As Auckland Startup Week approaches, Auckland Council’s Marissa Brindley explains why isolation has become New Zealand’s competitive edge.

Innovators, entrepreneurs and big thinkers – Auckland wants to celebrate your rebellious spirit.

With tech and innovation major focuses for Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, the second annual Auckland Startup Week from October 12-16 will bring together nascent businesses, investors and aspiring founders to connect and collaborate in an effort to boost business growth.

Most events are free, with attendees able to build their own programmes for inspiration and advice at every stage of the startup lifecycle. The public is welcome to register to attend.

The five-day event is organised by Auckland Council, in partnership with investment firms, entrepreneurs, research institutes, universities and corporates. Homebase is the innovation hub GridAKL in Wynyard Quarter.

Marissa Brindley, head of investment at the council’s Economic Development Office, says the starting point for Auckland Startup Week came from the city’s connections with Denver in the US.

“In 2024, I went to Colorado Startup Week, which is the largest entrepreneurial free event in the USA – that was a lightbulb moment,” she said. “I realised we need to do a better job at telling the world what’s going on here in New Zealand.”

Changing the narrative for Auckland

The headlines haven’t been kind to Auckland over the past few years, but Brindley is passionate about shining a light on its under-the-radar economic progress.

In homes, garages and offices across the city, Aucklanders have been starting innovative new enterprises in a wide range of fields.

On each of the 100 days before Auckland Startup Week, the mayor has featured one local startup on his t-shirt. The ‘100 days of startups’ series across Brown’s social media accounts has included a mushroom-based alternative to polystyrene; a device that illuminates when an IV line is in the right place; nosebuds for drug-free nasal decongestion; and precision fermentation technology.

Brindley believes it’s this kind of fresh thinking that will lead to a more productive Auckland, and in turn help drive the entire New Zealand economy forward.

“We’re changing the narrative – I’m tired of seeing Auckland get dragged down! I’m such a cheerleader for the city,” says Brindley.

“In the past we had population increases driving growth; then our growth was based on property and construction. Now we’re entering the areas of deep technology and the commercialisation of science.

“These startups are the new backbone of economic growth. The more founders we can get into the funnel, the more big global companies we can produce, and these create great jobs and change the productivity piece for New Zealand.”

Connecting founders with investors

Auckland Startup Week includes speakers, panels, AI brunches, real-time validation workshops and pitch support events.

Whether you’re at the early stages of your entrepreneurial endeavour or scaling up, there’s an event that will let you connect with other innovators or investors.

“This is not your uncle’s advice at a barbecue,” Brindley says. “You’ll get access to trusted sources and advice and be able to connect with other founders. They can tell you, ‘Don’t do that, we did it and it was a waste of time’, so there’s real value in it.

“You can find your community and build on it. Being an entrepreneur is all-consuming – it can be lonely and isolating. It can take a toll on mental health and family, so if you can connect and find a peer group, that’s a real win.”

Individual investors and investment companies will be there too, looking for opportunities to get in on the ground floor of the next billion-dollar unicorn.

There’s the Auckland Runway event, which is “a bit like speed dating for founders and investors”, and there are pitching sessions to connect capital decision-makers to upcoming entrepreneurs.

If you have a fledgling startup, or just a great idea, come prepared, says Brindley.

“Have your elevator pitch ready to go. In 30 seconds or less, what’s the problem and how are you solving it?”

Rebellious problem solvers creating global companies from day one

Living on a tiny island far from the centres of commerce was once a major hurdle for local entrepreneurs. But the distance has given us a unique culture of independent problem-solving that Brindley believes sets New Zealand apart.

“We do have a bit of a rebellious nature here in New Zealand – it’s in our DNA,” says Brindley.

“The isolation gives us that number 8 [wire] mentality. Our founders take on those challenging markets and difficult problems. We’re always getting creative and tackling those gnarly challenges.”

Now, of course, our geographical isolation is less of a hurdle than ever, thanks to technology which lets us take our rebellious, self-starting attitude to the world.

“Founders here develop global companies from day one, because technology means we’re no longer limited by our market size,” Brindley says.

“This is a great test bed to validate an idea before it goes out to Australia, the USA, or Asia, for instance. And the technology is particularly useful for growing teams and connecting people in lots of locations.”

By connecting with other founders and investors at Auckland Startup Week, innovators can pool their resources to help drive their success.

Every event throughout the week is designed to provide value, for anyone from an established founder working on their fourth startup to a high school student with big dreams.

“We had really good feedback last year, and this year it’s evolving and growing,” says Brindley.

“It’s exciting, it’s future-focused, and it’s changing the narrative for New Zealand – this is not just a great place to visit and it’s not all about Lord of the Rings and sheep.

“We’re at the cutting edge – and we have to keep pushing.”

Explore the programme online at aucklandstartupweek.com