MRTY launches sovereign intelligence platform for firms

MRTY has launched a New Zealand-developed Sovereign Intelligence platform for businesses, designed to give organisations more control over their data, infrastructure and artificial intelligence.

Founded by Auckland entrepreneur Tamawera Owens, MRTY unveiled the platform at a private launch event at Gibbs Farm, north of Auckland. It is targeting organisations with between five and 1,000 staff, particularly those handling sensitive information or operating in sectors where data residency and security are major concerns.

The launch puts MRTY into a market shaped by heavy business use of cloud software, software subscriptions and AI tools from large overseas technology groups. Owens argues that many organisations have become dependent on external providers for communications, records, workflows and customer data, while having limited control over where information is stored or how it is used.

MRTY's platform combines tools for email, communications, workflow management, customer relationships, document storage, security and business intelligence. It is intended to replace multiple disconnected applications by bringing emails, files, jobs and conversations into one system.

At the centre of the offering is what MRTY calls a central intelligence layer. The company says it can interpret business information, identify next steps and prepare actions for approval by staff.

The system can run on existing business computers, on dedicated MRTY hardware or through a New Zealand-owned local cloud. This is intended to give businesses an alternative to relying entirely on offshore infrastructure.

Product suite

The platform includes a range of connected products: iScrape for connecting and searching business records; Email Link for turning incoming correspondence into tasks; LENZ for communications and collaboration; FLOW for workflow management; and LIRP for customer relationship management.

MRTY Si acts as the business intelligence layer. Staff can ask questions about their organisation and receive answers drawn from internal information, while the software can also prepare emails, tasks and other next steps for human approval.

The first product to reach market is MRTY Vault, a password manager that stores credentials on the user's own device rather than in a central cloud account. MRTY says it uses three-factor authentication through a master password, a device-held key and biometric authentication via a passkey.

The company says information in the vault is protected with AES-256 encryption and that it cannot access the contents of a user's vault. It is pitching the product as part of a broader case for keeping sensitive business information under the control of the organisation that creates it.

Data control

Owens has linked the business to his own experience of building companies that relied on external digital platforms. He said that dependence can leave businesses exposed when a provider changes terms, restricts access or alters how its systems work.

"The question I've been asking for years is, what happens when the technology you rely on is no longer available to you? What happens when a platform changes its rules, switches off your access or controls what you can do with your own business?" said Tamawera Owens, Founder, MRTY.

The company's proposition comes as many businesses review software spending amid rising subscription costs across multiple systems. Owens argues that organisations should be able to adopt AI tools without giving up ownership or control of the information generated through day-to-day operations.

MRTY is focusing on sectors including professional services, engineering, construction, legal, financial services, agribusiness and Māori organisations. These markets often face stricter expectations around confidentiality, records management and where information is stored.

The launch also reflects a broader debate in New Zealand and elsewhere over digital sovereignty and local control of data. That discussion has gathered momentum as governments, Indigenous groups and businesses weigh the implications of AI systems trained on information held by global technology companies.

Owens has also taken part in international discussions on Indigenous rights and artificial intelligence, focusing on digital sovereignty and the governance of technologies affecting Indigenous communities. MRTY is exploring work related to data sovereignty involving Māori and Aboriginal communities.

For Owens, the company is also making a case against adding more standalone business software to already crowded technology stacks. "Many businesses pay for dozens of apps, and a lot of the licences go unused. You don't need another app. You need the last one," said Owens.