Start
If you're thinking of starting a business in New Zealand, getting connected is the best way to set yourself up for success so you can ask questions, get support and find networking opportunities.
As a city where businesses flourish, Ōtautahi Christchurch offers all of this, plus a strong economy, cheaper rents and access to talent from three world-class universities and five skills and technology campuses. This means starting up in Christchurch can open the door even wider.
Home to high-growth startups, the city’s startup eco-system is globally ranked in the top 250 cities and you can access tailor-made support that is dedicated to shaping your business and taking it past start mode.
Whatever category your business idea falls into, you can take it from go to grow in Ōtautahi Christchurch.
Take Your Business Idea To The Next Level
Early Stage Start-Up?
If your business is in its early stages of development, it’s likely Te Ōhaka is where you'll find your best fit.
Ideally you'll already have a minimum viable product, fewer than five FTEs, less than $500,000 in investment, and revenue of less than $100,000. But there is wiggle room. Ideally your business would be part of a Cluster.
Te Ohaka and Ara also offer two courses on business innovation, validation and commercialisation.
HTK
HTK is a Māori organisation that specialises in working with indigenous cultures to build better futures through collaboration and support.
They work alongside businesses, corporates, hapū/iwi, institutions, not-for-profits, and startups, creating tailor-made, innovative, and dynamic solutions for businesses offering a full range of support services, capability building programmes and innovation incubators.
Past The Early Start-Up Stage?
If your business is past the early start-up stage, you will be better suited to ThincLab.
ThincLab, at the University of Canterbury, works with start-ups and scale-ups that have evidence of market validation and are operating as a business. You might be ready to export, grow, or land a first or second round of investment.
Business Mentors
Business Mentors NZ is an independent, not-for-profit organization, committed to helping small business owners, startup entrepreneurs and not-for-profit decision makers succeed. A small registration fee provides 12 months access to a Business Mentor, available to provide support by sharing skills, knowledge and understanding of what it takes to be successful. In Canterbury we have 300 Business Mentors who gift their time to assist our business owners.
Groups And Networks
Ōtautahi Christchurch has a vast array of business meetups and co-working spaces to help you get connected.
Discover Groups and Networks
Success Stories
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The Christchurch Start-Up Ecosystem Grows Up
So, who are the key players and what is their niche within this expanding ecosystem?
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Partly
Christchurch startup aims to plug auto parts data gap.
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Trimester Tracker
After completing the Innovation Accelerator at Ara Institute of Canterbury (Ara), Kahleea is now working towards getting Trimester Tracker into the commercial market.
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Precision Chroma
Precision Chroma founder and CEO Sean Feast is looking to revolutionise the biotech industry with his 3D-printed chromatology columns.
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Medsalv
Christchurch company stops medical devices from going to landfill, making them safe for re-use and saving healthcare dollars in the process.
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eClean Envirotech
Emerging ‘bioreactor’ technology could help restore New Zealand’s polluted waterways.
Accelerator Courses
Accelerate your business ideas. Download the brochure to find out more.
Business Accelerator
Learn to start, validate and commercialise your business ideas with this new, 10-week, hands-on course at Ara, delivered by Te Ōhaka.
Innovation Accelerator
Equip yourself with the tools and skills to identify and implement transformative innovation opportunities within an organisation or industry with this 10-week short course at Ara.
Connect With Us
ChristchurchNZ’s business and investment team are a knowledgeable mix of professional, strategic thinkers with diverse skill sets. They love identifying opportunities and building relationships to make positive, impactful outcomes for both stakeholders and the city of Ōtautahi.
Simon Anderson
Simon led start-up businesses in Australia for 15 years, before returning to Christchurch with his young family to support economic development and the growth of the start-up ecosystem in the region. He loves having supported the growth of the ecosystem, is a strategic leader who is passionate about impact and the ability of tech start-ups to support our future regional wellbeing.
