A group describing itself as “a collective of professionals” has formed an organisation, GovTech World, to “facilitate the digital transformation of the public sector by connecting it with private business.”
GovTech World describes itself as “a self-assembled community that believes New Zealand has what it takes to lead the emerging global GovTech market,” which it says is estimated to be worth in excess of $US400b per annum with “a unique ‘triple bottom-line’ opportunity back to an economy for those countries embracing GovTech as a means to transforming both central and local Governments.”
The organisation says it “facilitates the digital transformation of the public sector by connecting it with private business [bringing] together governments, innovators, investors, citizens, and businesses to help solve societal problems using GovTech.”
Co-creator Nick Gerritsen said: “We believe that GovTech is New Zealand’s differentiator within the digital economy and provides significant domestic and export opportunities for New Zealand businesses and innovators.”
He added: “There is a direct correlation between climate change mitigation and the digital economy, so the expressed aspiration to lead on the former also triggers the broader digital leadership opportunity.”
Gerritson is an executive director of LoRaWAN network operator KotahiNet and a director of Vindlar, a company working on fundamental protection technologies for global food quality and origin authentication. He was also co-founder of renewable fuel developer NXT Fuels, along with Celsias, Carbonscape, and Foodspy.
In his profile on the website of THNK School of Creative Leadership he says: “I love big ideas – ones that are going to lead to global structural change. I am unafraid of operating beyond existing boundaries. I specialise in developing technology propositions from the ground up, and have been one of the leaders promoting New Zealand's contribution to the global clean tech revolution.”
The collective — whose members other than Gerritson have not been named — has launched http://www.govtechworld.com as “the portal for New Zealand Inc to self-assemble and organise itself,” saying it “a public/private ‘go to’ space – and everyone is welcome.”
While no other individual members are named, the web site lists key sponsors as being The Department of Internal Affairs, The Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency, and Angel Association New Zealand. It is also supported by digital agency springload and software developer Touchtech.
According to GovTech, New Zealand has a developing body of third party evidence supporting its “inherent leadership “in GovTech. This appears to mean New Zealand’s membership of international organisations: this evidence is listed as Fletcher School of Tufts University, OECD E-leaders Group and D5, along with World Bank recognition.