Soda Inc.

Soda Inc. Soda is a business growth ecosystem and Regional Business Partner (Waikato) that accelerates growth

We offer:
- Business advice and support
- RBP Capability Development Fund
- Access to R&D and innovation support and funding
- Entrepreneurship support and programmes
- Coworking offices in the heart of the Hamilton
- A community where you can stay up to date with innovation - grow, learn and connect.

With Growth Lab - Level Up starting today, we'd like to introduce you to Tim Young, founder of Access Quest.Access Quest...
09/09/2026

With Growth Lab - Level Up starting today, we'd like to introduce you to Tim Young, founder of Access Quest.

Access Quest is helping make cities easier and safer to navigate for people with access needs.

Using its purpose-built Access Cart and tagging platform, Access Quest maps the real accessibility of footpath networks – capturing everything from kerb ramps and crossings to gradients, surfaces and tactile paving.

The data powers a navigation app that helps people plan journeys based on their individual access needs, while also giving councils valuable insights into which accessibility barriers need fixing first and who they impact.

With Access Quest now ready to expand globally, Tim is joining Growth Lab to sharpen its commercial focus, develop a more repeatable sales model and learn what it takes to scale.

Growth Lab – Level Up is proudly supported by Deloitte and Tompkins Wake, helping us equip ambitious founders with the expertise, tools and connections to take their businesses to the next level.

Running a business means constantly figuring things out as you go.Is your marketing actually working? Are you charging e...
08/09/2026

Running a business means constantly figuring things out as you go.

Is your marketing actually working? Are you charging enough? Do you really understand your numbers? Is your brand standing out? And where should you focus next?

You don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

💻 Soda’s Business Fundamentals Online courses give you practical, straightforward guidance to help you build a stronger business.

Choose from six short online courses:

🎯 Vision & Goals
🔎 Market Validation & Fit
💡 Brand & Competitive Edge
📣 Marketing & Sales
💰 Money Matters
⚖️ Legal, Compliance & Future Planning

Each course takes around two hours, with practical tools, templates and insights you can put to work in your business straight away.

Learn at your own pace, focus on the areas where you need the most help, and build your business knowledge one step at a time.

Ready to strengthen your business fundamentals? 👇

https://sodainc.learnworlds.com/

📣 Applications for the R&D Career Grant are now open.The grant helps you employ a master’s or PhD student who studied sc...
01/09/2026

📣 Applications for the R&D Career Grant are now open.

The grant helps you employ a master’s or PhD student who studied science, technology, engineering, design or business. You give them a job for six months and they help you solve an R&D problem.

The R&D Career Grant can help you fund up to $30,000 for a master’s student and up to $35,000 for a PhD student.

Find out more and apply 👇

https://www.business.govt.nz/tax-and-money/innovation-funding/r-and-d-career-grant

If you have any questions, please contact our Innovation Services Navigator, John.

📧 [email protected]

✨ Female founders - this one’s for you!Building a business can sometimes feel like a solo journey, but the right connect...
01/09/2026

✨ Female founders - this one’s for you!

Building a business can sometimes feel like a solo journey, but the right connections can make all the difference.

Ministry of Awesome is bringing Electrify Community Connections to Hamilton - a lunchtime event designed to bring wāhine founders together to connect and share experiences.

Whether you’re looking to grow your network, swap ideas or simply meet other ambitious wāhine, we encourage you to come along and build connections!

📅 Thursday 17 September
⏰ 12–1pm
📍 The Cocktail Bar, Hamilton

Find out more and register 👇

https://events.humanitix.com/electrify-community-connections-hamilton

🚨 Only 8 tickets left!Our Power Lunch with Rhythm and Vines co-founder Hamish Pinkham is almost sold out.What started as...
31/08/2026

🚨 Only 8 tickets left!

Our Power Lunch with Rhythm and Vines co-founder Hamish Pinkham is almost sold out.

What started as a New Year’s party for 1,800 people in a Gisborne vineyard grew into one of New Zealand’s most iconic music festivals, attracting crowds of more than 30,000.

But behind that success are years of big risks, hard lessons, relentless problem-solving and plenty of moments when giving up might have been the easier option.

On Friday 18 September, Hamish is joining us in Hamilton to share the real story behind the journey - and the lessons he’s learnt about entrepreneurship, resilience, creative risk-taking and turning an ambitious idea into something that lasts.

If you’re building a business or backing a big idea of your own, you won’t want to miss this conversation.

📅 Friday 18 September | 12pm–1.30pm
📍 Wintec, Hamilton
🎟️ $25

Proudly sponsored by Ignite and MBIE.

Grab one of the final tickets before they’re gone 👇

https://events.humanitix.com/power-lunch-with-hamish-pinkham

📅 SEPTEMBER WORKSHOPSIf you're a Waikato based business owner keen to upskill yourself or senior decision makers in your...
26/08/2026

📅 SEPTEMBER WORKSHOPS

If you're a Waikato based business owner keen to upskill yourself or senior decision makers in your team, one-to-some workshops are a great option with Regional Business Partner funding possible for eligible businesses.

Find out more about these workshops on our Events & Workshops page or email us.

💻 www.sodainc.com/events
📧 [email protected]

“Growth Lab gave me the confidence to prioritise what matters most, rather than trying to do everything at once.”Like ma...
26/08/2026

“Growth Lab gave me the confidence to prioritise what matters most, rather than trying to do everything at once.”

Like many founders, Lara Hofer was spending so much time working in her business that finding the space to step back and think strategically wasn’t always easy.

Lara joined Soda’s Women in Business Growth Lab to gain guidance, accountability and a clearer strategy for growing MyWrinkles – her New Zealand-owned beauty brand creating reusable silicone wrinkle patches.

Through Growth Lab, Lara gained a deeper understanding of her target market, became more focused and strategic with her marketing, and gained the confidence to put her energy into the things that will make the biggest difference.

Read Lara’s story and discover how Growth Lab helped her step back, find greater clarity and focus on what matters most 👇

https://www.sodainc.com/news/founder-spotlight-lara-hofer

💸 Making sales but not making money?You’re busy. Sales are coming in. But somehow, your bank account doesn’t seem to ref...
24/08/2026

💸 Making sales but not making money?

You’re busy. Sales are coming in. But somehow, your bank account doesn’t seem to reflect all that hard work.

Sound familiar?

Join us for our next Masterclass with Abby van Schreven, founder of Waffle Advisory, and get a clearer picture of what’s actually happening with your money.

You’ll learn:
→ The difference between sales, profit and cash
→ Where money can quietly leak from your business
→ The key numbers worth keeping an eye on
→ How to make better business decisions based on your numbers

This isn’t a sit-back-and-listen kind of session. Bring your questions and your own numbers and start putting what you learn into action while you’re there.

📅 22 September | 10am–12pm
📍 The Long Room, Wintec, Hamilton
🎟️ $49

Limited spots! Get your ticket 👇

https://events.humanitix.com/business-masterclass-or-making-sales-but-not-making-money

At yesterday's Marketing Masterclass with Saskia Thornton, she took us back to the fundamentals – reminding us that stro...
19/08/2026

At yesterday's Marketing Masterclass with Saskia Thornton, she took us back to the fundamentals – reminding us that strong brands are built on a deep understanding of your customer, clear positioning, and making it easy for the right people to choose you.

A few key takeaways:

🎯 Align your market, offer and delivery
Who do you serve? What do you create for them? And how do they find and buy from you? These three things need to work together.

💬 Make your positioning crystal clear
If your customers can’t easily explain what you do and who you do it for, there’s work to do. People need to ‘get it’ quickly before they can choose you.

✨ Know what makes you different
Why should a customer choose you? Hone in on what sets you apart and use it to shape your brand and the story you tell.

📱 Choose your channels with intention
It’s not just about where your customers spend their time – think about where they actually make buying decisions.

🔄 Understand the whole buyer journey
Know → Like → Trust → Convert → Keep.
What are you doing well and where are the gaps?

A huge thank you to Saskia for sharing her expertise, and to everyone who joined us for the session. 🙌

Looking to build deeper capability in your R&D team?With funding support from the R&D Career Grant, you can hire a Maste...
18/08/2026

Looking to build deeper capability in your R&D team?

With funding support from the R&D Career Grant, you can hire a Masters or PhD graduate for six months. They’ll gain valuable real-world experience while contributing fresh perspective to your project.

Applications for R&D Career Grants open 31 August 2026.

Learn more 👇

https://www.business.govt.nz/careergrant

Address

Wintec House, Level 2 Cnr Of Anglesea & Nisbet Streets
Hamilton
3204

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+64 7 974 9111

Website

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