KāpitiTech: Leveraging NZ Innovation for Global Impact

We are excited to welcome Steve Andreassend (Critical Missions BV) and Kristen Lunman (Powrsuit) on Tuesday, 13th August, for a discussion on leveraging New Zealand innovation for global impact.

Steve, with his extensive background in building a hyperscale cloud service, will delve into leveraging New Zealand’s unique strengths to compete globally, exploring market opportunities abroad, innovation strategies within a multinational context, applying AI, and overcoming the challenges of scaling businesses.

Kristen, a pioneer in the startup ecosystem, will have a casual, no-holds-barred chat on the highs and lows of taking a startup to the world stage. From SaaS startup Wipster's US success to Powrsuit's early learnings, Kristen will share the wins, the fails, and the invaluable lessons learned along the way.

Join us for an insightful breakfast where you’ll:

• Meet others working in tech in Kāpiti
• Gain insights on leveraging New Zealand’s unique strengths and opportunities to compete globally
• Learn about innovation strategies and overcoming growing pains when scaling businesses
• Hear firsthand accounts of the highs and lows faced by successful startups in the global market

If you’re keen to connect and engage in great discussions with others working in tech in Kāpiti, this is the event for you.

We look forward to seeing you there!

About Steve:
Steve Andreassend is a Kiwi with an extensive background across various industries. From building a hyperscale cloud service that now powers a significant portion of the G20, Steve has led organisations worldwide, helping them create, market, sell, deliver, and operate new data-driven products and services. His impressive portfolio includes roles in multinationals such as Oracle and eServGlobal. Currently, Steve runs Critical Missions BV, a Belgium-based advisory firm helping organisations protect and optimise their critical infrastructure, and serves on several advisory boards.

About Kristen:
From a family of entrepreneurs, Kristen is attracted to challenging the status quo. Starting in Canada, Kristen spent over a decade in growth roles. After moving to New Zealand in 2012, her startup journey began with Wipster, a video software as a service solution. More recently, she was the co-founder and CEO of Hatch, an investment app that changed the wealth behaviours of over 200,000 Kiwi. These days, she is one half of the dynamic duo behind Powrsuit - a membership network for women leaders. When she does have spare time, it's spent with her family on the sidelines or on a surfboard.

About KāpitiTech:
KāpitiTech is here to connect the local Kāpiti tech network. Supported by the Kāpiti Coast District Council, we are working to develop the Kāpiti Tech Cluster so that locals in tech can collaborate, share knowledge and grow. If you have ideas, feedback, or would like to learn more, please email us at kapititech@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you!