It’s time to PowerUp

PowerUp is all about growing, connecting, and supporting ideas and capability, and harnessing the expertise and passion required to develop Taranaki’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Enterprises, ideas, and individuals will be supported and enabled as PowerUp connects them with a range of new and existing services and opportunities, helping to grow their capability, and broaden their understanding of what they thought possible.

We’ve built PowerUp to bring together Enterprise and bright ideas, and we’re working to build smart, connected communities, so ideas, entrepreneurship and innovation can continue to thrive in Taranaki. 

We’re keeping it simple; as easy as one, two, three, with our Grow, Connect, Tell approach.   

You can keep up to date with all of our PowerUp activities below, as well as register for events and masterclasses, and even sign up to our PowerUp email, at the bottom of the page, so you’ll never miss a beat.
 

PowerUp Ideas Competition

Powered by Venture Taranaki supported by Soda Inc.
 
What is it?
Venture Taranaki are on the hunt for the next big idea with part two of our PowerUp Ideas Competition, the PowerUp Customised Programme.  

Seen enough?

Applications close Friday 19 March

Terms and conditions apply, read here.

Do you have a great business idea, do you want to develop your entrepreneurial skills, or maybe you have an early-stage start-up business in Taranaki that you're wanting to take to the next level? If you've answered yes to any of these questions, then this programme is for you.

PowerUp Customised Programme


The PowerUp Customised Programme will run from 6 April to 6 June 2021 and is tailored to the needs of each participant to help move your idea forward. The selected five participants* will receive:

  • Tailored support to help progress your business idea
  • ​$3000 Seed Funding**
  • Access to expert mentorship from nationwide pool
  • Two months of co-working space access
  • Weekly check-ins with Programme Manager
  • Benefit of working with other participants and making great connections!
  • Chance to pitch to win $10,000 cold hard cash**

*Founder or founder and team
**Seed Funding and $10,000 cash to be used on growing your idea/ business

Who is it for?
 

  • You’re needing really pragmatic and practical advice.
  • You have some form of market validation but need to test this further.
  • You have time and energy to learn but can’t give up full days.
  • You have so many questions and really need some mentors and other business owners to bounce ideas off and gain quality connections.
  • Your enterprise might have unique intellectual property.
  • Your enterprise could be a high value opportunity for Taranaki and NZ.
  • You haven’t started selling yet, or you have but it’s early days.
  • You’re potentially sitting on a really big and scalable opportunity here but need help to move it forward.
  • You are based in Taranaki.
  • Your enterprise is for profit (this includes impact/ social enterprises that are for profit).

How much will it cost?

We are hunting for people with BIG ideas to develop and early-stage start-up’s in Taranaki. If this is you, it will cost you your time and commitment. Venture Taranaki will cover the rest.

Time Commitments

This programme is part-time, hands on and remote, meaning you can be based anywhere in Taranaki (we do offer co-working space). We work around your schedule to make this work but we are looking for people who are committed to personal growth and want to invest in speeding up your enterprise success. What you will get in return is a powerful support network and know how to move forward with your enterprise faster.

Process to apply for the PowerUp Ideas Competition:

Video Pitch

Submit a two-minute video pitch and application form on your idea to join the PowerUp Customised Programme. We will be taking five ideas through the customised programme.

What are we looking for?

We want you to tell us:

  • the current problem, clearly defined
  • how you are solving this and what makes the idea unique
  • how your idea has high value opportunities for Taranaki and New Zealand that can potentially be scaled for growth

PowerUp Ideas Competition Finals Night

Each of the PowerUp Customised Programme participants will pitch in front of a live audience and our judges for the chance to win $10,000 cash to spend on your start-up.


There will also be potential investors in the room, as well as a number of other prizes to be won.

Key dates
1 March 2021: Video Pitch applications open
19 March 2021: Video Pitch applications close
26 March 2021: Top 5 notified
7 April 2021: PowerUp Customised Programme starts (for top 5)
7 June 2021: PowerUp Customised Programme ends
16 June 2021: Top 5 Pitch to Win $10,000.00
 
Terms and Conditions apply, read here.

Kaitahi make top 20 in the foodstarter competition

Congratulations to Kaitahi for making the semi-finalists of the latest Foodstarter competition! Kaitahi are a Taranaki based, iwi-owned enterprise, producing award winning Frozen Superfood Smoothie Drops.

Callaghan Innovation Capital Education Workshop

Do you want to raise capital for your business? Callaghan Innovation are inviting you to attend a virtual introductory workshop on the capital-raising process which will help you to kick start your capital-raising journey on Thursday 29 April at 9.00am.

Want to keep up to date all things PowerUp? Sign up to our newsletter to keep informed

Download the Executive Summary here.

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