Startup Dunedin projects gain funds

Startup Dunedin general manager Rachel Butler says the $10,000 will go a long way to helping...
Startup Dunedin general manager Rachel Butler says the $10,000 will go a long way to helping Dunedin’s start-ups. Photo: Gregor Richardson
Dunedin's start-up community has been given another leg up to improve its exposure to the wider business world.

Crown agency Callaghan Innovation released a final round of funding for the financial year with a wide scope for applicants and their immediate needs.

The agency is operated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and works with businesses of all sizes, providing a range of innovation and research and development (R&D) services to suit each stage of growth.

Startup Dunedin sent in some proposals for funding, two of which were accepted, its general manager Rachel Butler said.

Each project was given $5000.

The first, called "Coach the Community", is aimed at upskilling additional members of the Dunedin community to provide local start-up founders with feedback on their project canvas, R&D funding, resources that exist for new businesses and an understanding of business planning from a Maori perspective.

The second one, "Beyond the Region", is a speaker series highlighting the findings and aspirations of start-up founders from outside Dunedin.

Four speaker events by accomplished founders will share global success, failure or closure of start-ups and experiences.

By bringing in new talent to share knowledge and stories, it would offer inspiration for the wider business community and also build the networks and connections of our high-growth start-ups across New Zealand, Ms Butler said.

The funding was "crucial" for start-ups’ exposure.

"Particularly around inclusive entrepreneurship and making sure we are in reach with everyone. The more we can fund disseminating access to that knowledge the better.

"And the second one — the biggest barrier for the regions is the cost to get out. The cost of flights are really absorbent for start-ups, so if we can start to bring some of that expertise here it will hopefully help that."

The two projects would be launched between now and the end of the year, Ms Butler said.

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