Techweek TV : Techweek Launch: Good for the World

Dr. Kosala Gunawardane is currently a senior lecturer in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT), New Zealand. Her major research involvement is in investigating novel circuit topologies using Supercapacitors to design efficient power electronics circuitries for DC-Microgrid applications. Her research work has direct involvement in hands-on electronics circuit building and experimental verification where there is very limited representation of female researchers. Her research career started in 2009 with a PhD study on novel approach in developing DC-DC converters with high end-to-end efficiency. She was the first PhD candidate to carry out analytical work on the unique DC power management technique discovered in New Zealand at the University of Waikato and patented in the United States. Currently she is involved in three PhD research projects at AUT in DC-Microgrid research domain. She has already supervised one PhD primary supervision and one PhD co-supervision for the completion. For her continuing research and her research leadership as a PhD supervisor, she was a finalist in the 2018 NZ Women of Influence in Science and Innovation category. She has contributed to over 30 international research publications. She is a senior member of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), USA. She is the vice-chair of IEEE Women in Engineering New Zealand North Chapter.

Maru recently completed her Master of Applied Practice - Technological Futures. She was awarded Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to gaming and mental health and the Māori Entrepreneurial Leader Award from the University of Auckland.

Aliesha Staples is high profiled New Zealand producer and pioneer of VR, AR and new technologies. She comes from a 12 year film industry and VR creation background; she is the founder of Staples VR, New Zealand and Australia’s first VR equipment rental supplier and content creation company specializing in camera movement and custom applications. Most recently Aliesha has been the driving force behind vRemedies, a company that solves complex medical industry based problems using creative technologies. She was also the winner of the high tech award 2017 and is currently a finalist in 2018 Women in Film and TV awards for her work in the field.

Tim grew up immersed in technology and built a taser at sixteen for his girlfriend and was asked to leave school as a result.

His passion for business soon emerged but felt there was more to achieve than a formal corporate job. Tim felt a strong need to innovate and started MindKits as a way to connect people with technology through community.

Tim took the devastation of his wife losing a breast to Breast Cancer and worked obsessively to improve prosthetics by making individually crafted breast prosthesis using 3D scanning and 3D printing. A world first.

Tim is an innovator at heart who derives his pleasure by creating technology that benefits the world around him.

Bradley is currently FaceMe’s COO. He specialises in helping tech success stories grow and keep shipping great products. In his own words: “I help smart people do great things.” He was previously GM of Products at Xero and has held pivotal roles at Deloitte, Fiserv and M-Com.

Dr. Sean Simpson is a Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of LanzaTech. Dr. Simpson has over 20 publications and 200 patents. He has received a number of awards including the 2015 US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Presidential Green Chemistry Award, the 2014 Sanitarium, NZ Innovator of the Year Award, the 2013 Kea NZ World Class New Zealander in Science Award. He is a Director of LanzaTech NZ Ltd. Avertana Ltd, and Dotterel Ltd.  Dr. Simpson holds a PhD from York University, UK, and a Master’s degree from Nottingham University, UK.

Bill has a strong personal interest in a great wind turbine solution, he lives in an off-grid house and has a
long standing interest and belief in local energy solutions.
After mechanical engineering training, Bill worked for New Zealand Electricity for 4 years. Following some time
working overseas, Bill did an MBA at Otago University, including a project for Fisher & Paykel Appliances which
evolved into 18 years of employment with the company. He worked on a number of roles starting with design
engineering on the DishDrawer team, and concluding with responsibility for
Engineering Services for all sites.
Since 2007, Bill has worked full time with Powerhouse Wind.

Imche is passionate about supporting New Zealand’s deep technology industries. She works with cleantech and other science start-ups as the General Manager of LevelTwo, New Zealand’s home for deep tech ventures. She is an advocate for investing for the long term in companies that solve global environmental problems. Imche is an avid supporter of all facets of deep technology but has a background and particular interest in biotech. She currently sits on several investment committees and is a mentor to several young entrepreneurs.

Annabell Chartres is a Director within PwC’s Management Consulting team, and leads the Firm’s Sustainability and Climate Change offering for New Zealand. Previously, Annabell spent a decade living and working in China during the development of that country’s clean tech sector and was PwC’s clean tech sector specialist. Career experience includes clean tech deal origination and implementation of investment strategies; design and implementation of leading Chinese clean tech industry group developing a collaborative platform focused on identifying, developing and promoting clean technology solutions in China; Business strategy and implementation plan for creating incentives to develop a clean tech industry in Malaysia.