BlueStart heading to Nelson-Tasman’s Blue House
Nelson’s aquatic hub is set to become an incubator for innovations in New Zealand’s blue economic sector.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has announced a commitment to co-fund a new national programme based from Nelson-Tasman’s Blue House at Port Nelson.
The new Blue House in Vickerman St was officially opened in March as part of a three-year partnership between Westpac New Zealand, the Nelson Regional Development Agency (NRDA) and Kernohan Engineering, creating a dedicated workspace for blue economy start-up businesses at Port Nelson with a focus on sustainable practices.
Now, Ocean Impact Organisation Aotearoa’s programme, BlueStart Aotearoa will operate from the hub.
The programme is a dedicated blue economy incubator designed to help New Zealand start-ups turn ideas into globally competitive businesses.
NRDA chief executive Fiona Wilson said the programme built on Nelson-Tasman’s investment in building the blue economy.
“We have world-class marine businesses, researchers and innovators; this programme is about creating pathways to help the next generation of blue economy companies grow from ideas into globally competitive businesses.”
In Nelson-Tasman more than 300 blue economy businesses contribute $332 million annually to regional GDP.
Nationally, the blue economy currently contributes about $10 billion annually and is forecast to grow to $14 billion by 2035.
BlueStart Aotearoa will be delivered by Ocean Impact Organisation Aotearoa in partnership with the NRDA, Moananui and Blue House, with funding support from MBIE’s Founder and Startup Support Programme and Whakatupu Foundation Aotearoa.
Ocean Impact Organisation Aotearoa will deliver two specialist nationwide programmes: BlueStart Foundations will be a six-month incubator supporting 10 early-stage founders, and BlueStart Velocity will be a twelve-week accelerator for six high-growth companies preparing to scale.
Head of global programmes and partners at Ocean Impact Organisation Aotearoa, Elisa-Marie Dumas, said New Zealand’s blue economy had enormous potential.
“What has been missing is a pathway that meets founders where they are and takes them somewhere real. BlueStart Aotearoa is that pathway, and with this MBIE investment behind it, we can now deliver it at the scale this sector deserves.”
Moananui cluster manager Sarah Cooper said the programme would strengthen connections across New Zealand’s blue economy.
“BlueStart Aotearoa puts a dedicated commercialisation pathway at the heart of that network. For Māori and Pasifika founders especially, having a programme that understands kaitiakitanga as a genuine driver of innovation changes what’s possible.”
Manager founder and start-up at MBIE Jenny Douché said the programme filled an important gap within New Zealand’s innovation ecosystem.
“BlueStart Aotearoa brings genuine sector depth to a part of our innovation ecosystem with significant growth potential. We’re pleased to be supporting this programme and look forward to seeing what the founders who come through it go on to achieve.”
By Katie Townshend, Nelson Mail
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