Angels descended on Black Barn for a successful show and tell last week.
They were introduced to ambitious New Zealand business people by organiser Rod Drury and business associate Sam Morgan at Accelerate 2011.
The invitation to participate was open to the whole country but Mr Morgan, who focuses his business efforts
overseas, said the 80 faces were familiar.
"This is our community, these are the people we work with," he said.
Hawke's Bay resident Mr Drury said it was about growth.
"The start ups have happened, now is the time to accelerate the businesses."
John Wander, of Giantstep Angel Network in San Francisco, said his trip to New Zealand was a follow up to a trip he made last year with associate Hal Josephson of Mediasense.
"We ended up meeting a company we got very excited about so we're working out the terms - we're investors," he said.
"What we do is identify two guys in a garage start ups and help them get a business plan and help them become a real company. I went back excited about more than a few companies."
Hal Josephson, of Mediasense said he worked in economic development and marketing.
"He's a connector," said Mr Wander.
"Without him I wouldn't have come here [to New Zealand] in November. I thought I was just coming to participate but I was so impressed with the entrepreneurial talent here.
"We saw an opportunity, there were a lot of great entrepreneurs and great companies, these web based applications that can be successfully launched in Europe, the United States, even China.
"Great brain power here, great entrepreneurial spirit, great technology, great companies, great people. and we are trying to bring them to the bigger market."
Mr Josephson praised Rod Drury's public-spirited organisation of the Black Barn gathering.
"Rod put up this framework of having events here and bringing people to Hawke's Bay for thought leadership and to think about new ideas."
Mr Josephson is San Francisco based but keeps a house in Havelock North. " I might bring a surfboard to leave at his place next time," said Mr Wander.
Mr Josephson said Hawke's Bay would change once ultra-fast broadband arrived.
"Hawke's Bay will become the hub for a lot of high tech, high value activities besides fruit and wine - exporting IT."
