Silicon Valley leaders to visit Bay

Bill Reichert, chief executive of Garage Technology Ventures.

Two Silicon Valley thought leaders will visit New Zealand next week as part of Tauranga-based Wharf42's programme to plug Kiwi start-ups into the vast technology ecosystem in California.

Wharf42 founder Peter Wren-Hilton has organised the visit by Bill Reichert, chief executive of Garage Technology Ventures, and Adiba Barney, chief executive of the Silicon Valley Forum SVForum.

They will attend a welcome cocktail in Tauranga this Sunday afternoon hosted by Priority One, and will present to investors and entrepreneurs the following Monday at Basestation.

Adiba Barney, chief executive of SVForum,

They will also attend events in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

The visit is designed to enable early-stage tech businesses and members of the New Zealand investment community to connect and learn more about the current tech and investment landscape in Silicon Valley.

"Wharf42 is working with SVForum, Garage Technology Ventures, Plug and Play and other entrepreneurial and investment networks in the valley to help open up this vast ecosystem to potential high-growth New Zealand tech companies," said Mr Wren-Hilton.

"This visit is part of a longer-term strategy to help New Zealand entrepreneurs and investors meet and connect directly with key members of that ecosystem."

Mr Reichert said in a statement New Zealand was well-known as a country where innovation was of the highest international standard.

"Taking that innovation offshore and effectively commercialising it, however, means that tech companies need to understand the market they are targeting," he said.

"I am delighted to have the opportunity to share my perspectives on the US market and the Silicon Valley ecosystem, and also to have the opportunity to find some brilliant start-ups for Garage Technology Ventures."

Mr Reichert has more than 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur and operating executive and has been with Garage since it was co-founded by well-known technology entrepreneur Guy Kawasaki in 1998 as www.garage.com.

SVForum is Silicon Valleys largest and oldest non-profit organisation focused on educating and creating relationships within the technology and start-up community.

Ms Barney said she was excited to be meeting the local entrepreneur and investor community.

"SVForum is dedicated to assisting start-ups from around the world connect with the Silicon Valley ecosystem.

"We are delighted to be working with the team at Wharf42 to help New Zealand entrepreneurs along that journey."

The visit was also being supported by Callaghan Innovation, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development, Grow Wellington, Canterbury Development Corporation and the ASB Bank.

Wharf42 is also working on its Meteoroid Programme, a partnership with Plug and Play, a Silicon Valley start-up accelerator specialising in growing technology companies.

The programme aims to identify six to eight New Zealand start-ups with the aim of getting them to Silicon Valley in June. Mr Wren-Hilton said he would be announcing progress on the programme shortly.