8 Jun 2015

Auckland business delegation heads to LA

9:40 am on 8 June 2015

More than 40 Auckland business leaders are aiming to secure funding and new export orders when they head to Los Angeles this week for an economic summit.

The delegation, led by Auckland's mayor Len Brown, will take part in the first Tripartite Economic Alliance Summit with sister cities Guangzhou and Los Angeles.

The group includes business owners from tourism, hospitality, healthcare, and clean technology sectors.

Mr Brown said he planned to do deals for Auckland's film industry, and sign research institute and sea port alliances.

"We think there is a lot of potential upside in getting the business communities of each of those three (cities) together."

Businessman Ian Hosie's start-up, Revolution Fibres, uses nano technology to create custom-made fibres for several industries.

He said the trip would give him crucial business connections in LA and Guangzhou, and help keep jobs and technology in New Zealand.

"The best way to do that is [for] people to look our way and see how they can use our technology in their global products."