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Home / Topics  / Year in Review 2017, brought to you by Tech Futures Lab  / Idealog Year in Review 2017: Craig Hudson

Idealog Year in Review 2017: Craig Hudson

Favourite innovation that isn’t yours?

There are so many. One particular thing I was excited to see coming home is that there are so many cool companies doing some pretty amazing innovation in New Zealand. But what New Zealand companies are doing in agritech and foodtech is truly changing the way we farm and produce food. The thing that excites me the most is what New Zealand is looking to do in the education space. We need to champion the future learners of our country so the innovation in education would be my favourite but we have such a long way to go yet. 

Favourite innovation that is yours?

Xero’s Lifelong Learning Platform was launched last year at Xerocon in Melbourne. I can’t wait to see education institutions deliver courses starting this year – it’s a real game changer. It paves the way for education to be accessible to everyone, from anywhere, at any time, democratising education for all. Best of all, it’s always up to date. Students and people reskilling will always be working on the latest version of the tools used in business, not the out of date desktop technology still taught across the world.

Most interesting launch/trend/idea/building/product of the year?

Cryptocurrencies have really captured the imaginations the world over this year, that’s for sure.

Lamest launch/trend/idea/brand/building/product of the year?

The avocado burger bun! Big fan of avo in the burger, but no way should it be the bun.

Most promising New Zealand company/companies?

Dropit and Rocket Lab.

Heroes?

Taika Waititi and Francis Valintine.

Villains?

Fake news.

Best stoush?
Who’s faster, me or my five-year-old daughter. Apparently this is still not resolved. 

Your own biggest success?

Building a wicked team of t-shirt wearing superheroes! Xero hired 370 people in New Zealand last year.  That’s huge and there is no sign of that slowing any time soon.

What’s the biggest mistake innovators/businesses will make in 2018?

Waiting for it to be perfect before starting or shipping it! Just do it and get it out there.

What do you expect to see in the next five years?

To see New Zealand leading the world in digital connectivity for business. With the right CTO in place, New Zealand can be the global shining light for government connection, digital banking, autonomous vehicles and so much more.

What will be dead in the next five years?

Desktop software.

What should be invented and/or un-invented?

Teleportation and time travel!

Favourite book/TV show/podcast/album/website/magazine/story/performance enhancing drug of the year?
Legacy by James Kerr; Suits; Fintech insiderUNO; COFFEE – really good coffee like Red Rabbit coffee

What’s the one piece of tech would you have on a desert island?

http://www.jetfoiler.com/

Will the robots become sentient and kill us all? (asking for a friend)

No, but a “friend” is adamant that Return to the Planet of the Apes is real….

How long before we have: 

Driverless cars: Here now! Five years and it will be mainstream in big cities.
Flying cars: 10 years.
Immortality: I hope never, it will take the urgency out of living.
No planet to live on: In Elon we trust! 
Non-human lovers: I have a feeling there are already people doing this.
No cash: I don’t carry cash now, expect 10 years to be cashless.
Colonies on Mars: According to my son there are better options like Kepler 452b, but it’s 1,400 light years away so that’s a bit of an issue … for now. 

*****

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One of the talented Idealog Team Content Producers made this post happen.

Review overview