XLabs NZ

We’re thrilled to bring our award-winning Circular Economy Program to Mount Maunganui’s Lifesaving Club for a free, one-day workshop on October 18th. Together, let’s redesign the future of the built environment! Are you a builder, architect, developer, or involved in the construction industry? Do you supply building materials? Join us this October for a free XLabs Circular Economy Workshop led by Circularity founder Louise Nash. This workshop is specifically tailored for those in the building industry who want to eliminate waste from the built environment, working alongside experts and like-minded businesses. Thanks to the generosity of Tauranga City Council, in partnership with its Resource Wise programme, Priority One Western Bay of Plenty, and Circularity, you’ll have a unique opportunity to experience XLabs in just one day. Learn more about Fletcher Building's experience with XLabs here: https://lnkd.in/gFdZZ2Gc In just one day, you will: - Discover what the circular economy is, why it’s important, and the benefits of adopting it for your business. - Use XLab’s tools, exercises, and circular-by-design methods to identify challenges, explore solutions, and develop a roadmap for your circular vision. - Collaborate with other businesses and leading circular economy experts to build your knowledge and skills, accelerating circular innovation in Tauranga. - Make tangible progress towards reducing your environmental impact. Learn more about this free workshop and register to secure your spot here: https://lnkd.in/gDTSsqCh Co-creating the future of the built environment starts here. Will you join us?

XLabs is coming to Tauranga! We’re thrilled to bring our award-winning Circular Economy Program to Mount Maunganui’s Lifesaving Club for a free, one-day workshop on October 17th. We invite all businesses in Tauranga eager to start their journey towards identifying circular economy solutions and designing out waste to join us for this transformative event. Expect a day of deep exploration into the circular economy, where you’ll gain fresh perspectives on your business. You'll analyse the impacts of your value chain, define a challenge to tackle, and begin crafting a roadmap towards a waste-free, nature-aligned future. In just one day, you will: - Learn about the circular economy, its importance, and the benefits of shifting your business practices. - Utilise XLab’s tools, exercises, and circular-by-design methods to identify a challenge, explore solutions, and develop a roadmap for your circular vision. - Collaborate with other businesses and leading circular economy experts to build your knowledge, capabilities, and skills—accelerating circular innovation in Tauranga. - Make tangible progress toward reducing your environmental impact. Attendance is free, thanks to the generous support of Tauranga City Council, but spots are limited. Register now to secure your place: https://lnkd.in/gDTSsqCh Special thanks to our Partners - Tauranga City Council, Resource Wise Programme, Priority One Western Bay of Plenty and Circularity #CircularEconomy #Business #BayOfPlenty #Design

As we wrap up XLabs Future of Food 2024, we want to hero the incredible team who made this event possible and create the space for more imaginative innovation, more collaborative collisions and more tangible progress. We couldn't have done it without the amazing people who came together to deliver an unforgettable experience. Danielle Lyons, Maeva Ord, Lucy Byrne and Eleanor Ansell —your dedication, creativity, and amazing energy brought this event to life. From organising every detail to ensuring everything ran smoothly, you were the heart and soul of XLabs. Thank you for your leadership and for making this event such a success! A special shoutout to Future Farmers NZ for lending a hand with the pack-in and pack-out. We appreciate all your support and couldn’t have asked for a better crew to work alongside. Louise Nash— thank you for your visionary leadership and unwavering support throughout this journey. Your passion for creating a circular future has inspired us all, and your guidance has been instrumental in making XLabs Future of Food 2024 a reality. Let’s not forget the stunning location. Thank you The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited for having us in Nelson. It was the perfect backdrop for our event, offering inspiration at every turn. We even managed to sneak in a bike ride every morning and on the last day, soak up all the beauty Nelson has to offer. To everyone involved—thank you for your hard work, passion, and commitment to creating a better future. Here’s to the amazing memories we’ve made and the incredible impact everyone will continue to have! Nga Mihi, The XLabs Team Uno Loco Circularity The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited Nelson Regional Development Agency (NRDA)

Day 3 at XLabs: Future of Food  LIVE design sprint brought it all together! Teams communicated their case for change in a pitch rehearsal, sharing their concepts - the energy in the room was electric. Why do we get the teams to communicate their case for change? Because we are all made of stories. Climate Change in a Story. "Narratives enable people to imagine and make sense of the future through processes of interpretation, understanding, communication, and social interaction" 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) The stories we tell shape the future. So, when we want to create a different future for our business we need to tell a new story with potent clarity. Our tips: Start with the problem: Clearly articulate the challenge your business faces. Show the impact: Demonstrate how your solution can create real and tangible change. Inspire action: Your story should move others to act and support your vision. Here is a look back at the inspiring final day and the powerful ideas that emerged. We began with a Whakataukī, welcoming everyone and embracing the opportunity for Whanaungatanga, bringing us together as one, strengthening our bonds, and laying the foundations for a trusted, collaborative, and innovative journey ahead. “Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua.” "Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead." It starts here. We are now giving life to these ideas in a final pitch presentation on the 6th of September, alongside stakeholders who can help make these ideas a reality!

Throughout our three-day design sprint at XLabs LIVE, our teams immersed themselves in tackling some of the most pressing challenges in our food system but they were not alone, we had a wide range of experts including circular economy expert Louise Nash on hand. We want to extend a heartfelt thank you, to all the remarkable experts who joined us in person and virtually (including those doing this in different timezones!) to provide invaluable feedback on the team's early prototypes to ensure they are desirable, feasible and viable. Our teams presented innovative ideas, seeking validation and advice on refining their solutions. Our collaborators offered perspectives that challenged and inspired the teams to push their thinking further. To our expert collaborators - your insights played a crucial role in helping these ideas take shape, guiding them to become more viable, feasible, and desirable solutions. Thank you for filling the space with your knowledge and expertise. “Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua.” Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead. We captured some fantastic moments from these sessions and the collaborative spirit that defined the event. Thank you also to Ginnie, for your fabulous photography. A special acknowledgment to all our expert collaborators: ⭐️Nikki Neate⭐️ Neate, Nicky Solomon CMInstD Solomon, Natalie Gilberd, Jodie Kuntzsch, Jo Shapland, Pen Turnbull, Elise Motalli ✏️ , Chris Lijzenga, Mindy Leow, Kaitlin Dawson, Alex McGrath, David Hall, Jackie Suggitt, Henrietta G. Your contributions are helping us co-create a circular future that is abundant, nature-positive, and regenerative by design. We couldn't have done it without you! Thank you for joining us in reimagining the future of food in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Nga Mihi, The XLabs Team

We were thrilled to have Nicky Solomon from BPA at our recent XLabs event. Her presentation shed light on the incredible work BPA does in connecting New Zealand’s primary sector with world-class science and technical expertise. Collaboration is at the heart of creating meaningful change and achieving a more circular economy. When we work together collaboratively, we can amplify our impact for good. We can develop solutions that reduce waste, enhance resource efficiency, and create sustainable value across entire systems by closing the loop and reimagining waste as a valuable resource. BPA acts as a bridge, providing businesses with access to the combined capabilities of New Zealand's top research institutions and universities. They offer funding and support for projects that aim to: Develop robust economic and development plans Innovate in processing by-products Access and optimise raw materials Create high-value products from biological resources Reduce processing costs and increase resource value Assess commercial feasibility through pilot-scale testing One fascinating example Nicky shared was the collaboration between BPA, Ovāvo, Callaghan Innovation, and Massey University. Ovāvo, an avocado grower, sought to convert their process-grade fruit into a high-value product. The result? A freeze-dried avocado powder that retains all the natural benefits—structure, colour, flavour, and nutrients—while being easy to store and rich in health-boosting phytochemicals. How cool is that?!! BPA’s collaborative approach turns innovative ideas into commercially viable products, making a real impact in the industry. Thank you for joining us Nicky Solomon CMInstD, we loved sharing time and space with you. Together, we are redesigning the future of food to be circular.

We’re thrilled to bring our award-winning Circular Economy Program to Mount Maunganui’s Lifesaving Club for a free, one-day workshop on October 18th. Together, let’s redesign the future of the built environment! Are you a builder, architect, developer, or involved in the construction industry? Do you supply building materials? Join us this October for a free XLabs Circular Economy Workshop led by Circularity founder Louise Nash. This workshop is specifically tailored for those in the building industry who want to eliminate waste from the built environment, working alongside experts and like-minded businesses. Thanks to the generosity of Tauranga City Council, in partnership with its Resource Wise programme, Priority One Western Bay of Plenty, and Circularity, you’ll have a unique opportunity to experience XLabs in just one day. Learn more about Fletcher Building's experience with XLabs here: https://lnkd.in/gFdZZ2Gc In just one day, you will: ➡️ Discover what the circular economy is, why it’s important, and the benefits of adopting it for your business. ➡️ Use XLab’s tools, exercises, and circular-by-design methods to identify challenges, explore solutions, and develop a roadmap for your circular vision. ➡️ Collaborate with other businesses and leading circular economy experts to build your knowledge and skills, accelerating circular innovation in Tauranga. ➡️ Make tangible progress towards reducing your environmental impact. Learn more about this free workshop and register to secure your spot here: https://lnkd.in/gDTSsqCh Co-creating the future of the built environment starts here. Will you join us?

XLabs is coming to Tauranga! We’re thrilled to bring our award-winning Circular Economy Program to Mount Maunganui’s Lifesaving Club for a free, one-day workshop on October 17th. We invite all businesses in Tauranga eager to start their journey towards identifying circular economy solutions and designing out waste to join us for this transformative event. Expect a day of deep exploration into the circular economy, where you’ll gain fresh perspectives on your business. You'll analyse the impacts of your value chain, define a challenge to tackle, and begin crafting a roadmap towards a waste-free, nature-aligned future. In just one day, you will: ✅ Learn about the circular economy, its importance, and the benefits of shifting your business practices. ✅ Utilise XLab’s tools, exercises, and circular-by-design methods to identify a challenge, explore solutions, and develop a roadmap for your circular vision. ✅ Collaborate with other businesses and leading circular economy experts to build your knowledge, capabilities, and skills—accelerating circular innovation in Tauranga. ✅ Make tangible progress toward reducing your environmental impact. Attendance is free, thanks to the generous support of Tauranga City Council, but spots are limited. Register now to secure your place: https://lnkd.in/gDTSsqCh Special thanks to our Partners - Tauranga City Council, Resource Wise Programme, Priority One Western Bay of Plenty and Circularity #CircularEconomy #Business #BayOfPlenty #Design

It was fantastic to have Pic Picot, founder of Pic's Peanut Butter, join us to share his inspiring journey at XLabs:Future of Food in his hometown of sunny Nelson. Over lunch with the participating teams, he shared his thoughts about what the future of food might look like in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Pic explained what the future might hold for food production in Aotearoa, emphasising innovation, sustainability, and local resilience. He shared his project with the Ministry for Primary Industry and Northland growers to unlock peanut growing in New Zealand. Teams had the opportunity to ask him questions that led to a deeper understanding of his vision and the challenges he believes may lie ahead of us in the food industry. We also discovered the story behind the famous star as their logo (spoiler alert he created it because it was free to print on the lid!) and that Pic has the most incredible sense of humour! Thank you, Pic, for enriching our event with your expertise and enthusiasm. We loved spending time with you, your incredible team and the delicious gift of your peanut butter. We know that your time spent with us at our XLabs design sprint will continue to inspire us as we strive to innovate and shape the future of food together.

At XLabs: Future of Food LIVE design sprint, we were incredibly fortunate to have collaborators who generously shared their expertise with our teams as they developed their circular solutions. Jo Bye joined us to share with the teams the power of communicating your case for change as they developed their pitch presentations. Jo's insights were about transforming ideas into compelling narratives that inspire action. Jo emphasised five key learnings through five powerful stories: Vulnerability + Rapport = Trust: Building trust starts with showing vulnerability and establishing rapport. It’s the foundation for authentic connections. Champion the Big Idea: Never shy away from bold, transformative ideas. These are what capture attention and drive real change. Creativity Will Captivate: Engaging creativity in your storytelling will capture your audience's attention and inspire them to think differently. Precision in presentation: Be clear and precise in your delivery, focusing on key points that matter and will have the greatest impact. Let Data Dance: Data is powerful only when presented in a way that tells a meaningful story. Make your data dance to the rhythm of your narrative. Jo’s insights on collaboration for systemic change left a lasting impression. She reminded us that ‘How we communicate our ideas can be as impactful as the ideas themselves’. Thank you for joining us Jo Bye, we loved sharing time and space with you.  Together, we are redesigning the future of food to be circular.