Aotearoa’s leaders in Public Service Innovation
Creative HQ has led 240+ innovation projects with both New Zealand and overseas government agencies
Creative HQ helps government agencies solve complex problems through rapid, low-risk experimentation and human-centred, citizen-focused innovation. Our work supports system-level change while building capability inside teams – not dependence on external consultants.
Quick-start: Workshops
When time is limited, structured workshops help teams understand the problem, align on what matters and make the decisions needed to move forward. These short, focused sessions produce practical outputs you can apply immediately.
Rapid pace: Sprints
When you need to design a programme, kick-start delivery or produce more than ideas, a sprint gives you a rapid path to action. In one to two weeks, we co-deliver with your team to design, test and validate tangible outputs that can be used immediately.
Find NZ’s best: Procurement
When you need to test a solution, access new suppliers or deliver digital outcomes without committing to a large RFP, a procurement challenge gives you a fast, compliant path to action.
In 8–12 weeks, we work alongside your team to run a procurement process that delivers real prototypes, validated insight and evidence for next steps.
Partner on projects
Bigger challenges need time, focus and steady delivery. Our projects are multi-month partnerships where we help you design, develop and embed something that sticks — a proof of concept, a working tool, a new system or a redesigned process. We stay with you through each iteration, building confidence, capability and outcomes that create real value.
Previous GovTech projects
Our GovTech accelerators have tackled complex public sector problems. In a focused three-month cycle, teams test assumptions, validate solutions and build early prototypes grounded in real user insight – to deliver outcomes that create lasting community impact.
Funding support
We’ve partnered with Whaikaha – the Ministry of Disabled People to deliver the Access Activator. This initiative is for those ready to test solutions at the idea or scale stage of development to create real impact in disabled people’s daily lives.
Access Activator
For those building solutions that improve access and inclusion for Deaf and disabled people, Turi Māori and tāngata whaikaha Māori.
We create the conditions for safe experimentation, build innovation-first thinking into BAU, and strengthen the public sector’s ability to deliver outcomes that matter.
- We work in the real world, not in theory.
- Enabling safe experimentation inside government constraints.
- Provide delivery capability, technical support and evidence-based methods.
- Help teams move quickly and adapt without barriers.
- We connect government with founders, technologists and partners who know how to build.
- We bring best-practice from our global projects, demonstrated by our Govtech partnership with the World Bank.
Innovation in Government: Department of Conservation’s Smart Weed Alert Tool (SWAT)
Jobs for Nature: Building a digital tool to support communities in their efforts to engage with and safeguard nature
VERI-Mi, a platform that helps protect migrants employment rights
What our partners say
This programme shifted how our people think and collaborate. The mindset change alone has been powerful — you can see confidence growing and barriers dropping.”
— Senior public sector leader
60
Government agencies supported in New Zealand
240+
Govtech and public service innovation projects completed
17
UN Sustainable Development
Goals addressed
Jonnie Haddon
GM Government innovation
When teams deliver tangible value inside existing systems, resistance drops, momentum builds and meaningful change becomes possible.
Not sure where to start?