Why startups use customer personas

Why startups use customer personas

What is a customer persona?

Customer personas are a helpful tool to understand a startup's customers and target audience. We recommend them as a great task to help startups with their process of market validation.

When developing a customer persona, it helps to think of one specific customer (and name them), rather than a stereotype (plus, it’s more fun that way). If you are unsure who your customer is- this blog may be helpful.

Introducing Grace, our new startup lead!

Introducing Grace, our new startup lead!

Grace is the newest member of Startup Dunedin, having taken over as Programme Facilitator a.k.a startup lead, this week following her move from Tauranga.

This role will see her engaging directly with our startups, providing support for founders and delivering workshops right here in Ōtepoti, Dunedin. 

Despite the obvious drop in temperature, I was keen to learn more about how Grace is adjusting to her brand new (she’s 7 days in!) spot in Otago, and what excites her about the road ahead.

Return on Science's Scott Clifford

From Queen Bees, to Series Bs - introducing Scott Clifford,  a fresh new face on the Return on Science team.

Scott joined Otago Innovation in September 2022 as a commercialisation analyst and a Momentum Programme Intern. Then in January of 2023, he changed to full-time with Return on Science as a programme analyst, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table - and some of it is pretty eclectic!

Looking back at 2022

Looking back at 2022

This isn't really an annual report; it's a compilation of the stories, the humans and the ups and downs of our community in 2022.

One thing that's hard to capture when reflecting on the year is the unseen hours given by alumni, mentors, and supporters. We hope when reading about the dedication and creativity of those starting up, you can also sense the hundreds of hours given by our community unaccounted for.

Mostly though, we hope reading it leaves you incredibly optimistic about the Dunedin ecosystem.

Tēnā rawa atu koutou.

Student startups from Young Enterprise Awards 2022

Student startups from Young Enterprise Awards 2022

The future is looking incredibly bright.

Last week, our GM Rachel had the privilege of judging the Otago Regional Young Enterprise Awards last week. The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) is an opportunity for students to unleash their inner entrepreneur and experience the start-up world first-hand, nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs and community leaders.

The best part? Throughout all of the teams, the pitch quality was so consistently impressive; it was clear that the teams had spent a great deal of time this year validating, understanding their customer and solving some unique problems in Aotearoa. Pay special attention to their Quadruple Bottom Line; this is a new way of thinking about business, ensuring startups are making sustainable profits, but that they are also factoring in social and environmental responsibilities.

You’ll want to make sure you’re on board for this journey - make sure you get a slice of the action on their Instagram and Facebook.

The Prizewinning Startups from Audacious Semester 2

The Prizewinning Startups from Audacious Semester 2

Can you believe it?

Audacious Semester 2 for 2022 is already done and dusted. After 8 weeks of prototyping, pavement-pounding, and polish, we've seen our Audacious students turn their emergent shower-thoughts and business brainwaves from “that could be cool” into “this is actually happening”. We’re stoked to officially bring you the results for this semester’s showcase.

SAFE Notes: A Simple Agreement for Future Equity

SAFE (or simple agreement for future equity) notes are documents that startups often use to help raise seed capital, a.k.a the initial amount of money an entrepreneur uses to start a business. Essentially, a SAFE note acts as a legally binding promise to allow an investor to purchase a specified number of shares for an agreed-upon price in the future.

Today we highlight one tool and one tip we give founders in our programmes when they’re considering raising capital.

First time raising capital? Checkout this free guide. It will help with the mountain of jargon heading your way.

5 things we learned from Leanne Ross. 

5 things we learned from Leanne Ross. 

Award-winning marketer, published author, and stalwart of the Dunedin startup ecosystem, Leanne Ross has a lot of serious accomplishments under her belt, and with those accomplishments comes good wisdom (and some great stories). A recent alum of the Startup Dunedin Board and originally from Ireland, Leanne began her career in Dunedin as a freelancer in Digital Marketing. Within 6 months she had given that up to take a role with a games studio in the city that was growing fast, citing it as just too exciting and too welcoming to not get in amongst it.

5 Things we learned from Jason Lindsey.

5 Things we learned from Jason Lindsey.

5 Things we learned from Jason Lindsey.

Earlier this year, Startup Dunedin’s board said goodbye to long-standing member and dedicated advocate for the Otago region’s small business sector, Jason Lindsey.

If you’re one of the rare few in Dunedin who hasn’t yet come across Jason Lindsey, here’s a brief rundown on him and why we were so lucky to have him on our board. In 2006, Jason & Kate Lindsey moved to New Zealand from Los Angeles, both having been working in the Film & Television industry.