Scribbles from the Startup Frontlines: Expertise is overrated

Plus: NZGIF shuttered, Aimer Vision released, $75m raise for police drone startup and why Australia's defence sector might look to tech founders.

Happy Thursday!

We’re just one week out from that blessed Easter break and I don’t know about you but it feels like the start of this year has taken at least a decade out of me. We’re kicking off this morning with a column from resident scribbler Serge about how expertise might just be overrated in the world of startups. Now I can at least pretend those terrible grades I got at university were all in preparation for this job.

Elsewhere in the newsy we touch on what’s happening in the global scene and yes we will talk about the tariffs but only briefly because good lord the coverage is inescapable.

Here’s the Daily Shot of news you don’t want to miss

• Aimer’s world-first ‘digital eyes’ set to make dairy management more profitable

• Govt shutters its green investment bank

• Event: Fintech Festival 2025 is on April 30 featuring great lineup

• Pod Pick: Wild Hearts - Why Australia’s defence needs tech founders

• Event: Workplace Wellbeing, the secret to high performing teams and business success

• A 25-year-old founder just raised $75M for his police drone startup

• Mira Murati’s AI startup gains prominent ex-OpenAI advisers

• We talk about tariffs (briefly) following trillion dollar rally in tech

As always, thank you to everyone who has upgraded to a paid subscription or simply recommended Caffeine to friends and whānau. We couldn’t do any of this without you.

Finn and the CAFFEINE team

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