WE ARE
STARTUP
WELLINGTON

Your launchpad into Wellington’s

startup and entrepreneur community.

An accessible, low-barrier space for aspiring and early-stage founders to connect and grow.

What's coming up...

Startup Weekend Wellington: Nov 25 #SWWLG

14, 15, 16 November 2025
Victoria University Wellington: Rutherford House

Startup Weekend Wellington challenge returns — 54 hours of fast-paced, hands-on startup build action.

Whether you’re exploring, supporting, or building, this is your space to connect, create, and grow into your full startup potential.

Powered by our major sponsor WellyForge

Brought to life in partnership with:

Victoria University of Wellington, The Atom, Callaghan Innovation, and Creative HQ

Learn more

Startup Wellington is where anyone with an idea can learn how to validate, build, launch, and grow a startup.

Born from the energy and aspirations of Startup Weekend Wellington, we’ve carried that momentum forward into a hub where fresh ideas flourish, founders support founders, and real breakthroughs happen.

We provide the structure and support, you bring the passion and ambition. Together, we spark events filled with creativity, connection, and drive to take you from idea to impact — so you never have to go it alone.

Startup Wellington is the crew powering Techstars Startup Weekend Wellington - SWWLG. And in March 2025, the world's largest entrepreneurial, grassroots event, roared back to life after a 5-year hiatus.

In just one wild weekend, strangers became teammates, scrappy ideas turned into prototypes, and pitches capped off a hands-on sprint from napkin sketch to MVP.

Fast-paced and wildly creative, SWWLG is the kind of weekend you don’t forget. The buzz, the people, those serendipitous moments - where founders meet their 'co' and ideas shift into real startup potential.

What started as a 54-hour sprint has grown into something with energy. A space to come back to, driven by ambition and inspired by the connections made with others who share the journey.

This is our tūrangawaewae — our place to stand, your place to launch from. Not just an event, but a collective drive. A home base for ideas in motion, for people with potential.