Mat Mowbray: The Bold ZURU Builder Behind ZURU Tech

Introduction

Mat Mowbray is a New Zealand entrepreneur, inventor and co-founder of ZURU. Born in February 1980, he is 46 as of September 2026 and currently serves as Co-Chief Executive Officer of ZURU Tech. The 2026 NBR Rich List valued Mat and his brother Nick Mowbray jointly at NZ$20 billion.

Mat Mowbray, whose full legal name is Mathew Peter Mowbray, helped build ZURU from a small family venture into a global toys and consumer-products business.

His name is now closely tied to something else.

Housing.

As of September 2026, Mat is Co-Chief Executive Officer of ZURU Tech, where he is working on software, robotics and automated factories designed to produce houses differently from traditional construction.

He is quieter than his brother Nick.

But his role is big.

Mat has spent much of his career around engineering, product design, factories and automation. That pattern started early and still shapes his work today.

Mat Mowbray Quick Facts

Detail	Verified Information
Full name	Mathew Peter Mowbray
Known as	Mat Mowbray
Birth	February 1980
Age	46 as of September 2026
Nationality	New Zealander
Profession	Entrepreneur, executive and inventor
Known for	Co-founding ZURU
Current role	Co-Chief Executive Officer of ZURU Tech
Brother	Nick Mowbray
Sister	Anna Mowbray
Parents	Harry and Linda Mowbray
Wife	Christina Tang
Children	Four
Education	Attended St Peter’s, Cambridge; later began engineering studies
Residence in corporate records	Hong Kong
Major company	ZURU
Wealth estimate	Mat and Nick jointly valued at NZ$20 billion by the 2026 NBR Rich List

Who Is Mat Mowbray?

Mat Mowbray is a New Zealand entrepreneur best known as a co-founder of ZURU and as Co-CEO of ZURU Tech.

He built the business with his brother Nick Mowbray. Their sister Anna later joined and became a major part of ZURU’s growth.

Mat has generally focused more on engineering and factories than public appearances.

That’s important.

His career isn’t mainly built around media attention. It is built around products.

Toys came first.

Then consumer goods.

Now, factory-made houses.

Why Is Mat Mowbray Famous?

Mat Mowbray is mainly known for three things:

• Co-founding ZURU
• Helping build its automated manufacturing model
• Leading major work at ZURU Tech

ZURU became known worldwide through toy brands such as XSHOT, Mini Brands, Bunch O Balloons, Rainbocorns and Robo Alive.

Mat’s part of the story has often been more technical.

He worked close to engineering, manufacturing and product development.

That later led into ZURU Tech.

How Old Is Mat Mowbray?

Mat Mowbray is 46 years old as of September 2026.

Official UK corporate records show that he was born in February 1980.

A precise birth day is not strongly confirmed by the reliable sources reviewed, so it should not be added.

Simple.

No guessing.

What Is Mat Mowbray’s Full Name?

His full legal name is Mathew Peter Mowbray.

He is commonly known professionally as Mat Mowbray.

The longer version appears in company records and patent filings.

Where Is Mat Mowbray From?

Mat Mowbray is from New Zealand.

He grew up in the Waikato region and was educated in Cambridge.

His parents are Harry and Linda Mowbray.

Public reporting says Harry worked as an engineer in the pulp-and-paper industry before later becoming involved in farming and property.

Mat grew up with siblings Andrew, Anna and Nick.

The family also had a public-service connection.

Their grandmother, Margaret Mowbray, served as Mayor of Hamilton and as a Hamilton city councillor. She later received the Queen’s Service Medal.

Where Did Mat Mowbray Go to School?

Mat attended St Peter’s in Cambridge, New Zealand.

He later began studying engineering at university.

Then the business took over.

Mat left his studies to work full-time on the growing manufacturing venture.

Reliable reporting describes him as the first of the brothers to do so.

The specific university is not confirmed strongly enough by the sources used for this profile, so it is better not to name one.

How Did Mat Mowbray Start His Business Career?

It started with a school project.

Actually, that part is pretty unusual.

When Mat was around 12, he designed a model hot-air balloon for a school science fair.

ZURU’s own history says the project won.

Mat and Nick then began making balloon kits and selling them.

The early work took place around the family’s farm.

Basically, the first business idea came from something Mat built as a child.

The scale was tiny.

The idea wasn’t.

When Was ZURU Founded?

Mat and Nick Mowbray formally established the business that became ZURU in 2003.

That year marked a major move.

The brothers headed to China to build manufacturing operations.

ZURU’s own account says their parents gave them a NZ$20,000 loan.

That money helped them get started.

The brothers entered China with limited resources and little manufacturing experience.

They had to learn fast.

Suppliers.

Machinery.

Factories.

Product development.

Retail.

All of it.

Instead of relying only on outside factories, ZURU gradually built more of its own production systems.

Mat became closely tied to that side of the company.

What Role Did Anna Mowbray Have at ZURU?

Anna Mowbray joined the business in 2005.

She later became chief operating officer and helped build the company’s operating structure.

The siblings developed fairly different roles.

Mat focused heavily on engineering and production.

Nick became more visible in commercial deals and public business activity.

Anna handled much of the operating side.

That setup worked for years.

Anna later left ZURU and exited her ownership position through a confidential transaction in 2023.

Public reporting now identifies Mat and Nick as the owners of ZURU.

What Was ZURU’s First Big Toy Success?

Robo Fish was one of ZURU’s first major international hits.

The robotic swimming toy became a breakout product around 2010.

NBR has reported that Robo Fish generated more than $100 million in sales.

By 2013, the product was being described as the world’s fastest-selling toy.

That gave ZURU a much stronger global position.

More products followed.

Fast.

What Are ZURU’s Biggest Toy Brands?

ZURU has built or marketed many large toy lines, including:

• XSHOT
• Mini Brands
• Bunch O Balloons
• Rainbocorns
• Smashers
• Pets Alive
• Robo Alive

XSHOT became one of the company’s major names.

ZURU said in its 2026 company history that around 39 million XSHOT dart blasters are shipped annually.

That figure comes from ZURU itself.

Is ZURU Only a Toy Company?

No.

ZURU has expanded far beyond toys.

Its consumer-products business, ZURU Edge, operates across areas such as:

• baby products
• home products
• confectionery
• pet care
• health and beauty

Brands linked with the wider group include Rascals, MONDAY Haircare, NOOD and Bonkers.

ZURU reports thousands of employees and operations across many international markets.

Because ZURU is privately held, company scale figures should be described as company-reported rather than treated like audited stock-market disclosures.

What Is Mat Mowbray Doing Now?

As of September 2026, Mat Mowbray is focused heavily on ZURU Tech.

The company is trying to produce houses through a mix of:

• digital design
• engineering software
• robotics
• automated factories
• prefabricated components
• on-site assembly

Mat is officially listed as Co-Chief Executive Officer.

Nick Mowbray holds the same title.

ZURU’s own company history gives Mat substantial credit for pushing the group into construction technology.

Nick has also publicly described ZURU Tech as Mat’s creation.

That makes the project one of the clearest parts of Mat’s current identity.

What Is ZURU Tech?

ZURU Tech is a construction-technology company developing software and automated manufacturing systems for house building.

The basic idea is straightforward.

A customer designs a house digitally.

Software handles technical checks.

Factories produce large parts of the structure.

Robotics handle much of the repetitive manufacturing.

Then the home is assembled.

The company wants to make house production more like modern manufacturing.

Mat’s factory background sits right in the middle of that idea.

What Is Dreamcatcher?

Dreamcatcher is ZURU Tech’s home-design software platform.

The system is intended to let users choose layouts, rooms, finishes and other house details digitally.

Behind the interface, the software is designed to handle engineering requirements such as structural loads, site conditions and building rules.

Then the design connects with manufacturing.

ZURU calls the broader system its Unified Building System.

So the software isn’t meant to stop at drawing a house.

It links design with production.

How Big Is ZURU Tech?

ZURU says more than 600 engineers, architects and specialists have worked on its construction programme.

The company has also said that more than 100 patents have been filed around the project.

Testing has included a smaller-scale automated factory in China.

The planned full-sized production site has been described by ZURU as around 2 kilometres long and 800 metres wide.

Those are company-reported figures.

The project is still being proven in the real world.

When Will the First ZURU Home Be Built?

ZURU Tech says its first ZURU Home is planned for Hawaii in 2027.

That is the company’s current target.

As of September 2026, it should not be described as completed.

The 2027 house will be an important test.

Years of software and factory work will need to produce a real finished building.

That is where theory meets construction.

What Is Mat Mowbray’s Connection to Malibu?

ZURU Tech has been linked with major property purchases in Malibu, California.

In 2025, The Real Deal reported that ZURU Tech US LLC appeared in records linked to nine purchases worth about US$65 million combined.

Reporting connected those sites with ZURU Tech’s housing plans.

There is one key point here.

These were company-linked purchases.

They should not be written as Mat personally buying nine Malibu homes.

Is Mat Mowbray an Inventor?

Yes. Patent records show Mathew Peter Mowbray as an inventor or designer on several products.

His name appears on filings linked to:

• a toy-gun design
• an aquatic toy
• a dissolvable cleaning tablet
• a water-soluble cleaning container
• more recent toy designs

The filings stretch across more than a decade.

So calling Mat an inventor is not based only on company marketing.

There is a public patent trail.

Who Is Mat Mowbray’s Wife?

Mat Mowbray’s wife is Christina Tang, according to reliable New Zealand reporting.

The couple keeps a low public profile.

There is no need to pad that section with rumours or copied personal claims.

The confirmed information is enough.

Does Mat Mowbray Have Children?

Yes. Mat Mowbray and Christina Tang have four children, according to 2025 New Zealand Herald reporting.

Their children’s private details are not needed for a public business profile.

Where Does Mat Mowbray Live?

UK Companies House records list Hong Kong as Mat Mowbray’s country of residence.

New Zealand reporting has also described him as largely Hong Kong-based because of his work around ZURU’s manufacturing operations.

That is the safest public answer.

An exact residential address should not be published.

What Is Mat Mowbray’s Net Worth?

There is no verified separate net-worth figure for Mat Mowbray alone.

The 2026 NBR Rich List valued Mat and Nick Mowbray jointly at NZ$20 billion.

That is a combined estimate.

It would be wrong to divide the figure automatically and claim Mat is personally worth NZ$10 billion.

No reliable public source gives that split.

Quick Net Worth Answer

Mat Mowbray net worth: No reliable individual figure is publicly confirmed.

Mat and Nick Mowbray combined wealth: NZ$20 billion, according to the 2026 NBR Rich List.

Rich List position: The brothers ranked at the top of the New Zealand list.

That is the safest answer.

How Did Mat Mowbray Make His Money?

Mat Mowbray’s wealth is mainly connected to privately owned ZURU businesses.

Those businesses operate across:

• toys
• consumer goods
• automated manufacturing
• construction technology

Because ZURU is private, there is no daily share price that makes personal wealth easy to calculate.

That is why exact Mat-only figures are hard to verify.

Why Does Mat Mowbray Keep a Low Profile?

Mat appears less often in mainstream media than Nick.

He tends to be associated with factories, product work, technical development and company projects rather than frequent interviews.

Forbes previously reported that Mat declined an interview for a major feature on ZURU.

His public record fits that pattern.

He builds quietly.

The products get the attention.

What Awards Has Mat Mowbray Received?

In 2024, Mat, Nick and Anna Mowbray received the Hobson Leavy Visionary Leader Award at the Deloitte Top 200 Awards.

The award recognised their business work.

One detail needs to stay clear.

Nick Mowbray is strongly documented as the winner of the 2018 New Zealand EY Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Mat should not be described as personally winning that prize unless direct primary evidence confirms it.

Was Mat Mowbray Involved in the ZURU Glassdoor Case?

Yes.

In 2022, ZURU used a US court process to seek information linked to anonymous employee reviews on Glassdoor.

Court records show that Mat submitted a declaration.

He argued that the reviews had harmed ZURU’s reputation and recruitment efforts.

The case later became part of a wider discussion about online anonymity and employee-review platforms.

It was a corporate dispute.

That distinction matters.

What Happened in the Rascals and Treasures Court Case?

ZURU and Rascals International were involved in a New Zealand commercial dispute linked with the Treasures nappy business.

In August 2026, the New Zealand High Court dismissed the main claims brought against the defendants.

The dispute dealt with confidential business information and acquisition talks.

Mat had been involved in some of the earlier negotiations.

Reporting says he did not give evidence at trial.

The judgment should not be described as a personal finding of wrongdoing against Mat.

What Happened in ZURU’s LEGO Dispute?

ZURU has been involved in a trademark dispute with LEGO over MAX Build More construction bricks.

The New Zealand Court of Appeal ruled in ZURU’s favour in December 2025.

The Supreme Court later allowed LEGO to appeal.

So the matter remained active during 2026.

Again, this concerns ZURU.

It is not a personal misconduct case against Mat.

Does Mat Mowbray Support Charity?

Public reporting says the wider Mowbray family has supported organisations and causes including:

• Starship
• UNICEF
• The Salvation Army
• KidsCan
• foodbanks

The reporting describes family-level giving.

It does not provide a reliable breakdown of Mat’s personal donations.

So no individual figure should be invented.

Verified Interesting Facts About Mat Mowbray

His first business idea came from school

A model hot-air balloon project became the early seed for the business that later grew into ZURU.

He left university for business

Mat started engineering studies, then left to focus on the growing manufacturing operation.

He has real patent records

His full name appears on multiple product and design filings.

He is strongly linked with ZURU Tech

Both company material and public comments from Nick give Mat major credit for the housing project.

He is less public than Nick

Mat gives fewer interviews and spends less time in the public spotlight.

His wealth figure is joint

The NZ$20 billion Rich List estimate belongs to Mat and Nick together.

That point is easy to miss.

Why Mat Mowbray Matters in ZURU’s Story

Mat’s role helps explain why ZURU became more than a toy-design company.

The business put heavy attention on manufacturing.

That was Mat’s lane.

Factories became smarter.

Automation grew.

Product categories expanded.

Now that thinking has moved into construction.

It is a very different product.

But the basic idea feels familiar.

Build more in-house.

Use machines.

Control production.

Keep pushing.

Final Thought

Mat Mowbray’s business story started with a school science project and eventually grew into ZURU, one of New Zealand’s best-known private business success stories.

He isn’t the most public member of the family.

That’s fine.

His work is easier to see in factories, patents and products.

As of September 2026, the clearest next chapter is ZURU Tech.

The company plans to bring its first ZURU Home to life in Hawaii in 2027.

If that happens on schedule, Mat’s career may become known for something very different from toys.

But the root idea stays the same.

Make things.

Build systems.

Then scale them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Mat Mowbray?

Mat Mowbray is a New Zealand entrepreneur, inventor, ZURU co-founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of ZURU Tech.

What is Mat Mowbray’s real name?

His full legal name is Mathew Peter Mowbray.

How old is Mat Mowbray?

Mat Mowbray is 46 years old as of September 2026. Official corporate records show he was born in February 1980.

What is Mat Mowbray famous for?

He is best known for co-founding ZURU and for his engineering and manufacturing work, including his current role at ZURU Tech.

What is Mat Mowbray’s net worth?

No reliable individual figure is publicly confirmed. The 2026 NBR Rich List valued Mat and Nick Mowbray jointly at NZ$20 billion.

Who is Mat Mowbray’s wife?

Reliable public reporting identifies Christina Tang as Mat Mowbray’s wife.

Does Mat Mowbray have children?

Yes. Mat and Christina have four children, according to 2025 New Zealand Herald reporting.

Where does Mat Mowbray live?

UK corporate records list Hong Kong as his country of residence.

Did Mat Mowbray found ZURU?

Yes. Mat and Nick Mowbray formally established the business that became ZURU in 2003.

What is Mat Mowbray doing now?

As of September 2026, Mat is Co-Chief Executive Officer of ZURU Tech, which is working on software and automated manufacturing for housing.

What is ZURU Tech?

ZURU Tech is a construction-technology company working on digitally designed and factory-manufactured houses.

What is Dreamcatcher?

Dreamcatcher is ZURU Tech’s software platform for designing homes while handling technical building requirements behind the scenes.

Is Mat Mowbray an inventor?

Yes. Patent records list Mathew Peter Mowbray on several toy, consumer-product and design filings.

Are Mat Mowbray and Nick Mowbray brothers?

Yes. Mat and Nick Mowbray are brothers, business partners and ZURU owners.

Is Anna Mowbray still part of ZURU?

Anna Mowbray left ZURU and exited her ownership position through a confidential transaction in 2023.

Nzbeat