Auckland’s waterfront will play host to the country’s first-ever Startup Week, with the Viaduct, Wynyard Quarter and central city venues set to showcase ideas, innovation, and investment from October 20–24.
Billed as a chance to connect the edge of the world with global capital and cutting-edge thinking, Auckland Startup Week will bring together founders, investors, universities, researchers and corporates to highlight the people and ideas shaping the future of our economy.
The event is backed by Auckland Council’s Economic Development Office, with a programme of workshops, pitch events, keynote talks, and networking designed to give startups a real-world boost—from exporting tips and founder clinics to sessions on scaling globally and raising capital.
Pam Ford, General Manager of the Economic Development Office, says the event will spotlight the growing strength of Tāmaki Makaurau’s startup scene.
“Auckland accounts for over half of the country’s tech sector GDP. Startup Week is about celebrating the ecosystem that enables entrepreneurs to thrive and linking our brightest ideas to the global economy,” she said.
The week is open to startups at all stages, with most events free. Organisers say the speaker list is still growing, and a demo day will feature some of the newest and most promising tech emerging from Aotearoa’s innovation pipeline.
Venues include GridAKL Startup Hub, Generator Pipiri Lane, University of Auckland, Auckland Town Hall, and the Newmarket Innovation Precinct.
The full programme is available at aucklandstartupweek.com.
