Paul is director of GeniusNet Research Limited, a niche business research and venture management consultancy based in New Zealand. GeniusNet is building a portfolio of holdings in emerging technology companies.

A serial entrepreneur, researcher, networker and occasional writer, he has a Bachelor of Science from Victoria University and a Master of Management from Massey University. In 2002 Paul set up ION, one of New Zealand’s earliest social networking communities and a platform to share ideas about technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. A fan of lifelong learning, Paul recently completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Commerce, focusing on financial technologies and investment management.

Paul is passionate about commercialising research, science and technology and promoting the role of innovation for economic development. In 2005 he received a Creative Wellington Innovation Capital postgraduate scholarship from Wellington City Council for his Masters research project looking at facilitation and ideation at the overlapping boundaries of creative clusters and networks.

At the tender age of 15, Paul flew an aeroplane solo for the first time, cementing a lifelong interest in aerospace. He eventually qualified as a commercial pilot and flight instructor and worked part time in the aviation industry clocking up hours as a charter pilot, air ambulance crew member and parachute drop pilot whilst also being employed as a meteorological observer and later an aviation meteorologist.

In 2008 he co-founded ideegeo Group Limited an Internet technology services research and development provider best known for launching fast growing global domain registrar iwantmyname. Paul exited the company shortly after it was acquired in 2019 . Paul was previously Chairperson of Unlimited Potential Wellington’s leading ICT networking community and a co-organiser of numerous technology sector events. He is a New Zealand co-editor for Startup Digest, and previously a Startup Weekend organiser, mentor and judge.

Paul is currently a business tutor at the Lincoln University Faculty of Agribusiness & Commerce and a startup advisor at ThincLab Canterbury.

Ecosystem projects:

• Co-founder, director and investor at Creative Forest.
• Editor of New Zealand StartupDigest.
• Advisor and content marketing at ThincLab, University of Canterbury.
• Consulting to several New Zealand universities regarding startup innovation programme development.
• Co-facilitator with the Start Me Up programme.
• Informal advisor to several technology startups.
• Startup Weekend organiser, mentor and judge.

Contact Paul or reach out on Twitter/X