Published on the 06/05/2016 | Written by Newsdesk

Spark Lab targets all businesses with a line-up of “international heavy-hitters” presenting at Innovation Month in Auckland…

This year the Spark Lab Event Series is focusing on business; more specifically how Auckland as a city and New Zealand as a country celebrates and fosters an entrepreneurial spirit. The Event Series is covering a range of topics including start-ups, innovation, tools and tech and disruption.

This month it’s the turn of innovation. Google’s Reuben Halper and Sunny Bates of TED and Kickstarter are flying in for the occassion. And the keynote event will be given by New Zealand’s very own innovation whizz, Sir Ray Avery. He will “share his thoughts on how businesses can best develop a disruptive, game-changing culture”.

Richard Sandford, head of business marketing for Spark, said of the event line-up: “We’re thrilled to be able to bring some incredibly influential innovators from around the world to the Lab this month, alongside some of New Zealand’s top innovators, to pass on their insights and experience to the New Zealand business community,”

There will be eight sessions in total, designed to spark ideas for businesses of all sizes and stages, in keeping with the Spark Lab’s mission to offer ‘a place to unleash the potential of New Zealanders’.

It’s big talk for a small(ish) space, but the line-up does look pretty good. The sessions will be open to everyone and are free to attend although spaces are limited. A number of sessions will be livestreamed on Facebook and videos from all of the events will be available online so that businesses around New Zealand can benefit fro the sessions.

Innovation Month schedule:

Hello America 10 May, 5:30PM
San Fran-based Ben Ridler from Results.com on how leap over and launch into the US

World’s best 13 May, 7:00AM
Previously Unavailable’s James Hurman on how some of the world’s biggest companies manage to be the most innovative.

Innovation via disruption 17 May, 7:00AM
Squirrel’s John Bolton on the innovative thinking that’s driving the peer-to-peer revolution.

Why should you be getting out more? 18 May 7:00AM
Sunny Bates from Kickstarter and TED on how networking and simply meeting people are key to attracting innovative talent.

Innovative strategies 18 May 5:30PM
The Results Group’s Simon Mundell on Strategies to take innovation from ideas to execution.

Creating your niche 19 May, 7:00AM
Movio’s William Palmer on how to move first and move fast.

Keynote event: Sir Ray Avery 25 May, 5:30PM
Master of Innovation Sir Ray Avery on how to build a game-changing, disruptive culture.

Google culture and innovation 26 May, 5:30PM
Reuben Halper on Google’s focus on culture, ways of working, talent acquisition and retention.

Notes:
Spark Lab is a space on level 4 of the Seafarers Building in Britomart, Auckland and is the result of a collaboration between Spark and Shine Limited.

If you are a media representative who would like to attend one of the sessions, please contact Nicky directly – nicky@shinelimited.co.nz