The Factory

We’re excited to reveal three more incredible speakers joining us next week at the Manawatū Innovation Showcase 2025: 🎓 Ripyl® – Bringing real-world business challenges into classrooms, equipping rangatahi with practical skills and entrepreneurial thinking. 🥛 ANDFOODS – Reshaping the future of dairy with science-backed, sustainable, and great-tasting plant-based alternatives. 🤖 Kiwibots – Inspiring the next generation of Kiwi innovators through Aotearoa’s largest robotics education and competition programme. These changemakers are shaping the future of food, education, and innovation right here in the Manawatū. Don’t miss it! 📅 May 1st, 5:30pm – 7:30pm 📍 Palmy Conference + Function Centre 🎟️ Free to attend – register now: https://lnkd.in/gChMHuYZ Dave C. | Michelle Hazeleger-Mollard | Stephan van Haren | Debashree Roy

The countdown is on! 🚀 The Manawatū Innovation Showcase is just around the corner, and here's a sneak peek at our first announcement of speakers: 💧 NovoLabs – Triple winners at the 2024 NZ Hi-Tech Awards, pioneering sustainable water treatment technology.  🌱 Croptide – Winners of the 2024 Innovation in Irrigation Award, revolutionising agriculture with precision plant health monitoring. 🚗 Claim My Ride – Simplifying vehicle expense tracking, making tax compliance effortless for Kiwis. This is just the beginning—stay tuned for more exciting announcements! 📅 May 1st, 5:30pm - 7:30pm 📍 Palmy Conference + Function Centre 🎟️ Free to attend — register now: https://lnkd.in/gChMHuYZ Andy Shilton | Craig Burton | Tom Biggs | Blacksheepdesign | Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA) | ManawaTech | Palmerston North City Council | Manawatū District Council | TechStep

CEDA is proud to support the upcoming Manawatū Innovation showcase, an event that is set to give you a glimpse into the start-ups, technologies and cutting-edge innovations that are being worked on in the region. 🚀 Head along for a night of connection and inspiration! 📅 Thursday, 1st May 2025 ⏰ 5:30pm – 7:30pm 📍 Palmy Conference + Function Centre Register here: https://lnkd.in/gChMHuYZ ManawaTech

Not long to go until the Manawatū Innovation Showcase 2025 — have you registered yet? 🤔 We’re really excited for this year’s event. The numbers are looking great already, and it’s shaping up to be another awesome night! Expect a solid speaker lineup, good conversations, and plenty of time to connect over food and drinks 🥂 📅 Thursday 1st May from 5:30pm - 7:30pm 📍 Palmy Conference & Function Centre 🎟️ Free to attend — just make sure to register: 👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gChMHuYZ #Manawatu #InnovationShowcase #TechWeekNZ #StartupCommunity

Stephen McPhail from our team recently attended the 2025 Angel Summit in Christchurch — a gathering of NZ’s top early-stage investors and ecosystem leaders focused on bold ideas, emerging trends, and shaping the future of innovation 💡 The theme, Seizing Tomorrow, resonated deeply with us. It’s not just about spotting what’s next — it’s about backing ambitious founders, validating new ideas, and staying true to the values that make Aotearoa unique 🇳🇿 That’s exactly the energy we’re bringing to the Manawatū Innovation Showcase on 1st May — where startups, innovators, and change-makers from across the region will take the stage 🚀 Register now 👉 https://lnkd.in/gChMHuYZ Angel Association New Zealand

Last week we had the pleasure of attending the Sprout Agritech Summit 2025 🌱 Huge shoutout to Sandhya Sriram, PhD and the Sprout team for putting on a world-class event — from insightful discussions on the future of food and AI to some seriously engaging networking opportunities, especially getting to hear from Oliver Zahn, founder of Climax Foods 🧀 Special thanks to Serge van Dam for wrapping things up with an entertaining and memorable evening session! This summit has us buzzing with excitement for the upcoming Manawatū Innovation Showcase — happening on the evening of May 1st! Make sure you’re registered — it’s going to be another one for the books 👉 https://lnkd.in/gChMHuYZ #SproutSummit2025 #InnovationEcosystem #FoodTech #AgriTech #TheFactoryNZ #Manawatu #Palmy

We’re thrilled to announce the return of the Manawatū Innovation Showcase! 🚀 Join us for an evening packed with groundbreaking startups, tech, and ideas shaping the future right here in our region. 🗓 Thursday, 1st May 🕠 5:30pm – 7:30pm 📍 Palmy Conference + Function Centre 🍻 Free to attend, with food and drinks provided! 🎟️ Register now: https://lnkd.in/gChMHuYZ Huge thanks to our amazing supporters: TechStep (https://www.techstep.nz/), Sprout Agritech, Blacksheepdesign, ManawaTech, Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA), Palmerston North City Council, and Manawatū District Council 👏

Startups, is your marketing driving real growth? In the fast-paced startup world, marketing can’t be an afterthought—it needs to be strategic, targeted, and results-driven. If you’re unsure whether your current approach is working (or you need one in the first place), this workshop is for you. Join Blacksheepdesign’s Practical Approach to Marketing Strategy & Planning Workshop—a 4-hour, hands-on session designed to help you build a marketing strategy that actually moves the needle. 📅 Date: March 25, 2025 📍 Location: Focal Point Cinema, Palmerston North ⏳ Duration: 4 hours 💰 Cost: $500 + GST (Funding support may be available—see below!) 🎓 Instructor: Mark Inman | mark@bsd.nz This workshop is registered with the Regional Business Partner Network, so your startup might be eligible for funding support. Check with your local Regional Business Growth Advisor here: https://lnkd.in/gkD_MW5M 🔗 Lock in your spot now! 👉 https://lnkd.in/gEyf2Xaj #MarketingForStartups #StartupGrowth #TheFactoryNZ #MarketingWorkshop #Manawatū #PalmerstonNorth

We are excited for our first-ever LinkUp event, hosted by Levno 🌟 This is a social event for Members of ManawaTech to come together and network, there will be drinks, and platters 🍻  📅 Date: Wednesday, 19th March  ⏰ Time: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM  📍 Location: Levno  👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gj2nRw7n

Fit Rewards has been live in NZ for a month, and we’re thrilled to have secured nationwide advertising in Rebel Sport stores! Huge thanks to Ben Partington at HYPER for managing our media distribution, our incredible brand lead Michelle Boyd for crafting designs while balancing full-time work and raising two kids, our talented UX/UI design partners—Claude, Luca, Matthew and Lucas at Wiretap—and our amazing reward partners for being part of our Win Big With Fit Rewards campaign: Paul Button at Rotorua Canopy Tours , Daniel and Paulina at Lete Active, Marc at AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand, Taran at SwoleFoods, Bailey at ASN Supplements, Nik and Rewi at Staple Espresso, and Samantha at Float Well. There are still two weeks left to enter! Simply download Fit Rewards, record your workouts, and you’re in the draw to win. More info at https://lnkd.in/gnHbuGDV (Hey Rosemary, Ben, Gary at Rebel Sport, interested in supporting healthier communities? Let's chat!)