Nick Butcher: Being in the regions isn't an obstacle

Nick Butcher is founder and CTO of Nelson-based CarbonCrop, which uses remote sensing and machine learning technologies to help landowners measure carbon removed from the atmosphere by their forests.

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‍Why did you start your business from your location?

I’m based in Christchurch, but our largest team hub is in Nelson, with other staff working remotely nationwide. CarbonCrop is a spinout of the Nelson Artificial Intelligence Institute (NAI), which applies artificial intelligence (AI) to solve global environmental problems. NAI was started in Nelson predominantly because of the region’s natural assets – the company believed that the type of people who want to work with AI applied to environmental challenges are probably the type of people who want to live in Nelson.

Finding funding can be hard when you’re based outside of the main centres. What has worked for you when connecting with investors? 

I haven’t met most of our investors in person. Every pitch I’ve done, with one or two exceptions, has been remote and it’s worked for me. It’s harder to pitch online than it is in person, but it’s not an insurmountable obstacle. It’s important to have enough screen real estate, a good internet connection and a quiet environment. I make sure my pitch feels like a genuine conversation, so I always look at the people I’m talking to rather than reading slides, and I don’t cheat by scripting it. You might think they won’t notice, but they will. 

What agencies or organisations based in your region have been helpful as you’ve grown your startup and how have they helped?

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the Provincial Growth Fund are what gave NAI its start; for us it was Callaghan Innovation and the tech incubator WNT Ventures. Our Nelson-based law firm – Stallard Law – has also been invaluable. The firm had prior experience with venture capital startups, so already had the intellectual property to pick up our work. We also rent workspace from Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, which has given us access to Mahitahi Colab and its range of co-working spaces and meeting rooms.

How much travel do you do, and how do you balance this with staying connected to your team?

I’m in the business of fighting climate change, so I travel as little as possible, plus I find travelling leads to an unproductive work day. I go to Nelson for a few days every six weeks. The team has daily 10-minute check-in meetings to keep us in sync and connected, and we keep up that rapport through Slack. We also have well-defined processes for task handling, as it’s easier for things to get lost when the team isn’t all in the same room.

What has worked for you in terms of attracting talent when based in Nelson? 

We want to hire people who are super psyched about our company and for whom the region isn’t an obstacle. It just so happens that Nelson is far from being an obstacle – it’s yet another upside. It also helps that we are a semi-remote company, and I think that’s very important. If they can, regional businesses should be open to hiring good people who aren’t local.

Who have you worked with in the startup ecosystem who has helped you grow and succeed?

Other founders have been one of the most useful parts of the startup ecosystem for me. Both those at the same stage – because they have empathy for the stresses and challenges I face – and founders who are further down the road and have built successful businesses – because I get the benefit of their experience and broader perspective. 

Who would you recommend to other founders?

Leaders or stakeholders in larger businesses in your space (who aren’t competing with you). You’re the nimble, fast-moving startup doing the things they would do if they didn’t have so much organisational inertia, so don’t underestimate the extent to which your startup might be that pet project they’ve never been able to make happen internally. They will often help you because they want to see you succeed just for their own association.

What else do you think is helpful for a founder starting out in regional New Zealand to know?

Cultivate a peer network in your area. The crises of confidence are the trickiest things to navigate as a founder, so finding people who can be sounding boards – and acting as one in return – is important.

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As told to Anna Dunlop

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