NZVC Portfolio Day

Mark is a serial entrepreneur who exited his first company, Piper, after raising $15 million from top-tier investors. He arrived in New Zealand as an Edmund Hillary Fellow just before the 2020 lockdown and saw an opportunity to empower Kiwi founders with global ambition.

Hendrik's venture journey began in Europe, leading the expansion of Founders Intelligence before its acquisition by Accenture. At Merantix, he helped build Europe's leading AI venture studio and co-founded AI House Davos. Now based in Australia, he's passionate about scaling ANZ startups globally.

Janine co-founded Easy Crypto, New Zealand's leading cryptocurrency trading platform, established in 2017. She is a member of the Executive Council for FinTechNZ and recognised as a Women of Web3 Top 10 Changemaker, the Blockchain New Zealand Stand-Out Individual and Entrepreneur of the Year, and winner of the 2023 IBM Hi-Tech Awards for Inspiring Individual.

Philip is a design and product leader who’s shaped digital experiences for more than 25 years. A Co-founder of Xero and now Co-CEO of Upstock, he’s helped build iconic brands and advised top startups across product, growth and strategy.

Brad has been an early-stage investor and entrepreneur since 1987. Before co-founding Foundry Group, he co-founded Mobius Venture Capital and, before that, founded Intensity Ventures. Brad is also a co-founder of Techstars.

Lane is a veteran blockchain developer and researcher, currently Head of Research at NEAR Foundation and a core contributor to Spacemesh. Formerly an Ethereum Core Developer at the Ethereum Foundation, he writes and speaks on open protocols, crypto governance, metadata privacy, sci-fi and ultra distance running.

Jovan is a veteran founder with a track record of building and scaling businesses across New Zealand and the UK. He’s currently Co-founder of Emerge, a challenger to the banking status quo with the goal of reshaping the way Kiwi businesses manage money, and SquareOne, a financial app helping equip the next generation with modern money skills. Before launching in fintech, Jovan founded and exited Forest Group. He grew the London-based agency from scratch to a 25-person team and seven-figure revenue, navigating investment rounds, a management buyout, and an eventual acquisition. 
 

Robin is a robotics innovator based in Palo Alto, California. With a background in AI and automation, he leads cutting-edge developments in service robotics. Robin studied at Beihang University in Beijing and has an extensive professional network, contributing to a global robotics ecosystem.

Corporate finance expert with global experience across early-stage to multinational companies. A Fellow of the ICAEW and member of the NZ Institute of Directors, he has led deals in tech, biotech, energy, real estate and more.