Returning in 2014 after a hugely inspiring event in 2013, the YIA Innovation Forum has managed to get another six great people into the Bay of Plenty to talk about their experiences and journeys.
These six speakers blur the lines between innovation, materials, sustainability, customer experience, healthcare, and the environment – just what we have been asking our students in this year’s Young Innovator Awards (YIA) to think about.
John has been at the forefront of sustainable product innovation and product stewardship globally for over 20 years. He has set the benchmark in Australasia and helped some of the most successful New Zealand and Australian companies not only understand how sustainability works but how they can improve it in their products and services.
Rob leads the on Farm Automation and Software side of LIC’s business. He has helped to create a culture of innovation with his development teams, which have continuously produced some of New Zealand’s leading dairy farm systems software and hardware.
Siobhan is a social entrepreneur, with over 15 years’ experience in marketing and business development, social media, and game design. She founded Social Code in 2012 to provide online communities and behaviour change tools for chronic disease prevention and management.
Pull back the covers on a number New Zealand’s textile innovations and you will find Stewart Collie’s name somewhere. As a science leader, he has worked on some of the most innovative electronic and wool based textiles New Zealand has produced.
Robbie has the unusual double degree of Architecture and Industrial Design. He founded Goodnature which evolved from a project with DOC to become a rapidly growing, award winning company helping solve a problem and improve the environment with their innovative CO2-powered Pest Control system.
Trent founded and built Optimal Experience, the best User Experience company in Australasia (if not further), along with a globally used suite of UX tools. Trent has gone on to develop his innovative approach as the Chief Product Officer of Vend and the acting head of Digital Experience at Telecom.
This event was brought to you in conjunction with Western Bay at Work and the Young Innovator Awards, and could not happen without the support of Priority One, Locus Research, Woods Creative, ExportNZ BOP, Enterprise Angels and Callaghan Innovation.
Our first Innovation Forum was a great success, inspiring business around the Bay. Recap the event in our blog: 2013 Innovation Forum Inspires Business Community
