Kia ora,
He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata
What is the most important thing in the world? It is the people, it is the people, it is the people.
As a member of NZTech Group, EdTechNZ’s strategy is built on three key pillars: Connect, Promote, and Advance. At the heart of these pillars are people, because it is people who make the pillars stand and sustain. Therefore, the main focus of this newsletter is on how we connect with people and promote their passions and visions.
May is a special month in NZTech’s annual calendar, marked by its biggest event of the year: Techweek25. In this edition, I’ll highlight three events I attended that fostered meaningful connections within both local and global EdTech communities.
Asia After Five with Southeast Asian Tech Entrepreneurs
This event was jointly organised by the Asia New Zealand Foundation and the ASEAN New Zealand Business Council to welcome the ASEAN Young Business Leaders Initiative (YBLI) delegation who are tech entrepreneurs from Southeast Asia. This year, the delegation featured a strong presence of EdTech founders. I had the pleasure of engaging in insightful conversations with them. They were:
- Thang Pham (Mamibabi, Vietnam)
- Dr. Darren Gouk (AOne, Malaysia)
- Tanpong Sukhonpanich (FutureSkill, Thailand)
- Yen Nguyen (Quickcom, Vietnam)
These inspiring entrepreneurs are building technologies that support parenting, learning management, and online/hybrid education.
The Secrets of Scale: How Kiwi Tech Companies Are Conquering Global Markets
Sponsored by Airwallex, this panel discussion delivered powerful insights from tech entrepreneurs who have successfully expanded into overseas markets. Key messages included:
- Removing financial friction
- The importance of having boots on the ground
- Culture as the secret ingredient to international success
- Building and scaling the right team
These lessons highlighted the practical and cultural strategies that underpin global growth for Kiwi tech companies.
Cracking the Code: Startup Skills That Get You Hired
Last, but by no means least, was a dynamic event where EdTech business and network founders Madelize Bekker, Tim Haynes, and Dean Watson shared their insights with students and tech enthusiasts. They spoke about the essential skills and mindsets needed to succeed in a tech startup, as well as the kind of culture startups should foster to thrive.
This event was proudly sponsored by VietTechNZ and AUT’s School of Computer and Information Sciences.
There were many other events during Techweek25 that helped strengthen connections between tech businesses and other key sectors, including government, educational institutions, and tech professionals. EdTechNZ remains committed to supporting its members in connecting, promoting, and advancing their businesses, both locally and globally, throughout the year.
Save the Date! Founders Day 2025
We’re excited to announce that this year’s EdTech Founders Day will take place on Saturday, 13 September in Auckland CBD.
Keep an eye out for your official invitation and registration details – we’re aiming to send these out in the first week of July.
If you’re planning to attend from outside Auckland, please note that the event will begin around 9am on Saturday. We recommend arriving on Friday if possible. There will be an optional informal networking session and dinner on Friday evening for those who are interested. The day will wrap up by 4pm, allowing time for evening flights out of Auckland.
We can’t wait to see you there!
IT Internship Opportunities – Host an AIS Student
Looking to support future tech talent? EdTechNZ member Auckland Institute of Studies (AIS) is seeking companies to host IT student interns. Flexible internship options are available, with no payment required.
For details or to view student CVs, contact Rakesh Kumar at rakeshk@ais.ac.nz.
A note about me
For those who don’t know me yet, my name is Truman Pham, and I’m a member of EdTechNZ’s Executive Council. I lead a Council’s working group dedicated to helping New Zealand EdTech businesses develop partnerships for export. In addition to this, I am also a Learning Designer in the Assessment Design team at The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand.
You can connect with me and learn more about my work here.
Ngā manaakitanga,
Truman Pham
EdTechNZ Executive Council
Read full news here: Connecting with local communities and global networks | June Newsletter
