Why New Zealand Will Become a Technology Utopia

March 2025 by Robbie Paul posted in Startups, CEO, Technology, Growth

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From Aotearoa to America: Successes and Lessons, Part 1

March 2025 by Barnaby Marshall posted in Startups, Founders, Community

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Expanding to the US is a major step for any Kiwi startup. Many of our portfolio companies have taken the leap—some have succeeded, and all have learned valuable (and sometimes expensive) lessons.

To help the next generation of founders navigate this journey, I set out to interview six of our portfolio companies about their experiences expanding into the US. While there are common themes, each story offers its own unique insights.

Over the coming weeks, I’ll be publishing anonymised stories from these companies, sharing real-world lessons on strategy, hiring, market validation, and execution. At the end of the series, I’ll post a summary capturing the most common learnings and pitfalls founders should be aware of when entering the US market.

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The Value of Values

February 2025 by Barnaby Marshall posted in Startups, Founders, Community

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So we’re all on the same page—company values are the fundamental beliefs and core principles that shape a company’s actions, decision-making, company culture, and brand identity.

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How to Raise $10m in 2025

February 2025 by Barnaby Marshall posted in Startups, Founders, Community

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Despite some of the doomsday commentary about both the NZ economy and VC investing habits in 2024 compared to 2021, there is plenty of capital looking for high-quality investment opportunities.

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More Startups Die of Indigestion Than Starvation: The Importance of Focus and your Anti-Strategy

January 2025 by Barnaby Marshall posted in Startups, Founders, Community

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It’s said that more companies die of indigestion than starvation—meaning they get distracted by shiny new opportunities, spreading focus too thin to be effective.

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Big losses and bigger wins of 2024

December 2024 by Robbie Paul posted in Funds, Startups, CEO, Technology, Growth

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The New Zealand Startup 2024 Year in Review
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Designed by Apple in California

October 2024 by Robbie Paul posted in Funds, Startups, CEO, Technology, Growth

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I'm excited to share that Pie Funds has invested $10m into Growth Fund II, bringing us to $98m of our $100m target. Their investment supports my case that the next Apple should be built from New Zealand. That may sound far-fetched so here are the reasons why it is possible.
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Startup Blueprint: Hanie Yee, CCO and Chief of Staff at Alimetry

October 2024 by Michaela Egbers posted in Startups, Founders, CEO

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The Startup Blueprint series shares insights from the founders and operators building companies & ideas defining what the world could become. Hear about their journeys, learn from their insights, and maybe leave with a dose of inspiration. 

A sit down with Hanie Yee, CCO and Chief of Staff at Alimetry. With 23 years in HealthTech across biotech, pharma, and medical devices, Hanie joined Alimetry to lead commercialisation efforts for their AI-powered gut health wearable. In this interview, she discusses the shift from corporate to startup, building a go-to-market strategy, and the potential global impact of Kiwi-led healthcare innovation.
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Reflections on Tradify and the Venture Ecosystem

October 2024 by Robbie Paul posted in Startups, CEO, Growth, Community

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Read the 7 reflections from Icehouse Ventures CEO Robbie Paul, following Tradify's impending acquisition by Access Group.
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10 Key Takeaways from our Growth Fund I Annual Report

September 2024 by Robbie Paul posted in Startups, CEO, Growth, Community

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Read the 10 key takeaways from Icehouse Ventures CEO Robbie Paul, following the release of our Growth Fund I Annual Report. 
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