Startups. Investors. Big ideas.
Auckland Startup Week
NZVC Portfolio Day 2025 is proud to be part of Auckland Startup Week, a celebration of innovation, entrepreneurship, and the vibrant startup ecosystem in Aotearoa. Taking place in the heart of Auckland, this event brings together founders, investors, and tech leaders to showcase the next generation of high-growth New Zealand startups. From October 20–24, we’re partnering with top ecosystem players across the region to celebrate and elevate local innovation.
🗓️ Agenda
Tuesday, 21st October
As one of the key events during Auckland Startup Week 2025, Portfolio Day is your chance to meet early-stage companies, hear their pitches, and connect with the people shaping the future of tech in the region. Whether you're an investor looking for your next opportunity or a startup enthusiast exploring what’s next — this is the event you won't want to miss.
As one of the key events during Auckland Startup Week 2025, Portfolio Day is your chance to meet early-stage companies, hear their pitches, and connect with the people shaping the future of tech in the region. Whether you're an investor looking for your next opportunity or a startup enthusiast exploring what’s next — this is the event you won't want to miss.
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Registration & Welcome Reception
- Coffee, tea, and light snacks
- Informal networking
- Check-in at registration desk
10:00 AM – 10:15 AM
10:00 AM – 10:15 AM
Opening Remarks
- Welcome to NZVC Portfolio Day
- How the ANZ startup ecosystem is changing
- Our thesis: sovereign tech, robotics, AI-native services, human enhancement
10:15 AM – 11:00 AM
10:15 AM – 11:00 AM
From Edge to Epicenter: Building the NZ Innovation Ecosystem
How founders, investors, and institutions are shaping the next decade of ANZ innovation
11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
11:45 PM – 12:00 PM
11:45 PM – 12:00 PM
Break
12:00 AM – 12:45 PM
12:00 AM – 12:45 PM
The Agentic AI Future
12:45 PM – 1:30 PM
12:45 PM – 1:30 PM
Networking Lunch
- Light buffet with NZ cuisine
- Informal investor-founder chats
1:30 PM – 2:15 PM
1:30 PM – 2:15 PM
Fintech Frontiers
Reinventing Money from the Edge of the World
2:15 PM – 3:00 PM
2:15 PM – 3:00 PM
Born Global
Founding from New Zealand to the World
3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Break
3:45 PM – 5 PM
3:45 PM – 5 PM
Scaling from the Edge: NZ’s Global Champions
5:00 PM
5:00 PM
Networking
Speakers
Meet the visionary founders, investors, and innovators shaping the future of tech across Aotearoa and beyond. From AI to climate, crypto to robotics — our keynote speakers bring bold ideas, global experience, and local insight to the stage.
- Mark PavlyukovskyyGeneral Partner at NZVCA serial entrepreneur who exited his first company, Piper, after raising $15M from top-tier investors. Mark arrived in New Zealand as an Edmund Hillary Fellow just before the 2020 lockdown and saw an opportunity to empower Kiwi founders with global ambition.
- Hendrik RemigereauGeneral Partner at NZVCHendrik's venture journey began in Europe, leading the expansion of Founders Intelligence before its acquisition by Accenture. At Merantix, he helped build Europe's leading AI venture studio and co-founded AI House Davos. Now based in Australia, he's passionate about scaling ANZ startups globally.
- Philip FierlingerCo-founder of Upstock, XeroDesign and product leader with 25+ years shaping digital experiences. A co-founder of Xero and now Co-CEO of Upstock, he’s helped build iconic brands and advised top startups across product, growth, and strategy.
- Janine GraingerCo-Founder & CEO at EasyСryptoShe co-founded Easycrypto, which is New Zealand's leading cryptocurrency trading platform, established in 2017. She is a member of the Executive Council for FinTechNZ and recognised as a Women of Web3 Top 10 Changemaker, the Blockchain NZ Stand-Out Individual and Entrepreneur of the Year, and winner of the 2023 IBM Hi-Tech Awards for Inspiring Individual.
- Brad FeldCo-Founder of FoundryBrad is a legendary early-stage investor and author, best known for co-founding Foundry and Techstars. With 30+ years in venture capital, he’s supported hundreds of startups globally. Brad is also a thought leader in startup ecosystems, mental health for founders, and the future of innovation.
- Jovan PavlicevicCo-Founder at EmergeJovan co-founded Emerge, a digital-first business banking alternative for NZ SMEs (backed by a NZ$12m Series A), after earlier founding SquareOne. With deep ties to the Kiwi tech ecosystem, he brings global capital and hands-on support to founders. Previously in San Francisco and Singapore, he now champions NZ innovation on the world stage.
- Anna HenwoodCEO at StickybeakAnna has over 20 years’ experience in marketing and communications across B2C and B2B. She’s led global campaigns from 100% Pure New Zealand to serving as CMO at Les Mills International. Now as CEO of consumer testing platform Stickybeak, she helps FMCG marketers worldwide make smarter, data-driven decisions.
- Ben ScalesCo-Founder & CEO of KiwiFibreBen Scales is the Co-Founder and CEO of KiwiFibre, a New Zealand-based startup developing high-performance natural fiber composites. With a background in sustainable materials and innovation, he is leading the charge to replace carbon-intensive materials with lightweight, eco-friendly alternatives.
- Lane RettigHead of Research at NEAR FoundationLane is an early contributor to Ethereum and founding team member at NEAR Foundation, where he supports the growth of decentralized protocols. With a background in tech and policy, Lane focuses on building open, inclusive systems that empower communities across the blockchain ecosystem.
- Jacques RichterInvestment Director at New Zealand Growth Capital PartnersJacques is an Investment Director responsible for managing our Aspire fund. Jacques obtained experience in consulting engineering in the UK and South Africa before joining a development finance institution. He spent five years in venture capital and industry development roles, pursuing the economic growth and industrial development objectives of the bank.
- Shaun QuinceyCEO & Co-founder SimfuniWith over 17 years of experience working in payments across the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand, Shaun has built and led high-growth payment companies from startups to publicly listed organisations. He is a seasoned financial services entrepreneur with expertise in building and scaling regulated and unregulated solutions for enterprise and early-stage startups. Shaun has a passion for unlocking revenue with seamless customer experiences.
- Nicole FreedCo-Founder of Daisy LabNicole Freed is the Co-Founder of Daisy Lab, a New Zealand startup pioneering precision fermentation for dairy protein production. New Zealand is the world’s largest exporter of dairy proteins, but traditional production comes at a cost to the environment, polluting waterways and generating significant greenhouse gas emissions. Daisy Lab is working to change that—using precision fermentation to create identical dairy proteins without harming land, rivers, or animals.
- Bradley SoDirector at Queen City LawBradley So is an Immigration Law Specialist with a focus on business and investment migration. Over the past two years, he has assisted clients in investing more than $500 million in New Zealand. Passionate about business growth and workforce development, Bradley has helped numerous companies expand their migrant workforce and frequently presents at seminars and New Zealand law conferences on a wide range of immigration topics.
- Steph KennardFounder, Bonnet / Charlie & CoSteph Kennard is a self-taught designer and web/app engineer, and the CEO & founder of Charlie & Co, a creative agency known for building industry-leading digital products.
Her latest venture, Bonnet, is a groundbreaking vehicle service platform connecting car owners and dealerships through an intuitive app and desktop system. Within three weeks of launch, Bonnet became New Zealand’s #1 app and now manages over 60,000 vehicles nationwide. - Jeremy BryantFounder and CTO at Aimer FarmingJeremy Bryant is an experienced AgTech software leader and strategist. He founded Aimer Farming, the company behind AIMER, an AI-enabled digital assistant for pastoral farms, and AIMER Vision, a smartphone-based pasture measurement tool.
He has deep expertise in machine learning and simulation, with extensive experience applying both supervised and unsupervised learning methods, as well as developing process-based and hybrid analytical simulation models. - Dermot ButterfieldCEO & Founder at Wych LimitedDermot Butterfield is the Founder & CEO of Wych, a New Zealand-based open financial data platform.
Originally from Limerick, Ireland, he relocated to Auckland and in 2018 launched Wych to simplify and secure the way organizations access customer-permissioned financial data.
Under his leadership, Wych has integrated with over 140 CDR (Consumer Data Right) data providers and operates in both Australia and New Zealand. - Steven ZinsliCEO - ExtraordinarySteven Zinsli is the Founder & CEO of Extraordinary (formerly HealthNow), a company revolutionizing how organizations manage non-payroll employee benefits.
Under his leadership, Extraordinary issues a specialized employee card that lets staff access benefits—such as health, transport, or wellness—without reimbursements or gift cards. - Erika PalmerFounder at CuplaErika Palmer is a co-founder of Cupla, a relationship app designed to help couples manage shared schedules, communicate, and plan quality time.
Before Cupla, she founded Synthony, a music concept and stage show business, and held roles in finance and analytics (e.g. FP&A at Movio).
Erika holds degrees in accounting and management and is a Chartered Accountant. - Leighton RobertsCo-Founder & Co-CEO at SharesiesHe began his investment journey at age 17, running a small investment club, before moving into banking and product management roles.
Under his leadership, Sharesies has grown rapidly — serving over half a million users in NZ, expanding into Australia, and emphasizing ease of access, education, and inclusion in investing. - Amos PalfreymanCo-Founder & CEO at MirukuAmos drives corporate strategy, building dairy proteins via plant-based molecular farming and partnerships across the alt-protein ecosystem. His extensive international networks and outstanding ability to build and maintain relationships enable Amos to open doors, establish and complete core partnerships key to our efficient B2B business model.
- David YuCEO at VeVeDavid Yu, a 27-year veteran of the games and collectibles industry, founded Games R Us at 17 and later co-founded VeVe in 2018 — now the world leader in digital collectibles with over 9 million sales.
Under his leadership, VeVe has partnered with top global brands like Disney, Marvel, DC, and Star Wars, offering an immersive AR-based collecting experience through its app and marketplace. - Penelope BartonCEO at Crimson Global AcademyPenelope Barton is an EdTech leader and a self-described magpie for productivity tools. She builds and scales organizations at the intersection of technology, impact, and people. Believing that ideas are easy but execution is hard, Penelope focuses on reducing complexity, developing high-performing teams, and designing systems that empower people to focus on what truly matters.
- Jamie FranceFounder at Newton SpaceJamie France is a seasoned engineering and manufacturing leader with extensive experience taking cutting-edge prototypes to production. Passionate about developing people and teams, he focuses on enabling efficient and purposeful execution. Jamie seeks to work with ambitious companies that aim to make a positive impact on the world and view their staff as their most valuable asset.
Inspiring Keynotes & Panels
Hear from global venture capital experts and successful founders about the future of innovation and startup ecosystems.
Meet Our Incredible Portfolio Founders
Connect directly with the entrepreneurs shaping the future of technology and business in ANZ.
Networking Opportunities
Build relationships with top investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders driving the next wave of innovation
📍 Location
Join us on October 21st, 2025, at Pipiri Lane, Auckland, for an exclusive event showcasing the most promising startups in ANZ.
NZVC is proud to support the next generation of New Zealand founders through capital, community, and visibility.
By hosting events like Portfolio Day during Auckland Startup Week, we help amplify the stories of ambitious local entrepreneurs to a broader national and global audience.
By hosting events like Portfolio Day during Auckland Startup Week, we help amplify the stories of ambitious local entrepreneurs to a broader national and global audience.
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this exciting day—apply today!
FAQ
We’ve gathered the most common queries about the event, from what to expect on the day to who should attend. Whether you're an investor, founder, or ecosystem supporter, this FAQ will help you get the most out of your experience.
Portfolio Day 2025 takes place on Tuesday, October 21, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, in central Auckland. It’s part of Auckland Startup Week 2025, running from October 20–24.
Portfolio Day is NZVC’s flagship event that showcases a handpicked group of early-stage startups from across New Zealand. Founders present their companies to an audience of venture capitalists, angel investors, corporates, and ecosystem leaders.
Investors scouting pre-seed and seed-stage opportunities
Corporate innovators looking for strategic partnerships
Fellow founders seeking community and inspiration
Ecosystem supporters who want to connect with NZ’s next generation of startups
Corporate innovators looking for strategic partnerships
Fellow founders seeking community and inspiration
Ecosystem supporters who want to connect with NZ’s next generation of startups
Startups span a range of sectors, including:
- SaaS
- Deeptech
- Sustainability & Climate
- Fintech etc.
The day includes:
- Startup pitches
- Fireside chats and panels with leading investors
- Networking sessions
- Informal founder–investor conversations
Our inaugural Portfolio Day 2022 featured 15 startups and over 120 attendees.
Several founders went on to raise additional capital, hire new teams, and land key partnerships. Check out the 2022 recap here.
Several founders went on to raise additional capital, hire new teams, and land key partnerships. Check out the 2022 recap here.
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