Auckland businessman a cheerleader for young entrepeneurs

A group of young Auckland entrepreneurs will have an opportunity to mix with some of the country’s best and brightest business leaders and entrepreneurs in Auckland this Friday.

Businessman Ian Kuperus, founder of Tax Management New Zealand, is hosting 17 young business professionals to the ICE Ideas conference at the Auckland University Business School.

An angel investor himself, Mr Kuperus, is keen to help create an environment of innovation. He is already invested in 2 web based software companies and 2 R&D companies and says “his aim is to help other entrepreneurs get started. The invitation is to help broaden their horizon and stimulate networking”.

Among those entrepreneurs abuzz with ideas is 23 yr old Sam Thom who put aside university to pursue his dream of creating his own brand of stationery “Note to Self”.

Andre Bate at the age of 27 is co-founder of Alto Energy, an organisation that helps businesses optimize their energy usage while Ryan Balemi left school at age 17 to start his first company Pulse IT.

Others attending include Jeremy O’Hanlon, Matt Ayers, Sam Kuperus, Charles Belcher, Michelle Kennedy, Doug Maarschalk, Todd Calkin, Josh Taylor, Tim Scullin, Sheryn Becker, Israel Cooper, Nic Comrie and Greg Bowman.

The ICEHOUSE is celebrating its 10th year of growing globally capable Kiwi businesses, and the ICE Ideas conference will kick-start its 2020 Vision to promote an economically vibrant and globally relevant country and lift New Zealand back into the top half of the OECD.

For further information contact; Liz Kirschberg, 021 836 568