Kia ora,
Welcome to our June newsletter!
I had the pleasure of attending Fieldays a couple of weeks ago, which showcased New Zealand’s agricultural technology and had a strong focus on IoT innovation. This year’s Fieldays Innovation Awards highlighted how IoT is transforming farming practices – IoT-enabled technologies on display included evapotranspiration sensors, autonomous water-monitoring drones, precision livestock management platforms, and methane-reduction boluses.
IoT is becoming well and truly embedded in the sector, automating tasks, collecting actionable data, and supporting sustainable agriculture.
It was interesting to talk with farmers and innovators about the legal issues that can arise with IoT, which aren’t always front of mind (and which I discussed at our recent NZ IoT Alliance event during Techweek25). These include:
- Cybersecurity, privacy, and data protection – IoT devices frequently collect and transmit sensitive data, but there are known data risks and often a lack of transparency and user control. Security and transparency are key to safe implementation of IoT.
- Intellectual property – IP ownership in IoT devices can be murky territory. What have you developed vs what has a third party developed? Agreements about IP ownership need to be in place. You should also ensure you have obtained a licence to use any third party components or content.
- Data ownership – Who owns customer data that is collected through your IoT device? Can you use this data to improve your service or to provide insights to other customers?
- Consumer protection – Product liability and safety must be front of mind.
- Supply chain risks – Do your due diligence on your supply chain so you can address your third-party risks through contract (as much as possible).
Have Your Say: How Data and Tech Could Shape Our Energy Future
The Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko has released a new discussion paper, Our future is digital, and is calling on the tech sector, innovators, and change-makers to help shape a smarter, data-driven electricity system.
This is your chance to contribute to a future where Kiwi households and businesses are empowered by technology – able to actively manage, trade, and share electricity using innovative tools and real-time data. The Authority is seeking bold ideas on how digital technologies and IoT can drive change, increase consumer choice, and lower costs across the electricity sector.
Feedback is open until 5pm, Thursday 10 July, 2025. Learn more and have your say here.
IoT Community Spritzer Catch-Up – Come Connect!
Join us for the IoT Community Spritzer Catch-Up on Thursday, 26 June in Auckland! This informal networking event is the perfect chance to connect with fellow IoT professionals, share ideas, and stay up to date with what’s happening across the IoT ecosystem. Whether you’re a tech innovator, developer, or enthusiast, we’d love to see you there for a relaxed evening of conversation and connection.
Read more.
Upcoming Industry Events
- AUCKLAND | T-Tech, 9-10 July at the University of Auckland.
Learn more and register here. - AUCKLAND | Smart Cities Summit New Zealand, 11-13 August. Learn more and register here.
- CHRISTCHURCH | Water New Zealand Conference and Expo 2025, 29 September-3 October, Te Pae Convention Centre and Christchurch Town Hall. Learn more and register here.
Are you attending an industry event or working on an interesting IoT project worth sharing with the community? Let us know through this form and we’ll help spread the word.
We hope you enjoy this month’s newsletter and thank you for your continued support.
Ngā mihi,
Edwin Lim
Executive Council
Read full news here: How IoT is Driving Agritech Innovation
