The Monthly  |
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A note from our founderHi there, A few weeks ago we wrapped up our AI Hackathon at AUT's City Campus, run with the AI Forum New Zealand and AUT as part of the Aotearoa AI Hackathon Festival. 129 people registered, more than 30 mentors gave their time, and over two days teams built real solutions to real problems across sustainability, accessibility, health and workforce challenges. What stayed with me was watching people move AI from conversation into action. They took problems that matter to their communities and, in two days, built something that worked. Our next event is this week at Les Mills, and we would love to see you there. These evenings are where our community comes together to learn, share what we are working on, and meet people walking a similar path. Whether you are just starting out or well into your career, there is a place for you in the room. None of this happens without you. Every person who shows up, mentors, asks a question or brings a friend is part of why She Sharp keeps growing. Thank you for being part of it, and I hope to see you this week.  | Dr. Mahsa McCauley, Founder & Chair, She Sharp |
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Next up · 3 September 3 SEP | No Pain, All Gain – Getting Fit for AIThursday, September 3 · 5:00pm – 7:30pm NZST · Les Mills Auckland City, Auckland |
An evening at Les Mills Auckland City on diversity and AI for impact: a cross-functional panel, table discussions, and enough time afterwards to actually meet the people in the room. |
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Last month Looking backAugust was a single event that filled two whole days — here is how it went at AUT.  | Friday, August 7 Aotearoa AI Hackathon Festival 2026 — AUT City CampusTwelve teams spent Friday evening and all of Saturday in the Sir Paul Reeves Building at AUT City Campus, building AI solutions to real problems. Around a third of them had never been to a hackathon before, and mentors from AUT, She Sharp, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and Southern Cross Health Society worked alongside the teams across both days. On Saturday afternoon each team had five minutes in WG308 in front of a local judging panel. kailine took the venue prize, with kaitiakidata and kpi-kaitiaki-positive-impact as runners-up. The winning pitch goes on to national judging, and the national finalists pitch at the Aotearoa AI Summit in Wellington on 8–9 September. Read more → |
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What's next Upcoming events Beyond the Code: Women Leading the Future of Cybersecurity and AIThursday, October 8 · 5:00pm – 8:00pm NZDT · Xero Office (Level 2), Auckland Add to calendar · Event details → |
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NZ Tech Pulse 3.7% Job ads referencing AI skills In New Zealand, 3.7% of job ads reference AI skills, compared to 2.1% in Australia. Source What we're reading AI leadership roles lack female representation Despite a boom in AI jobs, women hold just 13% of C-suite AI leadership roles, according to LinkedIn research. 19 Aug → |
Over 1,500 girls to explore tech careers this August TechWomen NZ's ShadowTech26 programme will place over 1,500 secondary school girls in tech workplaces across Aotearoa this August. 5 Aug → |
Job ads fell for a third consecutive month In July, job ads in New Zealand fell 0.8%, marking a continued decline in hiring opportunities. Source → |
Did you know? 60% of New Zealand's top 200 tech companies are based in Auckland — chances are the one you want to work for is just down the road. (Source) |
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3500+ Members | 50+ Sponsors | 96+ Events since 2014 |
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Get involved Opportunities this monthBecome a mentor The mentors at the hackathon did not build anything for anyone. They asked better questions, and teams got unstuck. That is most of the job, and a few hours a month is enough to do it. Learn more → |
Volunteer with us Two days at AUT ran on people who set up rooms, kept the kai coming, and noticed the person standing on their own. September's panel is the next one that needs you. Learn more → |
Support the mahi Our events are free to attend, which is a decision someone has to pay for. A donation of any size keeps the door open for the next person walking through it. Learn more → |
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With thanks Two days at AUT City Campus took a lot of people. Thank you to AUT for the building and the rooms, to AI Forum New Zealand for running the festival nationally, and to AWS behind the prizes. Thank you also to Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, Woolworths New Zealand with Kai Commitment, and My Life My Voice for putting real problems in front of the teams, and to Seen Ventures for the free Hack Fit training in the weeks beforehand. |
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