Have a great startup idea and not sure quite what to do next? We talked to the team from the GridAKL / Tech Café – a GridAKL space crafted to help people get their ideas off the ground about services, tools, tips and tricks to get your idea going.
At the GridAKL / Tech Café, we see people every-day at different stages of their startup journey. We have people who have a great idea, but not sure it is possible. People with the starting of a business who just need a bit more of a push, and lots of young people full of energy that are not quite sure what to do next.
We know that when it comes to kickstarting your idea it can be really useful to go through a defined program or competition. Not only does this provide structure (and time pressure), but also the ability to get expert advice from mentors, investors and other people on the same journey as you.
For the younger entrepreneur
Venture up
“Venture Up’s six-week summer programme is open to anyone aged 16-21, provided you have left secondary school. It is held from early January to mid February every year.”
Dig My Idea
“The DIGMYIDEA Māori Innovation Challenge is your chance to submit an innovative business idea that has the potential to go global.The challenge aims to grow Māori involvement in Aotearoa / New Zealand’s economy. This challenge is about discovering and nurturing your ideas that can make a difference.”
Viclink Bootcamp
“The Victoria Entrepreneur Bootcamp is an opportunity for students at Victoria University of Wellington to take their ideas and test them to see if they are viable as businesses. The purpose of the Bootcamp is not just to grow businesses, but to grow entrepreneurs who learn essential skills while working on their own startups.”
CO.STARTERS@AUT
“Do you have an entrepreneurial idea that you’d like to explore and develop? Do you want to solve a problem and make a difference in your community? You don’t have to be a student to become a CO.STARTER and take your idea further. Join a cohort for just one evening a week for nine weeks. The next cohort at the City Campus starts in January and we are launching CO.STARTERS to the South Campus in March.”
Startup Weekend
“Startup Weekends are 54-hour events where developers, designers, marketers, product managers and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and launch startups!”
For those between the ages of 18-25, you can also make the most of the GridAKL / Tech Café student discount, which gives you 50% off your monthly membership with us. Click here to get your discount code and sign up for our Student Business Builder list where we will connect you with events and opportunities to help you on your entrepreneurial journey.
For anyone with an idea
Lightning Lab
“Lightning Lab is a national programme that runs business accelerators across New Zealand”
Velocity
“Velocity is the country’s leading entrepreneurial development programme. We are about giving momentum to great ideas and to surge ahead and innovate the future. However when we began back in 2003 we didn’t have such momentum.”
ecentre sprint
“Sprint is ecentre’s signature programme for working with entrepreneurs and startups from the idea stage through to a successful global business. Sprint is a three phase journey, each stage representing a set of milestones to be achieved.”
Startup Weekend
“Startup Weekends are 54-hour events where developers, designers, marketers, product managers and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and launch startups!”
Ideas you can execute
“Ideas You Can Execute is a 6-week online programme (and Phase 1 of our Startup Series) which helps aspiring entrepreneurs develop their capabilities and learn how to execute on the right business idea. You’ll get support from experienced mentors and founders along the way.”
Startup Activation Programme
“The Start-Up Activator Programme supports people in the very early stages of their business or project development in Christchurch. We have dedicated team members at the Ministry of Awesome who will help take your project or business idea to the next level.”
For pre-startups and start-ups looking for a little mentoring and exposure.
Innes 48
“Hundreds of national and international applicants with 15 top teams chosen to compete with $12,000 in cash prizes to be won. Over 600 people attend the exclusive opening and closing events, and those who take part get access to top business mentors with industry experience. 100% of surveyed participants would recommend the experience to other people.”
Webstock Startup Alley
“BNZ Start-up Alley is a celebration of New Zealand start-ups. We want to celebrate businesses doing social enterprise and technology work who are seeking to scale rapidly and establish themselves as a long-term, sustainable businesses. This competition is an opportunity to take your start-up to the next level. It might just be the helping hand you need and it’s certainly a promotional opportunity you won’t get anywhere else.”
Need help support progressing that glimmer of an idea into a fully formed thriving business? Reach out to the team at the GridAKL / Tech Café here, just scroll to the bottom of the page and hit the contact button.
This blog post was written by GridAKL / John Lysaght Building team member Anya, if you have a story you think she would love to write about tweet her about it.
