A box of random items, a few hours of ideation and two days to make a business. A pretty impressive feat for the 2025 cohort for Bachelor of Applied Management at Otago Polytechnic!
We had the pleasure earlier this week of stopping in on the Applied Management students for a workshop covering the ins-and-outs of starting up, helped them refine their ideas, iterate, and then present them as part of their Business in a Box challenge. The whole experience was a blast; it featured some interactive design sprints, pitch practice, and we even roped in an Audacious alumni / Product Design student judge with Janiqua McCarthy (winner of 2024’s Best in Sustainability award as well as Peoples’ Choice)!
Across three 2-hour blocks, here’s a bird-eye view of the awesome progress made by each team.
The Startups
Balloon Bound Adventures
Balloon Bound want to add a bit of thrill-seeking and adrenaline to Dunedin’s tourism landscape! Their idea would see them offer bungy jumping and/or skydiving from a hot air balloon up to 10,000m. Health and safety pending.
Squeezle
Squeezle put in some serious work behind the scenes researching interactive and engaging toys designed to help neurodivergent children with their spatial reasoning. Their sensory puzzle toy is based on a classic Japanese interlocking puzzle, but with sensory-friendly materials that prioritise wellbeing (and keep kids off the iPad for a little bit longer)!
Walkie Stalkie
Ever wondered what your cat does when no one is looking? Walkie Stalkie’s pet collar tracks your pet’s steps and location, and a camera records their activities. It includes a heart rate monitor, too, so you can keep tabs on their health at the same time.
Walking Wally
Stay hydrated! This clever and non-invasive bit of tech would put an insole in your shoe that not only counts your steps but tells you when to drink water and pings a ring to remind you when it’s been a while. Complete all your health goals this year!
Starry Eyed Escape
A rurally-located restaurant offers a dark-sky experience for anyone interested in learning about the NZ night sky. They’ve nailed down a pretty stellar (ha ha) MVP too - they’d begin with a pop-up version near you with astronomy chat and classic Kiwi tucker like hangi and shepherd’s pie.
Gameday Getaway
Cut out the stress around attending your favourite major sporting events. Gameday Getaway are working on global tours for big headliners like Wimbeldon, the FIFA World Cup, the Superbowl, etc. No more waiting in line or hoping to get a place! They’ll even sort out the easiest nearby accommodation and get you to and from the events.
Dreamloons
You know what sucks? Boring balloons. Dreamloons want to make an eco-friendly balloon holder from recycled wine corks and a complimentary marker that allows you to easily personalise your own balloons. No more generic “It’s a Boy” or “Happy Birthday” - the options are endless.
Smash Safe
Smash Safe are pretty bold, and pretty ambitious. This team are taking on the transport industry in being the go-to service for vehicle safety testing. We love to see it!
Goldi-Thermalocks
A state-of-the-art temperature controlled coffee cup. Keeps your coffee at the perfect temperature (not too hot and not too cold - hence the Goldilocks pun), and stops it tipping out on your commute to work. They’re also looking at personalisation options for businesses and brands!
Bonjour Rabbit
If you’re feeling stressed out and you’d like to unwind with a furry friend, Bonjour Rabbit are here to help! They’re serving up everything you need for the start of the year - a cuddly rabbit cafe with delicious french pastries.
Dunner Stunner
Looking at proposing soon? Why not do it 2,000 feet in the air? Dunner Stunner are looking at adding a touch of luxury to Dunedin’s tourism industry with their swanky hot air balloon rides for your significant life events. Their amazing communication material highlighted their plan to target graduations, proposals, and cruise ships arriving into town.
Thanks so much to Caryn and Joe for including Startup Dunedin in kicking off the year and to Janiqua McCarthy for supporting this cohort. We had so much fun taking part and we really can’t wait to see where they might take their own ideas next!
Psssst. We can come and talk to your class/lecture!
Like the sound of entrepreneurial mindset workshops? Want to tee up a short, interactive design sprint with your students? Startup Dunedin offers a range of workshops to help you with a range of topics.
We can customise a workshop based on how much time you need to cover, what topics you’d like to see, and more. Learn more & check out the details here.