2018

Mark Sagar is the CEO and co-founder of Soul Machines, and director of the Laboratory for Animate Technologies at the University of Auckland’s Bioengineering Institute. The laboratory is creating interactive autonomously animated systems which will help define the next generation of human-computer interaction and facial animation.

Mark’s work is pioneering new more humanlike ways in which we relate to technology and AI. His work developing new technologies to humanise artificial intelligence is internationally recognised.

Soul Machines creates emotionally intelligent, lifelike avatars (or, as it prefers to call them, ‘digital humans’) that act as a visual interface for customer service chatbots, virtual assistants and a host of other practical uses.

In another life, Mark was the Special Projects Supervisor at Weta Digital. He was involved with the creation of technology for the digital characters in blockbusters such Avatar, King Kong, and Spiderman 2 for which he won two Academy Awards. 

Mark studied a Bachelor of Science and a PhD in Engineering from the University of Auckland and was a post-doctoral fellow at M.I.T. His postgraduate research involved a landmark study in how to develop an anatomically correct virtual eye and realistic models of biomechanically simulated anatomy. It was one of the first examples of how lifelike human features could be created on a screen by combining computer graphics with mathematics and human physiology. 

For his work, Mark is a recipient of the University of Auckland’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

New Zealand’s leading philanthropic couple, Neal and Annette Plowman, are exemplary Kiwis whose generous contributions to various community and conservation initiatives such as the Salvation Army, University of Auckland and conservation efforts at Abel Tasman National Park and Rotorua Island has had an immeasurably positive impact on New Zealand. They are two of New Zealand’s most generous and truly humble individuals.

Neal and Annette made their fortune from a laundry business, founded in 1910 by George Plowman, that became New Zealand Towel Services. They successfully grew the business, listed it on the New Zealand Stock Exchange, before privatising in 1986, and selling the company to US firm Alsco in 1998. They also founded and sold multiplex cinema chain, Hoyts.

Neal and Annette, have been major supporters of the Salvation Army for over 30 years and the University of Auckland (UoA), and UoA Business School since 2003 – including towards the establishment of a Chair of Entrepreneurship. They are also major supporters of Teach First NZ – an innovative not-for-profit organisation that works in partnership with the UoA to place carefully selected teachers and inspirational leaders into lower decile schools to help improve educational achievement.

The couple negotiated a 99-year lease of Rotoroa Island creating a conservation park and enabling public access to the island for the first time in over 100 years. They also formed a partnership with the Department of Conservation on a 30-year project to restore and conserve the native ecology of Abel Tasman National Park, ending in 2024.

In 2014, Neal and Annette founded the NEXT Foundation, to administer a 10-year, NZD $100 million programme of strategic philanthropy. The Foundation donates NZD $5 – $15 million per year to no more than three major environmental or educational initiatives deemed to have the potential to be nationally transformative.

They are also a major donor towards the Turner Centre in Kerikeri,  a modern, multi-purpose, performing arts complex. Annette continues to be involved as the Centre’s patron.

Neal was inducted into the Business Hall of Fame in 2007 and also shortlisted for New Zealander of the Year in 2012.

Mitchell Pham is a Vietnamese-Kiwi business & social entrepreneur. He is the Co-founder, Director and head of Sales & Marketing of the Augen Software Group in New Zealand, as well as Chairman & Director of their operation in Vietnam. He has made immense contributions to the technology sector in New Zealand and NZ-Asia relations.

In the government sector, Mitchell currently serves as a trustee of the Asia New Zealand Foundation and an advisor at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

In the health & social services sector, Mitchell serves as chair of the NZ Technology Industry Association (NZTech) and the NZ Financial Innovation & Technology Association (FinTechNZ). He is a trustee of the Auckland Refugee Family Trust (ARFT), the Foundation for Social Responsibility NZ (FOStR-NZ), an advisor at the Asia New Zealand Foundation, and board member of Health Informatics New Zealand (HiNZ).

In the business sector, Mitchell is a New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE) Beachheads Advisor in technology business for South East Asia, involved with the Ethnic People In Commerce (EPICNZ) network, the Asian Leaders (NZAL) forum, and the Superdiversity Centre.  He is also a member of the Strategic Alliance Vietnamese Ventures International (SAVVi) network, and an Executive of the global Vietnamese diaspora business network (BAOOV).

Mitchell also co-founded Kiwi Connection Hub, Smarts Links Swiss, Lina.review, NZ Health IT Cluster (NZHIT) and the Global InsurTech Alliance (GITA),

Internationally, he has been recognised in leadership as an Asia 21 Fellow of the Asia Society, and a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

Matthew is among the leaders of a new generation of entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.  

For nearly a decade, Matthew has been a business leader and champion for Kiwi innovation.

US-born, Matthew has made significant contributions to New Zealand’s entrepreneurial and innovation landscape. The various initiatives and organisations he has founded have helped connected Kiwi innovators with the rest of the world, as well as attract some of the best international talent to our shores including the establishment of Wellington-based organisation, Kiwi Connect, and his ongoing work with the Edmund Hillary Fellowship.

Upon arriving to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2010, Matthew was captivated by the people, land, and potential. Originally from the midwest United States, he has always been an active student of entrepreneurship and technology.

After leaving the University of Southern California, Matthew joined forces with his brother Brian to create Inflection, an incubator of trust-based software tools, where he serves as CEO. Matthew is on the board of Kiwi Connect, helping to bridge connections with Silicon Valley. He is also a founding director of the which supports exceptional nonprofits for a more beautiful world.

Matthew is also a co-founder and board member of the Edmund Hillary Fellowship an initiative designed to bring together humankind’s creative potential and entrepreneurial spirit in New Zealand, to build innovative ventures for global impact.

Matthew also played a critical role in developing the Global Impact Visa, a world first, designed to attract innovative and entrepreneurial talent from around the world to New Zealand.

Brian is among the leaders of a new generation of entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.  

For nearly a decade, Brian has been a business leader and champion for Kiwi innovation.

US-born, Brian has made significant contributions to New Zealand’s entrepreneurial and innovation landscape. The various initiatives and organisations he has founded have helped connected Kiwi innovators with the rest of the world, as well as attract some of the best international talent to our shores including the establishment of Wellington-based organisation, Kiwi Connect, and his ongoing work with the Edmund Hillary Fellowship.

Brian AKA “BMo” has been known to take to the mic for hip-hop “flowetry” to convey his passionate vision for a more just and sustainable world, and New Zealand’s potential role within it. Brian studied at Harvard University before leaving to start Inflection with his brother Matthew. Ten years later, Brian now serves as “Chief Idea Guy” of the 150-person company.

He’s also a founding director at Namaste Foundation, which supports exceptional nonprofits in their pursuits of a more beautiful world. Brian also works with the Kiwi Connect team as a board member.

Brian is also a co-founder and candidate attraction of the Edmund Hillary Fellowship an initiative designed to bring together humankind’s creative potential and entrepreneurial spirit in New Zealand, to build innovative ventures for global impact.

Brian also played a critical role in developing the Global Impact Visa, a world first, designed to attract innovative and entrepreneurial talent from around the world to New Zealand.

From Putaruru to the world, Dr Delwyn Moller is the Director of Research at the Centre for Space Science Technology and previously a NASA scientist. She has made her ground-breaking contributions to the development of state-of-the-art earth science technology systems.

Delwyn studied a Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst after completing being awarded a government scholarship for women in science and technology for her M.E (Distinction) degree and B.E. (Hons) degree at the University of Auckland.

She joined NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) where she worked on radar technology, primarily on Earth science. Both at JPL and in her position as Principal Systems Engineer at Remote Sensing Solutions, Inc (RSS), she has developed innovative state-of-the-art remote sensing systems for measuring the Earth’s surface.

Delwyn has lead numerous NASA and non-NASA endeavours, with applications ranging from mapping ocean currents, ice-surface topography, surface water hydrology, snow depth, soil moisture, precipitation, seismology to radars for landing on other planets. She has won multiple awards including being a co-recipient on the prestigious NASA Space Act award.

Her work has enables new areas of scientific discovery and she has teamed with some of the world’s most eminent scientists to mature research and development. The capabilities that have resulted have potential impact in the commercial, government and humanitarian sectors.

When she’s not working to protect the planet, she is part of a paramedic crew saving lives on the tough streets of Los Angeles County. She’s also a purple belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu, a qualified helicopter pilot and former tornado chaser.