Are you a student working on a startup, business, side hustle, or project? We have $5000 for student startups at Startup Dunedin’s Student Pitch Competition!

If you’ve been working on a side hustle, running a startup, or tinkering away at something alongside study this year, our Student Pitch Competition this year will give you an opportunity to:

• Get feedback from experienced entrepreneurs and investors

• Access $5000 in funding to support your mahi

• Share and celebrate the work you have been doing

• Receive tailored support to take your next steps

• Connect with the Dunedin’s startup community

Any kind of business is welcome to apply, no matter if you’re a startup, a side hustle, a not-for-profit, a social enterprise, or you’re working on commercialising research.

Dunedin tertiary students of all majors, minors, and areas of study are encouraged to apply from Otago Polytechnic and the University of Otago.

Applications close Friday 19 September at 10.00 pm.
The pitch night will take place Tuesday 7 October, in the evening.

Read all about it here.

Looking for ways to connect into the digital identity ecosystem? Join these informal monthly drop in/coffee chats for the Digital Identity NZ community. Each session is designed to help you connect, share stories and spark discussion, and runs for 45 minutes to allow more time for discussion and ideas exchange. Read More.

NZX’s Anna De Souza and Joseph Redpath will lead an online session for founders on what it takes to build a business ready for future listing. From assembling strong teams to setting up robust reporting and investor engagement practices, this session offers valuable advice for startups preparing for long-term growth. Read More.

You’ve found the right Angel investor, and due diligence is done—now it’s time to tackle the paperwork

In this next session of our Angel & VC Investing series, Startup Queenstown Lakes will walk you through the essentials:

• Term Sheets: Key terms to know and negotiate

• Subscription Agreements: Understanding commitments from both sides

• Shareholder Agreements: Building a clear framework for ownership and rights

Read More & RSVP.

This online workshop equips angel investors with the tools and insights to manage their portfolio effectively. Led by seasoned investor Ken Erskine, the session covers due diligence, investment structuring, key legal terms, and follow-on strategy. Read more.

Founder Catalyst is Ministry of Awesome’s startup programme for ambitious Kiwi founders obsessed with discovering and solving customer problems on a global scale. Founder Catalyst is all about hands-on learning, real-world application, and expert guidance - read more about it here.

The team at Blackbird are giving young people in Australia/NZ aged 18-25 $1000 to work on their passion projects as part of their Protostars initiative! A passion project can be anything - from metaverse art exhibitions, to films, to apps, and a whole lot more. Tell me more!

Looking for ways to connect into the digital identity ecosystem? Join these informal monthly drop in/coffee chats for the Digital Identity NZ community. Each session is designed to help you connect, share stories and spark discussion, and runs for 45 minutes to allow more time for discussion and ideas exchange. Read More.

The Generator, a project by MSD and Ka Puta Ka Ora Emerge Aotearoa, helps new start up business owners with seed funding, guidance, and expert coaching for financial advice, setup, and business planning. The team supports community service card holders in financial hardship to explore the feasibility of a business idea, learn business skills and scale up their enterprise.

Applications are now open for their current funding round. If you’re interested, read more here.