It began in 2015 when Onside’s co-founders Ryan Higgs, Michael Falconer, and Juliet Maclean found themselves grappling with a seemingly straightforward yet common problem. 

The solution needed to work in daily life. It needed to fit into the real-life habits and routines of rural communities.

The answer was in everybody's pockets – their mobile phones. 
From this, the first version of Onside was born: A digital check-in app.

 
We were off to a good start– but always knew that our offering needed to blossom into something larger. Something that really helped rural businesses. 

As farms across New Zealand adopted our check-in app, we realised we weren't just building a tool - we were building a network. A living, breathing ecosystem of connected data that could measure the pulse of the sector in real-time.

While studying at Cornell University, Ryan serendipitously crossed paths with another Cornell student, Hautahi Kingi, who  had a deep interest and understanding in applied data science.

This chance encounter would prove transformative.

Some years on, the pair joined forces, leveraging Onside’s network data to develop Onside Tracing – a platform that would redefine biosecurity tracing, readiness, and response. 

Hautahi's expertise (later honed at tech giants, Facebook and Google) was instrumental in creating what would become the most advanced system of its kind.

Onside has flourished beyond New Zealand's shores, taking root in Australia and the UK. 

While our reach has grown, we aren’t in the business of measuring success by users or property coverage alone. Our success is reflected in the resilience and prosperity of rural communities– in the protection of rural livelihoods.

Our rural risk management software is not a generic solution retrofitted for rural needs. 

Onside offers more than a couple of data points.

We can be your first line of defence against biosecurity threats, a rapid response system in times of crisis, a daily tool for health and safety, and your go-to when it comes to audits and accreditations. 

We don’t just help businesses comply, we help them to stay ahead.

Ultimately, we want to give back a commodity in short supply: time. 

Time saved is time invested – in the land, in innovating, and in family. 

As you continue to innovate and grow, we invite you to partner with us. From the first light of dawn to the satisfaction of a job well done at dusk, we’ll be there. 

Our vision is clear: prosperous rural communities, powered by data and protected by connection. It's a future where businesses can confidently tackle the complexities of the rural sector. Together, we can cultivate this future. 

Rural businesses won’t just survive, they’ll thrive. 

Compliance won’t be a burden, but a benchmark of excellence. 

And every farm, every field, and every farmer will be connected and protected with the right tools, and empowered with the freedom to grow.