Community partners
Our community partners reflect the quality and diversity of entrepreneurial activity in Wellington and New Zealand.
Momentum
Momentum is dedicated to empowering emerging student innovators and startups. This initiative provides invaluable insights, resources, and connections to help students navigate their entrepreneurial journeys with confidence.
As a nationwide network focused on fostering a vibrant community for student entrepreneurs, Momentum assesses each student's current stage and guides them toward their next milestone. The Momentum Committees, which span Aotearoa New Zealand, bring together a diverse group of members, including seasoned chairs, experienced investors, emerging innovators, and, of course, students. Together, they ensure that the vision remains forward-thinking and inclusive.
Through Momentum, students gain the knowledge and support needed to transform their ideas into reality.
Ready to take the next step?
Students can contact Momentum to chart their entrepreneurial journey.
Victoria University Entrepreneurship and Start-up Association (VESA)
VESA, a student-led initiative currently based at The Atom—Te Kahu o Te Ao, provides a dynamic platform for students to explore entrepreneurship and innovation. Catering to all experience levels, the club facilitates specialised workshops, networking opportunities, and exploratory events designed to develop practical skills and connect students with Wellington’s thriving business ecosystem. By showcasing success stories and providing guidance, the club empowers students to confidently pursue start-up opportunities.
Want to get involved? Get in touch with VESA via Instagram , LinkedIn or email vuwbsu@gmail.com
Angel Association New Zealand
Angel Association New Zealand champions early stage investors. Its aspiration is to increase the quantity, quality and success of angel investment in New Zealand and create a greater pool of capital and support for our inspirational, innovative startup companies. The Angel Association enthusiastically supports youth and student entrepreneurship as future sources of great deals and is delighted to help connect those entrepreneurs with investors, capital for further development, and the connections and experience that inevitably come with investment.
Callaghan Innovation
Callaghan Innovation is New Zealand’s innovation agency. It activates innovation and helps businesses grow faster for a better New Zealand. Victoria University of Wellington has had a long association with Callaghan Innovation. The scientist from whom they take their name (Sir Paul Callaghan) was based at the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences for many years.
CreativeHQ
CreativeHQ has been running incubation and acceleration programmes in Wellington and beyond since 2003. It believes that entrepreneurs are everywhere and its Lightning Lab accelerator programmes are targeted at a wide range of sectors. Its GovTech programme, focused on fostering entrepreneurial thinking in government, is seen as a global first. Wellington School of Business and Government signed a memorandum of understanding with CreativeHQ in 2017 to provide research into how accelerators like GovTech can change people and add value to our communities. Many Business School students work at CreativeHQ as part-time interns. CreativeHQ is funded by WREDA.
Ignite Consultants
Ignite Consultants Wellington (Ignite) is a student-led not-for-profit through which Victoria University of Wellington students are able to collaborate with charities to assist in maximising these organisations’ impact. Each trimester, Ignite runs five 9-week projects, each with up to six diverse range of students, alongside an Ignite alumni project manager and professional mentor, provide consultancy services to socially conscious organisations. To assist in their mahi, students will also receive training from professional consultants and specialists in the not-for-profit sector.
If you are interested in joining as a student consultant, or want more information, please email us at wellington@igniteconsultants.co.nz.
Industry Alliance Programme
The Industry Alliance Programme (formerly the Wellington ICT Graduate School) supports the delivery of industry-focused postgraduate degrees built on connections between the University and local industry.
Students can choose a conversion Master’s degree or a specialised Master’s degree to gain industry-relevant skills and experience. The conversion Master’s programmes allow people from a non-ICT background to change career directions and get started in software development or UX design. The specialised Master’s degrees, meanwhile, allow students to expand their knowledge in data science, AI, or statistics.
Find out more about how the Industry Alliance Programme is bringing the industry and the University closer together.
Robinson Research Institute
The multidisciplinary Robinson Research Institute melds innovative engineering and applied physics to build advanced technologies for businesses worldwide. It sponsors the group project in MMBA565 Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Students work with intellectual property developed at Robinson and explore the possibilities for unforeseen commercial applications.
ThinkPlace
ThinkPlace is a global strategic design consultancy. It has expertise in collaborative human-centred design, innovation and complex system transformation, and in visualizing innovation and entrepreneurship ecologies. Its co-founder, New Zealander Jim Scully, has been an advocate for entrepreneurship in the Wellington region for many years. ThinkPlace sponsors the group project for the MGMT307: Entrepreneurship course.
Wellington UniVentures
Wellington UniVentures is a subsidiary of the University responsible for creating new for-profit and social enterprises from University research. Wellington UniVentures helps researchers create impact through their work by turning them into products or services that can change lives. They support researchers to protect and develop their innovations, and connects them with the right partners, industry and investors to launch their research into the world.