News & Insights

Rocket Lab: Shooting for the Stars—From Kiwi Backyard to the Global Stage

New Zealand’s engineering tradition has roots in humble workshops and kitchen-table tinkering. It thrives in do-it-yourself cultures where risk-takers transform scrappy ideas into global powerhouses. Step inside Rocket Lab, and you’ll see that ethos on full display. The company has become the third most-frequent rocket launcher in the world, sending satellites into orbit, to the Moon, and Mars. The two launch sites on the the Mahi Peninsula in New Zealand – and the appropriately named Wallops Island, Virginia, USA – have over 50 launches under their belt. The total number of satellites utilising Rocket Lab technology is 1700+.

OpenStar: Building Tomorrow’s Power—Inside OpenStar’s Quest for Fusion Energy

Auckland BioSciences: Empowering Global Health from a Kiwi Lab

They started in a cramped shipping container within a South Auckland abattoir. They ended up with five sites on three continents—shaping the global vaccine and healthcare industries along the way. That, in brief, is the story of Auckland BioSciences. Led by John Chang and supported by family members and a close-knit crew, the company now supplies critical raw materials to vaccine manufacturers around the world.

AgriSea NZ: Harnessing Seaweed to Reimagine Agriculture

For most of us, seaweed might conjure images of kelp-strewn beaches or exotic sushi wraps. But for AgriSea, founded in Paeroa 28 years ago, it’s the key to reinventing farming for the next generation. Led by husband-and-wife team Clare Bradley and Tane Bradley, this family-run enterprise has evolved from a humble fermentation process into a global pioneer—unlocking seaweed’s potential for everything from bio-stimulants to high-tech electronics components.

Reactory: Aging Spirits in Days Instead of Decades

In the world of whiskey, rum, and fine brandy, time has always been the main ingredient—oak barrels sitting in warehouses for up to half a century. Reactory aims to upend that tradition. Founded by Dr. Mark Eltom, Reactory’s technology ages spirits in mere days, delivering award-worthy complexity without the decades-long wait. It sounds like alchemy, but Mark prefers to call it deep tech.

The Pure Food Co: Nourishing the World’s Seniors

For many older adults, mealtime can be a dreaded routine—soggy scrambled eggs day after day. Yet at The Pure Food Co, co-founders Sam Bridgewater and Maia Royal had a radically different vision: provide delicious, clinically robust meals to seniors so they can enjoy their food, not just endure it. If that means rethinking everything from ingredient sourcing to nutrient science, so be it

Enpot: Turning Aluminum Green

A modest workshop in Southland started their operation by crafting wood burners, supplying fireplaces across New Zealand. Over forty years, that family business—Yunca Holdings— continued to grow their export business and quietly expanded to become a key engineering partner for Rio Tinto via the New Zealand Aluminium Smelters (NZAS). Then came EnPot, an innovation aimed at slashing the carbon footprint of aluminium production worldwide. If it feels like an unlikely leap, CEO Karyna Young insists it was just a natural progression.

Dotterel: Reinventing the Microphone, Transforming the Film Industry

Founded by CEO and Co-founder Shaun Edlin, Dotterel took shape when a group of “audio nerds and drone enthusiasts” spotted a gap in the market: microphones built for the modern era rather than constrained by old tech. Their solution? Konos—an 80-element array that can adapt on the fly, capturing crystal-clear sound in noisy or distant situations.

World Economic Forum 2025 Future of Jobs Report

The report identifies skills gaps as the biggest barrier to business transformation, with most of the global workforce requiring reskilling within five years.

Developing a Plan to PowerUP NZ Manufacturing

Minister for Manufacturing Andrew Bayly is collaborating with industry stakeholders to devise a comprehensive strategy for strengthening New Zealand's manufacturing sector.

NZIER Report to ASB - Business Productivity in New Zealand

The report discusses the role of banks in supporting New Zealand's business productivity, noting that domestic start-ups frequently seek overseas investors when scaling.

It's time to hit fast forward

Spark and NZIER unveil a study showing that a 20% increase in advanced digital technology adoption could boost industry output by up to $26 billion over ten years.