NZ Startup Ecosystem Directory

Every founder support organisation in New Zealand, in one place: regional hubs, Māori and Pasifika networks, support for women founders, deep tech facilities, university commercialisation offices, and student programmes.

New Zealand's startup support is genuinely good, and most of it is free. The hard part is that it's spread across dozens of organisations, each built for a specific region, stage, or type of founder. An incubator can't give you a grant, a commercialisation office can't help you if you're not a researcher, and a regional hub in Christchurch can't do much for you in Whangārei. This page exists so you can match your situation to the right organisation on the first try, instead of finding the right door three referrals later.

This page covers organisations you can approach directly for support. It does not repeat what lives in our other directories: accelerator programme terms are in the Accelerators directory, desk space is in the Co-working Spaces directory, grants and government funding are in the NZ Government Support directory, and paid professionals are in the Service Providers directory.

Last verified: July 2026.

One change affects several entries below. Callaghan Innovation was disestablished in 2025. Its Startup and Founder Support and Tech Incubator programmes moved to MBIE and continue to run. Where an organisation's website still references Callaghan funding, we've noted it.

How to read this directory:

What's included: operating organisations a NZ founder can approach today for advice, programmes, facilities, networks, or commercialisation help.

What's excluded: pure investment funds with no open programme (the only way to interact with them is pitching for money), one-off events, and organisations whose full entry lives in another WFW directory.

"Free" means free to you. These organisations are funded by government, universities, councils, or volunteers.

"Mixed" means some offerings are free and some are paid or equity-based. Check before committing.

🚨 This page is in beta while the WFW team collects feedback.

Quick navigation:

1. Regional and NZ-wide startup support hubs
2. Māori and Pasifika founder support
3. Founder support for women
4. Deep tech hubs and university commercialisation
5. University entrepreneurship and student programmes

1. Regional and NZ-wide startup support hubs

Start here if you want a person to talk to. The two NZ-wide free options at the top work regardless of where you live.

No dedicated startup support organisation verified as of July 2026 for Gisborne / Tairāwhiti, Hawke's Bay, Whanganui, Wairarapa, the West Coast, Rotorua, or Wānaka and Central Otago beyond the Queenstown Lakes District. If you're in one of these regions, Startup Aotearoa (free, remote, top of the table above) and your local Regional Business Partner office are the working fallbacks, and Māori founders can also check the regional networks noted in Section 2.

Looking for an accelerator programme? Founder Catalyst, Startmate, and every other accelerator programme open to NZ founders is compared on cash, equity, and terms in the NZ Startup Accelerators directory. →NZ Startup Accelerators

Looking for grants or government funding? Every live grant, tax credit, and export programme for NZ founders is verified and compared in the NZ Government Support Directory, fully updated for 2026 after Callaghan Innovation's closure. → NZ Government Support Directory (2026)

2. Māori and Pasifika founder support

Building a high-growth Māori startup? Tupu is the eight-week accelerator for Māori founders, run by Tapuwae Roa with Sprout Agritech and co-funded by MBIE. Ten teams a year; applications open each February. Full terms in the Accelerators directory. → NZ Startup Accelerators

3. Founder support for women

4. Deep tech hubs and university commercialisation

Two different doors here. Hubs and incubators are for founders who already have a company, or are about to, and need labs, facilities, or deep tech capital. Commercialisation units are for researchers and staff inside an institution who want to turn research into a company; they generally can't help you if you're not affiliated.

Deep tech hubs and incubators

Turning research into a company? From Science to Seed is our free deep tech spinout guide by Angus Blair (General Partner at Outset Ventures, backer of 25+ science-led spinouts). It covers whether your research is venture-backable, patents and IP, negotiating spinout terms with your TTO, and turning research into fundable traction. → From Science to Seed

Building in agrifoodtech? Sprout Agritech runs the dedicated accelerator and investment programme. Full terms in the Accelerators directory. → NZ Startup Accelerators

University commercialisation units

The NZ government has a lot of support for deep tech startups, and almost every grant flows from one question: are you doing R&D? Pick the right pathway, and the fastest one, with our free step-by-step execution guide by Mark Robinson (VentureNest, ex-Callaghan Innovation advisor to 200+ ventures): how to map, sequence, and win non-dilutive funding. → NZ Government Support

5. University entrepreneurship and student programmes

If you're a student or recent graduate, these are the cheapest first steps into startups you'll ever get. Most are free and several put cash on the table.

🚨 This page is in beta while the WFW team collects feedback.

About What Founders Want

What Founders Want builds founder-first infrastructure for New Zealand's startup ecosystem.

We create directories, templates, and resources that answer the questions founders actually search for.

If something reduces wasted time, lowers risk, or improves decision-making for founders, it belongs here.

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