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Building solo? Come build with us.
HackAotearoa is a free co-working day for founders, every second Friday. No speakers, no pitching, just a day to ship something. WFW runs the Wellington chapter.
· Auckland: 4 and 18 September
· Wellington launches 18 September
If You Only Do Two Things This Month
WFW’s Ecosystem Experts highlight two opportunities they’d prioritise from this month’s list.
Lane’s September Highlights:
Joe’s September Highlights:
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Where's Serge?
https://whatfounderswant.com/wheres-serge
Serge van Dam is one of New Zealand's most active angel investors, a director across half a dozen NZ tech companies, and Operating Partner at Movac. He also hosts more startup events than almost anyone else in the country.
Most of those events are free or low-cost. WFW now tracks his full events calendar in one place, updated on the first of every month.
Save Money
Fintech Activate - Creative HQ
FinTech
https://creativehq.co.nz/build-for-founders/fintech-activate/
A free 10-week pre-accelerator for idea-stage fintech founders, funded by WellingtonNZ and MBIE at a stated $5,000 value per participant, taking no equity and no IP. Runs 28 September to 4 December, mostly online, with a required in-person Wellington kick-off. Pre-product and pre-revenue only, so you're out if you're already selling.
🚨 Applications close 2 September 2026
GovTech Activate - Creative HQ
GovTech
https://creativehq.co.nz/build-for-founders/govtech-activate/
The same free, no-equity structure aimed at founders selling to government. The asset here is structured access to public-sector stakeholders, which is the part a founder can't arrange alone and the reason govtech sales cycles kill companies. Runs October to November, with in-person kick-off and final pitch.
🚨 Applications close 2 September 2026
Bluestart Foundations - Ocean Impact
Deep Tech · Blue Tech
https://www.ocean-impact.org/bluestart-foundations
A six-month incubator for pre-revenue, often pre-product blue economy teams at TRL 1 to 4, spanning aquaculture, marine biotech, ocean plastics, ocean data and coastal restoration. It validates rather than funds, connecting you to capital without providing it. You need a company already formed with a founding team in place, so it's not where you go to find a co-founder.
🚨 Applications close 18 September 2026
Singapore FinTech Festival 2026
Industry Agnostic · International Opportunity
https://www.fintechfestival.sg/
The world's largest fintech event, 70,000 participants from 142 countries at Singapore Expo on 18 to 20 November. Early bird pricing ends 25 September and rises after, though they don't publish what it rises to. Open paid event with no eligibility bar.
🚨 Early bird closes 25 September 2026
💸 SGD 1,000 early bird
evokeAG. 2027
Ag Tech · International Opportunity
https://www.evokeag.com/2027-event/
Asia-Pacific's main agrifood tech conference, Adelaide 16 to 17 February 2027, with a Scaleup Partnership stream for commercial-ready companies chasing trials, procurement and adoption rather than investment. International early bird is AUD $1,170 against $1,500 at general sale.
🚨 Early bird closes 31 October 2026
Momentum Committees
Industry Agnostic
https://www.momentum.ac.nz/diary
Student committees where you present your idea, research or startup to a panel of commercialisation professionals, investors and founders and leave with their recommendations. Ten meetings between September and November across four regions, each running a full day. Built for students at the host universities, so an independent founder should ask before registering.
🚨 September to November 2026 · Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North and Dunedin
Opportunities to save money from last month that are still active and worth acting on.
Still Open (from August)
Raise Money
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How to Run a Seed Round in New Zealand - What Founders Want x Creative HQ
Industry Agnostic
https://whatfounderswant.com/expert-editions/how-to-raise-a-seed-round-in-new-zealand
Michael Batko wrote 228 first cheques as CEO of Startmate. Here he runs the NZ seed raise month by month, from 12 months out to money in the bank: readiness, round size, target list, term sheet, diligence, close, and every way it breaks. Includes NZ cap benchmarks of NZ$3M to $8M for SaaS against a US seed median near US$16M.
Startup Funding in New Zealand - What Founders Want
Industry Agnostic
https://whatfounderswant.com/get-funded
Every active investor and lender backing NZ startups on one page: 35+ NZ VC funds, Australian VCs with a verified record of investing here, angel networks, family offices, equity crowdfunding, venture debt and revenue-based finance. The angel table flags which networks still charge founders success fees, a cost most founders find out about at closing.
Nōku te Ao Social Action Grants - Mental Health Foundation
Māori / Pasifika
A $160,000 pool for community-led projects ending discrimination against people with mental distress: up to $40,000 for community, lived-experience, marae, hapū and iwi groups willing to co-design with the Foundation, and $10,000 to $20,000 for individuals and organisations. Your project must shift attitudes, behaviours or structures, not just raise awareness.
🚨 Applications close 6 September 2026
Impactful Innovation Spotlight - Bridgewest Ventures
Deep Tech
https://bridgewest.ventures/impactful-innovation-spotlight
Eight early-stage NZ deep tech ventures win a five-minute pitch slot in front of investors at Bridgewest's Impactful Innovation conference on 12 October, plus an all-access pass. Entry is a 60-second video and 250 words. No cash prize and no travel covered, but no institutional affiliation needed either, which is rare in deep tech.
🚨 Applications close 7 September 2026
Slush 100
Industry Agnostic · International Opportunity
https://slush.org/audience/startups/slush100
The largest equity-free prize in startup competition history: €500,000 with no equity taken, decided at Slush in Helsinki. You must be founded in 2023 or later, have raised under €10m and be seed stage or earlier. Entry requires buying a Slush Startup Pass.
🚨 Applications close 7 September 2026
Summer Startup 2026/27 - UC Centre for Entrepreneurship
Industry Agnostic
https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/business/uce/summerstartup/
A full-time summer incubator paying $5,000 to $6,000 for solo ventures and $8,000 to $9,000 for teams, both still to be confirmed. Runs 9 November to 3 February with workshops, mentoring and workspace. University of Canterbury students only, and you need to be enrolled until at least 25 October to qualify.
🚨 Applications close 13 September 2026
Wing R&D Fund
Deep Tech
https://funded.money/funds-projects?fund=1785719514371x207592341186019330
A private fund lending up to $100,000 to projects in primary health, renewable energy or waste management that are past proof-of-concept and prototype or production ready. It's debt, not equity, so you keep full ownership. The interest rate, security and the lender's identity aren't published anywhere, so ask before you apply.
🚨 Applications close 30 September 2026
NZ Angel Pitch Nights - Nationwide
Industry Agnostic
https://www.angelassociation.co.nz/members-events/
Four networks run investor pitch evenings between September and November: Flying Kiwi Angels, Mainland Angel Investors simultaneously across five South Island cities, Angel Investors Marlborough in Blenheim on the third Wednesday, and Enterprise Angels in Hamilton, Tauranga and online. None publishes a founder deadline, so you get on stage by approaching them months ahead, not by the pitch date.
🚨 September to November 2026 · Nationwide
Investment Cycle 6 - Sydney Angels
Industry Agnostic · International Opportunity
https://www.sydneyangels.net.au/founders
Sydney Angels runs six structured investment cycles a year and this is the last of 2026: applications 6 October, screening 13 October, members meeting 27 October. They want raises of $100k to $1m at a $1m to $4m pre-money. (Higher valuations considered with strong rationale.)
🚨 Applications close 6 October 2026
Runway 2026 - Angel Association New Zealand
Industry Agnostic
https://www.aucklandstartupweek.mobi/buy/for/aanz
An afternoon inside Auckland Startup Week that ends in investor speed dating: short pitches to every investor in the room, one after another. AANZ runs the country's angel networks, so the room is the people actually writing first cheques. Talks on building, backing and scaling fill the earlier part of the day.
🚨 14 October 2026 · Auckland
💸 $115 founders / $115 AANZ member investors / $230 non-member investors
Y Combinator - Winter 2027 Batch
Industry Agnostic · International Opportunity
https://www.ycombinator.com/apply
YC invests $500,000: $125,000 converting at a fixed 7% plus $375,000 on an uncapped MFN SAFE, no fees. You don't need to be incorporated to apply, and only create a US, Canadian, Singaporean or Cayman parent if you get in. Three months in San Francisco, January to March.
🚨 Applications close 2 November 2026
Spectrum Foundation Grants - Spectrum Foundation
Industry Agnostic
https://www.spectrumfoundation.co.nz/
https://spectrumfoundation.grantplatform.com/
Grants from Spectrum Foundation, Aotearoa's philanthropic funder led by and for disabled people and part of the 30-year Spectrum Group, for projects that help disabled people and their whānau thrive across four areas: education, health and wellbeing, employment, and housing. Funding ranges from small, local community grants to larger grants for wider-impact work, for initiatives that aren't already government-funded and reflect Enabling Good Lives principles of choice, control, and self-determination. Preference for North Island initiatives with local or national reach, and an equity focus on rural, Māori, and Pasifika communities.
Spectrum prefers to fund registered charities and won't fund entities that exist only to create profit, though non-charities can contact the team to ask. So it fits the charity side of your audience; a for-profit social enterprise would need to enquire first.
🚨 Rolling
AWS AI Accelerator Grant - Inside Startups
Artificial Intelligence
https://www.inside-startups.com/grants/aws-ai-accelerator
Inside Startups arranges access to AWS's co-funded programme: an approved AWS partner builds you a working AI prototype over six weeks, averaging $25,000 of build value with no cash contribution and no equity. It's funded development, not cash to you, and it must run on AWS. Check who owns and maintains the code before you start.
🚨 Rolling
AWS Build Grant - Inside Startups
Industry Agnostic
https://www.inside-startups.com/grants/aws-build-grant
The larger version of the same pathway: up to $100,000 of product development funded by AWS, built by an approved partner over six weeks, for startups already earning $12,000 to $500,000 a year. No cash contribution and no equity. "Up to $100,000" is a ceiling, not an amount, and you can go direct to AWS or a partner instead.
🚨 Rolling
Opportunities to raise money from last month that are still active and worth acting on.
Still Open (from August)
Make Money
Lineup - Find Your Co-founder
Industry Agnostic
A free co-founder directory for New Zealand: you create a profile saying what you're building and what you need, and reach matches by email introduction. Covers people looking for a co-founder, an early employee, or a startup to join, at idea, prototype or users stage, part-time or full-time.
NZ Tech Expo 2026
Industry Agnostic
Annual tech expo bringing together 3,000+ attendees and 80+ exhibitors across the NZ tech sector. Includes lightning talks, live product demos, and sector-specific activations. Most useful for founders who need high-volume networking, want to demo a product, or are actively looking for enterprise customers and distribution partners.
🚨 18 September 2026 · Auckland
Franchise & Small Business Expo 2026 - NZSME
Industry Agnostic
A new two-day national expo for anyone starting, buying, or growing a business, presented by NZSME and supported by the Franchise Association of New Zealand. Meet exhibitors offering products, services, and advice, and sit in on sessions, workshops, round tables, and live demonstrations over the two days.
Leans small business and franchising rather than tech startups.
🚨 18 to 19 September 2026 · Auckland
SWITCH 2026
Industry Agnostic · International Opportunity
Singapore's government-backed innovation week: over 25,000 attendees, 400+ startups and exhibitors, and 30+ global pavilions. The Attendee Pass is free to register, though they don't publish what it covers or what a booth costs. The NZ Chamber's mixer falls on the 29th, so one flight covers both.
🚨 27 to 29 October 2026 · Singapore
Opportunities to make money from last month that are still active and worth acting on.
Still Open (from August)
Standout Regional Opportunities & Events
Conversations Over Kai - Do AI x Everybody Eats
Industry Agnostic · Artificial Intelligence
A one-night curated dinner from Do AI and Everybody Eats that puts a deliberately mixed, cross-industry room together to swap real stories about how people are actually using AI, no jargon, all levels welcome. Tables are mixed and you move to a new one each course, each with a conversation starter, so you've shared the meal with most of the room by the end. $47 gets you a three-course dinner and a drink on arrival, and every dollar goes to Everybody Eats, the pay-what-you-can charitable restaurant.
🚨 3 September 2026 · Wellington
🚨 11 September 2026 · Auckland
Startup People Summit 2026
Industry Agnostic · International Opportunity
https://startuppeoplesummit.com/
A one-day online summit for the People leaders, founders and operators building an HR function from scratch inside high-growth startups: 30 sessions across five tracks, 35+ speakers who have all actually done the job, and replays for 12 months. Ticketed and pitched at People teams, so it earns its price once you're hiring at pace rather than before your first few hires.
🚨 3 September 2026 · Online
💸 A$350 live / A$1,000 company pass / A$313.64 replay
Tech Summit '26 - Canterbury Tech
Industry Agnostic
A full-day Canterbury Tech conference at Te Pae for founders, executives, and tech leaders, running three streams across AI, revenue growth, and customer experience. Alongside the keynotes, this year including Sakana AI's Stefania Druga, there's a 25-plus exhibitor hall, a Ministry of Awesome Startup Zone, and a "Show us your Tech" zone, with networking through the day and drinks to close.
The member price is roughly half the non-member price, so it's worth checking Canterbury Tech membership if you're going.
🚨 16 September 2026 · Christchurch
💸 $269 member / $529 non-member / $169 student
SaaSpocalypse Now 2026 - KiwiSaaS
B2B SaaS
https://www.kiwisaas.com/saaspocalypse-now-wellington
A one-day KiwiSaaS conference for 300 NZ SaaS leaders at Hnry Stadium, built around how AI is reshaping SaaS and what still holds. You spend most of the day in one of three functional streams, Sales/Marketing/GTM, Product/Engineering, or People/Ops/Leadership, learning alongside peers at your stage, with benchmarking on where your company leads or lags and concrete next moves to take back to your team.
🚨 24 September 2026 · Wellington
Auckland Startup Week 2026
Industry Agnostic
https://www.aucklandstartupweek.com/
A week-long festival of events bringing founders, innovators, investors, and corporate partners together across Tāmaki Makaurau. Designed to inspire, challenge, and connect the ecosystem, with a full programme of sessions across the week.
🚨 12 to 16 October 2026 · Auckland
Sunrise Aotearoa 2026 - Blackbird
Industry Agnostic
https://events.humanitix.com/sunrise-aotearoa-2026
Blackbird's festival for founders, a day of creativity, technology, and ambition where Kiwi and Australian founders come together to meet people, get inspired, and learn. Blackbird's flagship celebration of the people building new things across Australia and New Zealand.
🚨 29 October 2026 · Auckland
Community Spotlights
HackAotearoa × What Founders Want
Industry Agnostic
https://whatfounderswant.com/hackaotearoa
HackAotearoa is the free co-working day for New Zealand founders, started by James Smejlis at GridAKL in March 2026 and now 100+ builders deep on word of mouth alone. Every second Friday: no speakers, no programme, no pitching, just a full day building your own thing next to people doing the same. What Founders Want is now its national distribution partner and is launching the Wellington chapter, the first city beyond Auckland.
The two halves are deliberate. WFW is the reference layer online, free and neutral: who does what, what it costs, whose money to take. HackAotearoa is the room where you actually build. Both are free, and neither sells you anything.
Not a hackathon, not an accelerator. No teams, no challenge, no equity, no application. You don't need a codebase or a company, and designers, marketers and side-project builders are regulars.
Auckland is proof the format works. Wellington starts in September, and you can vote on which city goes third. Keep your eyes on Christchurch and Queenstown!
🚨 4 September 2026
· Auckland- https://luma.com/9dgqqpih
🚨 18 September 2026
· Auckland- https://luma.com/r2cwaxxh
· Wellington’s first co-working day- https://luma.com/28lfv71m
Tai Tokerau Startups
Industry Agnostic
https://www.taitokeraustartups.com/
A volunteer-led community of founders and startup support crew across Northland, from Mangawhai in the south to Te Hiku at the top. Right now that means quarterly Startup Socials, a WhatsApp group, and support for members who want to run their own events. The organising idea is connection, advocacy both inside and outside the region, and backing home-turf initiatives rather than importing them, with a stated goal of 2,000 thriving startups in Te Tai Tokerau by 2031.
Founders, investors and inventors are all welcome. Sign up through the site, email jesse@getbetterproblems.co.nz, or follow them on LinkedIn.
The 2026 Innovation Election Debate - Creative HQ
Industry Agnostic
https://events.creativehq.co.nz/The2026InnovationElectionDebate
Creative HQ's third election-cycle debate, this time in Parliament's Legislative Chamber. Paul Goldsmith (National), Reuben Davidson (Labour), David Seymour (ACT), Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb (TOP) and a Green representative still to be confirmed, on what each party will do to back Kiwi innovation.
🚨 23 September 2026 · Wellington
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Just Shipped on WFW
A quick roundup of what we shipped this month, so you don't have to keep checking the site.
Startup Funding in New Zealand
Which angel networks charge founders fees, all of the NZ VCs, Aussies investing in Kiwi startups, and which debt lenders won’t look at you under $10M.
How to Run a Seed Round in New Zealand
Every step of a raise, 12 months out to money in the bank, by Michael Batko, who wrote 228 first cheques at Startmate and doesn't think you need a deck.
What Founders Want × HackAotearoa
Our new co-working chapters: a free day to build alongside other founders. Auckland is open, Wellington is getting started, and you can upvote the next city.
Get Help, Anytime
Foundational support every NZ founder should know about. Always available, high-leverage, and often free.
Talk to a Human
Get Investor-Ready
Expand Overseas
The Ecosystem Experts Behind WFW Monthly
WFW Monthly only works if the people scanning the ecosystem have actually built inside it.
This is not a content role. It is judgement.
Our Ecosystem Experts are founders, directors, accelerator leads, investors, and operators who have carried real commercial accountability - and understand the difference between activity and traction.
Joe Slater
Joe Slater is a founder, director, and startup operator who has built and exited multiple New Zealand consumer brands, including Six Barrel Soda. He has led accelerator infrastructure at Creative HQ, delivered national coaching through Startup Aotearoa, and now holds executive responsibility for Product at Consumer NZ and coaches startups at Cascade Coaching.
He brings cross-sector, revenue-first judgement to WFW Monthly - shaped by operating, governing, and scaling companies inside the realities of the NZ market.
Lane Litz
Lane Litz is the founder of What Founders Want and a former founder, operator, and VC. She was employee #6 and Head of Education & Teacher Services at VIPKID, helping scale the company to 700,000+ students at a $1.5B valuation. She later founded and exited Speakia, and served as Venture Partner at Icehouse Ventures, vetting startups across climate, deep tech, medtech, edtech, and SaaS.
Lane brings operator-to-investor perspective to WFW Monthly - focused on decision speed, capital pathways, and building companies for both success and scale.
Tamara Buckland
Tamara Buckland is the founder of BloomHQ, a fractional people and culture consultancy supporting startups and high-growth businesses. They also run Leadership Treehouse, designing and facilitating immersive, story-based experiences that help teams practise hard conversations before they hit them in real life. Their background includes scaling People Experience at Sharesies from around 26 to 140 people, and a fractional CPO role at CoGo. They are currently fractional CPO at The Attention Seeker.
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