AnnuAl REPORT 10/11 - Grow Wellington

CReative hQ
Creative hQ is Wellington’s business
incubator and the driving force behind
Wellington’s future business success stories.
it connects innovation, entrepreneurship and
earlier-stage ventures that have high growth
global potential.
Creative HQ works in partnership with some of the
region’s leading business minds to turn intellectual
property and bright ideas into business realities.
It provides specialist and intensive support to
accelerate the successful commercialisation of these
high growth potential ventures.
To date Creative HQ has provided intensive support to
over 75 Wellington based companies. It tracks alumni
ventures and collectively to date these companies
have generated $206 million in economic value and
continue to grow sustainably. The average turnover
per employee in these ventures stands at $168,000
with 42% of this coming in export earnings.
Creative HQ is now benchmarked as a leading New
Zealand incubator. Over the past year it has helped
the companies it supports undertake market analysis,
research and pilots, develop market strategies and
execute them successfully.
Highlights from the 2010/11 year saw Creative HQ as
a finalist and winner of the Supporting Gold Category
at the Wellington Gold Awards. Three Creative
HQ ventures were finalists in the Best Business
Application category, with alumni company StarNow
winning the section and taking out best global
application for “being truly global and dominant in
their market sector.”
The year also saw Creative HQ host a wide range of
internationally recognised investors, entrepreneurs
and speakers at Creative HQ. This included Bill Payne
-US Angel Investor, David Smith – Silicon Valley
Business School and Dr Rob Adams – International
entrepreneur and writer.
Creative HQ’s major achievements
in 2010/11 include:
› Supporting four resident businesses to raise over
$1.3 million in first stage funding;
› Supporting six of our businesses to secure
government funding of $333,000;
› Strengthening relationships with the investment
community through Creative HQ’s relationship
with Angel HQ and private investors and
significantly improving our market presence
through a set of marketing initiatives, activities
and showcasing events.
With the incubator foundations in place and
performing well, Creative HQ is now re-setting
its future sights and goals. Creative HQ strives
to increase its impact by extending its services,
reach and connections, influence and value across
the region.
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