The new Kea App has been developed to allow Kiwi expats to locate fellow Kiwi expats, businesses and events nearby, wherever they are in any corner of the globe.

Kea's aim is to create a global network of Kiwis that support each other, and subsequently drive business back to New Zealand. The Kea App allows expats, as well as Kiwis travelling on business, a database tailored specifically to the part of the world they are in at any moment, delivered to the palm of their hand.

Available for download from The App Store and Google Play, the Kea App uses geo-locating software allowing Kiwis to find and contact a Kiwi nearby anywhere in the world, meet Kiwis attending nearby events, support Kiwi businesses offshore, conduct a search for New Zealanders, organisations, social groups and events in any country.

Simultaneously, the App will allow users to market their Kiwi businesses to Kiwis in their region by listing an event or business on the Kea App, or at keanewzealand.com.

Kea Global CEO, Craig Donaldson, believes the Kea App will further enhance the ability of Kiwis to find and support their fellow New Zealanders overseas.

"The easier it is to track down and connect with Kiwi expats and businesses overseas, the better for New Zealand businesses at home," said Mr Donaldson.

"The more Kiwi businesses use Kiwi suppliers, and engage and promote each other's work, the better.

"We envisage that the Kea App can grow to a point where Kiwi businesses looking for suppliers in new markets will be able to find a Kiwi organisation nearby that suits their requirements within seconds, just by logging into the App and conducting a search.

"Currently, there are one million Kiwis based overseas - roughly one in five. That is a huge database of people and businesses to access and to be able to market to."

New Zealand has the highest proportion of highly skilled workers based offshore in the OECD - the community of one million people is larger than that of New Zealand's second largest city.

According to a survey conducted by Kea, in conjunction with Colmar Brunton, in September 2013, a staggering 98 per cent of Kiwis based overseas are actively promoting the country and recommend New Zealand as a destination to their overseas networks.

Kea has seen this interest demonstrated in the rapid growth of its online community - which has more than quadrupled to over 150,000 in the past 14 months.

"There is an overwhelming positivity from our expat community towards New Zealand and their predisposition to act as global advocates for the nation and Brand New Zealand," said Mr Donaldson. "This results in an intrinsic value for New Zealand, and a purpose for connecting this borderless nation.

"Successful Kiwis promoting and doing business with other Kiwis across the globe can only benefit New Zealand. The Kea App will ensure that this is easier than ever."

The Kea App can be downloaded now from The App Store or Google Play. Hundreds of Kiwi businesses and events are already listed on the Kea App, making it a convenient, user-friendly directory for everything New Zealand overseas.

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