OpenStar founder: why mission matters

The Caffeine Podcast’s first series, ‘Seed to success: Building and backing Kiwi startups’, showcases Kiwi startups with high-growth potential across different sectors, giving insights into what it takes to build a successful company from New Zealand – and just how much of a slog it can be. 

Sponsored by New Zealand Growth Capital Partners (NZGCP), this episode features host Fiona Rotherham and guests Ratu Mataira, CEO/CTO of OpenStar Technologies; NZGCP investment manager Byron van Vugt; and Professor Rod Badcock, deputy director at the Robinson Research Institute. 

The conversation covers the unique challenges of commercialising innovative technologies, like fusion energy, the support and investment landscape in New Zealand, and offers lessons on dealing with uncertainty and risk. 

Here’s an AI-generated overview of the podcast themes, or listen here. You can also catch the video here.

The podcast opens with Mataira discussing his transition from academic to founder, offering an insider’s perspective into the challenges and rewards of starting a technology-based company. 

He goes on to discuss the complexities of commercialising advanced technologies like fusion energy, emphasising the need to align technological innovation with market needs. He stresses the significance of having a clear mission to attract talent, investment and support.

Van Vugt provides an investment perspective, noting the importance of backing companies tackling significant challenges with innovative solutions. He emphasises the need for international collaboration and investment to bring such ambitious projects to fruition and provides insights for founders in navigating fundraising and investor relations. 

Badcock provides insight into the Robinson Research Institute’s role in fostering entrepreneurship in superconductivity and applied science. He discusses the importance of collaboration between academic institutions, government agencies and private investors in supporting innovation.