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Harkness AI has reached more than 50 paying clients in New Zealand and generated six-figure revenue in the first five months of FY27.
Founded by mechatronics graduate Blake Harkness, the Christchurch business says monthly revenue has risen more than fourfold since the start of the year. It is bootstrapped, has not taken external investment and has been profitable every month, according to Harkness.
The company works with businesses on AI implementation, custom tools and staff training across sectors including construction, retail, security, tourism and technology. Its clients include Shakti Mat, Maugers Contracting, Trap and Trigger, 2Secure Security, Captivate Technology, Cohesive and the Bed & Breakfast Association of New Zealand.
Harkness started the business less than two years after leaving university, as debate intensified over how artificial intelligence could affect entry-level work. His trajectory offers a contrasting example to concerns that junior roles may shrink as software takes on routine tasks.
"Everyone's worried AI will take graduate jobs. I graduated into it and went the other way. I just started building with it," said Blake Harkness, Founder of Harkness AI.
Much of the firm's work focuses on linking AI tools to software clients already use, rather than introducing standalone systems. Harkness said many businesses want practical changes to existing workflows, along with support for staff using the tools in day-to-day work.
"Most Kiwi businesses don't need another AI tool. They need AI plugged into the systems they already run, like Xero and their job software, and someone to show the team how to use it," he said.
One project for Shakti Mat involved building six custom connectors in under four weeks so staff could pull information from Shopify, Xero, stock, marketing and email into a single AI chat. For Maugers Contracting, a construction programme that had taken about 20 hours of manual work can now be generated for proofreading, while a shared staff and plant planner took 10 minutes to build, according to the company.
Harkness said those assignments reflect a wider shift in what clients are prepared to buy. Rather than paying only for technical development, businesses are looking for measurable changes in how work gets done.
"I'm an engineer, not a consultant. I'd rather build the thing and teach your team to use it than hand over a strategy deck. If the team isn't using it on Monday, it doesn't matter how good the build was," he said.
Harkness also said his own use of AI has changed the speed at which projects are delivered. Work that might once have taken months can now be completed in weeks, with clients charged on a fixed-price basis, he said.
"I build with AI, so work that used to take months takes weeks. I quote a fixed price, so the client gets the speed, not a bigger bill," he said.
A different route
Beyond the revenue figures, the business reflects a broader question for graduates entering the labour market. If AI systems can handle more routine coding and administrative tasks, new entrants may need to show value in areas that are harder to automate.
Harkness argues that communication and problem identification will matter as much as technical skill. He said the opportunity lies in understanding business problems and applying available technology to solve them.
"AI can write code now. The person who can sit with a business owner and work out what actually needs fixing is the one getting hired," he said.
Rather than taking a conventional graduate role, he began building tools for businesses directly and sharing the process online. He has published more than 150 free videos showing what he is building and learning, which he said created more opportunities than a traditional CV.
That approach has also shaped his advice to other graduates weighing their options in a changing job market.
"Don't wait for a grad job to give you permission. Find a real problem at a real business and build something for it this week," he said.
He also founded Young Kiwis in AI, a network of more than 350 members that connects younger New Zealanders interested in careers in artificial intelligence. Harkness also sits on the Engineering New Zealand AI Advisory Committee.
"Learn to communicate. AI can write code now. The person who can sit with a business owner and work out what actually needs fixing is the one getting hired," he said.