Five questions with OpenStar Technologies Founder and CEO, Ratu Mataira
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Welcome to a new week, Caffeinators!
Back in my very first week at CAFFEINE, Angus and the team at Outset Ventures took me on a tour that felt like discovering the Willy Wonka factory of Kiwi startups. I’d been working just two minutes away, completely unaware that behind an unassuming building on a leafy Parnell street, huge hi-tech Kiwi success stories like Rocket Lab and LanzaTech had been born.
It was also where I first heard about ‘Deep Tech’ and Ratu Mataira of OpenStar Technologies. The stories I heard that day and Ratu’s incredible journey gave me startup fever—and incidentally, convinced me I was all-in on CAFFEINE. So, today, I’m especially excited to share some of Ratu’s insights in our Founders in Five.
Here’s to a great week ahead.
Lauren & the CAFFEINE team
P.S. If you can, please consider upgrading to a paid supporter. Even small contributions make a massive difference to us.
Join Sir John Kirwan and thousands of Kiwis for the NZ Check-In this Mental Health Awareness Week: Using Groov’s app, you can take a quick daily check-in to reflect on how you’re feeling and get personalised tips to improve your wellbeing. It’s simple, fast, and free—just download the Groov App, turn on notifications, and answer one daily question. Be part of this nationwide movement to make mental health a priority, and see how New Zealand is checking in right now. More here team, get involved.
Nelson’s Marine AI Launches Autonomous Vessel with Global Potential: Marine AI has launched Thetis, an autonomous vessel tested in Nelson, capable of unmanned and semi-autonomous operations. Minister Judith Collins praised its export potential after observing successful collision-avoidance tests. Designed for industries like aquaculture and defence, the system processes data faster than humans, offering valuable applications for monitoring and safety in commercial operations. More here.
Shoot for the Stars: Apply for the New Zealand Space Scholarship! 🚀 Listen to NZ Space Scholarship recipient Alex McKendry as she shares why you should apply. 🎧 Applications are open for post-grad students eager to work on NASA projects at Ames Research Center or Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the US. This hands-on opportunity, guided by NASA mentors, includes return airfares, accommodation, and living expenses, fully supported by the New Zealand Space Scholarship. Know someone ripe for this incredible internship? Read more here.
Time for round #4 of our new Founders in 5 series — five questions with NZ’s startup leaders. This week we were thrilled to steal some time from the legendary OpenStar Technologies Founder and CEO, Ratu Mataira. His coffee is a long black and cocktail an Old Fashioned. We love this perspective from his bio below.
“I come from a family of educators. My grandmother, Dame Kāterina Mataira, received her knighthood for saving Te Reo Māori from extinction after a century of colonisation. If she could do that, what is the measure of what you can do in a single life? For our generation – for my life – that challenge is climate change and the future of human prosperity. Fusion itself is only a technical solution, but these problems are more than technical. Saving Te Reo Māori wasn’t done via an app, AI, or government intervention – it was done by people coming together with a sense of responsibility, courage, and hope to protect what was most important to them. That’s OpenStar, and that’s me.” More here.
What do you wish you had known before becoming a founder?
I've learnt a lot about how to take care of myself during this journey, physically and mentally, and I'm still learning. Honestly the more of those skills I could have had at the beginning would have been an amazing head start.
What's the most useful advice you've ever received [and followed]?
Somethings you can grow into, and some things you just need to be put through the trial. Don't shy away from the intimidating thing by hoping that you can grow into more gradually. Much of the judgement you will make as a founder is how to distinguish these situations for your self and your team.
And the worst? [Followed or not]
Hard question to answer, in part because bad advice is often just other peoples’ opinions and anxieties masquerading as advice. So, “NZ couldn't do this, so you can’t do it here” is probably the best example.
What do we need to do to take the NZ startup ecosystem to the next level?
The public already funds a huge amount of IP generation through research funding. The largest benefit to the public from that IP comes from job creation and access to new technology, rather than a university trying to own a large share in those business.
The government should step in to make sure fewer start ups are killed by TTO deals. This will see more technology commercialised. More tech in the market will create a flywheel, more entrepreneurs will go through the university system, knowing there is a pathway. Eventually TTOs and uni endowments can get access to the best stream of entrepreneurial talent, thanks to their great commercialisation track record.
Which will lead to significantly better investment outcomes for universities.
What's the hardest thing about being a founder?
You have a huge amount of agency over your own fate and the fate of the company. But sometimes you have to face things out of your control, or you have to step back. Facing that loss of agency, when you normally have so much, is the hardest for me.
☕️ Auckland Bootstrapper's Breakfast | Tue 24th Sep, 7:30am | GridAKL/John Lysaght, 101 Pakenham St West: Hear from Jack Coleman and Henry Wallace, co-founders of Double Yolk, as they discuss how they scaled their digital talent platform to over 100 staff in 5 years before being acquired by Outsourced. They’ll share insights on identifying startup potential, managing growth, and expanding into global markets. Perfect for founders looking for real-world advice on scaling and acquisitions. More
💰 Investor Hot Seat with Mark & Millie from Movac | Tue 24th Sep, 5pm | Victoria University of Wellington, Pipitea Campus: Join WellingtonNZ for an exclusive investor hot seat session with Movac’s Mark Vivian and Millie McKelvie. Movac has invested over $400 million in Kiwi startups like Vend and Timely, and with their latest $230 million fund, they’re looking for ambitious founders to back. Learn what Movac looks for in companies, get tips on raising capital, and ask your burning questions. Stick around for networking with drinks and nibbles—don’t miss this chance to connect with top investors and fellow founders. More
💻 Canterbury Tech Summit 2024 | Fri 27th Sep, 8am | Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre: Celebrating 21 years, this full-day event brings together Aotearoa’s most active tech community to connect, grow, and inspire. With speakers, panels, and over 30 exhibitors, you’ll dive deep into tech innovation, digital futures, and networking. Whether you’re a techie, disruptor, or techpreneur, this is your chance to collaborate and share ideas for expanding New Zealand’s thriving tech sector. Tickets are limited—don’t miss out. More
Could you be the next CEO of Ministry of Awesome? This is a hands-on role for an exceptional visionary who wants to boost Aotearoa's startup ecosystem, support founders across NZ, and be an advocate for founder success. MOA are passionate about enabling Kiwi founders to build strong skillsets to lead their high-growth startup to gain market traction and achieve commercial success.
Learn more about the role and apply here.
British Founder Entrepreneur & Founder, Steven Bartlett [Flight Fund; Flight Studio; The Diary Of A CEO & Thirdweb] shared this potentially contentious POV in a LinkedIn post over the weekend. Thoughts?
“I’m pretty shocked at how gaslit, scared and indecisive leaders have become since the pandemic. Politically correct leadership is a corporate virus that will kill your company…
Just as Instagram presents flawlessly filtered selfies to create an illusion of perfect beauty, LinkedIn presents meticulously polished political correctness to create the illusion of perfect leadership.
Both platforms will trick you into thinking you must be doing something wrong.
You’re probably not.
Trust your common sense.”
READ THE FULL POST AND HIS 10 UNPOPULAR OPINIONS HERE.
That’s it for today, thanks for reading. Want to get in touch with a news tip, a slice of feedback or just to chat? Email hello@caffeinedaily.co.