Good morning Caffeinators,
Read on to take a sneak peek at what’s coming from Caffeine in the coming week + part two in our Startup 101 video series with Vanta.
If you’ve got a story, press release, interview to pitch or just want to tell me I’m wrong about something - send it over to finn@caffeinedaily.co
If you’re interested in working with Caffeine as a partner, flick Georgia an email on: georgia@caffeinedaily.co
Have a great weekend, look after each other, and we’ll see you next week.
Finn and the CAFFEINE team
Startup 101: How does compliance work at scale?
For many founders, the word “compliance” conjures images of endless paperwork, bureaucratic red tape, and a drain on precious resources that could be better spent on innovation and growth.
But what if compliance, far from being a drag, was actually the unlock to your startup’s biggest ambitions? That’s the bet Vanta is making. They are on a mission to make compliance accessible and efficient for the next generation of disruptive startups.
To help break down the essentials, Caffeine sat down with GRC Subject Matter Expert Evan Rowse for a three part primer as part of our Startup 101 video series.
In our first episode (available here) we set the foundation and in this second episode we examine how compliance needs evolve as your company scales.
Learn more and get $1000 off when you demo the Vanta platform here.
Here’s a little something to say, ‘we love you all’!
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Coming up on Caffeine:
A conversation with Kami co-founder Hengjie Wang: Almost exactly a year since I last spoke to him following Kami’s massive $300m valuation, I sat down for another chat with Kami co-founder Hengjie - this time after Kami’s acquisition of Book Creator. He’s a particularly thoughtful, interesting and well intentioned founder who is simultaneously building a great business while also doing genuine good, which is about the best combo possible. Check out our chat on Thursday next week.
Join us for an evening with Carsten Grueber - former operator at Facebook, Google, and TikTok, and now Co-Founder & CEO of Aether.
Carsten has navigated senior roles across global tech giants. In this session, he’ll share the lessons learned, what he’s carrying forward into his founder journey with Aether, and what he’s leaving behind.
Everything is strictly run under Chatham House Rules.
Meet Carsten
Carsten Grueber is the Co-Founder and CEO of Aether, an AI-powered marketing platform transforming how enterprises create and share knowledge. Before Aether, he led TikTok in New Zealand, giving him a front row seat to how the biggest platforms in the world capture and convert audiences. Since launch, Aether has raised $3.8m, built an impressive client roster across NZ, Australia, and the US, and is tackling one of marketing’s biggest pain points: wasted time on manual, repetitive work.
Who it’s for
This event is designed for operators, founders, and leadership teams who want to hear first-hand what it takes to grow, adapt, and keep moving forward.
Partner spotlight: Airwallex
We’re proud to partner with Airwallex, a global payments and financial platform built to support ambitious operators. Airwallex helps businesses scale across borders with multi-currency accounts, borderless cards, and streamlined global payments, removing the friction of traditional banking so leaders can focus on growth. Whether it’s expanding into new markets, paying overseas teams, or managing FX, Airwallex is giving Kiwi companies the financial infrastructure to compete on the world stage.
Terms
By signing up, you’re also joining the Caffeine Community (welcome aboard!). We’ll share your details with our partners. We’ll also be taking photos and video on the night for socials. If that’s not your thing, just let the crew know when you arrive.
Date and Time: Thu, 23 Oct 2025 5:15 PM - 7:00 PM NZDT
Get your tickets here
I Wish I Knew with Lara, PURE MAMA | Powered by +MORE Bay of Plenty: Building a company isn’t a single event – it’s a long game. One with messy middles, unexpected pivots, and the odd “what now?” at 2am.
Join us for our ‘I Wish I Knew’ series, featuring raw and real conversations with successful Kiwi founders who’ve taken the hits, made the calls, and kept showing up. This is about the stuff they wish they knewearlier – the kind of lessons that only come from doing the work (and a few things going sideways).
This event is for founders, early-stage teams and leaders who are serious about growing. We screen all registrations to make sure appropriate criteria is met.
More on our speaker:
When Lara and her sister launched PURE MAMA, growth didn’t come from one big break. It was the accumulation of small plays, sampling, hustling and testing channels, that laid the foundations. Those moves mattered, but over time, they learned that to really scale, the brand needed bigger, more strategic distribution partnerships.
From the start, PURE MAMA was bootstrapped. Both sisters went all in, selling properties, taking family loans, and putting everything they had safeguarded on the line. The sacrifices were significant, but they believed in the vision, and failure was never an option.
The reality of scaling a consumer brand is that proof of concept comes at a cost. Growth doesn’t come from quick wins or chasing trends. It’s built on distribution channels that can stand the test of time and partnerships that deliver both credibility and reach.
For PURE MAMA, that pivotal partnership was MECCA. Landing on their shelves provided immediate authority and opened doors internationally. Today, the vision for PURE MAMA is clear. This is not a trend-driven brand. The focus is on building a heritage business that can compete alongside global beauty giants. That means thinking big, forever hustling, and protecting brand credibility at every step.
The “I Wish I Knew” lesson Lara shares is simple: bet on yourself. Be prepared to sacrifice and think long term. And if you want to win on the global stage, aim straight for the top.
Date and time
Tue, 28 Oct 2025 5:15 PM - 7:00 PM NZDT
Location
+MORE offices, Mount Maunganui
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. Look after yourselves this weekend and we’ll see you Monday.