About us
We’re New Zealand’s most innovative, transformative learning environment where people come to find their edge in a rapidly changing world.
Our postgraduate programmes, short courses and innovation workshops are designed specifically for the new world of work. We don’t rely on outdated textbooks or traditional academia models. We teach context, not content and are focused on enhancing the skills and capabilities of all our learners to then take into the ‘real world’ and embed into their workplaces, organisations and communities.
Our vision
Our mission
Key objectives
About us
Tech Futures Lab was founded by Frances Valintine (CNZM) in 2016 to foster the capabilities and skills needed to develop a culture of innovation and agility critical to NZ businesses and individuals to thrive in this fast-paced technological advancement era.
Our postgraduate programmes are NZQA accredited and funding is available for students via StudyLink. We have big ambitions but we still know every individual student – you’ll never be just a number here.
Our environment is based on trust, flexibility and support. A place where everyone comes to openly share ideas.
A division of The Mind Lab
Our space
Our Founder: Frances Valintine CNZM
Frances Valintine (CNZM) is dedicated to pushing Aotearoa ahead as a global leader in innovation to build a stronger, more resilient future for all New Zealanders. A leader in her own right as an innovator, futurist and disruptor of traditional education Frances has 25 years’ experience across business, technology and education.
She is the CEO and Founder of The Mind Lab (2013) and Tech Futures Lab (2016) and in 2018 was awarded a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her lifetime contribution to education and technology.
Over the past 8 years across Tech Futures Lab and The Mind Lab, Frances has been instrumental in reskilling and educating 20,000 adult students in formal programmes, many thousands in short tech courses in software development and over 250,000 school aged students.
With an eye always on future horizons, Frances has worked with and advised over 250 organisations across every sector in New Zealand – from agriculture to finance, retail to law and has gained a reputation as an expert in leading digital transformation initiatives that bring positive impact.
Frances has received numerous awards recognising her passion and commitment to supporting the young and more mature to seek opportunities and reach their potential. In 2020 Frances received the Outstanding Contribution to Technology and Business at the CIO Awards. Her past accolades also include:
2017: the NZ Flying Kiwi Award, inducted into the New Zealand Hi-Tech Hall of Fame and named one of the top 3 NZ Innovators of the Year the NZer of the Year awards.
2016: named one of the top 50 EdTech Educators in the World by EdTech International; awarded a Sir Peter Blake Leader Award.
2015: awarded the Westpac New Zealand Woman of Influence (Innovation) and the Next New Zealand Woman of the Year (Education)
Driven by a strong sense of purpose to support positive growth for Aotearoa, Frances also sits on the boards of Watercare and Dilworth School Trust. She is also a selection adviser to EHF (Edmund Hillary Foundation), a judge on the Hi Tech Awards, a mentor to a number of female technology leaders (in NZ and India), and a Director to On Being Bold, a platform to support and encourage emerging female leaders and year 13 students to dream big.
She holds a Master of Education Management from the University of Melbourne
Our team
The Tech Futures Lab team is genuinely passionate about learning, teaching and the future. We are a network of approachable, humble, supportive and open-minded people who look at the world from a different angle.
Tech Futures Lab Board
Frances Valintine
Frank Janssen
Nic Kennedy
Rob Lee
Advisory Board
Priti Ambani
Paul Cameron
Maru Nihoniho
Kendra Ross
Marcus Williams
For Business
Nagaja Sanatkumar
Saskia Verraes
Programme Team
Maheshi Wadasinghe
Paula Gair
Yuka Gray
John McDermott
Tracy Han
Anzel Singh
Masters Advisors
Paula Gair
Nikhil Ambani
Roy Davies
Guillem Goodway
Sylvia Hach
Vivek Kumar
Felix Scholz
Lisa Traill
Mahsa Mohaghegh
Megan Rorich
Short Courses
Amber Joseph
Felix Scholz
Student Success
Fuatino Peilua
Eugenia Lytvyn
Shruti Patil
Deborah Ross
Marketing Team
Brad Smith
Anna Reid
Rhian Bedford-Palmer
Support Team
Craig Hilton
Hayley Sparks
Sandy Taylor
Te Mihinga Komene
Frank Li
Melissa Fincham
Charlie Baldwin
David Pratt
Fiona (Fee) Webby
Lorraine Guerin
Industry Advisors
Christelle Blanchet-Aissaoui
Justin Durocher
Alisa Edwards
John Graves
Chris Hails
Dr. Tresna Hunt
Melissa Jenner
Brenda Leeuwenberg
Simon Martin
John McDermott
Mahsa Mohaghegh
Michael Moka
Kriv Naicker
Brett Oetgen
Russell Pickering
Felix Scholz
Nathan Soich
Peter Swanson
Melissa Wragge
Roy Davies
Rich Rowley
David Pratt
Priti Ambani
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