Ngaio Merrick – Co-Founder of Nuance Connected Capital – joined the Wellington UniVentures board in November 2021.
Combining six years as Chair of KiwiNet with a decade of early stage investments into deep tech in New Zealand, Ngaio is familiar with the commercialisation process and with the early stage investment process once the spin out or licence leaves the University. She is also passionate about purpose investing, to improve the world for future generations. It is this unique perspective which enables her to add strategic value to the direction of Wellington UniVentures, and ties in well with our stated purpose “to lift lives everywhere with knowledge”.
An experienced director, Ngaio serves on several early stage boards and trusts and is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors. In addition to running her deep tech Venture Capital fund, she also manages Sir David Levene’s investment portfolio. Ngaio generously donates time and energy to the early-stage investment ecosystem including mentoring, governance training, placing and supporting observer directors and collaborating with other early stage investors to improve diversity and inclusion across the sector.
Born in Singapore and raised across the globe, Ngaio has a degree in Physics and Maths from the University of Central Florida and has continued her education annually studying Corporate Finance, Mediation, Governance, Journalism, Strategy and Planning, Leadership & Motivation and Self Intelligence.
Ngaio is passionate about people being the best they can be and is convinced that the most valuable skill anyone can have is the ability to ask the right questions.