Christchurch’s Global Impact
Leading The Way In Health Tech
Health Tech company Streamliners is shining a light on the way Ōtautahi Christchurch can foster global careers while maintaining a balanced lifestyle.
Stella Ward - Chief Executive, Streamliners
Streamliners is on a mission to eliminate the postcode lottery in healthcare, ensuring millions of people worldwide have equal access to the latest advice and treatments. Their flagship product, HealthPathways, is revolutionising healthcare delivery by providing an online tool utilised by tens of thousands of frontline clinicians across New Zealand, Australia, England, and Wales.
Revolutionising Healthcare Delivery
The platform leverages collective expertise from over 50 health systems, serving approximately 34 million people globally, and continually improves with shared evidence. In 2023, Wales became the first country in the world to implement it nationally.
Eduard Liebenberger, Chief Technology Officer at Streamliners says it’s about making sure “everybody gets equitable care, regardless of where you see a GP.”
Eduard Liebenberger - Chief Technology Officer, StreamlinersEverybody gets equitable care, regardless of where you see a GP.”
Balancing Global Reach With Local Roots
Streamliners' impressive growth – from just eight staff in 2008 to 150 in 2024, with a $20 million turnover – highlights the emergence of Christchurch’s tech sector on the global stage. In the past two years, the company has doubled the size of its Christchurch headquarters to accommodate this expansion. Streamliners now operates out of two interconnected buildings, creating a campus that firmly anchors its headquarters in Ōtautahi.
Chief Executive Stella Ward says being based in Christchurch is important to Streamliners, and incredibly easy to do in a digital world.
“Because we're a weightless export, our potential to have that global reach doesn't mean that we need to move people to another part of the globe.”
She notes that Christchurch’s health tech ecosystem is supported by a centralised health precinct (Te Papa Hauora and the Arts Centre’s Health Tech Quadrant) that has created a much closer connection between research, testing and commercialisation. This is also reflected in the broader Tech ecosystem supported by ChristchurchNZ and Canterbury Tech.
“I think Christchurch is very good at collaborating – in fact the ability to collaborate is what sets us apart. We are a city that knows how to borrow an idea or approach from someone else, and also give work to each other when needed.”
Dynamic Hub With Enviable Lifestyle
Eduard, who has worked extensively across Europe, says Christchurch’s thriving tech ecosystem is reshaping the city’s reputation from a peaceful garden city to a dynamic hub where tech careers flourish alongside an exceptional lifestyle. He notes that the company successfully attracts talent both from New Zealand and around the world.
“In terms of work/life balance, no other place beats what I’ve experienced here. I think you can have ambitions here without having to sign your life away. You can have a great family life and still go for world domination.”
Launchpad For Success
Senior software developer Afia Zafar says that Christchurch has the excitement of a startup company, making it a great place to further her career. “I'm the kind of a person who always looks for places in that fresh entrepreneurial space – there’s an element of adventure in it.”
Originally from Pakistan, Afia moved to Auckland, before making the shift to Christchurch to work at Streamliners.
“When I came to Streamliners, it felt like a launchpad. I can see the company is about to take off.”
Afia Zafar - Senior Software Developer, StreamlinersI'm the kind of a person who always looks for places in that fresh entrepreneurial space – there’s an element of adventure in it.”
A Purpose-Driven Approach
Stella says the company is very purpose driven – a point of difference that attracts employees. “We attract some really talented people who want to do something great and feel like what they do matters.”
Eduard agrees that their mission resonates – as does their leading-edge approach to technology. “I think we have quite an exciting story of what we're doing and where we’re going.”
Part of that exciting story is diversity – Streamliners encourages a range of talent in gender, nationality and thought. Eduard notes that traditionally software development is a male dominated industry, often leading to an inherent bias. However, Streamliners is bucking the trend, with more female developers than male.
One of those developers – Afia – says working at Streamliners has been a breath of fresh air – and that’s not just a metaphor. She loves nothing more than cycling around her favourite spots — the Riverside Market and Hagley Park.
It might be a tech city – but there’s still plenty of garden in Christchurch, after all.
