Are our most promising companies and startups getting the investment they need to grow? There is an evolving ecosystem of venture capital, angel investors, and government initiatives for local companies to navigate to secure finance needed to scale innovative ideas.
Success stories include virtual farm fencing company Halter - now selling its product in the American market - after securing $85 million in capital from a combination of funds here and overseas. RocketLab - often cited as a New Zealand startup success story - raised $270 million over multiple funding rounds and is now a world leader in rocket launch services.
Funders say the challenge for promising startups in New Zealand is to get the right investor at the right moment and to scale well in a competitive global market. Venture capitalist Mahesh Muralidhar is chief executive of Phase One Ventures, an early-stage investor.
Mahesh had a key early involvement in the $50 billion dollar Australian graphic design platform, Canva. Robbie Paul is chief executive of Icehouse Ventures - one of this country's leading venture capital firms, with investments in many of New Zealand's most successful startup companies including Halter and RocketLab.
Photo: Supplied
