13 hot tech companies sold offshore: Did NZ benefit?
13 minutes to read This month has seen two substantial technology companies sold offshore, with Auckland-based retail software firm Vend going to NYSE-listed Lightspeed for $450 million, and Christchurch geologic 3D modelling outfit Seequent acquired by Nasdaq-listed Bentley Systems for $1.45b.
Backers were quick to claim that jobs would stay in New Zealand (Vend and Seequent employ some 400 locally between them) and that investors like Movac and Punakaiki Fund (Vend) and Pencarrow (Seequent) would recycle money back into the local tech ecosystem.
A look back at 13 past high-profile tech sales (from a field of many more) reveals that sometimes that happens … and sometimes it doesn t.