Dear Readers,
There is a lot happening over the next month with over 480 Techweek19 events (including numerous blockchain events), a Select Committee briefing and submissions to government, among other things.
I’ll be back in touch next month with all the latest blockchain news. In the meantime, I hope to see some of you at Techweek events.
Mark Pascall
Assisting Government
I am excited to announce that BlockchainNZ will be giving a briefing to the Select Committee on Economic Development, Science and Innovation on 30 May. We understand it will be live-streamed. Please contact us if you have any views on what our key messages should be. More details will be shared on our social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIN).
In addition to this, the Government has asked the Productivity Commission to examine how New Zealand can maximise the opportunities and manage the risks of disruptive technological change and its impact on the future of work and the workforce. An issues paper, one-page summary and two minute video have been published. BlockchainNZ has been asked to provide feedback that may help them understand specific issues and provide relevant and credible policy recommendations to Government. If you would like to provide input to our submission, please enter it here.
We have also now formed a blockchain financial markets regulation working group. Details to follow in the next newsletter.
Techweek19
Techweek19 (20–26 May) should be on every Kiwi tech professional’s calendar as it is a showcase and celebration of the New Zealand technology sector.
There are over 480 events happening around the country, and even one in Rarotonga.
While there are opportunities for advancing yourself professionally, the week is also about letting the public know about the cool things happening in the sector and getting them engaged in technology.
Check out the blockchain events below, and the many more great events on the Techweek19 website.
Techweek19 Blockchain Events
Standards and Emerging Technology will host an expert panel that will discuss the role of standards in the digital economy, covering topics like blockchain and AI (Monday 20 May, Wellington).
Blockchain & Business: Where programmable finance will take us will see some of New Zealand’s thought leaders discuss blockchain, decentralised finance and programmable value (Tuesday 21 May, Christchurch).
CFA Society New Zealand, Investment Conference is a full-day forum on alternative finance and investments (Wednesday 22 May, Auckland).
Hi Stakes: How to stake on CENNZnet will demonstrate how anyone can run a node, stake tokens and receive rewards on the Centrality network (Wednesday 22 May, Auckland).
Unicorns & Blockchain will let you hear how business leaders are changing the Southeast Asian tech scene (Wednesday 22 May, Auckland).
Legal Services and Technology Innovation Roundtable will look at what blockchain technology could achieve for legal firms (Wednesday 22 May, Christchurch).
Blockchain powering NZ business is a panel discussion with leading New Zealand businesses who will share how blockchain/DLT is powering their business and growing NZ’s economy (Thursday 23 May, Auckland).
The Future of Financial Services will talk about how millennials and disruptors are changing the game (Thursday 23 May, Auckland).
DIGI_X: Digital Decisions is a business-first technology conference which features Centrality founder Aaron McDonald talking about usable blockchain (Thursday 23 May, Auckland).
A Blockchain Meetup will teach you more about the true potential of blockchain (Friday 24 May, Hamilton).
CENNZ – ED: Developer Learning Weekend gives you the chance to upskill yourself on the latest software for building blockchain apps (Saturday 25–Sunday 26 May, Auckland).
Techweek TV
If you can’t make it to any Techweek events you can still be involved by watching Techweek TV.
Techweek TV is a series of live, online video sessions broadcast on the Techweek website. The episodes are wide-ranging, and includes a session on how does blockchain work and how is it being applied to advance industries and break norms? The episodes will also be available on the Techweek website after they have aired.
Become a ShadowTech mentor
We need you to help inspire the next generation of girls into tech careers by signing up to become a mentor for ShadowTech 2019. ShadowTech provides girls in years 9 -11 with an opportunity to experience what working in the tech sector is like by shadowing a tech professional for a day. ShadowTech is happening in six locations around New Zealand, including in Gisborne during Techweek19.
While this is a TechWomen initiative, men are welcome to be mentors, although you will need to have a female member of staff available to collect the girls on the day.
Sign up to become a mentor now.
