Patrick Moynahan

Patrick Moynahan started Echo at a time when organisations were starting to think seriously about what happened to technology at the end of its life. As laptops, phones and servers were replaced at an ever-increasing pace, he saw New Zealand was missing the infrastructure to recover valuable materials, securely destroy sensitive data and keep technology circulating for longer. Building that capability would require far more than a recycling business. It meant creating an entirely new technology lifecycle industry.

Founded in 2017, Echo has grown into one of New Zealand’s leading technology lifecycle solutions providers, helping businesses and government agencies manage technology from deployment through to refurbishment, recycling and responsible disposal. Patrick invested early in specialist processing equipment, including New Zealand’s first BLUBOX e-waste shredding system and advanced optical sorting technology, establishing local capabilities that previously did not exist. Those decisions positioned Echo to process millions of kilograms of electronic waste each year while meeting high standards for environmental management, quality and secure data destruction.

Growth has come through a willingness to keep investing ahead of demand. In the past year, Patrick secured strategic investment from Altered Capital and led the acquisition of BMS, expanding Echo’s nationwide technology lifecycle services and strengthening its ability to support organisations across the country. Alongside commercial growth, Echo’s community e-waste initiatives have helped make responsible recycling more accessible while encouraging a more circular approach to technology.

Echo’s work sits at a practical intersection of security, sustainability and infrastructure. A laptop collected from an office or community e-waste day may hold sensitive data, reusable components and recoverable materials; Patrick has built the systems to deal with all three responsibly. That is what gives Echo’s growth its substance: it turns technology’s end-of-life problem into something New Zealand can manage with greater care, transparency and value.