Who we are
Three engineers, one goal
We started Tauranga AI Automations because we kept seeing great local businesses leave enormous amounts of time and money on the table — not from lack of effort, but from lack of the right tools.
Our story
We got tired of seeing businesses work harder than they needed to
Between us we have more than 40 years of software engineering experience — across enterprise systems, mobile apps, web platforms, and more recently AI and automation tooling. We've worked for large companies, built startups, and helped businesses of all sizes modernise how they operate.
What kept striking us was how many smart, hard-working business owners in Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty were still doing things manually that technology solved ten years ago. Not because they didn't want to change, but because the technology world is genuinely confusing — there are too many tools, too much hype, and no one telling you what's actually worth your money.
So we set up Tauranga AI Automations with a simple brief: find local businesses losing time and money to manual work, build something that fixes it, and never charge more than it saves. No fluff. No upfront costs. No solution looking for a problem.
We're particularly interested in the agricultural sector — the Bay of Plenty has more horticultural operations than almost anywhere in New Zealand, and they're ripe for the kind of automation that can genuinely transform how seasonal businesses operate.
The team
Meet the engineers
Hayden van Beek
Co-founder · Full Stack & Mobile Developer
A former Army Officer who traded deployment planning for deployment pipelines. Hayden brings the same disciplined, problem-first thinking from his military career to software engineering. He has deep experience across full stack web and mobile development and leads client engagements — making sure every solution actually solves the right problem.
Chris Mason
Co-founder · Automation Engineer & Full Stack Developer
Chris has a rare combination of automation-first thinking and solid full stack development skills. He lives for finding the messy, manual process and building the system that eliminates it. From no-code tools like Zapier and Make to custom API integrations and backend services — if there's a smarter way to do it, Chris will find it.
Reece Patterson
Co-founder · Senior Full Stack & Mobile Developer
With broad experience across enterprise systems, mobile apps, and web platforms, Reece is the team's senior technical anchor. He has a talent for architecting solutions that are simple on the outside but robust under the hood — and a low tolerance for over-engineering when a clean, direct approach will do.
How we work
What you can expect from us
Win-win or we don't build it
We won't take your money for something that doesn't make financial sense for you. If the ROI isn't clearly there, we'll tell you — even if that means walking away from the work.
Plain English, always
We hate jargon. You shouldn't need a computer science degree to understand what we're proposing or why it will work. We explain everything clearly.
Local and accountable
We're in Tauranga. You can call us, meet us for a coffee, and hold us to what we've promised. No offshore handoffs, no disappearing after delivery.
Simple over clever
We build the most straightforward solution that actually solves your problem. We don't over-engineer or add unnecessary complexity — simple things are easier to maintain and harder to break.
Curious about AI but not sure where to start?
You don't need to come to us with a clear project brief. If you're just wondering whether AI could do something useful in your business, we genuinely want to hear about it. Sometimes the best solutions come from the most open-ended conversations.
Start a conversationNot sure if AI is right for your business?
That's exactly the conversation we want to have. No pressure, no jargon — just an honest chat about where we might be able to help.