Technology and People with Rowan Simpson (Hoku)

Hard Mode

Rowan Simpson joins us to have a conversation with Matt Allen on the Hard Mode podcast, discussing his journey in navigating technology ecosystems and his role over the years as a founder of and early investor in multiple high-growth technology businesses, including companies such as Timely, Vend, Xero and Trade Me.

Rowan is the Chairman of Hoku Group family office, which combines private investments, early-stage venture investments and Hoku Foundation, a non-profit foundation. His active startup investments include Atomic, Melodics, Mentemia, Parkable, StickyBeak and Thematic, and as referenced, Rowan is a significant investor into Tractor Ventures itself.

Rowan elaborates on capital investment trends, how technology and people can achieve great things together, the skill in execution and much much more from his extensive experience.

Talking points:

• The life story in reverse chronological orders
• An emphasis on what technology and people can do together
• Building software companies for which there doesn’t exist a big blueprint
• Bootstrapping before it was even a term
• The grind of doing the things when no-one is watching
• Struggles in startup land
• A series of stumbling into success moments
• The people that make all the difference
• Emerging trends in how founders are thinking about capital
• The ‘Quite Ones’
• What’s next for Rowan

Links:

• Rowan Simpson
• Hoku
• Atomic
• Melodics
• Mentemia
• Parkable
• Stickybeak
• Thematic
• Accenture
• Bernie Taupin
• Breve
• Charlie Munger
• Edmund Hillary
• Elton John
• Flathunt
• Tenzing Norgay
• Timely
• Trade Me
• Vend
• Xero

Follow Rowan Simpson on Twitter: @rowansimpson

Online:

rowansimpson.com

hoku.nz

rowansimpson.substack.com

www.tractorventures.com

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This episode was hosted by Matt Allen: @mattallen