Invest
in Canterbury

ICT is New Zealand’s fastest growing sector. ICT exports have doubled over the past 6 years, and are currently number three in export earnings, behind dairy and tourism. Nationally the sector contributes 5 per cent of GDP and employs over 70 000 New Zealanders.

ICT revenue grew 16.5% over a 12-month period (TIN 100) and the Government’s sector report on ICT confirmed wages & salaries are twice the New Zealand average and are growing faster than the average growth rate for the country.

Christchurch is New Zealand’s third-largest region for technology businesses and boasts some of Australasia’s most innovative and successful tech companies.

Local superstars who operate in a global environment include Jade Software, Tait Communications, Seequent, Verizon Connect and Dynamic Controls and dynamic multi-nationals such as Sungard; Trimble; Vodafone and Hewlett Packard; as well as listed company SLI Systems. Canterbury is also home to a significant number of small tech companies that personify innovation and entrepreneurship.

For a full overview of the 500+ technology organisations in the region visit Fluxnz.com to download the full sector profile report and infograph.

Key benefits of investing in Canterbury and New Zealand:

  • International centre of competence for software and technology
  • World-leading lifestyle choice for investors and staff
  • A safe and secure investment environment
  • Economic and political stability
  • Free of corruption
  • Extensive free-trade agreements
  • Active government support for investment

If you are an investor, you can hook into one of these networks below or contact us directly.

Investment Companies

Canterbury Angels Funding early stage startups. Canterbury Angels help young companies get the investment and support they need to achieve high growth.

PowerHouse is a regionally-focused intellectual property commercialisation company based in Canterbury that uses private and public investment to develop new spin-out ventures sourced primarily from research partners such as universities and Crown Research Institutes. powerHouse has a Venture Capital Scheme that allows powerHouse’s registered high tech companies the ability to raise capital.

The Angel Association is an organisation that aims to increase the quantity, quality and success of angel investments in New Zealand and in doing so create a greater pool of capital for innovative start-up companies.

The NZVCA’s mission is to develop a world-best venture capital and private equity environment for the benefit of investors and entrepreneurs in New Zealand. Their activities cover the whole spectrum of investment in New Zealand private enterprise including Angel investment, seed and early-stage venture capital through to development capital and private equity.

Callaghan Innovation provides a range of services and funding to help NZ companies grow. These include the Business R&D Funding to accelerate innovation by NZ firms; and their support as Incubators and Accelerators to accelerate the growth and success of New Zealand start-up businesses through a range of services and funding.

New Zealand Trade & Enterprise’s Regional Business Partners have specialist business advisors who are available to meet with businesses and work with business owners and/or key managers to identify needs and opportunities to grow the business. If you are a business seeking advice and support to help you grow, get in touch with your local Regional Business Partner.

NZX Limited builds and operates capital, risk and commodity markets and the infrastructure required to support them. It also provides high quality information, data and tools to support business decision making.

The Ākina Foundation is growing social enterprise across New Zealand. Their mission is to grow the emerging New Zealand social enterprise sector by:

  • Activating talent, raising awareness and building capability for social enterprise.
  • Supporting high-potential social enterprises to deliver scalable solutions to pressing social and environmental challenges.
  • Facilitating new market and investment opportunities for social enterprise

Crowd Funding

Snowball Effect is an equity crowdfunding platform.

Snowball Effect helps Kiwi companies to raise funds from the public, and then helps those companies to harness the power of their crowds. Equity crowdfunding is also exciting for investors – it enables everyday people to buy shares in companies that were previously inaccessible to the public.

We aim to be New Zealand’s leading equity crowdfunding platform. Our vision is “a New Zealand economy, fuelled by emerging businesses, backed by everyday Kiwi investors”.

Pledge me. helps Kiwis turn their dreams into reality through crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is a model of raising money.Take a goal you want to achieve. Turn to your crowd of friends, family, and fans. Ask them to make pledges to your project, and if you combine all that love, it’s more than your goal, you’ve made it!

IndieGogo is the largest global fundraising site, helping individuals, businesses, and non- profits raise money online—to make any idea a reality through crowdfunding.

Global crowdfunding website Kickstarter is now available to entrepreneurs in New Zealand. Famous for helping creatives fund their projects, it has drawn some big names over the years.

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