On 10th August, hear scientists and founders discuss their exciting companies utilising BioTech. Learn about their products, team, challenges, and dreams for the future.

Company #1: HelicoBio

Nikolai Macnee and Xiaoming Wang are co-founders of HelicoBio, a company specialising in the production of plant bioreactors, deploying AI and Machine Learning algorithms to help engineer plants that make and store target products in excess. These can then be used as medical treatments, sold as biocatalysts, or converted into useful materials.

Company #2: Mint Innovation

Ollie Crush is co-founder of Mint Innovation, a company who have scaled biological processes to recover valuable metals from the 54 million tons of e-waste generated each year. A key aspect of the Mint process is the use of low-cost chemicals and proprietary microbes that are selective for specific metals, such as gold and palladium. Mint Innovation's goal is to enable the capture of value from e-waste through a decentralised model, whereby capital-efficient biometallurgy plants are established in cities throughout the world. In 2020 the company raised $20m in Series B funding to build its first commercial refineries.

Company #3: Helius Therapeutics

Carmen Doran is CEO of Helius Therapeutics, an EU-GMP certified biotechnology company focused on medicinal cannabis research and development. They have designed and built a state-of-the-art facility in Auckland with controlled growing systems, integrated extraction site, advanced cannabinoid research laboratories and manufacturing operations. As regulatory reforms sweep across the world, Helius is prepared to set the standard for safe and effective medicinal cannabis products. Helius Therapeutics has just become the first New Zealand company to gain approval from Medsafe to begin manufacturing medicinal cannabis.

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Sponsor: Blackbird Ventures

Blackbird Ventures is a venture capital fund based in New Zealand and Australia. Blackbird Ventures has more than a billion dollars under management and a portfolio of over 70 companies, including Kiwi hardware companies FreightFish and Aō Air.

Sponsor: Blender Design

Blender is an award-winning design consultancy based in Auckland since 2006. Blender specialises in Strategic Product Design and Development. Working at the intersection of Design, Technology, and Business: helping companies bring to life exceptional new products that delight customers, make a positive impact and deliver great commercial outcomes. Talk to Blender about how design can transform your business.

Sponsor: Hudson Gavin Martin

Hudson Gavin Martin is a leading boutique commercial and corporate law firm specialising in technology, media and intellectual property. Hudson Gavin Martin advises on commercial and consumer law, corporate law, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution. They represent clients of all sizes and maturity, from start-ups and SMEs, right through to well-established NZ and global / multinational businesses (both from a supplier and customer perspective). They also offer Hardware Meetup members a free initial consultation, so talk to Anchali if you need any legal support!

Sponsor: GridAKL

GridAKL is the amazing space we are lucky to call home; a space created to bring established innovative business and start-ups together into one humming technology precinct in Auckland's Wynyard Quarter. GridAKL has a free Cafe Space which people can use as flexible working space as they please. You can register to become a Tech Cafe member or just drop in

Details:

• Date: Tuesday, 10th August 2021
• Time: 5:30pm until 8:30pm
• Venue: GridAKL, 101 Pakenham Street West, Auckland
• Cost: $10 (+ processing fees)

About Hardware Meetup AKL

Hardware Meetup AKL is one of the largest communities of physical product enthusiasts in New Zealand. Every few months, we showcase founders and engineers and the world-leading products they're building, or dive into hardware-specific topics. We've now showcased dozens of New Zealand's most exciting hardware companies over 5+ years.

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Event Alignment: This is an independently run initiative and is not aligned with any one organisation.

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