Samantha Wong is a General Partner at Blackbird, a venture capital firm that supports ambitious founders in Australia and New Zealand. She leads Blackbird's New Zealand operations from their Auckland office and was instrumental in raising the firm's inaugural $59 million New Zealand Fund, followed by an $80 million New Zealand Fund II in 2022. Before joining Blackbird, Samantha's career encompassed roles as a corporate lawyer, product manager, and startup founder. She joined Blackbird in 2015 as Head of Operations and transitioned to investment roles in 2017. She is also known for her commitment to diversity in technology and venture capital, having led initiatives such as the Model Code of Conduct for the Startup Community and a venture capital internship program for women.

Niki Scevak is a prominent figure in the venture capital industry, serving as a Partner at Blackbird Ventures, a venture fund dedicated to empowering Australia's and New Zealand's most ambitious founders. Based in the Greater Sydney Area, Niki co-founded Blackbird in 2012, and has been instrumental in its growth and success. He is also a co-founder of Startmate, a founder community aimed at helping the next generation of entrepreneurs succeed.Before his ventures in the startup ecosystem, Niki founded Homethinking.com, a platform designed to assist homeowners in finding real estate agents based on past sales and customer reviews. His career began at Jupiter Research, where he worked as an Analyst, focusing on marketing and media, particularly in online advertising and paid search markets.Niki holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics, Commerce, and Computer Science from the University of New South Wales, where he graduated with distinction. His career is marked by a commitment to fostering innovation and supporting emerging entrepreneurs in the tech industry.