Expand your mind. Build your knowledge.

As entrepreneurs, it’s important that we do not let not knowing how to do something, hold us back. Part of our job description is stepping into the unknown so embracing an attitude of lifelong learning, and seeking and absorbing the knowledge required to achieve our goals is key.

Whether you’re a student, a first time business builder, or a seasoned entrepreneur, there are numerous organisations, programmes, workshops and competitions available to prepare you for the road ahead and bring your business to life.

Many are low cost, or no cost, and are a great way to learn more about building businesses and modern startup methodology.


New Zealand Food Innovation Network

New Zealand Food Innovation Network

#nzentrepreneur

WHO: New Zealand Food Innovation Network WHAT: Startup incubation programmes; Accelerator programmes; Events; Mentoring; Resources HQ: Auckland ESTABLISHED: 2011 INTRODUCTION The New Zealand Food Innovation Network is a Government-supported national network of open-access food and beverage production facilities. We’re here to help innovative, ambitious food businesses develop, scale up and commercialise new products. From research […]

Womens Entrepreneurship Center (WEC)

Women Entrepreneurship Centre (WEC)

#nzentrepreneur

WHO: Women Entrepreneurship Centre (WEC)WHAT: ENTREPRENEUR LEARNING & MENTORING; INNOVATION HUB & CoworkingHQ: AucklandESTABLISHED: 2016 INTRODUCTION Women Entrepreneurship Centre (WEC) is a not-for-profit organization based in Auckland, New Zealand working towards empowerment through inspiring, educating, and entrepreneurial leadership. WEC’s process in entrepreneurship and leadership involves awareness programs, training, skills development, mentoring, business incubation, information sharing, […]

Click Studios

Click Studios

#nzentrepreneur

WHO: Click StudiosWHAT: Events; Workshops; Coworking; Connections to investment groupsHQ: AucklandESTABLISHED: 2020 INTRODUCTION Click Creative Tech Studios are a social enterprise coworking space set up to enable New Zealand’s creative tech companies and individuals to rapidly up skill and become internationally focused while providing a local location to connect and learn from each other.  The […]

Tech Futures Lab

Tech Futures Lab

#nzentrepreneur

WHO: Tech Futures LabWHAT: LEARNING & MENTORING; EVENTS; resourcesHQ: AucklandESTABLISHED: 2016 INTRODUCTION Tech Futures Lab is a leading edge learning environment that offers a range of NZQA accredited qualifications designed specifically for people seeking to innovate, redesign and reinvigorate organisations, industries and themselves.  We do this by building capabilities and confidence in people to use […]

Rebel Business School Aotearoa (RBSA)

Rebel Business School Aotearoa

#nzentrepreneur

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 […]

Soda inc

Soda Inc.

#nzentrepreneur

Who: SodaWhat: Startup Incubation; Mentoring; Coworking; EventsHQ: HamiltonEstablished: 2009 INTRODUCTION Soda is a business growth ecosystem that provides support, programmes and connections for Kiwi entrepreneurs and businesses to grow and succeed. WHO DO YOU WORK WITH AND WHAT KEY CHALLENGES DO YOU HELP THEM SOLVE? Based in the Waikato, Soda supports a diverse range of […]

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Startup incubators and accelerator programmes in New Zealand

startup incubators nz

Startup incubators and accelerator programmes play a vital role in startup ecosystems throughout the world and it’s no different here in New Zealand.

New Zealand has numerous incubators and accelerators, helping hundreds of entrepreneurs every year to identify and validate market opportunities, plan and build out their products and teams, and get “investment ready”.

Some programmes are delivered by organisations dedicated to startup business incubation and acceleration, while others are delivered by organisations (such as Regional Economic Development Agencies) as part of a broader range of services.

While some are focused on helping founders with business ideas (“Founder Incubators”), others may be focused on specific verticals or commercialising emerging technologies and scientific research (“Tech Incubators”).

As the name implies, incubators are generally focused on helping entrepreneurs in the very early stages of business formation – often before a product or service has even been created. Market validation and business model development are a key focus, and the startup is often provided with space in a dedicated shared workspace, with easy access to the incubators mentors and business support services, and allowing the startup to stay focused on the iterative process of product development and market fit.

Startup accelerators tend to be short, fixed term sprints of no more than 3-6 months focused on helping existing teams with potential to scale up, and may not require participant businesses to work onsite.

In addition to business development assistance, incubators and accelerators may invest seed money into participant companies in return for a share of the company, and programmes generally end with investment pitches to angel investors when the startup is considered investment ready.

Incubators and accelerators can be invaluable for entrepreneurs, allowing them to access years of entrepreneurial experience, knowledge, connections and investment they may otherwise not enjoy, and fast-track their development. If you have a business idea and are not sure what to do next, most incubators offer drop-in sessions and are happy to chat with you.


Callaghan Funded Founder Incubators

Icehouse Ventures Auckland

SODA Inc Hamilton

The Factory (formerly BCC) Palmerston North

Creative HQ Wellington

ThincLab Christchurch


Callaghan Funded Tech Incubators

WNT Ventures Tauranga

Sprout Palmerston North

Brandon Capital Partners

Bridgewest Ventures


Callaghan Funded Accelerator Programmes

Icehouse Ventures Auckland

Kokiri Te Awamutu

Sprout Accelerator Palmerston North

Lightning Lab Wellington


Other Incubators, Accelerators and Startup Hubs

Powerhouse Ventures

Astrolab

Northland Inc Whangarei

Venture Centre Tauranga

Startup Taranaki Taranaki

Ministry of Awesome Christchurch

Te Ohaka Christchurch

Startup Central Otago Alexandra

Startup Queenstown Lakes Queenstown

Startup Dunedin Dunedin

COIN South Invercargill

Startmate

WWF 9Wire

Health Innovation Hub Auckland & Christchurch

Vodafone Xone Christchurch


Programmes, courses and other Support Organisations

Startup NZ Entrepreneurs Programme Online/Nationwide

Venture Up Online/Nationwide

BMNZ Startup Mentoring Programme Nationwide

PopUp Business School Nationwide

Startup Weekend Nationwide

Tech Futures Lab Nationwide

The Validator Nationwide

The Pick Northland

Auckland Unlimited Auckland

Co.starters – AUT Auckland

Co.starters – Te Korau Auckland

Enspiral Dev Academy Auckland & Wellington

Mums Garage Startup Series Auckland

The Icehouse Auckland

Innes48 Startup Competition Hamilton

Co.starters – Venture Centre Tauranga

Ministry of Awesome Launchclub Christchurch

Challenger Series Dunedin

Co.starters – Startup Dunedin Dunedin


Student Programmes and Organisations

Young Enterprise Scheme Nationwide

Velocity – University of Auckland Auckland

Practical Innovation & Entrepreneurship Paper – AUT Auckland

Wellington School of Business and Government at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington Wellington

UC – Centre for Entrepreneurship Canterbury

The Hatchery (University of Canterbury) Christchurch

ecentre (Massey University) Auckland


Learn more

TechRepublic.com Accelerators vs Incubators: What startups need to know

Forbes.com Is a startup incubator or accelerator right for you?

Stuff.co.nz Government renews millions of funding for start-up incubators

Wikipedia.com Wikipedia – Business Incubators

Wikipedia.com Wikipedia – Startup Accelerators

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