DayBreak Community Series

DayBreak Community Series is a programme of events happening around the Festival of Innovation. These events are a great opportunity to learn about the amazing innovation going on in our region.

The community events are designed so that anyone in Tauranga has a chance to get involved and includes fascinating sessions on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Marine Science, Robotics, Entrepreneurship, and Design Thinking, all based in and around Tauranga’s CBD. They’re mostly free and provide an fun opportunity for people of all ages to learn, be inspired and interact with some of the region’s best scientists, investors and entrepreneurs.

There’s something for everyone – check out the programme details and come along!

DayBreak Community Series events are free or have a minimal charge. Some events have limited capacity, so make sure register for your tickets.

DayBreak Community Series is made possible thanks to Tauranga City Council, Tech Step and Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund.

Programme

Please note: Programming is subject to change

Wed 6 Mar
3:30pm – 6:00pm

Tauranga AI Summit

Hosted by: RHUBARB

The Cargo Shed, 5 Dive Crescent, Tauranga, 3110

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing everything about our lives, our work and our businesses. We are being told that every day by media and experts everywhere. But what does that really mean for us, here in the Bay of Plenty, in 2024?

Join us for a late afternoon/early evening session of expert insights, practical experience and lively discussion on the nature and development of AI, hosted by RHUBARB, a network of Tauranga's major technology users and service providers. The session will be followed by the opportunity to have a social chat with some nibbles and drinks.

We have a mix of industry experts sharing their perspectives, with a focus on getting behind the hype and down to practicalities – now and for the near future. Expect robust discussion, diverse opinions and plenty of opportunity to ask questions and share your thoughts.

Program

3:30pm-4:00pm – Arrive and light refreshments

4:00-5:30pm ish – Presentations & Panel Q&A

Fraser Paine (The Aware Group) - "AI to ROI: Turning AI into Profitable Ventures" will discuss the methodologies for identifying valuable, feasible opportunities, and evaluating the impact of solutions using real-world examples.
Simon Martin (HGM Legal) - who will be presenting a legal perspective of what to watch out for when using AI in a business
Rob Bensley (Cucumber & ISL) – who will be presenting ISL Log Counting solution as a case study
Tim Boyne (Founder Smartspace ai & Co-founder LawVu) /Steve Naude Leader in Generative Ai & Modern Data Platforms) - Overview of Spacespace and how enterprise AI Solutions are transforming how we work)

5:30-6:30pm - Networking and drinks to close

Cost: $10 to cover venue hire

(NOTE - this is a community run event and not part of the Daybreak two day festival ticket)

RHUBARB is a community of organisations who are leading the Bay of Plenty to the forefront of innovation, technology and talent development, We aim to make the Bay of Plenty a location where technology minded people want to live, work, study and play. Find out more at www.rhubarbgroup.net

Rhubarb is pleased to be delivering this event with the support of Cucumber, Aware Group, HGM Legal, and as part of the DayBreak Festival of Innovation community programme.

Buy Tickets

Thu 7 Mar
4:30pm – 6:30pm

Robotics and Hort-Tech Open Lab

Hosted by: The University of Waikato School of Engineering

The University of Waikato Engineering Labs, 101-121 Durham Street, Tauranga 3110

This session is for school students (and their family and whanau) from around Tauranga and the Western Bay, and is an opportunity to explore practical demonstrations of how robotics, automation, and human assist technologies work, through applications to horticulture. This is a hands-on workshop designed to give insights into the inner workings of these technologies.

Hosted by scientists and engineers at the University of Waikato, you’ll have the opportunity to rub shoulders with experts who are building and using these technologies in the region and experiment with prototypes. While there is a focus on horticulture, this session is for anyone who wants to know about the reality of robotics and automation, or who wants to see how the Western Bay is leading the world in hort tech.

Cost: Free.

Please register so we have some idea how many people are coming!

Sat 9 Mar
10:00am – 1:30pm

Tauranga Moana Marine Science and Innovation Open Day

Hosted by: The University of Waikato Coastal Marine Field Station

The Cargo Shed, 5 Dive Crescent, Tauranga, 3110

The University of Waikato, 101-121 Durham Street, Tauranga 3110

This is a free event for the community, where people of all ages can learn about, and interact with research, science, technology and innovation in and around our marine, coastline and harbour environments.

Hosted by the University of Waikato’s Coastal Marine team, there will be a range of activities for all the family, including:

Go underwater in the harbour via a live, remotely operated underwater vehicle;
Get hands on with seaweed and see some of its amazing applications
Learn about amazing science including ocean acoustic monitoring and Antarctic sampling
Play the Marine Invaders Game
See how DIY Kayak building works

...and more!

Cost: Free.

Please register so we have some idea how many people are coming!

Tue 26 Mar
6:00pm – 7:30pm

Startup Social

Hosted by: Stand Tall and The University of Waikato

The University of Waikato, 101-121 Durham Street, Tauranga 3110

Get ready to unleash your inner innovator and join in at Startup Social, your opportunity to 'pitch' your idea to an audience, get feedback and lift it off your chest! You can invent a product, propose a business idea, or create an imaginary startup. We encourage creativity, compelling delivery and personality.

How it works:

You can enter your ideas in advance of the session or pick an unknown presentation from a hat on the day
15 Finalists are selected coaching to help prepare a 3 minute pitch.
Coaching and format for the 3 min pitch are available!
Come ready on the day to give your presentation and support others' ideas

This is a rare opportunity for people who might not normally see themselves starting a business, or who are very early in their journey, or who are more social impact minded, to get coaching from, and network with innovators and entrepreneurs in the Western Bay. The goal is not to present a perfect pitch, but to learn new skills, take on a new challenge, and build confidence to develop ideas that can benefit and people and planet.

Get your tickets NOW! (Choose your own price)

Mon 8 Apr
6:00pm – 7:00pm
Doors open 5:30pm

The DayBreak Lecture: Bringing Innovation to Life - How Zespri Kiwifruit go from Orchards to Global Consumers

Hosted by: The University of Waikato

The University of Waikato, Durham Street, Tauranga Level 2, Lecture Theatre

This session is a unique opportunity for the public to hear about how research and discovery leads to innovations that benefit and impact in the world, using our own kiwifruit industry as the focus.

As part of the inaugural DayBreak Festival of Innovation, the April 2024 public lecture is hosted by Zespri, and will involve a panel of speakers from across the kiwifruit value system. They will take the audience on the journey of how a humble kiwifruit goes from an orchard in New Zealand to markets all over the world, with a particular focus on the role of technology and innovation. This promises to be a fascinating session and one that is unique to Tauranga and the Western Bay.

Speakers include:

Dr Juliet Ansell – Head of Core & Resilience Innovation, Zespri
Daniel Kenna (Orchardist and early adopter of technology)
Peter McHannigan (Innovation Leader, Orchard Technology)
Leo Lai (New Cultivars Fruit Performance Lead)
Paul Blatchford (Innovation Manager, Core Products)

Get your free tickets NOW!

Wed 3 Apr
– Fri 5 Apr

Mon 8 Apr
– Wed 10 Apr

Design Thinking eXperiment (DTX) 2024

Hosted by: Design and Innovation Meetup (BOP)

The Design Thinking eXperiment (DTX) brings together people from different companies and organisations across the Western Bay to develop their innovation skills, build relationships and connections and contribute to the region. A team of local and national design thinking experts and coaches volunteer their time to provide training, support and facilitation; participants gain an experience of innovation, working in teams and using design thinking over an intensive series of two-hour bootcamps.

What do Apple, Adidas and Hootsuite have in common with Comvita, BlueLab and Trimax? Exactly what you can learn through the Design Thinking eXperiment, design-thinking techniques. Sign-up to be part of the DTX and over the course of six session across two weeks, learn to apply design-thinking to benefit our region. Fast, furious and fun!

You’ll be led by a group of expert design thinking coaches to develop your own innovation skills, while working on a future initiative for Tauranga and the Western Bay. You’ll walk away with thousands of dollars of training for FREE. You’ll reach impact faster, and spend less doing it. Win. Win!

This event is brought to you by the Design Thinking and Innovation Meetup as part of the DayBreak Festival of Innovation Community Programme.

The DTX runs for two sets of three days – from 3 to 5 April, and the 9 to 11 April.

Get your free tickets NOW!

Event Details

Address

The Cargo Shed

5 Dive Crescent, Tauranga, 3110

The University of Waikato

101-121 Durham Street, Tauranga 3110

Accessibility

The venues have good mobility access with ramp access and door widths to accommodate wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

Travel and Parking

We encourage festival attendees to utilise alternative modes of transport such as rideshare, carpooling or public transport. There is also a range of off-street parking and paid parking available along Dive Crescent and the surrounding streets.

Sustainability

As part of our commitment to reducing environmental impact, we have a worm farm on-site for composting food scraps. We kindly encourage you to bring your reusable coffee cups and water bottles to help minimise waste. Let's work together to make this event not only memorable but also environmentally friendly.

You can help make waste history by joining the returnable cup revolution. Head into any participating cafe and grab your favourite drink in a returnable cup—for free. For more information, visit makewastehistory.org

A big thank you to Waste Wizards who are providing waste minimisation services during Daybreak - Festival of Innovation. Waste Wizards is making waste history and building a culture of zero waste in New Zealand by developing local circular economies that benefit our community, city and country.

DayBreak Community Series

Programme

Event Details

Address

The Cargo Shed

The University of Waikato

Accessibility

Travel and Parking

Sustainability

Sign up for our Updates

Contact form