Show Notes
When anyone can build anything with AI, what sets the winners apart? James Hurman says it's taste. Troy Hammond and Serge van Dam are back in the Auckland studio with James, founder of Previously Unavailable and the venture studio New & Improved, the team behind TrackSuit, Ideally and Drumbeat. James explains why two people using the same AI tools can create something valuable or something worthless. He also covers why taste comes from constant exposure to great work, and why it matters more than ever now that ideas and research are abundant. He shares the danger of building fast and forgetting to talk to customers, and what his team learned from Ether and its "15 F*** Ups" list. We also cover:• From top of NZ advertising to building companies• Trading services for equity, brick by brick• Going from saying yes to everything to saying no to almost everything• Why B2B ideas travel better from New Zealand• Why place matters for founding teams• The psychology of lucky people behind his kids' book• Why NZ needs a proper tech export metric• The number one predictor of profitable advertising (hint: it's funny) Whether you're a founder, marketer or builder, this one's about the skill AI can't replace. This episode is brought to you by Talent Army: www.talent.army Thanks to Zeil for hosting us in their Auckland studio. 🎧 Follow Startup Theatre for more conversations with founders, investors and operators.
More from Startup Theatre Podcast
Every startup has to find product-market fit. Qiulae Wong is trying to do it for a political party. Troy Hammond and Serge van Dam sit down with the Leader of The Opportunity Party for a founder conversation about building a challenger brand in New Zealand politics. Q shares what it took to raise money with no financial return, find her ideal voter beyond a 2–3% early-adopter base, and scale from about 15 candidates to 42. She also covers taking over Gareth Morgan's founding vision, handling tall poppy syndrome, and why breaking the left–right divide is the real disruption. We also cover:• Culture built on "well-founded hope"• Donation caps, the 5% threshold and new entrants• New Zealand's tech opportunity and weightless exports• AI policy and the public sector, with some friendly pushback• The mistake she learned the most from• Her five bottom lines and a cross-party 10-year health plan This isn't an endorsement. It's a conversation about founder thinking applied to democracy. This episode is brought to you by Talent Army, New Zealand's best startup recruitment company. www.talent.army 🎧 Follow Startup Theatre for more conversations with founders, investors and operators.
Why is government so bad at adopting new technology? And what would it take for New Zealand to build an economy where tech and startups sit alongside our traditional industries? This week, Serge Van Dam sits down with Wellington Mayor and former Cabinet Minister Andrew Little for a wide-ranging conversation about government, technology, risk and the future of New Zealand’s economy. Andrew gives an unusually candid view from inside government, including why the public sector is so risk-averse, why agencies gravitate towards large consulting firms and established technology providers, and why Kiwi startups can sometimes find it easier to win government customers overseas than at home. They also explore Wellington’s opportunity to become a genuine global startup city. Andrew lays out an ambition for 100 new startups a year, more globally significant technology companies, and a city where tech becomes a fundamental part of Wellington’s economic identity. The conversation covers AI inside local government, the $600,000 council website controversy, legacy technology in healthcare, procurement incentives, New Zealand’s “weightless economy”, and why political leaders struggle to articulate a compelling vision for a modern technology-driven economy. Plus, Andrew reflects on leadership, failure, resilience, his own technology literacy, what he admires about entrepreneurs, and whether he might ever invest in a startup himself. A fascinating conversation about what happens when politics, government and startups collide — and what New Zealand needs to do differently if technology is going to help drive the next chapter of our economy. Startup Theatre is hosted by Troy Hammond, Serge Van Dam and Adrienne Muir. This episode is brought to you by Maximus — an AI-powered go-to-market agency for B2B companies. Find out more at MaximusGTM.com.
How do you build and sell an AI startup in under two years? In this episode of Startup Theatre, Troy Hammond, Serge Van Dam and Adrian Muir sit down with Jessica Venning-Bryan, CEO and Co-founder of Factor, fresh off the company's acquisition by NZX-listed Gentrack. Jessica shares the incredible journey from identifying a major problem in the global energy industry to building an AI-powered SaaS platform that was acquired in record time. She also opens up about founder relationships, raising capital, leadership, work-life balance, and why your career doesn't have to follow a straight line. In this episode we cover: How Factor was built and acquired by Gentrack The fastest startup exits in New Zealand Finding billion-dollar problems hiding in plain sight Building AI products for the energy sector How to prepare your startup for acquisition Due diligence lessons every founder should know Why founder relationships matter Raising venture capital as a female founder Leadership, motherhood, and entrepreneurship Why careers should be "jungle gyms", not ladders Critical thinking, AI, and the future of education What Jessica would build next Whether you're building a startup, investing in technology, leading a team, or dreaming of your first exit, this episode is packed with practical lessons from one of New Zealand's most impressive founders. 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations with founders, investors and operators building the future. This podcast was brought to you by Oxygen Advisors Oxygen Advisors is New Zealand's leading outsourced finance partner for startups and high-growth businesses, providing accounting, bookkeeping, tax, CFO, payroll and revenue operations services to help founders scale with confidence. Learn more at www.oxygenadvisors.co.nz. #StartupTheatre #JessicaVenningBryan #Factor #Gentrack #Startup #AI #SaaS #Founder #Entrepreneurship #TechNZ #WomenInTech #StartupExit
Sacha Judd, Co-founder and COO of Lume Music, joins Startup Theatre to discuss the future of music, creator monetisation, and building a startup in one of the world’s toughest industries. We explore why the traditional music industry model is failing independent artists, how streaming platforms changed the economics of music, and why creator-owned communities could become the future. Sacha shares the story behind Lume Music and the company’s mission to help artists grow audiences, connect directly with fans, and build sustainable careers. Topics include: Music-tech startups Creator monetisation AI and the future of music Independent artists and streaming platforms Startup growth and entrepreneurship Fan communities and creator ownership Building disruptive technology businesses Hosted by Troy Hammond and Adrienne Muir on Startup Theatre.
Jamie Beaton, founder of Crimson Education, joins Startup Theatre for a wide-ranging conversation on ambition, AI, education, startups, and the future of New Zealand. Jamie shares his journey from New Zealand student to Harvard and Yale, building Crimson Education into a global company, and why elite universities still matter in an AI-driven world. We discuss: Why top universities are becoming more competitive AI’s impact on careers and education Whether SaaS is dead Why New Zealand struggles with ambition Charter schools and fixing education Debate, entrepreneurship, and critical thinking The future of startups and talent in NZ Free speech and modern universities What parents should focus on right now One of the most intellectually honest and thought-provoking Startup Theatre episodes yet. Hosted by Troy Hammond and Serge Van Dam.