Some say the American billionaire isn’t welcome because of his backing for Trump – but that happened four years after he was granted citizenship. And should political support really be a litmus? Eric Crampton writes in defence of Citizen Thiel. Step into my time machine. It’s 2011. Peter Thiel is one of the world’s most … Read more
Controversial Trump endorser and Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel is reportedly now a New Zealander. But how did that happen, and who the hell is he? Toby Manhire counts the ways. He’s already got quite the CV: founder of PayPal, early investor in The Facebook, funder and advocate for both Hulk Hogan and Donald Trump. … Read more
There’s a revolution underway. Deep within the Auckland Viaduct lurks the beginnings of our own tiny Silicon Valley. At GridAKL, more than 50 startups, in industries as diverse as medicine, robotics and augmented reality, are running the entrepreneurial gauntlet looking to build a high-growth business – or at least get a second funding round. In … Read more
To launch our new science section we asked a range of scientists and entrepreneurs how positive we can be that we’re progressing towards Sir Paul Callaghan’s dream of a transformed New Zealand through the use of science and technology. The Spinoff is thrilled to be launching today a new science section, supported by our friends … Read more
The NZ Uber wars are heating up with calls for a crackdown on non-compliant operators as drivers begin to challenge the company’s criteria and pay rates. We talk to one driver leading the charge. The NZ Transport Agency says the company’s revised rules, with drivers no longer requiring P-endorsed passenger licences or to undergo NZTA-stipulated … Read more
The rancorous fallout from Brexit reinforces one of the key failings of what passes for debate in the social media era: that neither side ever hears the other’s argument. Richard MacManus on the ‘filter bubble’, and some ways Facebook and Twitter can address it. The big news this week was the decision by 52% of British … Read more
For all the bold talk of knowledge waves and a weightless tech future, we’re still reliant on farms and tourists. Time to try a new approach, argues Paul Brislen. Seventeen years ago I helped put together an issue of Computerworld devoted to the idea of building a “Knowledge Based Economy”. It was an exciting time. … Read more
Thick skin comes from scar tissue, and Sarah Walker, BMX pro, has more to teach us about early-stage businesses than an analogy that straps you into a fairground ride, writes software developer and investor Rowan Simpson Founders of early-stage ventures often describe their experience as like being on a roller coaster. It’s easy to see … Read more
Opinion: The government wants more electric vehicles on NZ roads. But the plan to let them drive in bus lanes can only throw improvements in bus services into reverse, writes Matt Lowrie. The government wants to boost the currently dismal uptake of electric vehicles, increasing the numbers on our roads from about 1,200 to 64,000 … Read more
Reports of a blowout in the Auckland Council information technology budget are as dismal as they are unsurprising. Nigel McNie, a software developer who has been building complex, bespoke IT systems for many years, offers some free advice. Eyes have been rolling up and down New Zealand at news of a Super City IT cost … Read more