Latest stories
Pivot Reports Episode 2 - Hack the crisis
Kiwi business owners share their experiences with new ways of working before and during Alert Level 4. Episode 2 featuring Greg Cross (Soul Machines) and Lou Evans (COIN South).
Spark Lab Pivot Reports
New Zealand business owners share their experiences and insights around new ways of working before and during Alert Level 4.
Watch Katy Barfield of Yume Food
Hear the founder of Yume Foods, Katy Barfield, talk about the power of people in a tech-focused world.
Hear from Charles Adler, Kickstarter
Charles Adler is a founding partner of Kickstarter and the driving force behind Lost Arts, a start-up that’s equal parts community and creativity. As one of five seminal speakers at Spark's Future of the Future event in August, Charles spoke on everything from belief to optimism to technology.
Hear from Ana Arriola, Microsoft
Ana Arriola was one of five speakers at Spark Lab's Future of the Future event in August. She spoke on ubiety, optimism, artificial intelligence, the Alpha generation and ethical challenges for social media and information outlets.
Hear from Carla Cammilla Hjort, SPACE10
As co-founder and vision director of SPACE10, Carla Cammilla Hjort understands how to challenge big name companies like IKEA to make a more sustainable future.
Hear from Bruce Mau, Massive Change
As creator of Massive Change Network, Bruce Mau is at the forefront of design and the future of how we work.
Hear from Ivy Ross, Google
As Vice President, Design for Hardware Products at Google, Ivy's ethos is all about humanistic design - design that feels part of a lifestyle, woven into nature.
Decoding digital in Rotorua
We took a look at the Spark Lab Digital Workshop in Rotorua, at the day’s biggest outtakes, and explored how these workshops are helping Kiwi SMEs face an ever-changing digital landscape.
Frances Valintine's global wrap up podcast
Frances Valintine is Spark Lab Futures Advisor, and this is her quarterly wrap-up of the biggest global trends shaping the world of work.
Demystifying the Internet of Things
Russell Brown discusses why we've been hearing a lot about The Internet of Things in the past year or two. What is it and why is it important?
IoT podcast series
In this podcast series, Russell Brown and tech experts talk about the internet of things and how it's changing everything, everywhere. Listen now on Spark Lab.
Frances Valintine on the rise of the gig economy
The gig economy offers an opportunity for businesses to create new models of hiring, and new ways of thinking about employment that appeal to those seeking more flexibility in their work.
Emirates Team New Zealand
Emirates Team New Zealand is exploring how 5G will give them an edge on the water. Watch the full interview with David Farrier.
Frances Valintine reflects on 2019's first quarter
Futurist and Spark Lab Partner Frances Valintine takes stock of the business world, reflecting on advances while challenging assumptions.
Paymark
Paymark is developing a new 5G powered cloud-based payment platform that will unlock the next generation of payment capabilities. Watch the full interview with David Farrier.
The Patience Project
The Patience Project helps children undergoing long-term treatment connect to the classroom. 5G has the potential to enhance this. Watch the full story.
Ohmio
Ohmio was the first NZ business to test the technical capabilities of 5G. Now they're exploring how Spark's 5G could enhance their products and experiences.
Lindsay Cowley on Agile transformation
Spark's Agile implementation consultant discusses the move to Agile. See if your business is ready to adopt Agile ways of working.
Five ways IoT will change business
Th internet of things is changing the workplace, making businesses more efficient and transparent. Here are five ways IoT can give you an edge.
Preventing data theft in your business
What would happen if someone outside your business got hold of your data? Read our six tips for preventing data theft in your organisation.
Frances Valintine on the generation opportunity
Educational Futurist Frances Valintine weighs in on what businesses can learn from young people in the workforce and what this means for the future of work.
Cameron Bagrie on data security
Cameron Bagrie has been an economist for 20 years. Read his take on data security for businesses.
Frith Wilson-Hughes on social media presence
Your social media presence depends on curating your content. Follow these tips to determine the best message to represent your brand.
Four tips for increasing Facebook engagement
Facebook changed its News Feed algorithm in 2018. Here are a few ideas for making your Facebook posts do more work for your business.
Email newsletter dos and don'ts
Many successful businesses use email newsletters to connect with their customers. Here's a list of dos and don'ts for creating effective email newsletters.
Five website must-haves
It’s never been easier to create your own website, but making a good website is the challenge. Here are five must-haves for building your business website.
Data security blind spots
For businesses, good data security is more than updating your anti-virus software. Here are some digital security tips from Spark Lab.
Switching off in a digital world
It might not seem possible to leave work behind. Here are some tips for taking a real holiday while running your own business.
Simplifying the cloud
Talk about the cloud is everywhere. But just what is the cloud, and how does it matter for your business?
Taking risks is key to navigating business disruption - Cameron Bagrie
Kiwi small to medium-sized businesses need to take a few risks to get their edge in an age of disruption. Spark Lab partner Cameron Bagrie weighs in on what issues are facing New Zealand businesses and how to deal with change.
Five fundamentals for securing information
Information security is a top priorities for business. We look at five concepts related to protecting information.
Protect yourself against cyber security threats
See how to protect your company from ransomware, phishing and other cyberattacks.
Dr Claire Barber on AI & automation
How can businesses anticipate and adapt to AI and automation? Watch Claire speak about these topics and how they're shaping the future of work.
Josh Bahlman on cyber security for big business
Josh Bahlman is a cyber security specialist with 20+ years’ experience of staying one step ahead of cyber crime. Here he shares his top tips for businesses.
Frances Valintine on the future of business
Hear from Frances, a leading innovator, futurist and founder of Tech Futures Lab. She discusses the biggest challenges of a rapidly changing world.
Lisa King from Eat My Lunch on starting a movement
Lisa shares her experience of starting a movement and the challenges of maintaining momentum as the business scales.
James Kemp on digital business mentorship
The use of digital technology is synonymous with running a business. Listen to James Kemp on how to drive results with digital marketing.
Wendy Thompson on Start Social
As a future-focused business leader, Wendy knows what it takes for businesses to be successful in a digital environment.
Lemonade vs Lemonade: A social experiment
How much difference does social media make to the success of a business? Watch the video to find out.
Uber's Erik Klimczak on autonomous cars
Eric and his Uber product design team are creating new fusions of tech, data and design to make transportation more reliable, affordable and driverless.
Facebook's Ana Arriola on displaced perception
Facebook's Ana Arriola has been immersed in product design for nearly two decades, creating experiences that are human, simple and authentic.
Makaia Carr on social media & MotivateMe
The founder of MotivateMe, Makaia, talks about how she uses Facebook to build her businesses. She recommends developing an online personality.
How today’s tools make marketing ROI calculation easier than ever
The words ‘return on investment’ roll off the tongue so easily, but quantifying the advertising spend results can be challenging. Here’s how to do it.
How to leverage social media marketing for your business
Here’s how to use social media marketing to build brand awareness, gain more engaged customers and develop stronger customer loyalty.
Three ways to stay ahead of digital disruption
Today, digital technology is the primary agent of disruption. Will your industry be the next to be "Uberised"? Read for useful tips for your business.
How to develop a social media plan
Our simple pragmatic approach will help you create a plan that doesn't sit on the shelf gathering dust, but helps you get the results you want.
Nine tips to improve your work-life balance
With 24/7 connectivity, how do you create a balance between work and life? We asked some busy people for tips on how best to deal with technology.
As a service explained, with a squeeze of lemon
What's "as-a-service"? Here’s a quick, Kiwi-flavoured guide to share with colleagues.
How superdiversity can give your business an edge
With superdiversity, businesses need to expand their thinking beyond traditional Kiwi audiences. We speak with three people at the forefront of inclusion.
Movio's Will Palmer on creating a niche
Will Palmer, founder of Movio, talks about going global by focusing on finding a niche within a niche.
Using a third party to manage social media
Mastering social media marketing is often not as simple as it may seem at first glance and driving the best possible return on investment takes both time and experience.
Supporting education in your community
Spark Jump brings heavily subsidised broadband to school-age children whose families can’t afford commercial home broadband services.
Colart Miles on changing the game
Colart Miles from Velox Innovation discusses how to speed up innovation in the face of unstoppable change, and explains the importance of creating capacity.
Simone Iles on decoding the digital landscape
Watch Simone Iles from Asia Pacific Digital (APD). In this video, she discusses the six behaviours of truly digital organisations.
Google's Reuben Halper on culture & innovation
Reuben explains how Google’s success is enabled by continuous iteration. Google culture disregards "the impossible" to drive staff engagement and action.
Wendy Thompson on social media for your business
Wendy from Socialites answers some pressing social media questions in this Q&A workshop.
Dr Mike Ashby on upping the ante
More than settling for a good idea, you can learn how to pursue great ideas. Watch Mike from The Breakthrough Company speak about risk and returns.
Ling Hou on building a culture of security
We’re seeing new data and security breaches nearly every day. Read how information security starts with people and business culture.
Jenene Crossan on taking start-ups to the next level
Entrepreneur Jenene Crossan shares stories and tips on fundraising. She suggests creating a plan with an 18-month roadmap.
Dame Rosanne Meo on social responsibility
In this video, Dame Meo discusses the importance of social awareness to both business and communities in New Zealand.
Brendon King on VR for business
Brendon King from Immersify demystifies the world of VR and describes the best application of VR, AR and mixed reality in specific business sectors.
Xero's Anna Curzon on cloud services for SMEs
Xero's Anna Curzon outlines the top three factors for a successful business: efficiency, a partner, and a plan.
Vaughan Fergusson on today's changing world
Vaughan Fergusson is the founder of Vend. Here he discusses the never-ending future of tech, including VR, AR and AI, and its role in education.
Carmen Vicelich on disrupting with data
Carmen Vicelich from Valocity looks at how data is driving exponential business change – and how to encourage customers to share data.
Dr Michelle Dickinson on disrupting geekiness
Michelle, also known as Nanogirl, discusses introverts, extroverts and ambiverts in the workplace.
Ido Leffler on the awesome cause
Ido Leffler is a successful American entrepreneur and businessman. In this video, he talks about the benefits of building social enterprises.
Kaila Colbin on the exponential wave of change
Kaila talks about the future of technology and exponential growth. She considers how this growth is impacting jobs and industries.
Alan Brannigan on gearing up to go global
Vigil Monitoring's CEO Alan discusses the opportunities and challenges for NZ disruptors in health care, especially in the midst of globalisation.
Glenn Andert on defending against disruption
Hear from Glenn Andert from Creative HQ on how exponential technology is disrupting industries.
Sunny Bates on why you should get out more
Sunny Bates discusses networking and the benefits of meeting more people.
James Hurman on the world's best
James from Previously Unavailable examines why some of the world’s biggest companies are also the most innovative.
Colart Miles & Nick Williamson on Lean & Agile
Colart and Nick explain what Lean and Agile really mean and give examples of these methodologies.
Josh Robb on people & leadership
How to build a high-performing team: Josh Robb from PushPay talks about the importance of alignment and empathy when recruiting.
Tomorrow’s CFO: strategist and innovator
CFO's roles are changing from finance controllers to innovators. For many, these new duties will require new skill sets to keep pace with changing demands.
Pivot Reports Episode 2 - Hack the crisis
Kiwi business owners share their experiences with new ways of working before and during Alert Level 4. Episode 2 featuring Greg Cross (Soul Machines) and Lou Evans (COIN South).
Spark Lab Pivot Reports
New Zealand business owners share their experiences and insights around new ways of working before and during Alert Level 4.
Watch Katy Barfield of Yume Food
Hear the founder of Yume Foods, Katy Barfield, talk about the power of people in a tech-focused world.
Hear from Charles Adler, Kickstarter
Charles Adler is a founding partner of Kickstarter and the driving force behind Lost Arts, a start-up that’s equal parts community and creativity. As one of five seminal speakers at Spark's Future of the Future event in August, Charles spoke on everything from belief to optimism to technology.
Hear from Ana Arriola, Microsoft
Ana Arriola was one of five speakers at Spark Lab's Future of the Future event in August. She spoke on ubiety, optimism, artificial intelligence, the Alpha generation and ethical challenges for social media and information outlets.
Hear from Carla Cammilla Hjort, SPACE10
As co-founder and vision director of SPACE10, Carla Cammilla Hjort understands how to challenge big name companies like IKEA to make a more sustainable future.
Hear from Bruce Mau, Massive Change
As creator of Massive Change Network, Bruce Mau is at the forefront of design and the future of how we work.
Hear from Ivy Ross, Google
As Vice President, Design for Hardware Products at Google, Ivy's ethos is all about humanistic design - design that feels part of a lifestyle, woven into nature.
Decoding digital in Rotorua
We took a look at the Spark Lab Digital Workshop in Rotorua, at the day’s biggest outtakes, and explored how these workshops are helping Kiwi SMEs face an ever-changing digital landscape.
Frances Valintine's global wrap up podcast
Frances Valintine is Spark Lab Futures Advisor, and this is her quarterly wrap-up of the biggest global trends shaping the world of work.
Demystifying the Internet of Things
Russell Brown discusses why we've been hearing a lot about The Internet of Things in the past year or two. What is it and why is it important?
IoT podcast series
In this podcast series, Russell Brown and tech experts talk about the internet of things and how it's changing everything, everywhere. Listen now on Spark Lab.
Frances Valintine on the rise of the gig economy
The gig economy offers an opportunity for businesses to create new models of hiring, and new ways of thinking about employment that appeal to those seeking more flexibility in their work.
Emirates Team New Zealand
Emirates Team New Zealand is exploring how 5G will give them an edge on the water. Watch the full interview with David Farrier.
Frances Valintine reflects on 2019's first quarter
Futurist and Spark Lab Partner Frances Valintine takes stock of the business world, reflecting on advances while challenging assumptions.
Paymark
Paymark is developing a new 5G powered cloud-based payment platform that will unlock the next generation of payment capabilities. Watch the full interview with David Farrier.
The Patience Project
The Patience Project helps children undergoing long-term treatment connect to the classroom. 5G has the potential to enhance this. Watch the full story.
Ohmio
Ohmio was the first NZ business to test the technical capabilities of 5G. Now they're exploring how Spark's 5G could enhance their products and experiences.
Lindsay Cowley on Agile transformation
Spark's Agile implementation consultant discusses the move to Agile. See if your business is ready to adopt Agile ways of working.
Five ways IoT will change business
Th internet of things is changing the workplace, making businesses more efficient and transparent. Here are five ways IoT can give you an edge.
Preventing data theft in your business
What would happen if someone outside your business got hold of your data? Read our six tips for preventing data theft in your organisation.
Frances Valintine on the generation opportunity
Educational Futurist Frances Valintine weighs in on what businesses can learn from young people in the workforce and what this means for the future of work.
Cameron Bagrie on data security
Cameron Bagrie has been an economist for 20 years. Read his take on data security for businesses.
Frith Wilson-Hughes on social media presence
Your social media presence depends on curating your content. Follow these tips to determine the best message to represent your brand.
Four tips for increasing Facebook engagement
Facebook changed its News Feed algorithm in 2018. Here are a few ideas for making your Facebook posts do more work for your business.
Email newsletter dos and don'ts
Many successful businesses use email newsletters to connect with their customers. Here's a list of dos and don'ts for creating effective email newsletters.
Five website must-haves
It’s never been easier to create your own website, but making a good website is the challenge. Here are five must-haves for building your business website.
Data security blind spots
For businesses, good data security is more than updating your anti-virus software. Here are some digital security tips from Spark Lab.
Switching off in a digital world
It might not seem possible to leave work behind. Here are some tips for taking a real holiday while running your own business.
Simplifying the cloud
Talk about the cloud is everywhere. But just what is the cloud, and how does it matter for your business?
Taking risks is key to navigating business disruption - Cameron Bagrie
Kiwi small to medium-sized businesses need to take a few risks to get their edge in an age of disruption. Spark Lab partner Cameron Bagrie weighs in on what issues are facing New Zealand businesses and how to deal with change.
Five fundamentals for securing information
Information security is a top priorities for business. We look at five concepts related to protecting information.
Protect yourself against cyber security threats
See how to protect your company from ransomware, phishing and other cyberattacks.
Dr Claire Barber on AI & automation
How can businesses anticipate and adapt to AI and automation? Watch Claire speak about these topics and how they're shaping the future of work.
Josh Bahlman on cyber security for big business
Josh Bahlman is a cyber security specialist with 20+ years’ experience of staying one step ahead of cyber crime. Here he shares his top tips for businesses.
Frances Valintine on the future of business
Hear from Frances, a leading innovator, futurist and founder of Tech Futures Lab. She discusses the biggest challenges of a rapidly changing world.
Lisa King from Eat My Lunch on starting a movement
Lisa shares her experience of starting a movement and the challenges of maintaining momentum as the business scales.
James Kemp on digital business mentorship
The use of digital technology is synonymous with running a business. Listen to James Kemp on how to drive results with digital marketing.
Wendy Thompson on Start Social
As a future-focused business leader, Wendy knows what it takes for businesses to be successful in a digital environment.
Lemonade vs Lemonade: A social experiment
How much difference does social media make to the success of a business? Watch the video to find out.
Uber's Erik Klimczak on autonomous cars
Eric and his Uber product design team are creating new fusions of tech, data and design to make transportation more reliable, affordable and driverless.
Facebook's Ana Arriola on displaced perception
Facebook's Ana Arriola has been immersed in product design for nearly two decades, creating experiences that are human, simple and authentic.
Makaia Carr on social media & MotivateMe
The founder of MotivateMe, Makaia, talks about how she uses Facebook to build her businesses. She recommends developing an online personality.
How today’s tools make marketing ROI calculation easier than ever
The words ‘return on investment’ roll off the tongue so easily, but quantifying the advertising spend results can be challenging. Here’s how to do it.
How to leverage social media marketing for your business
Here’s how to use social media marketing to build brand awareness, gain more engaged customers and develop stronger customer loyalty.
Three ways to stay ahead of digital disruption
Today, digital technology is the primary agent of disruption. Will your industry be the next to be "Uberised"? Read for useful tips for your business.
How to develop a social media plan
Our simple pragmatic approach will help you create a plan that doesn't sit on the shelf gathering dust, but helps you get the results you want.
Nine tips to improve your work-life balance
With 24/7 connectivity, how do you create a balance between work and life? We asked some busy people for tips on how best to deal with technology.
As a service explained, with a squeeze of lemon
What's "as-a-service"? Here’s a quick, Kiwi-flavoured guide to share with colleagues.
How superdiversity can give your business an edge
With superdiversity, businesses need to expand their thinking beyond traditional Kiwi audiences. We speak with three people at the forefront of inclusion.
Movio's Will Palmer on creating a niche
Will Palmer, founder of Movio, talks about going global by focusing on finding a niche within a niche.
Using a third party to manage social media
Mastering social media marketing is often not as simple as it may seem at first glance and driving the best possible return on investment takes both time and experience.
Supporting education in your community
Spark Jump brings heavily subsidised broadband to school-age children whose families can’t afford commercial home broadband services.
Colart Miles on changing the game
Colart Miles from Velox Innovation discusses how to speed up innovation in the face of unstoppable change, and explains the importance of creating capacity.
Simone Iles on decoding the digital landscape
Watch Simone Iles from Asia Pacific Digital (APD). In this video, she discusses the six behaviours of truly digital organisations.
Google's Reuben Halper on culture & innovation
Reuben explains how Google’s success is enabled by continuous iteration. Google culture disregards "the impossible" to drive staff engagement and action.
Wendy Thompson on social media for your business
Wendy from Socialites answers some pressing social media questions in this Q&A workshop.
Dr Mike Ashby on upping the ante
More than settling for a good idea, you can learn how to pursue great ideas. Watch Mike from The Breakthrough Company speak about risk and returns.
Ling Hou on building a culture of security
We’re seeing new data and security breaches nearly every day. Read how information security starts with people and business culture.
Jenene Crossan on taking start-ups to the next level
Entrepreneur Jenene Crossan shares stories and tips on fundraising. She suggests creating a plan with an 18-month roadmap.
Dame Rosanne Meo on social responsibility
In this video, Dame Meo discusses the importance of social awareness to both business and communities in New Zealand.
Brendon King on VR for business
Brendon King from Immersify demystifies the world of VR and describes the best application of VR, AR and mixed reality in specific business sectors.
Xero's Anna Curzon on cloud services for SMEs
Xero's Anna Curzon outlines the top three factors for a successful business: efficiency, a partner, and a plan.
Vaughan Fergusson on today's changing world
Vaughan Fergusson is the founder of Vend. Here he discusses the never-ending future of tech, including VR, AR and AI, and its role in education.
Carmen Vicelich on disrupting with data
Carmen Vicelich from Valocity looks at how data is driving exponential business change – and how to encourage customers to share data.
Dr Michelle Dickinson on disrupting geekiness
Michelle, also known as Nanogirl, discusses introverts, extroverts and ambiverts in the workplace.
Ido Leffler on the awesome cause
Ido Leffler is a successful American entrepreneur and businessman. In this video, he talks about the benefits of building social enterprises.
Kaila Colbin on the exponential wave of change
Kaila talks about the future of technology and exponential growth. She considers how this growth is impacting jobs and industries.
Alan Brannigan on gearing up to go global
Vigil Monitoring's CEO Alan discusses the opportunities and challenges for NZ disruptors in health care, especially in the midst of globalisation.
Glenn Andert on defending against disruption
Hear from Glenn Andert from Creative HQ on how exponential technology is disrupting industries.
Sunny Bates on why you should get out more
Sunny Bates discusses networking and the benefits of meeting more people.
James Hurman on the world's best
James from Previously Unavailable examines why some of the world’s biggest companies are also the most innovative.
Colart Miles & Nick Williamson on Lean & Agile
Colart and Nick explain what Lean and Agile really mean and give examples of these methodologies.
Josh Robb on people & leadership
How to build a high-performing team: Josh Robb from PushPay talks about the importance of alignment and empathy when recruiting.
Tomorrow’s CFO: strategist and innovator
CFO's roles are changing from finance controllers to innovators. For many, these new duties will require new skill sets to keep pace with changing demands.
Find out how we can help your business