Zealand: A Tech Founder’s JourneyPhilip Fierlinger has always been ahead of his time. As a kid, he built his first CRM on a Radio Shack computer. By his 20s, he was designing mobile devices before smartphones even existed. He worked at the legendary General Magic, pioneered VR for the Beastie Boys, and helped turn Xero into a billion-dollar SaaS giant.Hosted by Mark Pavlyukovskyy, a Silicon Valley success story, and Hendrik Remigereau, a former leader in Europe’s largest AI ecosystem turned venture capitalist, TechMates uncovers the game-changing ideas and counterintuitive strategies behind the world's top entrepreneurs.🎧 What You’ll Hear...2025-03-141h 32
TechMatesHe Flunked School, Now Runs a Multi-Million Business🔥 The Story You Won’t Believe: At 7, Luke Campbell was mastering World of Warcraft while his peers barely had internet access. By 17, he was struggling academically, battling scoliosis, and dreaming of space. Today, he’s the founder of VXT—a SaaS tool automating workflows for 500+ law firms globally and processing 100,000+ calls weekly.🎧 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:✅ Why 5,000+ hours in World of Warcraft shaped his leadership.✅ The bold pivot that transformed routine legal tasks into billable gold. ✅ Automating 50% of lawyers’ paperwork with voice tech. ✅ Insider tips on turning failure into un...2025-03-021h 22
TechMatesHow to Get Investors to Say YESFrom a $10K Debt to Building 20+ Startups – Sam Kim’s Unstoppable JourneyWhat does it take to go from crashing a Maserati to launching a global startup school? Sam Kim’s path is anything but ordinary. From hustling to pay off debt to founding an accelerator that helps first-time entrepreneurs launch their businesses, his story is packed with lessons on resilience, execution, and thinking big.Join hosts Mark Pavlyukovskyy and Hendrik Remigereau as they dive into Sam’s wild startup journey—covering everything from cold emailing investors to launching over 20 products before finding success.In this...2025-02-2151 min
TechMatesHow to Electrify SpaceFrom the frozen plains of Siberia to the cutting edge of space tech—Max Arshavsky, founder of Zenno Astronautics, is rewriting the rules of the cosmos. Born in the USSR, he grew up near a Soviet space monument, dropped out of university, and bet everything on a radical idea: superconductors as the backbone of future space missions.Join hosts Mark Pavlyukovskyy and Hendrik Remigereau—seasoned entrepreneurs with deep roots in Silicon Valley and Europe—as they dive into Max’s incredible journey. From dropping out of university to pioneering superconducting tech for satellites, his story is a masterclass in resilien...2025-02-1458 min
TechMatesKiwi Startup Builds a BankNew Zealand’s banking system is one of the most profitable in the world—but also one of the most outdated. Jovan Pavlicevic, CEO of Emerge, is on a mission to change that. From volunteering as a firefighter to building a game-changing neobank, his journey is packed with bold moves, high risks, and lessons every entrepreneur should hear.Join hosts Mark Pavlyukovskyy and Hendrik Remigereau—leveraging their expertise from building successful companies in Silicon Valley and Europe—as they uncover the inspiring stories of entrepreneurs shaping Australasia.💡 In this episode, you'll learn:🚀 How Jovan launched...2025-02-061h 13
TechMatesThe Secret Hack for Happy Couples🌟 Dive into the story of Erika Palmer — from her roots in a small New Zealand town to creating a revolutionary app for couples! 🌟Join hosts Mark Pavlyukovskyy and Hendrik Remigereau—leveraging their expertise from building successful companies in Silicon Valley and Europe—as they uncover the inspiring stories of entrepreneurs shaping Australasia. In this TechMates episode, you’ll discover:✅ How her childhood in a small town shaped her entrepreneurial spirit.✅ Why she left a finance career for music — and how it led to creating Synthony, a groundbreaking show blending orchestras and electronic music.2025-01-3058 min
TechMatesHow do They Turn Plants into Cars?🌟 Dive into the inspiring journey of Ben, CEO of KiwiFibre! 🌟Join hosts Mark Pavlyukovskyy and Hendrik Remigereau—leveraging their expertise from building successful companies in Silicon Valley and Europe—as they explore the stories of entrepreneurs redefining industries in Australasia. In this episode of TechMates, they uncover Ben’s inspiring journey from hands-on engineering roots to leading KiwiFibre, a company transforming sustainable materials science.Ben shares his vision for a world where natural resources drive innovation and sustainability, with KiwiFibre at the forefront of replacing carbon fiber in products ranging from snowboards to race cars.In this...2025-01-241h 14
TechMatesFlying Boats: the Future of Moving on Water🌟 Dive into the incredible journey of Eric, CEO of Vessev! 🌟Join hosts Mark Pavlyukovskyy and Hendrik Remigereau—leveraging their expertise from building successful companies in Silicon Valley and Europe—as they uncover the inspiring stories of entrepreneurs shaping Australasia. In this episode of TechMates, they explore Eric’s unique path, from leading innovations at Apple to revolutionizing sustainable maritime transport with Vessev.Eric’s story is one of adventure, resilience, and groundbreaking innovation, offering insights into the future of green technology and the fascinating world of electric hydrofoiling vessels.In this episode, Eric shares:✅...2025-01-1654 min
TechMatesTranslating the World's Content into Sign Language with AI🌟 Discover the inspiring journey of Arash Tayebi, Co-Founder of Kara Technologies! 🌟Join hosts Mark Pavlyukovskyy and Hendrik Remigereau—leveraging their experience from building successful companies in Silicon Valley and Europe—as they dive deep into the inspiring personal stories of entrepreneurs shaping Australasia. In this episode of Tech Mates, they explore the fascinating journey of Arash Tayebi. From his humble beginnings in a small Iranian village to becoming a trailblazer in accessibility tech, Arash’s story is a testament to resilience, curiosity, and innovation, offering a powerful reminder to dream big and push boundaries. In this convers...2025-01-131h 03
BoroughLife PodcastCommunity SOS and TechMatesRosie and James are back with another exciting episode! This time, they catch up with Lucy from Wigan Council's Communities teams to talk all about their new Communities SOS project. Then, they speak to Alex about digital inclusion with the team behind the council’s TechMates scheme.As always, you can catch up on our latest news via our social media channels and Borough Life Plus: www.wigan.gov.uk/boroughlifeplus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2024-12-1026 min
RSBC UnseenRSBC TechMates - Episode 1 - Navigating the AI Landscape for the Visually ImpairedWelcome to the very first episode of the TechMates podcast, featuring hosts Alex and Juliette, delving into the fascinating world of technology for visually impaired people.Put simply, it is just 2 mates, having a chat about tech! In this debut episode, they'll explore how artificial intelligence could enhance the daily lives of the VI community, from taking silly photos to the pitfalls of AI. It's an episode you won't want to miss!If you enjoyed TechMates, please let us know by dropping us a review.Be a part of th...2023-11-1431 min
BoroughLife PodcastTechMates, climate change and a 1,000 mile bike rideWe were back in Wigan Town Hall for episode five, talking digital inclusion with the team behind the council’s amazing TechMates scheme. If you know someone who you think would be perfect to pop down to a TechMates tea party, all the details are available here: https://ow.ly/VLuR50OJ88eRosie and James also caught up with Kerrell, our climate change manager, to hear about her role as the council marks World Environment Day in early June. To find out more about the work of Kerrell and...2023-06-0929 min