OUR STORY
In the heart of Wellington, New Zealand, nestled among its vibrant streets and innovative spirit, our story began. It's a tale not just of technology and business, but of dreams, challenges, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.
From Pharma to Tech: A Global Adventure
Our journey started over a decade ago in 2008, when Arcanum’s founder and CEO Asa, a seasoned professional from the pharmaceutical industry in the UK, embarked on a global odyssey. With 15 years in business development and licensing under his belt, he ventured to New Zealand, seeking new horizons. His passion for innovation led him to Canada, where he dipped his toes into the tech world, thanks to some visionary pharmaceutical lawyers from Silicon Valley.
The Birth of a Vision in AI and Machine Learning
As AI began to emerge from academic circles into the real world, Asa immersed himself in this burgeoning field. His experience in Silicon Valley was a deep dive into a world of endless possibilities, shaping his vision for what would become our company. Moving to New Zealand, he decided to lay down roots, driven by a desire to create something groundbreaking.
A Coffee, a Beer, and a Bold Idea
The inception of our company in 2016 was as quintessentially Kiwi as it gets - over a coffee and beer in Wellington. Conversations about machine learning and business development sparked an idea that soon took on a life of its own. In a world barely familiar with AI, Asa saw an opportunity to lead and innovate.
From Professional Services to AI Pioneering
Initially, we offered professional services, working with banks, energy companies, and various businesses, navigating the then-nascent field of AI. Our journey evolved from fulfilling AI 'tick box' exercises to spearheading innovative AI-based solutions.
The Shift to SaaS and AI Integration
18 months ago marked a pivotal shift. We began harnessing the power of pre-trained AI models like GPT-3, integrating AI into SaaS products. This transition wasn't just about technology; it was about understanding market needs and timing our innovations perfectly.
Crafting Solutions for SMBs
As AI began to emerge from academic circles into the real world, Asa immersed himself in this burgeoning field. His experience in Silicon Valley was a deep dive into a world of endless possibilities, shaping his vision for what would become our company. Moving to New Zealand, he decided to lay down roots, driven by a desire to create something groundbreaking.
Our Promise: Innovation, Connection, Efficiency
We promise to bring the cutting-edge world of AI to your doorstep, simplifying complex technology into practical solutions. Our journey is about more than just software; it's about creating connections, understanding your challenges, and helping you grow.
Join Us in Shaping the Future
As change-makers and leaders in SMEs, you resonate with our story of transformation, resilience, and innovation. We invite you to be part of this exciting journey, as we continue to explore the limitless possibilities of AI, together shaping a smarter, more efficient future.
OUR TEAM
Connor Nickel
Business Development & Sales Officer
Connor is a Business Development and Sales Officer at Arcanum, working with customers to identify practical, high-impact ways AI can deliver real business outcomes. With a background in sales, partnerships, and technology-led solutions, he specializes in translating complex AI into clear, commercially valuable opportunities across a range of industries.
A high-energy relationship builder and problem-solver, Connor is passionate about helping non-technical teams adopt AI with confidence and simplicity. He plays a key role in Arcanum’s customer engagement and market growth initiatives, ensuring solutions are grounded in real-world value rather than hype.
Tony Gurlick
Engineering Lead
Tony brings over 25 years of experience across software development, infrastructure, and systems leadership. He spent more than a decade in London and Europe during the Web 2.0 boom, working with global brands and consultancies including EMC Consulting, Nokia, BSkyB, and Visa as the web and cloud ecosystems rapidly evolved.
Returning home in 2015, Tony has since worked across startups and growing companies of all sizes, spanning a wide range of industries. His strength lies in bridging deep technical understanding with practical, real-world problem solving—designing systems that are robust, scalable, and fit for purpose.
Asa Cox
CEO
Asa leads Arcanum with over 15 years in business development and a deep dive into applied AI solutions for the past 7 years. His vision for AI is not just technological advancement but its potential for global betterment. He is passionate about supporting companies to see how AI can drive real business value without requiring technical expertise. He works closely with AWS and industry partners to build an ecosystem that helps SMBs grow profitably through practical AI implementation.
Jayson Satya
CRO
Jayson is our CRO armed with over 15 years of leadership experience that spans the SaaS, Fintech, and startup sectors. Having worked with prominent brands, Jayson has a proven track record of driving growth and innovation. Jayson is deeply committed to leveraging AI to automate processes, freeing humans from mundane tasks, and assisting accountants on their journey to embrace AI.
Nathan Douglas
Senior AI Engineer
Nathan, an Australia-based data science wizard and a key player in our team as an AI engineer. His drive in the field of AI is centered around leveraging its capabilities to bring about a genuine positive impact in people's lives. Outside of data and algorithms, Nathan is a sports fanatic, always ready to dive deep into game strategies and stats.
Prasanna Ramachandran
Customer Success
Pras is our Sales and Customer Success Coordinator, utilizing his rich background in IT and customer engagement. With over seven years of experience in customer-facing roles at leading companies such as Freshworks and Infosys in India, Pras has honed his skills in navigating complex IT environments and enhancing customer experiences.
Scott Houston
Chairman
Scott is our venerable Chairman. A renowned New Zealand-based technology entrepreneur, author, and digital expert in AI, product development, and cloud platforms. Best known for founding cloud orchestration company GreenButton, which was acquired by Microsoft, and for helping build Weta Digital’s supercomputing platform for “The Lord of the Rings.” He has also served as the CTO at ARANZ Geo (now Seequent - which sold for $1.2bn).
Tom Wiltshire
Junior AI Engineer
Tom is a Junior Software Engineer at Arcanum, working on Numa. With a background in Data Science, he enjoys building practical, AI-powered features that solve real business problems.
Tom has grown into his role through hands-on project work and continuous learning, building experience across software development, AI integration, and automation.
Ian Dougherty
COO
Ian is our Chief Operations Officer, bringing over 35 years of leadership experience across diverse industry sectors including government agencies, healthcare, education, finance, sports technology, and small businesses. His varied background gives him good insight into the operational challenges facing different types of organisations, helping him quickly understand and relate to your specific business needs.