What you missed last week in startups + the great Caffeine reader survey 2025
Welcome to a new week.
I hope everyone enjoyed their extra hour of sleep this morning, the only time I relish the ‘fall back’.
As Finn mentioned, we are mixing things up a bit this week. Monday’s will be a recap of the most important startup news that hit in the last week…ICYMI because lets be honest, we’re all juggling multiple platform inboxes.
Today we also want to hear from you. We’d be so grateful if you can take a few minutes and tell us what’s working, not working, the parts of Caffeine you love and perhaps what’s missing that you want to see. Feedback is a powerful gift and we want to hear your honest thoughts. It should take under 3 minutes or less to complete and will mean we can deliver you the best experience.
Caffeine Readership Survey 2025
Lauren, Finn & the CAFFEINE team
Cetogenix on their ‘one to five’ punch which turns waste into profit while producing energy
Ara Ake is New Zealand’s Future Energy Centre, with a mission to drive impactful change by supporting energy innovators through commercialisation support.
🌏 Why NZ Is on Track to Become a Tech Utopia: Icehouse Ventures CEO Robbie Paul believes New Zealand has everything it needs to become a world-leading tech hub. Not just a great place to live, but a country where tech unlocks ambition and global potential. Here’s his case:
1. Strong foundations
NZ is consistently ranked as one of the most democratic, peaceful and easy places to do business. No major climate risks, no bloated defence budgets, no big-money politics.2. Real capability
World-class founders are now being joined by experienced second-time operators. NZ universities have already produced global tech like Formus Labs, OpenStar and the wireless power tech inside every Apple device.3. Global connectivity
One million Kiwis offshore form an unmatched alumni network. International investors are backing Kiwi startups at increasing rates, and Zoom has levelled the playing field.4. Capital is growing
Specialist funds, family offices and KiwiSaver growth are all driving more capital into early-stage ventures. The local VC ecosystem is maturing fast.5. Time and luck
Companies like Rocket Lab, Halter and Auror show what’s possible. The next generation of founders, backed by onshore capital and local experience, will take it even further.Robbie’s bottom line: once New Zealand has billions in local venture capital and a full pipeline of global-calibre founders, the real story begins. Read it all here.
Vessev hires US lead and kicks off expansion into America: Speaking of Vessev, it’s expanding into the US with the appointment of Josh Trout as Director of North America. He’ll lead operations, kick off local production, and drive business development as the company enters one of the biggest marine markets in the world.
Trout has more than 20 years' experience in electric and hybrid marine tech and says Vessev’s hydrofoiling vessels are unlike anything else on the market. He’s also exploring how to manufacture the vessels in the US, which would create jobs and lay the groundwork for a service and support network.
Vessev’s CEO Eric Laakmann says taking New Zealand innovation to the US is a proud milestone. This move gives the company a stronger foothold in international markets and puts it in front of commercial and private buyers looking for sustainable marine transport. More here and here.
Tiny make big deal, scooping majority stake in Serato in $175m deal: More great news on the acquisition front as Canadian technology company Tiny scoops 66% stake in Auckland DJ software company Serato in a deal valuing the company at over $175m. This is pending official approval from the Overseas Investment Office and investors may be holding off celebrating too hard just yet based on recent history. Last year Japan’s Pioneer DJ looked set to acquire 100% of Serato but the Commerce Commission eventually blocked the deal citing competition concerns. However everything looks fairly smooth from a regulatory standpoint so far, seeming more like a rubber stamp than awaiting potential pitfalls. Serato Chief Executive Young Ly says the deal will mean the company will continued to be headquarters in New Zealand, which we love to hear. Congrats to the team. NBR have some great detail on how the detail came about here and Herald have a broader wrap available here.
Hamish Edwards on how he founded a $20 Billion dollar company: Our friends at the startup theatre podcasts are back at it and have a cracker of an episode for you with Xero co-founder Hamish Edwards, who hasn't told his story in detail before and so you get to hear it for the first time. You also get to hear Finn prattle on for the third time about all the news that excites him and hopefully you.
As a practicing accountant at the time and working with Rod Drury, Hamish played a pivotal role in Xero's early growth, shaping the product and expanding its customer base across New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom by closely collaborating with accounting firms.
In this episode, Hamish tells the pod how and why Xero was founded and what he is doing now. They discuss the importance of obsession in achieving success and whether all founders have to be obsessed or not. Now worth in the vicinity of $300 million, they ask Hamish: Has success changed you?
Part-Time Commercial & Partnerships Lead
10-15 hours a week
Remote, NZ / Auckland based preferred [access to Ponsonby office if needed]
CAFFEINE is on the lookout for a smart, organised human who loves connecting dots and people. Someone with a bit of hustle, a good instinct for what makes a brand tick, and a clear way with words.
You’ll help us grow CAFFEINE by bringing in great partners, managing those relationships, and jumping in to support the newsletter when needed. Think proposals, pitch emails, sponsored content, reports. You don’t need to have done it all before, but you do need to be keen to learn fast and roll up your sleeves.
This is a flexible, part-time role with plenty of room to grow. It’s ideal for someone who wants to tap into the startup ecosystem and work with a small, driven team doing work that matters.
What the role looks like
Finding and securing new brand partnerships
Managing relationships with sponsors and making sure everything runs smoothly
Writing emails, proposals and reports that sound like a human, not a robot
Helping deliver sponsored content in the newsletter
Supporting the newsletter team with writing and formatting when needed
Keeping us organised and on track behind the scenes
What we’re looking for
A good human with energy, drive and attention to detail
Someone who knows how to build relationships and spot opportunities
Strong writing skills
Commercial smarts or experience in sales, partnerships, media or marketing
A proactive operator who can work independently
Someone who genuinely cares about the startup community in Aotearoa
What you’ll get
A flexible role that works around your life
A chance to help grow a brand with momentum
Real responsibility and trust from day one
The opportunity to work with and learn from great people
A front-row seat in the NZ startup ecosystem
If this sounds like you, email hello@caffeinedaily.co with a few lines about yourself, why you’re interested, and your favourite newsletter (besides CAFFEINE). We’re keen to hear from you.
Touch grass, but make it tech.
You no longer need to go outside to touch grass. Just wrap your phone, laptop or tablet in actual fake turf. Dbrand dropped its Touch Grass skins right around April 1st, so naturally everyone assumed it was a joke. Apparently it’s not. They’re real, they’re for sale, and they’re going for USD $29.95 and up.
Each one is made with electrostatically charged plastic grass, blasted on with lasers, and tested to survive 10,000 rubs. The only downside is they collect lint like a Dyson. You could buy one. Or you could just go outside. More here.
That’s it for today, thanks for reading. Want to get in touch with a news tip, a slice of feedback or just to chat? Email hello@caffeinedaily.co