Forward Scope

The digital landscape has changed significantly in the last decade, and countries that fail to adapt risk falling behind. Aotearoa (New Zealand) stands at a crossroads. With a unique combination of innovative talent, support from the government for tech initiatives and a growing start-up ecosystem, such as Tabin , Deliveryeasy , Order Meal , Book A Bach , etc., Aotearoa (New Zealand) has a proud history of creating pioneering systems, such as Trade Me , where you can buy or sell anywhere in the country, risk-free and fully compliant with local laws and regulations. An EFTPOS system that has transformed global payments, creating world-first innovations like the RocketLab launch platform and the modular dairy tech powering smart farms, Kiwi inventions have scaled far beyond our shores Aotearoa has the potential to reach above and beyond its weight. Historically, Aotearoa has long served as a testing ground for international digital platforms. Companies like Just Eat and Zomato...

New Zealand has always punched above its weight in tech. I remember when I first arrived in the country in 2007 and was genuinely amazed by EFTPOS . I'd spend even $1 or 50c using the card machine. Back in India , we would never have done that; you'd always use cash for such small change. EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer at point of sale) machines were first trialled in NZ in the mid-1980s but spread rapidly in the 1900s once there was a mass critical of both cards and machines. By 1997, EFTPOS had become the dominant payment method in New Zealand. (Image Source: Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand )   Fast forward to 2025 . While India has moved way ahead in developing payment solutions, from instant QR code systems to seamless bank-to-bank transfers , New Zealand's digital infrastructure feels like it's still buffering. The irony is stark: New Zealand was the early mover in the 1980s. EFTPOS was literally a world-class innovation built right here, a system that th...