Bay of Plenty Business News April/May 2018

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Special Event Preview
Digital help
on its way for
local charities
Local charities and not-for-profits who
are feeling lost in the digital world
will soon find help thanks to partners
Socialink and Venture Centre, along with
technology consultant Bryan Winters.
Just 10 spots are still available
in a pilot group on
the Digital Technology
Programme, which will help
local charities in the digital
world by assessing their needs
and coordinating local experts
to lend a hand.
Socialink’s Kathy Webb
says Bay charities and notfor-profits
have asked for help
to improve their digital communications,
fundraising, and
digital infrastructure.
“The Digital Technology
Pilot is the first answer to this
request,” she says. “We are
excited to offer it!”
Venture Centre co-founder
Jo Allum says they’ve been
aware of social sector digital
needs for some time.
This is more than
giving advice, this is
plugging-in the right
digital technologies
to achieve the
desired outcomes.”
– Jo Allum
“It’s great to bring our
expertise and connections to
this effort,” she says.
“The Digital Technology
Programme will give the first
group a jump start, and create
a blueprint for us and them to
move forward.”
Bryan Winters has more
than three decades of international
IT experience, and is
already implementing technologies
in a Bay of Plenty notfor-profit.
“It’s challenging getting a
business on the correct digital
path, let alone a charity with
few financial resources,” says
Bryan.
“Working with these partners
and a pilot group of charities
will give us a road map for
future digital endeavours in the
social sector.”
“We need that timeframe
to thoroughly understand their
needs, and to organise and
implement solutions,” says Jo.
“This is more than giving
advice, this is plugging-in
the right digital technologies
to achieve the desired
outcomes.”
The project is also supported
by Information Technology
Professionals New Zealand
Impact investments lead social
change in the Bay and Waikato
(ITP), which is New Zealand’s
official body acting for the
digital sector.
Applications for the Digital
Technology Programme are
open now, and will close on
May 18.
Roundtable discussions
with the 10 chosen charities
will take place during
Techweek Tauranga, from May
21-25. The full programme
will run until March 31, 2019.
For more information
go online to: http://clik.vc/
charitydigital
MADVentures – events for youth
Codebrite Term Time After School is
here
8 May – 26 June 2018 (weekly)
3:30pm to 5:00pm
Codebrite Term Time Homeschool is
here
10 May – 28 June (weekly), 3:30pm to 5:00pm
Mashup 2018 Bay of Plenty
9 June – 10 June 2018
PoweringON – events for
business owners
Office Hours Financials with Crowe
Horwath
7 May 2018, 11:00am to 12:00pm
Office Hours Intellectual Property with
James & Wells
9 May 2018 , 11:00am to 1:00pm
Office Hours Xero Tips and Tricks with
Ingham Mora
9 May 2018, 11:00am to 1:00pm
Office Hours Marketing Strategy and
Planning with Marketing on Demand
10 May 2018, 3:00pm to 5:00pm
Tauranga Social Enterprise Meetup
15 May 2018, 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Office Hours Sales and Marketing with
Bravesight
17 May 2018, 10:30am to 12:30pm
Office Hours Legal with Mackenzie Elvin
@TechweekTGA
21 May 2018, 11:00am to 1:00pm
GrowPlenty @TechweekTGA
21 May 2018 / 22 May 2018
1:00pm to 4:00pm, 5:00pm to 8:00pm
Advice on how to create social change in
the Bay of Plenty and Waikato by making
‘impact investments’ will be shared at a
special workshop held during Techweek
Tauranga later this month.
Design Thinking for Social Services and
Not-for-profits Webinar and Workshop
@TechweekTGA
21 May 2018 / 24 May 2018,
10:30am to 12:30pm
Certifications Muffin Morning! @
TechweekTGA
22 May 2018, 7:30am to 8:15am
BayTrust is at the forefront
of the impact
investment movement in
New Zealand which involves
addressing social and environmental
concerns while generating
a financial return at the
same time.
BayTrust chief executive
Alastair Rhodes will share his
experiences and advice alongside
other investors and social
enterprises at an event called
“Leading Change in Regional
New Zealand,” to be held at
Basestation on Friday May 25
at 10:30am.
Impact investing is gaining
momentum worldwide as
investors look for new ways
to tackle social issues (such
as housing affordability) and
environmental problems. This
year BayTrust has set aside
$12 million (6 percent of their
$215 million investment portfolio)
for impact investments
to help drive social change in
their region as well as delivering
economic returns.
“This investment approach
gives us the ability to maximise
our impact above and
beyond our annual community
grants budget, which is ultimately
what all foundations
and trusts like ourselves are
trying to achieve,” Alastair
explains.
“We’re trying to get the
best financial returns we can
but we’re always going to consider
that in the context of
what we’re here to do – which
is to positively benefit the Bay
of Plenty.”
We’re trying to get
the best financial
returns we can, but
we’re always going to
consider that in the
context of what we’re
here to do – which is
to positively benefit
the Bay of Plenty.
Alastair is looking forward
to sharing his insights and
experience in developing an
impact investment strategy at
the upcoming workshop event.
“Starting with smaller low
risk impact investments is critical,”
he says.
Organisations which are
serious about impact investing
should also review their organisational
structure and capacity
to ensure the right investment
skills are in place.
This may involve recruiting
talent with more of a commercial/private
equity skill set,
who have experience in seeking
out investment opportunities
and analysing the investment
decisions in terms of risk
and return.
He believes that reviewing
skill sets is also necessary
from the perspective of social
entrepreneurs who are pitching
impact investing opportunities.
Investment specialists need to
be engaged to help develop
a prospectus outlining the
impact investing opportunity,
the structure, the exit plan for
investors and risk and return
equation.
“If we continue to connect
these people together, we can
contribute to developing the
ecosystem, so if a group is
looking to do something to
improve the Bay of Plenty and
Waikato, they know where to
go to access the expertise –
and make sure everything is
in place.”
The workshop will take a
practical approach, with plenty
of opportunity for discussion
and advice. During lunch there
will be a mini-expo of social
enterprises at various stages
(start-up to scaling) who will
share more about the positive
impact they’re making,
as well as the products and
services they are delivering to
customers.
Social enterprises or future
investors who are interested
in taking part in this workshop
and mini-expo, are invited to
book tickets now at https://
www.businessaxis.nz/leadingchange
National Co-working Day at Basestation
@TechweekTGA
22 May 2018
8:30am to 12:30pm, 1:00pm to 5:00pm
Unlocking Regional Growth Through
Innovation @TechweekTGA
24 May 2018, 8:30am to 1:00pm
ADI (Angelic Drop In) Clinic Tauranga @
TechweekTGA
24 May 2018, 4:30pm to 6:30pm
Leading Change in Regional New
Zealand @TechweekTGA
25 May 2018, 10:30am to 2:30pm
Xero user group with Living Business
29 May 2018, 9:30am to 10:30am
Instigator – events for founders
Showcase and Celebrate CO.Starters
10 May 2018, 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Entrepreneurs Everywhere
16 May 2018, 5:30pm to 7:30pm