Startup Dunedin

02/09/2026

Hey students! Got a startup, side hustle, or project on the go? There's grant money on the table. 💸

Startup Dunedin's Student Pitch Competition is open for semester two, to all Otago Polytechnic and University of Otago students!

Ideas at any stage welcome. We just want to know: what would you do with $500–$1000? What would you test, and where would it get you next?

⏰ Submissions close Tuesday 15 September, 5pm.
🔗 startupdunedin.nz/pitch

26/08/2026

🎉 Startup Dunedin is proud to share that we have officially won Entrepreneur Support Organisation of the Year at the Global Entrepreneurship Network NZ Awards for 2026!

The award recognises an organisation providing invaluable support to entrepreneurs on their journey - We're proud to bring it home to Ōtepoti, in recognition of everyone who has supported our mahi along the way (and there's a lot of you!).

Thank you to GEN NZ and chairman Dave Moskovitz for the honour - and to the GEN team for organising a really incredible night.

A massive thank you also to the Dunedin City Council, University of Otago, and Otago Polytechnic for how much they have supported, funded, and backed us as we strive to do more for founders. And last but arguably most importantly - thank you to every single founder who let us be part of their journey this year.

Well done to all the other winners and finalists, especially Mainland Angel Investors and Peter Ramsay and the team for taking out Investor of the Year!

Check out the great Otago Daily Times Article here: https://www.odt.co.nz/business/startup-dunedin-receives-national-recognition-for-supporting-entrepreneurs-rysp2jav

01/03/2026

🔧 Calling all tradies - this one's built for you!

Running a trade business in Dunedin? This Wednesday, Sidekick is bringing together industry experts who work with trade businesses every day to share what actually moves the needle.

No fluff. Just practical tools you can use to build real momentum heading into the new financial year.

📅 Wednesday 4 March
🕕 6–8 pm
📍 Sidekick Dunedin, Petridish
💰 Completely FREE

RSVP here: https://events.humanitix.com/host/sidekick-dunedin

26/02/2026

Calling all entrepreneurially minded or entrepreneurially curious students!!!

Startup Dunedin is creating a new newsletter just for you! With opportunities relevant for students! Compete the form here to sign up!

https://forms.gle/HXVBuDpNp326BHF18

26/01/2026

Still thinking about applying for a Startup Microgrant? You should! 💰

Whether you want to run a small trial, build your first (or second) prototype, or test with real customers, this is for you. Microgrants are open to startups across all industries and areas of work and life, from tech to hospitality, creative projects to not for profits.

If it helps you learn whether your idea, project, or startup works, we want to hear about it. Please reach out if you have questions. 🌟

Our microgrants are currently open and close on February 9th at 10:00am. ⌛

New year, new opportunities! If you've been tinkering with an idea or need that extra push to take your project to the next level, now's the time.

20/01/2026

🌟 Startup Dunedin Microgrants ($500–$2,000) are now open for Dunedin founders ready to test their startup ideas, whether that's building a prototype, testing with real customers, buying critical equipment, or validating your idea in the market.

Elli Cares used their grant to bring in expert advice on gamification and develop a basic gamified experience for their app, a new direction that needed specialist input.

The investment revealed a crucial insight: effective gamification requires far more research, thought, and attention than initially expected to genuinely shift user behaviour. This expert guidance prevented costly missteps and shaped their product roadmap.

The microgrant allowed them to access expertise, de-risking their gamification strategy before committing significant development resources.

Ka pai!! ✨

New year, new opportunities! If you've been tinkering with an idea or need that extra push to take your project to the next level, now's the time.

20/01/2026

Startup Dunedin Microgrants ($500–$2,000) are now open for Dunedin founders ready to test their startup ideas, whether that's building a prototype, testing with real customers, buying critical equipment, or validating your idea in the market.

CourseSpy used their grant to launch Mastery Modules, an adaptive online learning platform, a completely new product direction that was high-risk without dedicated funding.The investment paid off. They built a 3,000+ question bank, ran trials with HUBS191 and CELS191 students, and validated that students would pay for adaptive learning that genuinely improved their grades."The success of this trial has given us the confidence and evidence base to expand Mastery Modules to additional courses. We're on track to have 8 courses launched by the start of 2026, funded by the income generated by those initial two courses."The expansion creates a sustainable revenue stream while keeping CourseSpy's core features free for students across the motu.

Ka pai, team!

New year, new opportunities! If you've been tinkering with an idea or need that extra push to take your project to the next level, now's the time.

14/01/2026

🌟Startup Dunedin Microgrants ($500–$2,000) are now open for Dunedin founders ready to test their startup ideas, whether that's building a prototype, testing with real customers, buying critical equipment, or validating your idea in the market.

Here's what last years recipient Little Fale Eats achieved with their microgrants!

With their microgrant, Little Fale Eats upgraded existing equipment, purchased essential tools, and launched a first pop-up event.The results? They've successfully operated for five weekends, opening every other Saturday to serve their community. The strong demand they've experienced has confirmed their potential to grow into a sustainable family business. ✨

New year, new opportunities! If you've been tinkering with an idea or need that extra push to take your project to the next level, now's the time.

14/01/2026

‼️🎉 Startup Dunedin Microgrants ($500–$2,000) are now open for Dunedin founders ready to test their startup ideas, whether that's building a prototype, testing with real customers, buying critical equipment, or validating your idea in the market.

Here's what last years recipient Aftergame achieved with their microgrants!

Aftergame used their grant to attend GAMA Expo, North America's largest tabletop games industry event, with one clear mission, to understand the US market and build meaningful industry connections.
The investment paid off. The team returned with dozens of qualified leads and crucial market insights, including the discovery that their US market positioning differs significantly from Australia and New Zealand, knowledge that's already shaping their expansion strategy (oh, and they signed a $20k new customer!)

Applications close February 9! ✨

New year, new opportunities! If you've been tinkering with an idea or need that extra push to take your project to the next level, now's the time.

07/01/2026

Our team is thrilled to see Rachel honoured as the 2025 Business Leader of the Year! ✨

Thank you to the Otago Daily Times for highlighting Rachel's leadership and the impact she's making in Ōtepoti Dunedin's entrepreneurial ecosystem. It's a privilege to serve our ecosystem, and this recognition reflects the amazing work being done by our startups, stakeholders, and partners who drive this impact.

Ka pai, Rachel! 👏 🙌

University of Otago Business School University of Otago Otago Polytechnic Dunedin City Council

Startup Dunedin general manager Rachel Butler is the Otago Daily Times 2025 Business Leader of the Year. She talks to business editor Sally Rae...