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Is coding the new farming? We think so.

mel gollan Jul 31, 2019 2:02:00 PM

The RIP Global office were thrilled to host The Hon. Chris Hipkins, Minister of Education, State Services, and Minister responsible for Ministerial Services and leader of the House.

It was a pleasure to meet with the Minister and discuss the impact a successful, Hi-Technology sector will have on our country economically, socially and environmentally. What we need to do together to future-proof our country.

When the top ten Hi-Tech companies around the world are generating revenues of USD$200-750b, we know we MUST take our seat at the technology table. We MUST muscle up as a country, work as a team, and be committed to getting our country into the lucrative technology game.

What is the New Zealand challenge? Capital, and big customer validation.

Our Hi-Tech exports total NZD$2b. I want NZD$200b, do you?

Most of the big businesses are foreign owned/managed, the hands of the local leaders around technology decisions are pretty much tied – this is why the support from the Labour-led coalition government is critical to building a successful, sustainable exporting machine.

New Zealand has recently slid down the Global Innovation index published by WIPO. This is hugely alarming given technology is the industry of the future – do we have a “hair on fire” problem, about to affect the long term success of our country?

Technology can be built by anyone, anywhere. Wellington, Whangarei, Tolaga Bay or Taupo. University educated or not – technology doesn’t care who you are, or where you’ve come from.

Kiwi’s are just as smart, just as driven, just as ambitious as anyone else. This presents a great opportunity for the Labour-led government to build a framework that supports and promotes NZ Tech innovation to the world.

So let’s imagine if Google was a Kiwi company? What would our communities look like then….?

Coding is the new farming, so let’s #eatwhatwegrow #supportkiwibusiness

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