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Business building tips and insights from Startup NZ subject experts.
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Knowledge Base: Angel funding insights with Bridget Unsworth, Angel Association New Zealand
Watch now: (20 mins) In this edition of Knowledge Base, Richard Liew talks with Bridget Unsworth, Executive Director of Angel Association New Zealand (AANZ). If you are building an innovative startup and need funding, tune into this informative discussion where Bridget provides an overview of angel investment funding in New Zealand and plenty of tips […]
PowerUp Podcast returns for season four
The PowerUp Podcast from Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki is back with the release of the first three episodes in the latest six-part series that celebrates trailblazing Taranaki entrepreneurs and innovators who are leaving their mark on the world. Season four promises a diverse line-up of driven founders who are achieving amazing things across a […]
DoPaw
In Founder Focus we introduce entrepreneurs and change-makers working on innovative startups, social enterprises and SME’s around Aotearoa New Zealand. At a glance Founder: Lou Anne Lowry Business: DoPaw Founded: 2020 / Launched 2023 HQ: Waikato Can you tell us a bit about your business? DoPaw, based in the North Island of New Zealand, stands […]
Manawatū – The future of food
In the heart of the lower North Island, is a small but mighty region batting above its weight on a global scale, poised to shape Aotearoa New Zealand’s evolving food narrative. The region’s rich history in food innovation and science, coupled with fertile natural resources, and backed by thriving primary, technology, distribution and logistics sectors, […]
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OTHER RECENT NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES
BIZ WIRE
NZ rises to #20 in Emerging Startup Ecosystem global ranking: Oceania sees highest early-stage funding in the world
The 2023 Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) was released at The Next Web Conference in Amsterdam by Startup Genome and Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN). It shows seven Asia-Pacific ecosystems in the top 30 ranking – with New Zealand making it to the Top 20 for the first time. New Zealand shot up in the Emerging […]
Investment Ready looks to grow Kiwi food and fibre innovators
Ambitious food and fibre businesses with proven products seeking to expand their operations are being invited to apply for Investment Ready, a programme by The Factory and the Ministry for Primary Industries. The programme takes successful applicants through an intensive and comprehensive 12-week programme, preparing them for the next phase of growth and investment with […]
Interview: Sean Feast, Precision Chroma
In this interview Richard Liew talks with Sean Feast, CEO and founder of Precision Chroma. Feast, a former Canterbury University student has extended his doctoral thesis to start a business with a team of world-class scientists who are developing a unique method of chromatography that eliminates key issues faced by manufacturers of high value biological […]
PowerUp Podcast Season Three: Highlighting remarkable Taranaki entrepreneurs
Te Puna Umanga/Venture Taranaki has now released the final three episodes of PowerUp Podcast, Season Three, hosted by long time business advocate David Downs. Over the six-part series, we have heard valuable insights and practical advice from trailblazing Taranaki enterprise owners who are leading in their fields. While all six guests have unique stories, they […]
Interview: Julie Jones, BioValeo
In this interview Richard Liew speaks to Julie Jones, founder and CEO at new biotech contract research organisation, BioValeo. In a discussion filled with insights for biotech founders, Julie explains the rigorous clinical trials and regulations required for bringing a new medicine or medical device to market, and touches on other key challenges for NZ […]
AANZ Runway Event Review by Eldon Tate, Inhibit Coatings
Runway is one of the signature events on the Angel Association NZ calendar and provides founders with the opportunity to network and meet with other investors and founders from around the country. BNZ Founder Scholarship recipient Eldon Tate attended the AANZ Runway event in Auckland in March. Eldon is the co-founder of Inhibit Coatings, an […]
The Southern recipe to putting more pies into ovens and boats on the water
You’d look twice if you saw an orange sheep, but despite his business’s name, Simon Owen is more than happy to let his clients be the ones with all eyes on them. As a marketing consultant, and director of The Orange Sheep, Simon prefers to be behind the scenes, helping businesses come up with the […]
Relab’s property data platform empowers real estate agents, increases sales
A modern and easy to use interface for property searchers such as real estate agents, created by Auckland property data company Relab has captured 25 percent of the nationwide real estate agent market in two years. Last year, real estate agents accessing the centrally accessible property data through Relab’s platform, the first of its kind […]
Pros and cons of buying your own router
Wifi routers, are a critical piece of equipment when it comes to connecting devices at your office to the Internet. In New Zealand most service providers, (ISPs) give or rent a modem/router for free upon sign-up to a new broadband plan (although some charge for delivery) and some even throw in a wifi mesh system. […]
PowerUp Podcast returns for season three
Te Puna Umanga/Venture Taranaki’s PowerUp podcast is back with the release of the first three episodes of the latest six-part series that celebrates the prominent Taranaki entrepreneurs and innovators who are leaving their mark on the world. As the Regional Development Agency, Te Puna Umanga/Venture Taranaki is powering up the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Taranaki so […]
EC8’s technology automating the measuring and cutting of plasterboard is a world first
A Hamilton startup, EC8, has created a world first in the building industry by developing automation technology to measure and cut plasterboard. It is now making its technology available to builders, so they can cut down building times, have accurate plasterboard cuts, and decrease waste. “It’s a world first – nobody has used automation for […]
New coworking space set to attract collaborating business professionals to Hāwera
A building that was once a radio station, a clothing shop, a paint store, a drapery, and a bakery now houses the first coworking space in South Taranaki. Te W’anake, The Foundry is in a recently renovated venue in Hāwera, featuring original interior bricks and salvaged rimu. The building has been on High Street in […]
HOW-TO’S, TIPS, Insights AND ADVICE
Insights
Sprout seeks agrifoodtech entrepreneurs for global transformation
Home-grown agrifoodtech accelerator and investment company Sprout is putting the call out for registrations from entrepreneurs who are ready for serious acceleration and a shot at their share of seed-stage investment, as well as dedicated mentorship and connection with global networks. As the leading agrifoodtech accelerator and investment company in New Zealand, Sprout’s Lead Mentor, […]
Venture Taranaki PowerUp Podcast releases final two episodes of series
Catch the final two instalments of the six-part PowerUp Podcast series. Venture Taranaki, the Regional Economic Development Agency for Taranaki, has added their final two podcasts to their PowerUp Podcast suite, taking the second series to a close. Over the series, we have heard from trailblazing Taranaki based enterprise owners and founders and the latest […]
Wellington UniVentures
WHO: Wellington UniVenturesWHAT: Research & Commercialisation; advisory services; Seed investmentHQ: WellingtonESTABLISHED: 1992 INTRODUCTION Wellington UniVentures works with innovators at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington and external parties to shape their research into initiatives that create impact. We do this by connecting them with partners, industry and investors to enable the growth and […]
New partnership aims to create more jobs for Kiwi women
Soda and HIRE HER have joined forces to create more jobs, provide more opportunities and make a bigger impact for Kiwi women. HIRE HER is a digital talent and jobs platform for women in New Zealand and Australia. Launched 11 months ago HIRE HER has nearly 1,000 female freelancers and contractors registered on its site. […]
The Pitch: Southland Silica
In The Pitch we take a closer look into some of the many current investment drives happening around Aotearoa New Zealand. Here, Tony Baker from Southland Silica gives us the lowdown on their quest to take advantage of the growing demand for EV batteries, solar panels and electricity grid storage. Southland Silica holds New Zealand […]
Mixing personal and business finances common but not always optimal
If you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur mixing personal and business finances to support your business, you’re not alone. However, you could be complicating money matters and creating additional barriers within the current lending environment. A recent survey of Kiwi small businesses, commissioned by small business lending specialist Prospa, found that when businesses need […]
Proptech company offers NZ-first for housing market
Auckland property tech startup Relab is giving real estate professionals the ‘edge’ with a new all-in-one platform that integrates and analyses property data from around New Zealand. In the year since we last spoke to Relab, the property data company grew from a team of four to twelve, has completely rebranded, and raised $1M after […]
An angel investor at my table, a scientist’s learnings
When the opportunity arose to attend the recent AANZ summit at Ohariu Farm in rural Wellington, I jumped enthusiastically. Not because I have money burning a hole in my back pocket, or because it was the first time I’d been on a plane in over six months, but because I am a research scientist (on […]
Seven considerations to ensure your broadband is up to the task
When you own a business nearly every day is a busy day, dealing with customers, troubleshooting, strategising for growth while you work diligently to make things bigger and better. As you focus on day-to-day duties and big picture thinking, sometimes the basics can be overlooked. Of course, one of the critical facets of any business […]
Startup aims to get tradies into jobs faster and smarter
Hamilton local and aspiring entrepreneur Kerwan Rose has created technology that automates the background checking process for recruitment agencies and employers hiring tradespeople, eliminating the need for multiple background checks. Rose launched Meport in March 2022, just one year after he started working on the concept – an impressive feat for the 24-year-old business founder. […]
The Founders Dilemma: Knowing When to Accept Outside Help
Sydney based global provider of workforce management solutions, Humanforce were bootstrapped for 17 years before raising $22.5M from US tech investment fund Accel-KKR in 2019 to accelerate global growth. We talk with founder Bruce Mackenzie about his company’s unique path to securing outside funding and his lessons for entrepreneurs about knowing when the right time […]
The PowerUp Podcast is back
Tune in to another insightful season of entrepreneur insights with the release of the first episodes of a six-part series. Regional Development Agency, Venture Taranaki, is powering-up the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Taranaki so that ideas, entrepreneurship, and innovation can continue to thrive. Off the back of a successful first season launched in 2021, Venture Taranaki […]
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Hospoconnect wants ‘less paperwork, more foodwork’ for chefs
When dining at a restaurant, often we don’t give a second thought to how those delectable morsels of fresh produce arrived on our plate. However, navigating the produce ordering process for restaurants and cafes can be fraught with challenges. Chefs text, call or fax their orders through to a range of suppliers and issues arise […]
Top Honours for Aotearoa New Zealand’s Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN NZ)
GEN NZ has been honoured with the GEN Country of the Year Compass Award from the Global Entrepreneurship Network, an organization working in 180+ countries to make it easier for anyone, anywhere to start and scale a company. The award for GEN Country of the Year is given to the highest performing Global Entrepreneurship Network […]
“It takes a whole country to raise a startup,” angel investors
“Following last month’s annual Angel Association Summit, we asked Angel Association Chair Suse Reynolds to give us a run down of the event and what the key takeaways were for NZ founders who may be contemplating angel investment this year.” NZ Entrepreneur: For founders who haven’t heard of AANZ, who are you and what are […]
Virtual unconference to coalesce NZ startup community
Mentors, founders and startup and innovation enthusiasts from around New Zealand will meet, learn and brainstorm via a series of online workshops, talks and virtual meetings being held this month. The hui, dubbed an “unconference” due to the topics and agenda being set by participants, is organised and hosted by GEN NZ, a collaboration of […]
Investing in your future
Has the New Year got you re-evaluating your career? With the ‘great resignation‘ sweeping around the world – you’re not alone. Each New Year, thousands of people begin searching for new career opportunities, hoping to inch closer to their dream job, get a pay rise or, more importantly, find a job that gives them purpose. […]
$10,000 of startup funding available in Soda Seed Grants
Over the last two years, Soda has distributed $43,000 cash to 17 startups across Aotearoa through its popular seed grants. Applications are now open for Soda’s first seed grant of 2022 which has a combined prize pool of $10,000. “We created Soda Seed Grants during the 2020 lockdown as a way to offer financial assistance […]
Rebel Business School Aotearoa
Who: Rebel Business School AotearoaWhat: Accelerator, CO-WORKING, Learning & MentoringHQ: Wellington INTRODUCTION Rebel Business School Aotearoa (RBSA) is a free to attend, 10-day, 20-workshop startup business course. It is designed to accelerate the startup process. It is focused on supporting small business owners to get their business idea off the ground, or for an existing […]
Editorial: We owe a duty of care to founder mental health and it requires a collaborative solution
I didn’t know Jake Millar, save for a few emails swapped with our editor when he was just getting started with Unfiltered. As for so many others though, the news of his death by suicide last year still came as a shock and with a deep sense of sadness. Sadness for the loss of a […]
From the ocean to organoleptic products, 2022 Sprout Cohort VIII announced
Ten companies have been selected to participate in the eighth Sprout Accelerator. In December 2021, the Sprout team, alongside their partners and company mentors, listened to a shortlist of 20 company pitches, all of who were vying for their position in the first of two Accelerators being run in 2022. Sprout Accelerator Manager Victoria Kennedy […]
FEATURED AND FAVES
SPOTLIGHT
Why our small businesses are a BIG deal
In the entrepreneur world we hear a lot of talk about entrepreneurs and businesses needing to be “global from day one”. Investors and business commentators lament our lack of large global businesses and say the “three-B” (bach, ‘Beemer’ and boat) mentality of Kiwi business owners is holding us back. In this regard small businesses are often […]
Editorial: We owe a duty of care to founder mental health and it requires a collaborative solution
I didn’t know Jake Millar, save for a few emails swapped with our editor when he was just getting started with Unfiltered. As for so many others though, the news of his death by suicide last year still came as a shock and with a deep sense of sadness. Sadness for the loss of a […]
Why every Kiwi should back or build a startup
Not all of us are built to be founders but we can all find a way to back ambitious, world-changing businesses; whether it’s buying their products, using their services, promoting them, encouraging and supporting them or investing in them. Certainly, backing and building startups will do a whole lot more for our future and our […]
What Government funding is available for startups in NZ?
One of the questions we’re often asked is, “What Government funding is available for startups in New Zealand?” Like so many questions in life, the answer is, “It depends.” So you’ve come up with a great business idea. You know exactly what problem you want to solve, and how you’re going to solve it. And […]
Start-up or startup? And what exactly is one anyway?!
If you’ve ever thought that “startup” was simply another name for a new small business, you’d be right. But, you’d also be wrong. Richard Liew explains. The Spring blossoms are out in force here in Wanaka and if ever there was a season that represented the promise, the energy, and oh-so tantalising potential of the startup […]
5 questions every entrepreneur should ask when people offer advice
When you know nothing, even fools can sound like geniuses. This is a vital lesson that all entrepreneurs need to learn as soon as possible – one that I and other entrepreneurs I know have had to learn the hard way, many times over. When you first start out in entrepreneurship – by this I […]