Wellington's blueprint for innovation
The Startup Weekend is one of many industry initiatives designed to further the city's entrepreneurial culture.
Tuesday, November 01 2011 || Startup Weekend || BY Paul Spence
Software and related services are now a multi-billion dollar industry in the region and grew at 11% during the last year. The city that was once the stronghold of cardigan-wearing public servants has latterly blossomed as an environment for digital creatives and software entrepreneurs.
Marketing itself as the artistic and creative centre of the universe is paying off nicely. In fact, Wellington has already accrued substantial economic benefits from the success of its most creative citizens. The 2009 spend by the film industry alone was around $430 million. An estimated 800 staff are employed by Weta Digital and related entities that produced blockbusters such as Lord of the Rings and Avatar.
A recent report on the economic impact of the arts and culture sector (encompassing galleries, museums and performing arts) indicates direct economic benefits of an additional $300 million per annum.Wellington rises and falls on the wings of its creative workforce. But this alone is not what makes the city special.
Digital strategist and design innovation lecturer Helen Baxter is a relatively recent arrival and a resident of the bohemian Cuba St precinct. She frequently sings the city's praises. “The blend of academic, creative, government and business in a compact central space increases opportunities for serendipity and sparks of innovation,” she says. This alludes to what many see as Wellington's trump card. Creativity occurs at the boundaries and Wellington is definitely edgy. The city's 'digerati' are uber-networked both online and off.
Barely a week goes by without an event aimed at either connecting entrepreneurs with techies or simply providing intriguing food for thought to satisfy hungry right-brainers.
It might be the ragged coastline or the urban artwork or perhaps the fact that everywhere is only a short walk from your favourite hip bar or delightful eaterie. Perhaps it is the penguins, seals and orca that frequent the city waterfront. It may even be the numerous festivals of food, culture and music. Maybe it is the intellectual heft of the research and educational institutions across the region. Whatever the recipe, there's definitely something about Wellington that entices smart, creative types from all over the world and makes them stay on. That's a plus for a city in which an estimated half of all new technology businesses were begun by recently arrived skilled migrants.
Seb Marino is an Oscar winning special effects guru who migrated from the US for a job at Weta. Now he's founded his own web company called 77 Pieces and plans to offer 3D visualisations to fashion designers and retailers. Brit Jody Bullen set up Yonix with his American business partner shortly after a life-changing trek to the Everest base camp. The company offers a software-as-a-service product for business analysts. Nathan Li moved from China to bring up his young family in New Zealand. Since then he's developed Educa - a web product that allows parents to follow their kids progress at early childhood centres. All three startups have had support from business incubator CreativeHQ.
But none of this success happens in isolation.With the encouragement of economic development agency Grow Wellington, moves are underway to strengthen the region's innovation ecosystem even further. Startup Weekend is amongst a number of industry led initiatives aimed at developing a deeper entrepreneurial culture through encouraging and facilitating high tech innovation. Paul Callaghan may yet get his wish to make New Zealand “the place where talent wants to live”, because Wellington is already developing the template.
Paul Spence is chairperson of Wellington ICT network Unlimited Potential and a co-founder of global domain registrar iWantMyName. He also curates the New Zealand Startup Digest and is a director of ideegeo Research, a pre-incubation initiative for young technology entrepreneurs.
Twitter: @GeniusNet.
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