CEO Unscripted | Steve Saunders co-founder Robotics Plus

Join us for the next CEO Unscripted event with Steve Saunders, co‑founder of Robotics Plus, hosted at the Robotics Plus site in Tauranga. Steve’s journey began with decades working across the value chain in horticulture, grappling with the very real challenges facing growers. That lived experience led to a simple but ambitious idea: use robotics and automation to solve problems that matter.

From a small shed surrounded by orchards, Robotics Plus grew into a globally recognised ag‑tech company, developing autonomous orchard vehicles, robotic packers and port automation technologies now used around the world. In 2025, the business became the foundation of Yamaha Agriculture’s robotics capability, marking a major global milestone while keeping its people, capability and innovation base in Tauranga.

This conversation will be focused on how Steve turned regional insight into global impact and his perspective on the innovation and leadership it takes to scale from here to the world.  It will also feature an introduction and chance to hear from Nolan Paul, CE of Yamaha Agriculture about the long-term plans for the company and its key New Zealand innovation base.

Robotics Plus develops automation and robotics technologies for the horticulture sector. Their products are designed to improve efficiency, address labour challenges, and help growers operate more effectively at scale. Behind that vision is Steve Saunders, one of the Bay of Plenty’s most influential business leaders.

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Steve will be in conversation with Priority One’s CEO, Dave Courtney.

This event is also about bringing together our business community, so come along to make valuable connections and enjoy stimulating conversations!

Meet the real people behind the title and get specific insights from some of the Bay of Plenty’s most high-profile CEOs. These talks will go beyond company success stories to explore the behind-the-scenes journey of leadership.

Stay tuned as we bring you more conversations with our region’s talented CEOs.

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Priority One’s CEO Unscripted series has been created in partnership with Ryan + Alexander, a professional recruitment agency offering a world-class service from the Tauranga city centre. Focusing solely on the Bay of Plenty region, the Ryan + Alexander team are top performers in their field, so whether you want to find your perfect employee or your next job, get in touch.