Opportunity Hamilton
Entrepreneurship
Business Services
Business Attraction
Projects
Partners
HOME
Training
Aim for Success Business Coaching
Funding
Resources
Let Us Help
Young Enterprise Scheme
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship initiatives

Entrepreneur business development, mentors, resources and support

The Hamilton community has several ‘homes’ of innovation. These initiatives welcome new entrepreneurs and create a welcoming, encouraging environment where ideas grow into successful businesses.

Click on a link below to learn more.

Waikato Innovation Park

The Waikato Innovation Park is the growth hub for agricultural technology and agricultural biotechnology businesses. If you are starting up a business in this field in New Zealand, the Waikato Innovation Park can help. Visit their website to learn more: www.innovationwaikato.co.nz or phone them on +64 7 857 0500.

SODA, Inc.

Soda Inc. aims to encourage and enable economically successful businesses within the creative industries sector to thrive in Hamilton. Visit their website to learn more www.sodainc.com.

Waikato Aviation Cluster

The Waikato Aviation Cluster encourages new business start-ups in the light aircraft manufacturing and pilot training industries. It is working with companies in these fields to grow and is also interested in helping new companies and suppliers start up. Click here to read more about the Waikato Aviation Cluster.

WaikatoLink

Entrepreneurs with an idea or early stage venture are able to increase their chances of success by engaging with the WaikatoLink Venture Incubator.

The incubator, which focuses on high growth technologies in the AgBio, biotechnology and ICT sectors, provides entrepreneurs and start ups access to the expertise, networks, resources and environment that WaikatoLink has built up through successfully incubating their own high growth ventures.

Through the incubator industry partners will provide valuable expertise and services to entrepreneurs. University of Waikato, NZ Incubator Association, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and the Hamilton City Council will also provide key support.

Information and contact details for the incubator can be found at www.waikatolink.co.nz.
 SMEs contribution to employment in Hamilton stands at 33% which equates to 25,810 employees.  The growth of SMEs in Hamilton city between 2000 and 2008 was 31% which is above the 25% percent growth recorded in the rest of New Zealand over the same time period.  Hamilton is the home of the mighty Chiefs and Waikato rugby teams and the 26,000 capacity Waikato Stadium.  Hamilton will host 3 matches in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.  Hamilton will host the New Zealand round of the prestigious V8 Supercar Championship in the city for the fourth year in 2011. The inaugural race in April 2008 attracted 172,000 attendees plus 5,000 people associated with the running of the event. The event generated $28.3 million of new money into the local economy in the first year and is estimated to generate $156 million over the seven years that the event will run.  Over 100,000 people annually visit New Zealand National Agriculture Fieldays held at Mystery Creek (10 minutes south of Hamilton), which is the largest agricultural event held in the Southern Hemisphere. Each year generates around $290 million sales.  As the centre of the thoroughbred industry, Hamilton has an excellent racing venue at Te Rapa. A national trotting track is 15 minutes drive from Hamilton in Cambridge.   Raglan is 40 minutes by road from Hamilton and home to one of the world’s longest left-hand surf breaks.