1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: Right. The government's proposing tax changes to make things easier 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: for foreign investors starting new businesses in New Zealand. So 3 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: countless tech companies choose to leave early into their business 4 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: life or they relocate to start in the first place 5 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: because they feel that conditions are better overseas and there's 6 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,639 Speaker 1: more chance for growth. So these changes I hope to 7 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: make it easier for them to start up, but they're 8 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: most critically to stay and then grow. So Phase one 9 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: Ventures CEO Mahesh modernly Da is joining me this morning, 10 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: Helen Mahet, Good morning, Andrew. So how will these changes 11 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 1: help tech startups like yourself? 12 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, So the change is that Revenue Minister from what 13 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 2: has suggested is a change on rules that allow foreigners 14 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 2: to come in and also returning quees like myself to 15 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 2: come back home and make sure that out the unrealized 16 00:00:53,960 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 2: assets it overseas aren't taxed. So in Australia, US, United Kingdom, 17 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 2: Hong Kong, Singapore, when someone has unrealized gains like equity 18 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 2: in a startup, equity in your startup that you built, 19 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 2: it doesn't get tacked until it's realized. In New Zealand 20 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 2: right now, it gets packed even if it's not liquid. 21 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 2: This prevents people who've done these school things and have 22 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 2: all of these skills from coming to New Zealand or 23 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 2: coming back home returning quies too, because they're going to 24 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 2: get tacked on cash that they don't have. 25 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 1: Of course, there's a bit of a no brainer. Really, 26 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:35,119 Speaker 1: you can't get text until you're making a profit. Meanwhile, 27 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: you're trying to finance yourself and keep yourself going while 28 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 1: you build the business. So that's a good thing. But 29 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 1: is there anything they missed? Would you have liked to 30 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 1: have seen more in the announcement? 31 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 2: So I think there's an opportunity to no. I think 32 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 2: first of all, this is fantastic, right, like we're coming 33 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 2: up to turn with international based practice. One of the 34 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 2: biggest reasons I was one of the first guys at Canvas. 35 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 2: One of the biggest benefits for us at Camera at 36 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 2: Sydney was when Google Sydney set up shop in Sydney, 37 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 2: and they wouldn't have set up shop if they had 38 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 2: these kind of rules. So this allows for overseas investment 39 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,919 Speaker 2: to come in, stay and go, and then it's that 40 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 2: skills transfer from these people to our entrepreners who are 41 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 2: trying to do stuff and scale. There's an opportunity to 42 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 2: consider if we can extend this to everyone, so it 43 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 2: allows more and more FEU to look up and start 44 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 2: investing and playing a global game, which is nearly the 45 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 2: number one thing we have to do to become more productive. 46 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 2: And finally, just set this up with international standards. 47 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: Yes, well, you've talked about how you've come back to 48 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: New Zealand and about how other New Zealand entrepreneurs have 49 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: come back because you have faith in the country, and 50 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 1: now you've got some rules that are going to help 51 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 1: you as well. But what I want to know is 52 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: how common it is for companies to actually leave New 53 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: Zealand having done the hard yards, having started up, but 54 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: then leave because of the foreign Investment fund rules as 55 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: they stand. 56 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, so why do why do companies leave? Companies leave 57 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 2: because one they want to get talent from overseas and 58 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 2: two because they want to access capital. Look, the largest 59 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 2: capital market in the world easily and the best is 60 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 2: the US. There are so many Americans who want to 61 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 2: be in New Zealand. So can we get more of 62 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 2: our tech companies staying here for their first four to 63 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 2: five years and once you stay four to five years. 64 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 2: You're you're locked in, right, so will they will there 65 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 2: their chance that they belonging. Yes, an opportunity for the 66 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 2: government to extend things further, and financialist nicols to talk 67 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 2: about this is reducing corporate tax, but not that alone. 68 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 2: Maybe even reduce income from your first over these five 69 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 2: hundred thousand dollars made overseas or something along those lines, 70 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 2: which then trigger entrepreneurs to like, make that overseas dollars 71 00:03:58,720 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 2: stay here longer. 72 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: I thank you so much for your time today, Mahesh Morerida, 73 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: who is Phase one Ventures CEO. 74 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 2: For more from Early edition with Ryan Bridge, Listen live 75 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: to News Talks it be from five am weekdays, or 76 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 2: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio