Bootstrapped NZ Edition # 14
🩺 A new national hub for MedTech🍦 is cauliflower the future of ice-cream? And how your old tech help bridge the digital divide 💻
Kia Ora team,
Thanks for joining us for edition #14 of Bootstrapped NZ! If you’re new here, this is where you can keep up with the latest and greatest in the New Zealand startup scene every fortnight.
This edition, we've got everything from funding news to exciting new partnerships, and upcoming events you won't want to miss. So sit back, relax, and let's dive into what's been happening in the Kiwi startup world.
🤝 New Partnerships
📞 ThroughLine partnered with Google to connect people with relevant helpline support on Search, YouTube and Google Assistant
✈️ Veovo partnered with major Swedish airport operator Swedavia to help airlines track emissions
🍨 EatKinda partnered with Hell Pizza to bring their cauliflower ice-cream to the community
💳 Web3 innovator IMMERSVE launched a Metaverse Mastercard in partnership with Mastercard
💧 Hatch Blue and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise have partnered again to offer the second Global innovation launchpad for New Zealand aquaculture
🚜 Farmgate Security partnered with Suncorp’s Vero Insurance to donate security camera tech to Aotearoa farmers affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.
✈️ Tupu Toa partnered with Pagoda Projects to bring a delegation of 19 to Taipei for an 8 week internship and entrepreneurship programme
🚀 New Launches
🩺 National innovation hub MedTech-iQ launched to support our growing medtech industry
🧬 Biotech startup BioViros opened a new state of the art laboratory at Callaghan Innovation’s Gracefield innovation Quarter
🎮 MaddCog launched their gaming headband on IndieGoGo seeking funding to help scale up operations and marketing
♻️ The Sustainable Business Network launched a toolkit to help small businesses assess how sustainable they are
🚚 Online moving platform Wise Move announced the integration of Chat GPT into their platform, aiming to revolutionise the user experience
💕 Brianne West (Ethique) launched Business but Better: a combination of content and community accessible through membership, to help founders grow purpose-led businesses
📖 Ecosystem Stories
💧 Taupō startup Heed shared how they’re helping councils protect waterways
🥃 Bayside Rum launched a PledgeMe to enable the next chapter in their kūmara rum story
💻 WellingtonNZ shared how Kepla are simplifying the digital advertising world
🧪 Andrew Chen from Matū spoke about his journey into venture capital, and Matū Iramoe’s mission to make venture more accessible on Business is Boring
💵 What have the VCs been up to?
🏅Astral Ventures released a VC leaderboard - ranking VCs based on reviews by founders (you can read about the methodology here)
🚀 Previously Unavailable launched their first fund, Brand Fund 1, in partnership with Icehouse Ventures
💜 Coralus (previously SheEO) reached a milestone $1.3M perpetual fund that will support at least five wāhine and non-binary led businesses in perpetuity
🐦 Blackbird appointed their first new partners since 2018
💰 Deal roundup
💸 Digital accounting startup Hnry closed $35M series B round
🐑 Woolchemy raised $1.5M seed round to take New Zealand wool technology international
⛵ Naut secured $1.5M in capital from Hillfarrance Ventures
♻️ Mint Innovation closed $60M Series C round to accelerate the circular supply of green metals
🧠 Kitea Health raised $6M seed round to take their implantable brain pressure sensor to clinical trials
🚀 Argo Navis Aerospace raised a $1.07M round to bring their custom upper stage rocket engines to launch providers
🌱 Cleantech startup Captivate Technology closed a $750k seed round led by Matū Karihi
💧Water-tech startup Aquafortus closed an oversubscribed US $17M Series A1 US$17m ($27.2m) oversubscribed Series A1
*If you’re still trying to wrap your head around funding rounds, check out this blog post
🌱 The Orion Energy Accelerator: a snapshot into the future of clean energy
8 startups pitched their clean energy ventures to an audience of over 200 as part of the Orion Energy Accelerator Demo night.
The $15,000 grand prizes went to CiRCLR, a matchmaker for commercial green waste and bioenergy producers and Alimentary Systems, a startup converting sludge into biofuel.
👉 You can read about the whole cohort here
📈 Growing an $8B Agritech industry: how are we tracking?
The Agritech Industry Transformation plan has been refreshed, as MBIE take stock of progress since its initial release in 2020. Notable milestones were:
👉 Hosting international trials under global research initiative Farm 2050
👉 Launching the $40M specialised Agritech Venture Capital Fund
👉 Showcasing early stage agritech firms to international growers and
👉 Improving international connections through delivery of accelerator programmes and content (like Powered by Place)
The report also outlines five focus areas for the next year - you can here read it here.
🙋🏼♀️ Cool people doing cool things: Meet Milli from EatKinda
Hi Milli! What's your story?
I'm a first generation Indian kiwi girl, from Wellington New Zealand. Born to a chef and a teacher, I spent my childhood at our family restaurant keeping the customers entertained while they waited for their orders. I have always been passionate about food and entrepreneurship, which lead me to study Food Technology at Massey University.
How was EatKinda Born?
In November 2020, I went along to a start up weekend in Taranaki, where I met my now co-founder Jenni Matheson. I was intrigued by her pitch for a 'dairy-free cauliflower ice cream.' As this was the only food techy idea, and as I have been vegetarian all my life, this sparked my interest. I gathered a few more peeps to join our team, and away we went. The next 54 hours truly changed my life... It has never been the same since 😂
How is it going?
It is going great, we have exceeded our expectations. We launched via Hell Pizza nationwide last week (March 6th). In our first week, we sold 1301 tubs of ice cream, our mint choc bikkie ice cream sold out in 7 stores, and strawberry swirl sold out in 15. We have received very positive feedback from people with various diets, which has been great validation. As an early stage, high growth start up, sales are everything!
What is your vision for the future?
Our goal is to create the next leading global ice cream brand, like Ben & Jerry's, but plant based and right here from Aotearoa. We have a fantastic product that solves a problem for many people around the world, as well as a great brand and a very supportive community.
Do you have any asks for the community?
We are overwhelmed with the support and feedback we have received about our products. Our ask from the community is to keep supporting us and letting us know how we can improve. We are currently raising our pre seed round. Any mission driven investors interested, feel free to reach out to me on milli@eatkinda.com
🚨 Can your old laptops help close the digital divide?
As the world becomes increasingly digital, access to technology is more essential than ever before. But for 24% of schools, more than half of their students do not have access to a device.*
The Laptop Drop works with NZ schools to identify areas of need and connect them with businesses that can help.
There are currently more schools in need than equipment being donated. If your company has laptops or IT equipment that is being replaced, get in touch today so they can give them new life in schools in need.
Check out www.thelaptopDrop.nz or email jonathan@thelaptopdrop.nz for more info
*Survey of 549 NZ schools in Aka Kōrero Touchpoint (full report) June 2021, page 12
💼 Cool Jobs
🐄 Halter are looking for a Communications Lead
📈 Yabble are looking for a Digital Marketing Specialist
🏦 Aera are looking for a Brand and Experience lead
📆 Upcoming Events
Women in Tech: Community Event (21st Mar)
CreativeHQ Startup Sessions: Marketing, Brand and Promotion (21 Mar)
Chat GPT Expert Panel with Nickle Lyu, Alyona Medelyan and A.I. Joe (21 Mar)
Everything Breaks at Scale: March Deep Dive (22 Mar)
Startup Grind: Fireside chat with Ollie Shaw, co-founder of Jasper and Caruso (23 Mar)
Life Sciences Summit (22-23 Mar)
CreativeHQ Startup Sessions: Goals, Vision and Business Potential (28 Mar)
Wellington Tech Sector Strategy Launch Event (29 Mar)
HealthTech Activator Workshop - Increasing the Value of your Healthtech Company (30 Mar)
Southern Saas (30 Mar)
How to start your sustainable export journey with Brianne West (31 Mar)
✨ If you want to keep up with events, Pauli and Paul’s Techstars Startup Digest sends you a weekly summary of these. If you’re organising an event, add it to the national event spreadsheet ✨
Thanks for reading! Hit subscribe for more free fortnightly kiwi startup goodness (make sure to check your promotions tab, Substack tends to send them there)
Ngā mihi nui,
Izzy 👩🏽💻