About
Vaughan
Vaughan Fergusson (previously Rowsell)
Innovator, adventurer, speaker
Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are.
About
Vaughan
Vaughan Fergusson (previously Rowsell)
Innovator, adventurer, speaker
Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are.
Vaughan Fergusson (previously Rowsell) is the founder of Vend, pioneering cloud technology in retail globally, omni-channel commerce and invented the iPad retail point of sale. Vend is a New Zealand high-growth tech success story contributing significantly to the New Zealand tech eco-system over 12 years. Vend was sold for $500m in 2021 to LightSpeed and remains the flagship retail product globally.
In 2014 he was the founder and trustee of The Pam Fergusson Trust running initiatives to teach innovation, creativity and technology to tamariki of all ages and backgrounds, in particular our youth who would not otherwise get the opportunity. Collectively the trust also works with educators across New Zealand empowering them to empower our future innovators.
In 2018 Vaughan and his partner Zoe bought The Karioi Lodge in Raglan and under the Institute of Awesome brand, relaunched the lodge as a place for people to connect and innovate.
He was EY's Tech Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014, a judge for the 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year programme and head judge for the 2021-22 programme.
Vaughan has been a Trustee, Judge and Vice-Chair for the New Zealand Hi-tech Trust from 2015 - 2021 and remains as a judge for the 2023 awards.
Every year Vaughan does an impossible challenge, something to take him out of his comfort zone, like running 1,000km, learning to sing to get a paid gig in front of 100 people or cycling around the world in 80 days.
Vaughan is a self described weirdo and has spoken many times on the importance of challenging the status quo, thinking differently and trusting your inner weirdo. He is also a staunch ally for diversity in New Zealand and in the technology and creative sectors.
Vend
Vend
First point of sale to the cloud. First point of sale on the iPad. And that was just the beginning.
Vaughan founded Vend in 2010 and it has become one of NZ's fastest growing tech startups and Deloitte Fast 50 for 3 years running as well as being the winner of many NZ Hi-tech awards.
Vend
Vend
First point of sale to the cloud. First point of sale on the iPad. And that was just the beginning.
Vaughan founded Vend in 2010 and it has become one of NZ's fastest growing tech startups and Deloitte Fast 50 for 3 years running as well as being the winner of many NZ Hi-tech awards.
InAwe
Institute of Awesome
In 2018 Vaughan and Zoe bought an outdoor education centre in Whāingaroa - Raglan and began transforming it into a place for innovation, inspiration and education. The Institute of Awesome, or InAwe for short, can host group sizes of up to 100. It is situated on the Karioi maunga overlooking the Tasman Sea.
InAwe
Institute of Awesome
In 2018 Vaughan and Zoe bought an outdoor education centre in Whāingaroa - Raglan and began transforming it into a place for innovation, inspiration and education. The Institute of Awesome, or InAwe for short, can host group sizes of up to 100. It is situated on the Karioi maunga overlooking the Tasman Sea.
Adventures
Do Impossible Things
Every year for the past 10 years starting in 2008 Vaughan has set himself a goal to do something he thought was impossible, like cycle around the world in 80 days. Each challenge took him out of his comfort zone and either developed a new habit, stopped a bad habit or developed Vaughan personally in new ways he never imagined.
Adventures
Do Impossible Things
Every year for the past 10 years starting in 2008 Vaughan has set himself a goal to do something he thought was impossible, like cycle around the world in 80 days. Each challenge took him out of his comfort zone and either developed a new habit, stopped a bad habit or developed Vaughan personally in new ways he never imagined.
Speaking
Speaking
Two times TEDx speaker and sought after speaker on the topics of high growth, thinking differently, culture and doing impossible things.
Speaking
Speaking
Two times TEDx speaker and sought after speaker on the topics of high growth, thinking differently, culture and doing impossible things.
TEDx - 2014 - Living impossibly
Every year Vaughan does something impossible whether it is cycling the length of New Zealand solo, building a $100M venture, or running 1,000 kilometers.
Vaughan just recently completed an around the world cycle traversing the southern hemisphere in 60 days.
TEDx - 2016 - Being weird
Vaughan was invited back to the TEDx stage in 2016 to talk about being weird and his journey as a weirdo.
Vaughan's idea is that society now in the modern world needs more weirdos and outliers to explore beyond the cultural norms.
The Vend Story
What's the secret behind Vend?
Hear the story from Vend's founder describing the challenges faced along the way and why this helped shape Vend, OMGTech! and his desire to innovate and change the world.
Media
Media
Articles on startups, the future, diversity, and being genuine in a world of fakes.
Media
Media
Articles on startups, the future, diversity, and being genuine in a world of fakes.