Deloitte Fast 50 entries open + preparing for changes to pay transparency
PLUS: Rowan Simpson on Business is Boring and robotic guard dogs frighten Finn.
Welcome to mid week!
Happy hump day team. The weather is cold but the startup scene is hot and we love to see it. Mix of news, events and resources today but I’ll be dropping a few interviews I’ve had in the can for a while later this week so keep an eye out for those.
Here’s what’s in your Daily Shot of news you don’t want to miss
25 years of Deloitte fast 50, entries open now
Pay transparency law could be about to change, here’s how to prepare
Event: GD1, Aerospace New Zealand, UCE + Ministry of Awesome Fireside Chat with VXT & Dawn Aerospace
Pod Pick: Business is Boring - How to be Wrong with Rowan Simpson
Robotics company Asylon wrangles $26m Series B
Got a tip, press release or just a comment? Drop us a note: hello@caffeinedaily.co - we love to hear from you.
Finn & the Caffeine team
We’re excited to partner with BNZ. As New Zealand's largest business bank, BNZ shares our mission to support the next wave of founders and operators. Over the coming months, we’ll be working together to share insights, tools, and stories that help you grow smarter and faster. Keep an eye out every Thursday for content powered by BNZ.
25 years of Deloitte Fast 50, entries open now: This year Deloitte celebrates 25 years of the Fast 50. It’s one of the benchmark annual awards recognising epic Kiwi businesses and entrepreneurs who have innovated through challenges, disrupted industries and redefined fast growth. With luminaries like Halter taking out the top spot last year, you’ll be in very good company if your startup ends up on the list.
Entries are open now and close 5pm, 29 August.
Regional celebrations announcing this year’s regional category winners and those businesses that have made it to the indices will be held across the country on 29 October, ahead of the full indices announcements on 27 November.
Enter your business here
How employees discuss pay in the workplace could be about to change, here’s how to prepare: Major changes to how the delicate matter of employee pay discussions are treated in the workplace could be on the way with some upcoming legislation likely to pass into law. The Employment Relations (Employee Remuneration Disclosure) Amendment Bill is currently sailing through Parliament and the bill aims to prevent employers from enforcing pay secrecy clauses in employment contracts, making it legal for employees to openly discuss their salaries without fear of reprisal. The National Party backed the bill at its first reading and signalled during the second reading debate that it would maintain its support, increasing the likelihood that the bill will become law.
Luckily for founders not wanting to read through the entire bill themselves, the team over at Employment Hero have done a lot of the hard work for you.
Sanam Ahmadzadeh Salmani, Employment Counsel at Employment Hero and workplace law commentator highlights three key actions employers should take to prepare:
Conduct a pay review
“Start by reviewing your current pay structures - look for any discrepancies and understand the reasons behind them - whether it's due to role differences, experience or something else. Being proactive here will help you not only stay compliant, but to spot payroll red flags early,” advises Ahmadzadeh Salmani.
Review employment contracts
“Employers should also review employment agreements for any clauses that restrict pay discussions. These might not be labelled as 'pay secrecy' and they could be buried under general confidentiality or remuneration clauses. Having a clear plan of what needs updating now puts you in a better legal position once the Bill is passed,” adds Ahmadzadeh Salmani.
Prepare clear explanations
“Transparency doesn’t stop at removing secrecy clauses. Employers need to be ready to explain how pay is determined and what data or criteria is used, how performance factors in and how employees can progress. This builds trust and reduces confusion or resentment,” she adds.
Employment Hero provides free resources to New Zealand businesses on employment law updates and compliance via its website. The latest resource, including Employee Remuneration Disclosure can be found here.
GD1, Aerospace New Zealand, UCE + Ministry of Awesome Fireside Chat with VXT & Dawn Aerospace: Absolute powerhouse lineup on an event happening down in Christchurch for all those Caffeinators who can’t make our Auckland event happening the same night, I would encourage you to head along to this one.
A fireside conversation featuring Luke Campbell, CEO and Co-founder of VXT, and Stefan Powell, CEO and CTO of Dawn Aerospace. Hear firsthand about their entrepreneurial journeys, key takeaways, and what’s next for two of New Zealand’s most exciting tech startups.
The fireside will be moderated by Mark Rocket, President of Aerospace New Zealand and Founder and CEO of Kea Aerospace.
📌 Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, July 30th
Time: 4:30 PM
Location: John Britten Foyer, University of Canterbury
Sort your tickets here.
Pod Pick: Business is Boring - How to be Wrong with Rowan Simpson: This man has been on an absolute media blitz following the release of his book earlier this year but its not hard to see why he’s got so much pick up - he has more receipts than most for why you should listen to his reckons.
Simpson was on the ground floor at some of New Zealand’s most successful companies, from Trade me to Xero, and his book ‘How to Be Wrong: A Crash Course in Startup Success’ should be required reading for founders. Even if you already checked out Rowan’s interview with us here on Caffeine, definitely listen in as he joins Simon Pound to discuss what startup culture still gets wrong, how stories are told and who gets left out, and why the real impact of startups should be measured far beyond headlines and valuations.. Listen here.
Robotics company Asylon wrangles $26m Series B: Just incase you needed a reminder that the sci fi future we all imagined would be decades away is arriving right now, here’s a picture of a robot guard dog from Asylon, who just closed a mammoth Series B. I’m also learning a new acronym, Robotics as a service’, or RaaS. At least when our new robot overlords are trampling over our ruined cities we will have snappy jargon to hurl at them alongside rocks.
That’s it for today, thanks for reading. Want to get in touch with a news tip, bit of feedback or just to chat? Email hello@caffeinedaily.co
