VenturEd Live
Two days focused on one thing: improving how we invest
Some of the most important parts of investing do not happen in a deck or a spreadsheet.
They happen in the hard conversation.
In the judgement call when the information is incomplete.
In spotting bias before it shapes a decision.
And in the relationships that sharpen thinking over time.
That is the thinking behind VenturEd Live on 29 April in Auckland, followed by a virtual day a week later.
We have built the programme around practical areas that matter in real investing work:
high-stakes conversations
decision-making and bias
AI in investment decisions
strategic relationships
With sessions from Stu van Rij, Professor Jill Klein, Serge Van Dam, Randy Komisar, and others, it should be a useful couple of days for people across New Zealand’s investment community.
Tickets are $120, supported by NZGCP through VenturEd, and capped at 60.
If this feels relevant to your work, it would be great to have you there.
Your ticket includes access to day two on May 6th. A bonus live virtual session featuring well known and trusted venture investors. (Link will be shared at the live event)
DAY ONE: VenturEd Live Agenda
- 8:45 am - 9:00 am
Welcome to VenturEd Live
MC David Downs, CEO, NZ Story Group Day one starts at 8.45am
- 9:00 am - 9:15 am
Setting the scene for our day
James Pinner, CEO, NZGCP
- 9:15 am - 10:45 am
Retaining Your Balance in High-Stakes Conversations
Stu van Rij, High-Stakes Conversation Strategist VC professionals operate in conversations that carry real weight: the founder who needs a hard truth, the IC pitch that's met with silence, the negotiation where the other side is pushing and you need to hold your ground. These are the moments that separate good from exceptional. They're also the moments where our own underlying needs can quietly work against us. This masterclass unpacks the underlying dynamic that messes with your head when the stakes are high and gives you practical tools to stabilise your presence and bring your best when it matters most. By the end of the session, you'll be able to: - Recognise the underlying dynamic that undermines performance in high-stakes conversations - Identify five hot buttons that could affect your stability and be used against you - Apply practical tools to stay grounded when the heat is on This is followed up with a Deep Dive Day on 17th June (limited to 24 tickets)
- 10:45 am - 11:15 am
Morning Tea & Networking
- 11:15 am - 12:00 pm
Fireside Chat - Navigating Difficult Conversations with Compassion
David Beard, Partner at Movac and James Pinner, CEO at NZGCP
- 12:00 pm - 12:15 pm
Q&A | Table Discussion
- 12:15 pm - 1:00 pm
Decision Making and Bias (Part One)
- 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Networking Lunch
A chance to compare notes and share impactful learnings from our morning.
- 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm
Decision Making & Bias (Part Two)
Professor Jill Klein, Melbourne Business School, Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne The brain is a truly amazing biological system, shaped through millions of years of evolutionary pressure. More recent changes in human history have created a gap between the world for which our brains evolved and the world in which we actually live. We suffer from strong biases that hinder good decision-making, and these biases can undermine the quality of our investment decisions. Fortunately, scientists have generated a great deal of knowledge that allows us to identify our limitations and develop mitigating strategies. Decision-making biases that will be discussed include: • Overconfidence bias • Anchoring bias • Sunk cost • Confirmatory bias We will also discuss how AI is used in investment decisions, and debate whether human guidance improves decisions or gets in the way of optimal judgment. This is followed up with a Virtual Deep Dive Day on 29th July (limited to 24 tickets)
- 3:15 pm - 3:30 am
Quick Break / Reset
- 3:30 pm - 4:15 pm
Fireside Chat - Strategic Partnerships
Phil Thomson, Co-Founder of Auror and Jacques Richter, Investment Director at NZGCP. Strategic partnerships don’t just connect people. They expand what’s possible. In venture, they help investors sense check ideas, broaden perspective, and move with greater conviction. This session will explore how trust is built through reciprocity, shared insight, and honest challenge, and why that matters in an ecosystem shaped by relationships..
- 4:15 pm - 4:30 pm
Q&A | Table Discussion
- 4:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Wrap up the day and Event Survey
James Pinner
- 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Networking @ The Terrace Bar
DAY TWO: VenturEd Virtual Agenda
- 10:00 am
Welcome and Setting the Scene for our day
James Pinner
Investment Decision making using AI
Serge Van Dam, Director and Board Member, Scaling Globally Minded Software Companies
Coffee Break
Navigating difficult conversations
Randy Komisar, EHF Fellow and regular visitor to NZ. Ex Kleiner Perkins, now lecturer, investor, entrepreneur and author.
Our Speakers
Stu Van Rij, High-Stakes Conversation Strategist
Stu van Rij is a High-Stakes Conversation Strategist who works with leaders and teams on the conversations where the outcome genuinely matters and the pressure changes how you show up. A former specialist technology lawyer with 20+ years of commercial experience, his approach draws on the Camp Negotiation System, used by Fortune 500 companies and the FBI Hostage Crisis Negotiation Training Unit. Stu has trained and coached executives and teams across New Zealand and internationally. His work is practical and systems-based, and senior leaders consistently leave with tools they can apply to the conversations they're already in.
Prof. Jill Klein
Professor of Marketing at Melbourne Business School Professorial Fellow in Medical Education, Melbourne Medical School. Jill Klein received her Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Michigan in 1990, then joined the faculty at Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University. From 1997 through 2008, she was on the faculty at INSEAD. She joined Melbourne Business School in 2009 and Melbourne Medical School in 2015. Jill teaches managerial judgment, decision making, leadership and resilience to both business and healthcare audiences. Her research interests include how biases affect judgments and ethical decisions. She has published widely, including in Management Science, Harvard Business Review, Journal of Marketing and The British Medical Journal. She authored the book We Got the Water: Tracing My Family’s Path Through Auschwitz, and is currently writing Thriving in Medical School, a wellbeing book for medical students.
David Beard, Partner, Movac
Randy Komisar, Lecturer, investor, entrepreneur and author.
EHF Fellow and regular visitor to NZ. Ex Kleiner Perkins, now lecturer, investor, entrepreneur and author.
James Pinner, CEO, NZGCP
James was appointed as our CEO from 1 January 2026. Prior to this, James joined NZGCP in 2019 to establish the Elevate fund and acted as Chief Investment Officer from 2022 to 2025. James has over 20 years of corporate finance experience covering venture capital, private equity, corporate M&A and equity capital markets. James’ experience includes 15 years in London, working across North America, Europe, Africa and South-East Asia and more recently working in corporate development in New Zealand for a large family-owned conglomerate. James is a Fellow of Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, holds a BSc (Hons) from Leeds University and is a member of the NZ Institute of Directors.
David Downs, MC
David Downs is CEO of New Zealand Story, where he leads the promotion and protection of New Zealand’s international reputation, helping the country’s businesses, people, and ideas succeed globally. With a background spanning marketing, innovation, and strategy across the public and private sectors, he is passionate about purpose-driven brands, bold thinking, and cross-sector collaboration. David is also a board chair, mentor, and speaker, and a committed advocate for cutting-edge medical research through his work with the Malaghan Institute.
Serge van Dam
Director and Board Member, Scaling Globally Minded Software Companies
Phil Thomson, Founder & CEO, Auror
Phil is the Co-founder and CEO of Auror, a New Zealand-founded global software company tackling organised retail crime. A reformed lawyer turned tech entrepreneur, Phil co-founded Auror in 2013 to help retailers and law enforcement work together to build safer communities. Today, Auror's crime intelligence platform is used across more than 50,000 stores and 3,000 law enforcement agencies in New Zealand, Australia, US, Canada, and the UK.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
FAQs
- What does my ticket include?
Your ticket includes access to the full live event on Day One, plus a bonus live virtual session on Day Two. Full details for both days will be shared with registered attendees ahead of the event.
- Can I attend the virtual session only?
The bonus live virtual session is available to Day One ticket holders and is designed as an extension of the live event experience.
- Can you accommodate dietary requirements?
Yes. Attendees will be able to select dietary requirements during registration or by choosing 'manage order' from the confirmation email.
- Is parking available?
Yes. The closest option is Civic Car Park, beneath Aotea Square, with entry via Lower Greys Avenue off Mayoral Drive. For details and rates, see Auckland Transport’s Civic Car Park page and Auckland Live’s parking and transport information.
- Who is this event for?
This event is designed for people working across the venture and investment ecosystem who want to strengthen the capabilities that shape investing in practice.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
