What's happening in the Hawke's Bay business world?

Sprout Accelerator offering $500,000 to innovators working on New Zealand's agricultural and food challenges

Sprout Accelerator is looking for registrations from both traditional agritech and future-food focused start-ups from New Zealand and abroad. Innovations at all stages of development are encouraged to come forward and work with the Sprout Accelerator. Eight New Zealand start-ups will be selected to join the six-month accelerator starting in January 2020. The Accelerator offers $75,000 worth of business coaching, mentoring, network access and MBA style block courses held around New Zealand.

The Sprout partners have stepped up to subsidise this for New Zealand's most promising innovations. Ārepa, a beverage and brain food company combining nature, food technology and neuroscience, was one of the companies selected to go through the accelerator in 2019. CEO and Hawke's Bay local Angus Brown said the accelerator helped him with new ideas for building his business and provided guidance on important decision making. "The mentors and experts I engaged with were great, they backed my thinking and ideas but also challenged me to ensure Ārepa was on the right path," he said. "They're passionate about my company and its potential for success which also boosted my confidence."

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Partnering to tackle climate change

Hawke's Bay Regional Council and 3R Group, with the support of Napier, Hastings, Central HB and Wairoa Councils are teaming up to hold a business event bringing attention to the impact of accelerated climate change. The event, part of a wider initiative called Climate Action HB, will explore what business needs to do to transition Hawke's Bay to a low emissions economy.

Climate Action HB: Business CoLab on November 25 will focus on the business community, bringing it together to be more connected and focused on meeting the challenges and opportunities of accelerated climate change in our region. Regional Council chief executive James Palmer said the council's role in managing the region's environment and natural hazards demands that it also takes a leadership role in the region's response to climate change. "Climate change affects everyone and must be addressed by all Hawke's Bay communities facing it together," he said. "This event is the beginning of a long and ongoing journey for the region. I'm excited to have all our councils working together and showing leadership to our communities on this issue."

Hawke's Bay region sees job ad growth as second highest in the country

Hawke's Bay sees substantial job ad growth coming in as the second highest region in the country. Hawke's Bay region saw a job ads increase of 12.9 per cent and an advertised salary up 3.6 per cent to $70,751 according to the latest SEEK Employment Trend Report. The report showed Hawke's Bay beat out other top growing regions such as Tasman, 11.3 per cent, and Southland, 11.5 per cent, but still sits well behind high flyers Marlborough who sit at 17.4 per cent. BNZ's senior markets economist Craig Ebert suggests that with the steadying of job ad growth there have also been glimmers of positivity from employment intentions reported in recent business surveys. "The very latest NZIER Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion, for example, recorded a three-month outlook on staffing better than it was a quarter ago, setting it further above its long-term average."

ExportNZ Vietnam – Market Readiness Programme

The Southeast Asia Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence (SEA CAPE) and ExportNZ are set to hold a free one-day workshop in Napier focused on doing business in Vietnam. The SEA Market Readiness Programme aims to provide businesses with the mindset, assessment tools and strategising preparation work needed for engaging in Southeast Asian markets. This session will provide insights into the challenges and opportunities that Vietnam presents for NZ businesses, including culture, competitive dynamics, and the macro environment.

Some of the guest speakers in attendance are Dr Benjamin Fath, senior lecturer, University of Auckland Business School, Michelle Renton, lecturer at the School of Marketing and International Business at Victoria University of Wellington, and Dr Thu Phuong Truong, senior lecturer with the School of Accounting and Commercial Law at Victoria University of Wellington. The event will be held at the Hawke's Bay Business Hub on November 14 from 9am–3.30pm and to register, contact Amanda Liddle ExportNZ on 06 835 2528 or email amanda@exportnz.org.nz.