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Stories of impact and innovation

Insights on innovation, startups, leadership and facilitation. Take a read through our blog to get inspired.

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CHQ Jonnie and David Downs — “Government Can’t Innovate” is a myth. Here’s Why

Creative HQ’s Government Innovation Lead Jonnie Haddon sat down with David Downs, former CEO of New Zealand Story and incoming CEO of Education New Zealand, for a candid conversation about public sector innovation, AI and what it actually takes to…

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FEIJOA: A Wellington Fintech making saving as simple as spending

Meet Feijoa There’s a quiet behavioural problem at the heart of personal finance: saving requires sustained, deliberate effort over decades, while spending requires almost none. Wellington fintech Feijoa is built on the premise that this imbalance can be fixed. Feijoa’s…

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Creative Tech Cohort — Wellington’s ‘Creative Tech’ scene has a new starting point

Creative HQ wraps Creative Tech Activate Not all founders are ready to commit to a full accelerator or a longer-term incubator. But every founder needs somewhere to start – a place to test their ideas, find their footing, and connect…

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Access Activator disabled people programme — Access Activator backs 6 accessibility projects

A platform making sport more accessible to thousands of children is just 1 of the successful projects selected for the inaugural Access Activator programme. Developed in partnership the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha and Creative HQ, the programme invited…

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Women in tech NZ — 12 New Zealand female entrepreneurs you need to know in 2026

New Zealand’s tech sector moves our country forward in ways that matter – new approaches to managing money, tools to tackle climate challenges, more resilient infrastructure, products that make everyday life a little better. Innovation is in our Kiwi DNA….

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The organisations investing in Wellington tech and startups

Behind every thriving startup ecosystem is a network of organisations that connect capital with opportunity. In Wellington, that network is collaborative, well-structured and increasingly outward-looking. This month, we’re spotlighting key investor organisations committing capital into the region: As New Zealand’s…

Large crowd of students at graduation — What’s it like hunting for a job in a Wellington tech company?

Wellington has a reputation for producing ambitious startups, with many people in the city angling to join a tech company to grow their career. But despite this being a growing and energised sector, there’s conflicting data about the job market…

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Wellington city — Tech Groups in Wellington: How to Find Your Community

Wellington has a thriving community for innovation, startups and all things tech. Behind the scenes, there is a dynamic network of developers, designers, founders and curious learners who are coming together to share ideas, build projects and support one another’s…

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Fintech Founders NZ — From an idea to the regulator’s room: Two founders, a sandbox pilot and very different journeys

When Shane joined Fintech Lab at the start of last year, he didn’t have a company. He had a co-founder, a concept, and – by his own admission – no idea what FMA (Financial Markets Authority) stood for. Maria had…

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Cartoon graphic doctor and patient talking — Health NZ’s AI scribe rollout: What the rest of Government can learn

Health NZ has rolled out Heidi, an Australian-built AI clinical scribe, to 27 hospitals through its HealthX programme (the NZ Herald also has good background). The Hawke’s Bay pilot results are worth noting: documentation time per patient dropped from around…

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Graphic of Ai technology — The Copilot default: Why limiting Government staff to one AI tool is a missed opportunity

Across much of New Zealand’s public sector, the AI strategy amounts to this: staff get Microsoft Copilot because it comes with the existing M365 licence and everything else is blocked. It’s tidy. IT can manage it. Procurement doesn’t need a…

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NZ Tech Rally meet up — The resurgence of NZ Tech Rally

The NZ Tech Rally community and its annual conference isn’t just another event packed with buzzwords and polished presentations. Its core mission is to provide inclusive spaces for the Aotearoa tech community to celebrate, connect and grow together. They achieve…

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22 years of impact

Creative HQ has supported 1,460 entrepreneurs and 400+ startups, with a growing $1.49B in alumni value – discover our impact across Aotearoa’s innovation ecosystem.

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Building NZ Fintech

It’s here – a guide for Kiwi startup founders.

Built in collaboration with NZ’s Fintech community and brought to you by Creative HQ.

This guide is packed with wisdom, honest reflections and advice from founders who’ve been where you are— and want to help you get where you’re going. Welcome to the start of your Fintech journey.

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