Find Startups in Wellington

Wellington has cultivated New Zealand's most creative and government-connected startup ecosystem by combining exceptional digital talent concentration, film and gaming industry strengths, and public sector innovation opportunities to build distinctive technology ventures across multiple sectors. The city has produced notable successes like Weta Digital's visual effects technology, Xero's accounting software (before relocating headquarters), and Sharesies' investment platform, reflecting both Wellington's cultural assets and policy priorities. The funding landscape features active investors including Movac and members of Angel HQ, complemented by government-adjacent funding through institutions like Creative HQ's investment networks and connections to broader New Zealand Growth Capital Partners programs. The innovation infrastructure includes programs like Lightning Lab with various sector-specific cohorts, Creative HQ's GovTech Accelerator working directly with public sector challenges, and specialized initiatives focused on indigenous entrepreneurship and creative industries. Throughout the compact city, innovation clusters have developed around the central business district, Miramar Peninsula for film technology and gaming, and increasingly in the Hutt Valley offering more affordable growth space for hardware ventures. What gives Wellington startups their edge is exceptional creative and technical talent density particularly in software development and digital design, compact geography fostering natural community building, proximity to government creating unique market opportunities for govtech solutions, and strong cultural sector providing creative technology applications - though entrepreneurs navigate challenges including limited growth capital compared to Auckland, small local market necessitating early export focus, sometimes intense competition for technical talent with public sector and established studios, and occasional challenges retaining companies as they scale internationally despite the city's quality of life advantages.

Wellington has cultivated New Zealand's most creative and government-connected startup ecosystem by combining exceptional digital talent concentration, film and gaming industry strengths, and public sector innovation opportunities to build distinctive technology ventures across multiple sectors. The city has produced notable successes like Weta Digital's visual effects technology, Xero's accounting software (before relocating headquarters), and Sharesies' investment platform, reflecting both Wellington's cultural assets and policy priorities. The funding landscape features active investors including Movac and members of Angel HQ, complemented by government-adjacent funding through institutions like Creative HQ's investment networks and connections to broader New Zealand Growth Capital Partners programs. The innovation infrastructure includes programs like Lightning Lab with various sector-specific cohorts, Creative HQ's GovTech Accelerator working directly with public sector challenges, and specialized initiatives focused on indigenous entrepreneurship and creative industries. Throughout the compact city, innovation clusters have developed around the central business district, Miramar Peninsula for film technology and gaming, and increasingly in the Hutt Valley offering more affordable growth space for hardware ventures. What gives Wellington startups their edge is exceptional creative and technical talent density particularly in software development and digital design, compact geography fostering natural community building, proximity to government creating unique market opportunities for govtech solutions, and strong cultural sector providing creative technology applications - though entrepreneurs navigate challenges including limited growth capital compared to Auckland, small local market necessitating early export focus, sometimes intense competition for technical talent with public sector and established studios, and occasional challenges retaining companies as they scale internationally despite the city's quality of life advantages.