Building ecosystems that grow and people feel proud to be a part of doesn’t happen by chance. They’re built by people turning up, making introductions, attracting the right investment, backing each other and sharing what they’ve learned. Over the past year, Wellington’s tech community has done a lot of that, and at Creative HQ we’ve tried to capture as much of it as we can.
Telling these stories is a core part of how we deliver Wellington City Council’s tech sector strategy. When we share a founder’s journey, a big raise, a new programme or a packed-out meetup, we’re doing more than celebrating. We’re showing Wellingtonians, investors and talent what’s already happening here, and we’re building the case for what comes next. A Year in Wellington’s Tech Sector brings that storytelling together in one place.
But before you scroll through it, here’s a look back at some of the moments that shaped the year.
Real data has been gathered to benchmark and measure the ecosystem
We recently released the Wellington Emerging Tech Ecosystem Data Report, meaning that for the first time Wellington’s emerging tech companies have been captured in a single dataset. It was a collaborative effort with local players like WellyForge, Angel HQ, WellingtonNZ, NZGCP and KiwiSaaS, and direct input from 71 local companies.
A few highlights:
- 204 emerging tech companies mapped across the region, from startup to scale-up.
- ~2,500 FTEs are employed in Wellington, and around 3,100 in total for the sector.
- The sector generates ~$450M in annual revenue, with surveyed companies growing revenue 27% year on year.
- There’s been ~$300M in capital raised to date, with our Fintech and Deep Tech sectors leading the way.
- 77% of companies have women on the team, rising to 95% at scale-up stage.
- 32% have Māori or Pasifika team members, which is a good start, but an area where there’s a lot more work to do.
The data also tells us where to focus. Access to customers and markets is founders’ biggest constraint, cited by 73% of respondents, ahead of access to capital. Wellington is great at starting companies, and the next challenge is helping more of them scale.
Most importantly, we now have a baseline. We can track progress year on year and support the sector more deliberately. The full report is available on request. Get in touch with our team for a copy.
Shout it from the rooftops: Wellington is a city of tech
We had the joy of capturing footage from programmes and events throughout the year. Whether it was a hackathon, pitch night, co-working day or just the simple moments that capture the energy in our sector, we wanted to create a highlight reel that showcases the work and people who are making it happen. This video is a gift from us to you, free to use by anyone working within our tech sector.
We hope it hypes you up and makes you feel as proud to be a Wellingtonian as we are.
We also took that message to the streets. Our poster campaign painted the town orange, featuring eight local founders alongside a bold message that Wellington is a city of tech.
Capturing stories and more moments within the sector
If you read our newsletters or follow our socials, you’ll see our team is always working away to find and share positive Wellington stories. Just in the past year, here are some highlights you might have missed:
- Founder stories: We profiled local founders building ambitious companies from Wellington, such as Count, Feijoa and Hello Cashflow.
- Spotlighting community builders: We spotlighted the groups and organisations that grow the sector and its diversity of people and ideas.
- Celebrating project wins: Claude Impact Lab, as an example. Alongside key partners NZ Claude Ambassador and Zuno Smart Lab, we ran a one-day hackathon with Wellington City Council focused on emergency management solutions for the city. It was a great example of what happens when tech talent and public purpose meet.
- Growing key sectors: We took a closer look at three areas where Wellington has a real competitive edge: CreativeTech, Fintech and ClimateTech.
- Dipping our toes into Wellington’s tech job market: Working with local recruiters and talking to job hunters, we penned a piece about what’s working and what isn’t in today’s tech job market.
- Along with all the bigger moments: From NZ Tech Rally meetups returning to Fintech Hui coming to Wellington for the first time, we’ve been capturing stories on the major events that showcase Wellington as a tech city.
It takes a village
None of this mahi can happen without immense collaboration. Creative HQ is one connector among many in this city, and that’s what makes Wellington special. Hubs like Taiawa Tech Hub, Porirua BizHub, The Atom and the Kāpiti Tech Cluster bring people together across the region. Communities like WellyForge, KiwiSaaS, NZ Tech Rally, Wāhine Fuelled Tech, Genesia Girls and Summer of Tech keep the sector connected, curious and welcoming. Investors like Angel HQ and Movac back homegrown companies. And none of this would happen without the support of Wellington City Council, WellingtonNZ and Greater Wellington Regional Council.
To every mentor, investor, sponsor, event organiser, volunteer and founder who has given their time to the sector: thank you. You’ll find many of them in the pages below.
Wellington is local enough to know its founders by name, and ambitious enough to help them build companies that succeed on the world stage. The booklet below captures a look back on the past financial year. Stay tuned for even more impact ahead!
Take a walk through ‘A year in Wellington’s tech sector’ and download the full booklet here.
