Stories

Pacific Channel, a leading Asia-Pacific funds management firm specialising in deep-tech and venture capital, is thrilled that three of its portfolio companies have been named in the prestigious global Cleantech 50 to Watch list.

Our investment in Green Gravity represents Pacific Channel's commitment to investing and supporting in transformative cleantech solutions. By addressing the critical need for energy storage, leveraging existing infrastructure, and offering a globally scalable solution, Green Gravity exemplifies innovative technologies that we believe will shape the future of energy and environmental sustainability.

The team from Australian-based Headsafe have developed Nurochek, an FDA-cleared portable medical device that is capable of providing an objective concussion assessment in just 2 minutes. Offering an objective, rapid assessment tool, Nurochek is set to be a game-changer as it potentially addresses many of the key challenges in concussion diagnosis and management.

Pacific Channel is thrilled to announce the appointment of Samantha Ng as director of strategic operations. In her role, Sam will lead the establishment of the company’s first fund management firm in Australia - Pacific Channel Ventures Australia

There’s no doubt the AI revolution presents both opportunities and challenges for deep-tech and those who invest in the sector. From our perspective, maintaining a balanced approach – embracing the potential of AI while remaining grounded in the fundamentals of building sustainable, profitable businesses which are built on scientific and engineering based innovations.

Throughout these video’s, Marny’s shares her insights into navigating the challenges of innovation, sustainability, and scalability in the clean tech and deep tech industries.

New Zealand’s leading deep-tech venture capital firm, Pacific Channel, has today announced it is establishing a new fund in Australia. With support from LaunchVic, Victoria’s startup agency, Pacific Channel’s Australian-based fund will be the first time a New Zealand-based VC expands offshore.

Marny Reakes discusses the challenges faced by deep-tech startups and outlines what she typically looks for when evaluating them in her role as a venture partner for Pacific Channel. She emphasises the importance of de-risking technical aspects, understanding customer needs, and having a team open to feedback and growth.

As our Deep-tech incubator manager, Louis Newton will be instrumental in managing the day-to-day operations of the incubator programme, ensuring smooth execution and facilitating the growth of our startups.

Investing in deep-tech is like a relay race. Each investor plays a critical role in the company’s journey towards achieving success – providing the right type of venture and investment capital and expertise at the right time to help the company grow

Four key factors influenced our decision to invest in Avertana. 1. The company is addressing a real issue with tangible impacts. 2. The commercial potential is signficant. 3. The environmental impact is evident. 4. Management has effectively executed on the strategy and meets milestones.

We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Richard Pinfold as a partner at Pacific Channel. Leading our investment banking team, Richard’s primary focus is on raising local and international capital which is strategically deployed into deep tech companies, fostering growth and innovation.

The race to be first to market is often seen as the ultimate measure of success. However, in the world of deep-tech, where developing science and engineering-based solutions to address complex problems is filled with significant challenges, the reality is far more nuanced.

Marny Reakes provides insight her background as a chemical engineer and her journey in the mining industry while also discussing the importance of the practicalities of scaling up ideas from the lab to commercial viability.

Transitioning from developing a technology to building a business, defining commercial proof-points and communicating value to investors are some of the challenges that come with commercialising groundbreaking innovations.

With demand exceeding expectations, Pacific Channel had led the latest investment in Bovonic to support the company to accelerate production of commercial units and focus on identifying a second target market for QuadSense beyond New Zealand to have a transformative impact in the global dairy industry

Fail, start again, fail, start again, and keep tyring. Solving some of the world's fundamentally challenging problems not only requires innovation, it needs people who are willing to 'have a go' and recognise that if you fail then that's OK.

As a partner in the tech incubator programme, our team will have the opportunity to back more ambitious New Zealand deep-tech ventures at their earliest stage, providing them with the specialist capital, expertise, deep experience and access to networks they need to achieve value inflection points and establish a strong market presence.

While navigating the capital constrained environment is challenging, we believe it also offers deep tech companies opportunities to employ proactive strategies, facilitate partnerships and maintain a focus on value creation.

The textile industry is renowned for being one of the world’s biggest polluters. Understanding the significant environmental impact that comes from textile dyeing and finishing, Xefco has developed a revolutionary manufacturing solution that eliminates the need to use any water in the dyeing and finishing process – reducing water, energy, chemical pollution, and the textile industry’s carbon footprint.

Pacific Channel’s Ash Sundaresan speaks with Vortex Power Systems CEO, Perzaan Mehta about the global energy challenge, Vortex’s technology, shifting from a technology project to a business and the dynamics of their investor – company relationship.

Recycling of waste to produce energy, and more recently to produce useful materials, is an area of innovation Marny is deeply passionate, particularly in the mining and industrial sectors

Balancing the potential for real-world impact with commercial viability can be challenging. Our approach to commercialisation starts at the very beginning and typically considers two key factors – assessing whether the innovation is truly groundbreaking and capable of making a significant environmental difference and determining if the technology can be translated into a economically sustainable business model.

Revolutionising conventional medical imaging, Mars Bioimaging has developed the world’s first colour CT imaging system, which is considered to be a game-changer in medical diagnostics because it shows what is happening in our bodies in a way that has never been achieved before.

Marny Reakes provides her insights into long-term thinking and why it's never too early for startups to be considering what their product will look like when they're going to scale it, how fast can they scale and importantly how fast is the market growing and how quickly can the startup penetrate that market.

TVNZ Sunday features two of our portfolio companies - InsituGen and Vortex Power Systems. While the story touched on a range of different aspects, what it showcased is the immense potential these big-thinking technologies have in solving some very hard global problems, the significant challenges the companies face in successfully going from developing ground-breaking technology to building a successful business and the role the deep-tech ecosystem including us as a venture capital company, has in providing the right capital, resources and networks.

Innovative technologies often have the potential to solve multiple challenges across different markets. We’ve seen this with a number of our portfolio companies and while this multifaceted potential is exciting it also means the company faces a significant challenge: identifying the most promising initial market

CEO of Tectonus, Carl Beck and Ash Sundaresan share valuable insights into Tectonus’ seismic strengthening technology, the ‘sweet spot’ that influenced deep tech investor, Pacific Channel’s decision to invest in the company, the challenges facing early-stage companies, raising capital and the commercialisation journey

Kitea Health co-founder and COO Natalia Lopez and Kieran Jina not only discuss the significant health challenge this technology aims to address, its' potential applications and the future, but they also chat about the founder/funder relationship and how they work together

The way we think about food, water and healthcare needs to focus on abundance, and the critical question we have to be asking is, “How can technology move these fundamentals of society from scarcity to abundance?”.

We're thrilled to have invested in Transparently.AI alongside Move Asset Management and in the same funding round as global asset management company, Franklin Templeton which has USD $1.5 trillion funds under management.

Rather than investing in market trends, our focus lies on anticipating market demands two or more years away, which is an approach that means the deep tech companies we invest in are better positioned for subsequent funding rounds and eventual exits.

Our due diligence process is not just a step in the investment decision – it's a comprehensive approach to understanding markets and technologies. By focusing on gaining in-depth industry knowledge and leveraging global expertise, we can be having more informed engagement with potential portfolio companies.

Our Channel Insights series features a range of experts providing their perspectives on investing in deep tech. Our inaugural event sought answers to "the question “What does it take to grow the number of deep tech startups in New Zealand?”

Recognising how valuable pasture is to farm productivity, Aimer Development is a company developing a technology solution for farmers who are seeking a cost-effective and accurate way to optimise their pasture management

We are proud to announce the well-deserved promotions of two exceptional team members who have played instrumental roles in the success of Pacific Channel and our portfolio companies. Dr Ashwath Sundaresan will take on the role of Associate Partner, and Dr Rob Powell will assume the responsibilities of Chief Investment Officer.

The appointment of Marny Reakes and Paul Muckleston as venture partners is a signficant milestone for Pacific Channel. Their international experience along with their entrepreneurial, technical, operational and investment expertise will add real value to the deep tech companies in our portfolio as they grow and scale ‍

The High 5 summit was not just a meeting of the minds; it was an opportunity for Kiwi innovators and exporters to showcase their brands to international decision-makers from countries with a population of over 1.6bn, on our home soil.

In the past two years, Tamata Hauha has been a catalyst for change - economically and environmentally. Leveraging the NZ ETS as an ‘enabler’ to create economic and environmental opportunities, Tamata's sole focus is restoring the whenua, its people and their prosperity. Tamata’s approach involves afforesting underutilised Māori land, tapping into the potential of the NZ ETS to generate carbon credits known as New Zealand Units (NZUs) that can be traded on the open market.

At the heart of deep-tech venture capital sits a powerful opportunity: the chance to shape our world's future through strategic investments. For our team, this means not only identifying promising business opportunities but also focusing on innovations that can make a significant impact on our environment.

As a specialist deep tech venture capital firm, the unique advantages of deep tech investments, combined with the collaborative power of co-investing, can lead to outsized returns and transformative societal impact.

At the heart of deep tech is a solution to a problem. But not just any problem – these are complex issues that are becoming increasingly difficult to manage – from climate change, resource scarcity, chronic illness, through to food insecurity.

As venture capital investors, we focus on early-stage funding, particularly at the seed to Series A stages. Our ultimate goal is to guide these companies towards successful commercialisation which would enable them to scale their impact, maximise their potential, and solve some of humanity's most significant challenges.

Mastitis, the most common and costly disease affecting dairy cows, is a significant challenge for the global dairy industry. As the son of a farmer, Liam Kampshof understood the importance of good udder health and milk quality to farm productivity. He also saw first-hand the damage that mastitis could have on individual animals and entire farms.

TUS Holdings is committed to driving innovation and supporting ground-breaking ventures aligns perfectly with Pacific Channel’s focus on investing in the future of food, health and the environment and we look forward to the potential worldwide network of benefits this could bring to our portfolio companies.

Professor Cather Simpson sums up the importance of deep tech in a nutshell: "People don’t go backwards. We are not going to return to an agrarian society where everyone grows their own food. Technology has always been the engine of improvement – of moving humanity forward. This is true whether it’s the smartphone or the scythe."

Join our team and gain unparalled exposure to deep-tech start-up companies in New Zealand. We have an opportunity to bring a new Associate, Senior Associate, or Investment Manager into the team. We believe in tailoring the role to the right individual, providing them with support to develop and grow further. If you are seeking the next challenge in your career and have the skills and experience relevant to these roles, we would love to hear from you.

Explaining the challenge Leon is attempting to solve is relatively simple. As our global population increases, we need more food to support this growth. Yet, at the same time, because of our heavy reliance on using natural resources to produce this food [unless we change our practices] we will eventually reach a point where the number of natural resources being utilised is unsustainable. Here's why we invested in Nanobubble Agritech.

Tāmata Hauhā partners with Māori landowners along their journey and by providing them with the right capital, resources, expertise, and knowledge, can assist them to make their whenua more valuable.

Our ethos is to unlock the potential of deep technology companies by exploring the opportunities that global markets have to offer. By bridging New Zealand startups to larger markets in Greater China, Europe and the US. By investing in these deep tech companies and facilitating access to international markets, Pacific Channel aims to maximise their impact and scalability.

Ask our team what gets them out of bed in the morning, while the financial returns are important, it’s the impact we’re able to create by investing in technologies that are solving significant global challenges facing our future.

Harmony is when you bring the right people together with the right ideas, the right resources, and the right level ofunderstanding, so you can increase the chances of success. But with deep tech, its not as easy as it sounds. Dr Robert Powell explains.

With the release of the Technology Investment Network's (TIN) 2023 report into Aotearoa New Zealand’s tech investment ecosystem and those who are most active in it, we thought we'd provide some insights into why NZ needs more foreign investment and why deep tech is an attractive investment proposition..

Often people define commercialisation as taking the company or technology to 'the next step or level', and they're not wrong, but importantly you need a roadmap and a team who are always thinking about the next step, and the one after, and the one after that.

Pacific Channel and Singpore-based venture capital fund, TRIREC sign a MOU to drive innovation, foster growth, and unlock new opportunities with a specific focus on tech that will reshape the future of our environment

Pacific Channel leads a $2m investmet into Upstream Medical Technologies to support the advancement of a ground-breaking diagnostic marker for heart disease

Unleasing deep tech potential. This article examines the importance of understanding the technology and the surrounding patent landscape.

At the heart of our approach we desire to understand. Deep tech is dynamic so by gaining a comprehensive understanding of how technology works and delving into the landscape of protecting the science, we can establish a solid foundation to evaluate and assess potential investments.

Safeguarding our environment is a hotly debated topic, and quite rightly, as it’s one of the most pressing issues that humankind faces. There is no single solution or set of solutions that will reverse the impact climate change is having on our environment, and on our future. This is why the whole of society needs to get involved – change can’t just be up to the few, the ‘many’ have to come together to play a part. In this article we examine the role specialised venture capital plays in advancing these solutions.

Having a team which is exit minded, that has the skill set to think about who the potential acquirer of a deep tech company might be and what groundwork needs to take place between now and then to make that event likely gives us a far better chance of achieving a positive outcome for our investors and the company itself.

For us, deep tech represents the novel scientific or engineering innovations that have the potential to solve some of the world’s biggest social and environmental challenges – the future of our food, our health and our environment.

At the time, Neil and Richard weren’t looking for a huge capital investment- they wanted enough to prove the concept worked. Like all deep-tech innovations, there’s always a risk that the investment might not pay off, but it’s important to ask, ‘What if it does?’

What sets Pacific Channel apart is our approach to assessing deep tech investments. Our multidisciplinary team which includes scientists and engineers enables us to conduct specialist due diligence on prospective deep tech investments, unravelling the complexities associated with cutting-edge technologies and assessing their market potential.

Dr Ashwath Sundaresan is incredibly passionate about the future of our environment and leads our investments that focus on clean tech and advanced engineering.

Because of the nature of deep tech, the companies developing the technology face unique challenges. Once we’ve made an investment into a deep tech company, our involvement doesn’t end there. In addition to capital, we provide resources, networks, skills and expertise to help these companies achieve their ambition.

Ever since our first investment in 2020, our long-term vision for Orbis Diagnostics has been that it could be the solution to a multi-billion-dollar, global problem. Here’s why we invested.

As a deep-tech venture capital fund, we are commonly asked how we know “what potential investments will have a measurable, and sustainable influence on our future and provide a return to our investors?”

When we connect game changing technology with venture capital investment and capability, we can make what might seem the impossible, possible. The due diligence process is key to our investment decision making and because of the complex nature of deep tech, to determine the opportunity requires specialised knowledge, skills and an ability to examine the hypothesis, the technology and the people.

Our ability to think flexibly provides our investors a diverse offering in how they might want to invest. Returns – both financial and impact are at the forefront of our investment philosophy and through our unique approach we offer our investors diversification – geographic, risk, industry and asset class.

Optionality is a powerful driver of value. Through our venture capital investment strategies, we can deliver the individuals who are part of our Pacific Channel network options to participate in follow-on investments, at later stages of a company’s journey.

When we get to the point where we are comfortable talking about founders, researchers, and entrepreneurs in their own right rather than adding ‘male’ or ‘female’ in front to define the founder or entrepreneur, we [and to clarify, ‘we’ refers to the venture capital sector] will be truly embracing equity.

Venture capital companies have a unique opportunity to drive gender diversity and inclusion within the deep tech ecosystem. 50% of our population is female which means we need solutions to the significant issues that could impact this population. Arguably, while males are very capable of conceptualising and driving the development of these technologies, diversity of thought certainly helps ensure that female-dominated issues are being addressed.

The company behind the world’s first implantable long-term brain pressure sensor, New Zealand start-up Kitea Health, has secured $6m funding from investors to scale its clinical trial programme and accelerate entry into global markets.

The potential rewards of deep tech are significant. But the success is dependent on the ability of each company, and the capability of the team, including its investors to meet the challenges. The lived experience and the unique perspective our team brings to this journey ensures we can equip these companies to solve some very significant problems facing our future

The day we first established the deep-tech venture capital company, the name Pacific Channel worked. And it still fits today. It’s a true representation of what our team continues to offer researchers, innovators, and investors.

Generally there is a story behind the name of a company. Pacific Channel means exactly that - a channel across the pacific that enables companies based in New Zealand to access some of the world's largest markets.

Deep tech could arguably be considered the venture capital of venture capital. It’s a really exciting space to be investing in because if we can help solve some of the globally significant challenges facing our health, our food sources and our environment, all of which are vitally important for our future, then we can create value and impact.

Emerald adds “Our goal with this award is to encourage more women to enter the commercialisation space. By providing them access to the right people, the right support and the right skills and networks, we’re helping shape the next generation of founders and bringing more diversity to the development of research."

Led by Blair Jamieson and Lance Iwikau, Tāmata Hauhā works with Māori landowners to provide strategies and practical funding to develop unproductive land into productive assets.

When Pacific Channel finds a deep-tech innovation they think is really exciting, and makes an investment, Steph and his team first reaches out to potential corporate acquirers globally to confirm there is interest should the innovation be successfully developed. If Pacific Channel decides to invest Steph and his team then reach out to select investors in New Zealand and around the world and say, “hey, this is what we’re investing in and why, do you want to co-invest with us?”.

We believe deep tech has the potential to solve existential crises like climate change and the quality and longevity of our lives. By supporting brilliant scientists and academics, we provide specialised venture capital at seed through to Series A stages, guidance, and resources for their technology to succeed.

Shaping our world tomorrow requires a deep understanding of the role science and engineering-based technologies will play in solving the challenges we will face in the future, the ability to assess which opportunities are capable of making a difference, and how venture capital investment can assist in making these potential opportunities into real solutions.

As a venture capital company, we prioritise the cultivation of talent. By investing in the growth and development of talented individuals – our own team and our founders and entrepreneurs, we can foster a thriving entrepreneurial culture, driving our own investment success while also contributing to the overall growth of the startup ecosystem.

By evaluating system risks alongside other investment factors, such as technological feasibility, market potential, and intellectual property protection, we can mitigate the potential risks and rewards associated with a deep tech investment.

Entrepreneurs are the centre of economic growth and innovation and we’re committed to supporting early-stage entrepreneurs to rapidly scale and innovate their technologies as they build globally successful, category-defining businesses to deliver solutions to some of our most pressing global challenges.

Our investment focus on the future of healthcare, food and our environment stems from the recognition of their critical importance in addressing global challenges and improving the well-being of humanity. They’re interconnected, and progress in one of the areas often has positive implications for the others.

Geospatial Analysis + Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) is a new field of study that combines geospatial methodologies with data science in solutions estimated to be worth over $200b in the next five years. GeoAI is increasingly seen as a foundational technology across many industries, from healthcare to energy, improving public health outcomes and population well-being to ensuring environmental compliance and optimising physical assets and infrastructure.

Pacific Channel is excited to be leading a $4.5m seed round into Rotorua-based clean-tech company Cetogenix. There is a lot to love about Cetogenix - it’s an excellent example of how new biotechnology can enable the building of an attractive business while also accelerating decarbonisation goals.

VC’s are definitely making a concerted effort to increase gender equality but we need to do more to make sure females don’t fall through the gaps.

As a deeptech VC, we often see a variety of businesses and companies solving extremely complex problems. Many of the scientists and entrepreneurs we talk to know a lot more than us about their specific subject matter. The first conversation I have is often exciting – these people have dedicated a large chunk of their lives in this new venture and are excited by the possibilities and impact it brings.

Pacific Channel is delighted to have led the seed round for TasmanIon, a new spinout from Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) focussing on commercialising new aluminium ion batteries.

I am cautiously optimistic about the future and am also excited to see New Zealand innovations addressing these big global challenges. As we shift beyond a “lithium only” future, I am excited to see how Pacific Channel can help foster these technologies and scientists to help scale these to a global audience.

Pacific Channel's portfolio company Orbis Diagnostics has partnered with Air New Zealand in a trial to test a group of their frontline staff for their COVID-19 immunity levels.

We’ve helped the Talalelei Life Futures Funds since its inception in 2018. It began when Talalelei died saving a Chinese New Zealander, caught in a rip on the south coast of Samoa. To honour Tala’s memory and his life-giving spirit, the fund offers scholarships to young Samoans into tertiary education, an otherwise unattainable path to a better life.

CertusBio has secured a $4.6m investment to accelerate plans for growth in New Zealand and globally. The Christchurch-based company offers biosensor technology to food producers that improves production efficiencies and reduces the cost of treating wastewater.

Orbis is well placed to continue to progress and reach its planned market entry in Q1 2022. The company is currently preparing for a $10m Series A capital raise that is expected to launch in August 2021.

Pacific Channel is working to support Geo40 in their valuable work for the environment. The company’s early work on lithium attracted the attention of Bill Gates’ climate-change fund, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, who indirectly invested in Geo40 via Swedish affiliate Baseload Capital.

We’ve just announced our $2m investment into Quantifi Photonics’ $15m capital raise alongside Punakaiki Fund, Simplicity, Nuance Connected Capital, Aspire and K1W1.

Vortex Power Systems is a venture formed out of the University of Auckland that is developing technology to generate electricity from waste heat emitted by thermal and industrial processes. Pacific Channel made an early investment in Vortex’s pre-seed round and the company delivered on its milestones.

Pacific Channel's Fund II will invest the fund into deep-tech ventures built around breakthrough technology, solving worthwhile problems and creating meaningful global impact and value.