We are currently seeking research participants!

Keep in mind: An entrepreneur isn’t just a tech founder. If you have started your own small business or social enterprise in Dunedin, we want to hear from you.

If you considered starting your business but decided not to, or tried and didn’t quite make it, we’re very interested to learn from your experiences.

Here’s how you can participate:

In-Depth Interview

An in depth interview is an open conversation one on one with a researcher who will ask you questions about your experiences starting and growing a small business. It will last about 60 minutes and can be in person or on zoom.

Focus Group

Focus group participants will be part of a small group of about 8-10 diverse business owners. A facilitator will ask the group questions about what it's like to grow a business in your city. It will last about 2 hours.

Workshop

Workshop participants will contribute to engaging discussions and activities that generate new ideas. These ideas will contribute to new programmes that meet the needs of diverse business founders. The workshop will last about 4 hours.

UPDATE: We are excited and pleased to be able to share that Dr Marissa Kaloga has recently received a University of Otago Research Grant for 2022.

The project is entitled:
Inclusive Entrepreneurship Post COVID-19: Human-centered design to advance social and economic justice in New Zealand's entrepreneurial ecosystems.

This project aims to build on a prior study mapping the entrepreneurial support organizations in Ōtepoti Dunedin using sociometric network analysis (in collaboration with Startup Dunedin and Rasha Y. Abu-Safieh). Dr Kaloga will be leading a team to do in-depth qualitative work with diverse entrepreneurs, as well as a series of co-creation workshops.

Collaboration is key to a successful ecosystem - watch this space!

Small businesses are the largest driver of new job creation, and crucial to rejuvenate Aotearoa New Zealand economies that have suffered during COVID.

Dr. Marissa Kaloga from Otago University and Rasha Abu-Safieh, Edmund Hilary Fellow, in collaboration with Startup Dunedin, are currently researching the well-regarded entrepreneurial ecosystem in Dunedin.

This research uses social network analysis and systems thinking to explore the connectivity of small business support services, and will investigate the nature and accessibility of services available to Dunedin’s diverse small business owners and entrepreneurs. The results of this study will inform:

1. Programs and services designed to match the needs of all aspiring entrepreneurs, and

2. Potential changes to the way the ecosystem functions to enable more engagement and connections that reach new populations of would-be small business owners such as seniors, migrants, refugees, youth, Maori, & Pasifika.

This is the first stage of their research into inclusive entrepreneurship in Aotearoa, with additional ecosystem maps to be created early this year.

If you're interested in finding out more about this research or meeting the team please reach out to research@startupdunedin.nz.

Social and Community Work lecturer Dr Marissa Kaloga says involvement in the Iti Rearea Collective ties in with her interest in research that benefits communities and helping migrants’ businesses reach their full potential.

Formed in March 2021, the Collective provides business workshops, coaching, microfinance and mentoring to enable aspiring migrant entrepreneurs to achieve financial independence and social inclusion through successful businesses.

Marissa is involved with the Collective because it gels with her applied social work research.

“When people think of social work, they often think of people that work in the areas of child welfare or family violence. There’s actually another half of social work, macro social work, that works to address social issues at their source to make positive changes that support social and economic justice.

“As a macro social work academic, I’m primarily interested in applied research that benefits community development practitioners.”