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 with the people who can help them build.
That’s exactly what Creative Tech Activate was designed to be. New Zealand’s first pre-accelerator for early-stage creative technology founders, the programme gave teams the support, mentorship and guidance to validate their ideas, develop early prototypes, and build actionable technology roadmaps – turning creative ambition into a scalable startup opportunity.
To mark the end of the programme, Creative HQ brought founders, investors, ecosystem leaders and creatives together at Massey University Cinema for a showcase event. For many of the participating teams, it was their first time pitching publicly. Over 100 people showed up to watch – and that turnout says something significant for what’s ahead.
Wellington’s creative tech sector has always had something special to build on. Our film and games industries have earned global recognition, and a new generation of founders is now finding new ways to tell stories visually and push innovation in this space. Supporting them at the earliest stage (before they’re ready for the big programmes) but when the spark is very much alive – is work we’re proud to do.
The energy in that cinema was a signal. The momentum behind Wellington’s creative tech scene is real, and this showcase is the foundation we intend to build on.
Here’s some quick soundbites from the event:
Keynote: From New Zealand startup to Hollywood
A highlight of the evening was the keynote presentation from Hugh Calveley, Co-Founder of Moxion. In his talk, “How to Sell Your Startup to Hollywood,” Hugh shared how his passion for technology and filmmaking led to the creation of a New Zealand startup that worked with major Hollywood productions. His presentation gave attendees valuable insight into building globally relevant creative technology products from New Zealand and scaling them internationally.
He also highlighted the openness of New Zealand’s creative tech sector, describing it as a small but highly collaborative industry where people are willing to share knowledge and support one another.
Panel discussion: Building and scaling creative tech companies
The event featured a panel discussion moderated by Dave Gougé (Squirrelball), bringing together founders, investors and media leaders to discuss the realities of building creative technology companies in New Zealand. Panellists included Chris Jagger (Alt Ventures), Kelsey O’Hagan (Rascal), Jessica Manins (Beyond) and Hugh Calveley (Moxion).
The discussion explored what it takes to build successful creative tech startups, with panelists highlighting the importance of product-market fit, solving real customer pain points and understanding why timing matters when bringing new technology to market.
Chris Jagger spoke about the importance of identifying strong execution capability within startup teams, alongside recognising major technology shifts and market timing opportunities. The panel also discussed the rapidly evolving and increasingly fragmented nature of content distribution and audience growth. Chris reflected on the challenges creative startups face in reaching customers in a market shaped by platforms like YouTube, TikTok and creator-led audiences.
Kelsey O’Hagan shared insights from building within New Zealand’s film and animation industry, reflecting on the importance of relationships and collaboration across the sector.
Jessica Manins reinforced the importance of growing industries beyond traditional sectors and supporting ambitious founders pursuing creative innovation. “We need to grow our economy beyond agriculture,” she said. “We need people to come up with creative ideas.”
Throughout the discussion, speakers repeatedly returned to the value of community, collaboration and resilience within Wellington’s startup ecosystem.
Dr Bridget Johnson spoke about the importance of being “pro tech, pro art and pro Wellington, reinforcing the value of supporting creative innovation and technology together within the city’s growing ecosystem.
Startup showcase
The showcase featured pitches from startups participating in the Creative Tech Activate programme, including DozeFace Animation Lab, CoMusx, Reglyph, GlassKey, Leegaa, Facetoon and ArtsPass.
Founder reflections
Participating founders reflected on the value of the programme and the importance of community support within the startup ecosystem.
Nadia Koolina from DozeFace said:
“One of my favourite parts of the pre-accelerator programme was Tan and the Creative HQ team’s belief in the idea. The experience was incredibly validating. When you have an idea and you live in a smaller part of the world, there can be pressure to make your idea more commercially conventional.Through this programme, we were encouraged to embrace what made our entrepreneurial ideas unique.
Haojun Huang from DozeFace said:
“It felt like such a community here. The startup culture is so inclusive.”
The showcase demonstrated the depth of talent emerging within New Zealand’s creative technology sector and the importance of supporting founders at the earliest stages of their journey.
As the ecosystem continues to grow, programmes like Creative Tech Activate will continue to play an important role in helping creative technology startups validate ideas, connect with industry and investors, and scale internationally from Aotearoa.
Stay tuned!
