Lightning Lab

Lightning Lab is the only New Zealand member of the Global Accelerator Network (GAN).

Who: Lightning Lab
What: Accelerator
HQ: Wellington
Established: 2013

Introduction

Lightning Lab is a four-month, mentor-intensive, business acceleration programme based on the best of breed accelerator model developed by TechStars in the US.

Who do you work with and what key challenges do you help them solve?

We work with entrepreneurs who have a business idea and want to develop it further in an accelerator environment. We have run 10 accelerators across New Zealand, with programmes spanning a range of verticals including digital, manufacturing, energy, fintech and govtech.

Services

Each Lightning Lab programme takes in up to 10 companies and provides each with structure, startup methodologies, business skills and focused support so they can successfully find the market fit for their products and rapidly grow their user base.

Lightning Lab is also an investment pathway that has proven to be successful in building strong companies and significantly increasing their value to investors.

govtech — Lightning Lab’s latest Govtech Accelerator launched July 2018.

Highlights

Lightning Lab is the only New Zealand member of the Global Accelerator Network (GAN), an invite-only community of the world’s most respected organizations that provide startups with the best resources to create and grow their businesses, wherever they are. Startups accepted into a GAN accelerator have access to a variety of exclusive perks including over $1M worth of free services, introductions to a network of investors and access to soft landing spaces worldwide.

What excites your team about the work you do?

The people involved in startups have an energy, passion, ambition and momentum to achieve great things – we can’t help but be excited by that.

What message would you like to share with the NZ entrepreneur community?

Lightning Lab maintains the highest standards for its programme and continually improves its content based on the best practices from across the globe.