Imche is an ardent supporter of all things deep tech start-ups, and has a particular interest and background in biotechnology. Her career started in the laboratory researching neurodegenerative diseases but has since diverged toward venture capital. Imche is now the co-founder and CEO of Outset Ventures, New Zealand’s home of deep technology, and the largest science and engineering venture hub in the country. Curiosity and community sit at the heart of everything she does, and she is passionate about backing inquisitive people with big ideas.

Working as a senior leader for several years both in New Zealand and overseas, Kristen has made a name for herself in New Zealand’s start-up ecosystem. As GM of Hatch, Kristen challenged the status quo by opening up the US share markets to all New Zealanders with a modern investing platform. She’s a firm believer that technology should simplify our financial lives and help us be better with our money. With Hatch, every Kiwi has the same access to the tools, knowledge, and opportunities to take control of their wealth. Their mission remains to transform Kiwis from passive financial participants into active participants; engaged in growing their serious wealth to meet their ambitious lifestyle goals. In 2018 Kristen Lunman was nominated for the Women of Influence Innovator of the Year award. When she’s not busy raising children, surfing and disrupting, you’ll find Kristen volunteering her time to mentor the next generation of entrepreneurs.

In 2018 Graham opened the first medical cannabis service in Aotearoa NZ. Cannabis Care Clinic is in St Lukes, Auckland providing specialist consultations for legal medicinal cannabis prescriptions. Problems addressed include chronic pain, cancer symptoms, anxiety, chronic insomnia and neurological conditions. Most patients have experienced little benefit or adverse effects from conventional treatment or have been told there are no further treatments. Many report that medicinal cannabis offers symptom relief, improved quality of life and most importantly, restores hope. He has prescribed medical cannabis to around 2000 patients with very good outcomes. An audit of his first 400 CBD patients showed benefit for chronic pain and/or emotional distress: British Journal of General Practice Open, 5/2/20: https://bjgpopen.org/content/early/2020/02/03/bjgpopen20X101010
He was appointed to the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council for assessment of medicinal cannabis research projects in 2021.

His part time general practice experience dates from 1983. Much of this work involves assessing and managing addictions and/or chronic pain. He is a FRNZCGP.

Graham completed his Fellowship of the Australasian Chapter of Addiction Medicine (FAChAM) in 2008. As an Addiction Specialist he manages problems such as alcohol and drug withdrawal, opioid substitution treatment, medication for chronic pain and he writes addiction assessments.

Anna is the General Manager of the Bioresource Processing Alliance, an R&D programme creating high-value products from biological by-products from the primary sector. Anna is also the General Manager of Seafood Innovations Ltd, a research and development programme co-funded by the seafood industry and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in order to add value to the seafood sector.  Anna is/has been a Director on two other innovation R&D programmes in the primary sector, she has spent over 16 years as a conduit between industry and the science system, including as a Technology Scout and technology transfer facilitator for Bayer New Zealand.  Anna established, ran and subsequently sold her own manufacturing business in 2010.

A/Prof Jonathon Arnold is Deputy Academic Director at the Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics at the University of Sydney, which specialises in the discovery and development of cannabis-based medicines. Jonathon has published over 100 research papers and reports on cannabis and the cannabinoids. He currently leads various projects which examine the efficacy of cannabinoids in preclinical models of disease including epilepsy, cancer and PTSD. In addition, his research explores the role of the endogenous cannabinoid system in various diseases. He has provided expert advice on cannabis and the cannabinoids to the ACT Legislative Assembly, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Andrew is consulting with Callaghan Innovation, currently leading a project focused on private sector commercialisation for Agritech businesses. Andrew has extensive stakeholder and customer engagement experience, particularly around delivering customer-centred value-add solutions. He has worked with a number of commercial healthcare organisations in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. To find out more go to https://www.healthinz.co.nz/

More recently he led a Callaghan Innovation project through wide-ranging stakeholder engagement to develop a series of capability roadmaps in medicinal cannabis and hemp to support industry growth.