Google-backed ticketing business wins support from Kiwi charity

Charitable ticketing business Humanitix has won backing in New Zealand. Photo/Supplied.

A charitable ticketing business has won backing from the Next Foundation to expand in the New Zealand market.

Humanitix was set up in 2015 by Australian friends Adam McCurdie and Joshua Ross on the model that it gives its profits from booking fees to charities.

In 2018 it received a A$1 million ($1.08m) grant from Google.org after winning the company's Impact Challenge in a competitive pitch. The social enterprise has also had financial backing from Australian technology giant Atlassian.

Last year it set up the Humanitix New Zealand Charitable Trust and now it has attracted backing in New Zealand allowing it to launch here.

The Next Foundation is a $100m charity funded by Auckland couple Neal and Annette Plowman, who made their fortune in the paper products industry. It gives money to environmental and education initiatives.

Georgia Robertson, New Zealand chief executive of Humanitix, said it couldn't disclose how much money it was getting from the foundation but it would be a "game changer" for the business in New Zealand.

"Humanitix is now well-resourced for a number of years," she said.

Frank Janssen, education director at Next Foundation, said it decided to support Humanitix because of its operating model and its aim to reduce inequality in education.

"Its kaupapa to reduce inequality in education is fully aligned wit out interests in education."

So far Humanitix has ticketed events including Ballantynes Fashion Week, Verb Festival Wellington and the Wanaka Beer Festival.

Event organisers can choose from three education projects for the donation money to go to; Manaiakalani which fund educational equality for Maori and Pasifika students, nutrition for school children or girls' education in the developing world.

Robertson claimed its ticketing service cost the same or less than others available but had the added benefit of giving to charity.

"Our ethos is no one pays more to switch."

Robertson said booking fees on tickets added up to billions of dollars every year.

"We want those dollars to go to important work, like ensuring Maori and Pasifika students have equal access to education."

Georgia Robertson, New Zealand chief executive of Humanitix. Photo/Supplied.

Humanitix was now the fastest growing ticketing business across Australia and New Zealand and it plans to expand into the United States next year, she said.

"We have been doing this for five years now. We are doubling in size every three months."

She said there was huge potential for the company.

"No one knows how big ticketing is. The industry is enormous"

The business works with all sizes of events from workshops for schools to conferences, gala dinners and major festival events.

"We are focused on being the biggest ticketing platform in the world."

It has just signed a deal to integrate its service into Facebook.

New Zealand is its first market outside of Australia and it plans to launch into the US next year.

In New Zealand it has also attracted its first independent board member, Anthony Quirk, who has come on board to chair the business.

Quirk was previously managing director of Milford Asset Management and is still on the board of the investment manager.