What's Happening
News and Events
Check out what's happening at Creative HQ
March 2012
1 March - Gaming Bootcamp D-Day - demos and delirium for the teams on our inaugural gaming bootcamp.
February 2012
24-26 February - Startup Weekend Christchurch. Startup Weekend CEO Mark Nager joining the party. More here.
January 2012
23 January - The start of the Chinese new year. The Year of the Dragon.
December 2011
15 December - Rhinestone cowboys and cowgirls hit the Christmas Party to wrap the year in spurs and six-shooters.
15 December - The final CEO forum for the year. Getting together to knock heads, wrap the year and take a bit of thinking into Christmas.
November 2011
28 - 30 November - 10th Annual Science-based Incubators Conference, Auckland. The Technopolicy Network in co-operation with Incubators NZ and New Zealand Trade Enterprise is proud to present the 10th Annual Conference and Awards: 'Science Based Incubators as Connectors between High-Tech Clusters' at Sky City.
27 November and 1 December - Technopolicy Network incubation workshops as follows: Impact Measurement, Internationalising Business Strategies for Incubators, Resources and Funding.
16 November - GROW International joins Creative HQ
14 - 18 November - Global Entrepreneurship Week, a worldwide initiative to highlight, celebrate and promote entrepreneurship and innovative startup thinking.
4 - 6 November - Wellington Startup Weekend, the inaugural capital event in the international Startup Weekend lineup. Fifty-four hours, 100 entrepreneurs and a lot of coffee.
October 2011
27 October - Dash Tickets lands a deal with Ministry of Sound Australia to step out and up into the entertainment game ... more
23 October - The final of the Rugby World Cup! Eden Park ... 1987?
11 October - Creative HQ named as one of six key priorities in Wellington City's draft economic development strategy looking out 30 years.
10 October - Creative HQ's Annual Report 2010/11 released
September 2011
23 - 25 September - Auckland Startup Weekend, 54 hours of startup entrepreneurship.
14 September - Wellington's BIG (business innovation growth) event at Parliament: the best and brightest from the capital including five Creative HQ companies - Yonix, Beek, Footfalls and Heartbeats, Wetox and Showcase
August 2011
31 August - CEO forum hosting Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown. Talking on start ups and entrepreneurs within the city's 2040 vision.
16 August - Newstalk ZB host Sean Plunket talks to Creative HQ chief Steve O'Connor ... listen here
13 August - Educa joins the venture portfolio, changing the way parents interact with early childhood education
11 August - designing marketing tools for a new generation: Showcase. The latest venture to join Creative HQ
July 2011
8 July - Creative HQ joins the Ice Ideas Conference in Auckland to launch 3000.org.nz - a step change in New Zealand's innovation commercialisation stratosphere
7 July - Wellington Market Validation Workshop with renowned US entrepreneur and author of A Good Hard Kick in the Ass Dr Rob Adams
June 2011
22 June - Employment Law Basics workshop presented by Cullen Law
7 June - Dave Allison and Noel Brown join the business strategy team. View their profiles here.
2 June - Innate Brands starts with Creative HQ. Already running hard with their plans, Carolyn Press-Mackenzie and Stephanie Fifield are changing the game in their field. Have a look here.
May 2011
20 May - Silicon Valley Business School is in Wellington. Sponsored by Creative HQ, U.S. start-up superstar David Smith is taking a one day seminar on high-growth for start ups. More here.
19 May - An evening of celebration with our partners and supporters, entrepreneurs and innovation champs! Pitches from our new ventures and key note from Cameron Mehlhopt, co founder of Starnow.com
18 May - Gold Awards - Creative HQ WINS the Supporting Gold category. Woohoo!
10 May - Software expert Martin McKendry inhouse to talk turkey with our ventures
5 May - Hi-Tech Awards - Creative HQ and Morrison Kent attending in support of finalist Yonix
April 2011
14 April - Equity sharing workshop wraps perspectives from investors, entrepreneurs, lawyers and the finance guy around some options for high growth companies. Thanks to Greg Sitters, Melissa Clark Reynolds, Owen Gibson and Andrew Hudson.
12 April - MediaSense presenter Jon Leland is at Creative HQ to talk about social media and the history of internet marketing
5 April - Hyperfactory founder Derek Handley sits down with CHQ ventures to talk about the hard work and sheer luck it takes to make a big exit
4 April - Sean Davidson and AvanCert sign up as part of the Creative HQ portfolio
March 2011
9 March - Sam Knowles presents his ideas to the March CEO forum, with the key theme - know what you are good at and focus on it
3 March - i-Zonely joins the fold, aiming for the world with its online content protection and anti-piracy software
February 2011
21 February - Creative HQ welcomes PriceTech, smart people creating even smarter pricing and revenue management software
17 February - A panel of international and local investors size up and shake down five Creative HQ companies practising their perfect pitch
9 February - Talking innovation and investment with US investor Rebecca Lynn from Morganthaler venture capital firm in SanFran
1 February - The launch of the new Ministry of Science and Innovation (MSI) has Creative HQ presenting with VicLink and Wetox, showcasing the science commercialisation story
January 2011
25 January - A new website section goes live to wrap up some kernels of insight from within, a great resource for young businesses ... Creative IQ
18 January - Mobile4X founder Peter Blaikie joins Creative HQ to turn his foreign exchange mobile platform into a global provider of market alerts.
17 January - Creative HQ welcomes intellectual property specialist Dr Penny Gibson as executive-in-residence.
December 2010
24 December - We're taking down the mistletoe and heading for the beach. Back Jan 10 for a new year of building empires from ideas. Merry Christmas.
16 December - TIME WARP !!! Flash back to disco styles as our seasonal soiree sees Santa pull on platforms and flanel pants... 70s yuletide!
16 December - Creative HQ's last CEO forum for the year, introducing new tools for businesses to kick start 2011 with.
10 December - Creative HQ's board of directors gets together for its inaugural meeting
9 December - business incubator representatives from the Maldives check out Creative HQ and hear from hot young things Beek and TacPlans
7 December - a roomful of CEOs get together for a session on sales techniques, defining their essence in the market and blueberry and choc chip muffins with Jeremy Moore. In a nutshell? Use The Force.
November 2010
25 November - a handful of cool Wellington companies visit Creative HQ for a two-hour session on market validation - the Yellow Brick Road to commercial success
19 November - Beek product demonstration
18 November - Launch of the Clean Technology Centre of Excellence in Otaki. Wetox and Spectionz presenting
16 November - Bright Idea Final Awards - Junkie Inc, Footfalls and Heartbeats and MyInfoSafe win their categories.
12 November - Creative HQ outing to see the Social Network Movie
10 November - Bright Idea Competition pitches to innovation community. Junkie Inc, Footfalls and Heartbeats and MyInfoSafe presenting
8 November - Workshop with Ian Sobieski, US Angel Investor
1 November - Brain HQ workshop with international investor panel as part of Investment week
October 2010
21 October - Graduation for Gecko Press
15 October - Morning tea to welcome Creative HQs newest company Myinfosafe
12 October - Bright Ideas - Food & Beverage and Hospitality workshop
11 October - Creative HQ welcomes its newest company Myinfosafe
6 October - Bright Ideas - Fashion & Retail workshop
4 October - Centruflow Limited and Optimation Limited signed an exclusive partnership agreement to deliver Business Service Visualisation solutions to the New Zealand market and beyond.
September 2010
27 September - Beek showcases Bolton Hotel with virtual tour.
27 September - Vinacoms 'Winefinder' promotion in Wellington New World stores.
27 September - Yonix enters first phase of beta testing with the new Business Analyst Solution 'Calm'.
27 September - Dash Tickets selling tickets for La de da festival 11,000 tickets sold and 3,500 people camping on site for tickets.
24 September - Global Entrepreneurship Week Countdown Launch, Massey University tea gardens
15 September - Morning tea to welcome our two new companies, 77 Pieces and TacPlans
15 September - CEO stand up meeting
9 September - Bright Ideas - Unlimited Potential Co-Founder Matchmaking event
8 September - Bright Ideas - Execute: Go to Market Workshop
6 September - Bright Ideas - Build the Solution: Technical Workshop
1 September - Nick Schembri, co-founder of Dash Tickets names as president of Wellington Young Professionals
1 September - CEO stand up meeting
August 2010
30 August - Bright Ideas - Build the Solution: Strategy Workshop
25 August - Morning tea to welcome new company 77-Pieces
25 August - Bright Ideas - Know your Market: Validation workshop
23 August - CEO Dinner with BNZ CEO Andrew Thorburn
20 August - Technology and Innovation Expo held at Weltec, Petone
18 August - New company 77 Pieces joins Creative HQ
18 August - CEO stand up meeting
13 August - Ben knill of Beek named as finalist for the PATA Young Tourism Entrepreneur
12 August - Starnow.com CEO Cameron Melhopt names as finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the year
6 August - Friday night drinks before heading to The Fierceness
5-7 August - The Fierceness, dance show
4-5 August - Sales Workshop for all CEOS
4 August - Steve attending the INZ Annual General Meeting in Hamilton
July 2010
28 July - New Zealand Internet Industry Awards
23 July - Friday nights drinks with the Creative HQ movie premier
21 July - CEO stand up meeting
21-23 July - Bizzone Business Expo, TSB Bank Arena
13 July - Summer of Tech, install fest
7 July - Information morning tea on Summer of Tech
7 July - CEO stand up meeting
6 July - CHQ presentation at Youth Parliament
June 2010
23 June - CEO stand up meeting
18 June - Lean start up at Sourther Cross
9 June - CEO stand up meeting
4 June - Pre Launch presentation from Junkie Inc, followed by drinks and nibbles
May2010
28 May - CEO Forum
26 May - CEO Stand up meeting and morning tea for new company - Safeshot
21 May - Friday night drinks
19 May - Wellington Gold Awards
13 - 21 May - Tui attending National Business Incubation Conference in Florida, USA
13 May - Informal lunch with Angel HQ members
12 May - NZTE workshop for all New Zealand incubators
3 May - NZTE Q100 Assessment of Creative HQ Incubation Programme
5 May - Investment Workshop for CEOs
April 21 April - Creative HQ hosts six Australian incubator managers
14 April - CEO Stand up meeting
9 April - Lean Start Up Meet and Greet. Find out more about the Lean Start Up Movement.
8 April - Media Training with Cabix Communications
March 2010
31 March - Key Messages Workshop for CEOs, perfecting the 30 second pitch. More information.
26 March - Morning tea with Award winning Games Writer and Designer, Deborah Todd & Interactive Education Guru Andy Hoffman
25 March - CEO workshop with Bill Payne, Creative HQ Partner Event
22 March - CEO pitch practice
18 March - Morning tea for Wetox
17 March - Dazzle Tickets named in top three for Launchpad 2010 competition
17 March - Market Validation Workshop for Creative HQ CEO's
15 March - Alan Hucks starts as our new Creative HQ Business Strategist
15 March - Pitch practice for CEO's presenting at the upcoming Creative HQ Partner event
10 March - Pitch Practice for FUN2bFIT and Dazzle for Launchpad 2010
8 March - Bill Payne, workshop with Creative HQ Business Strategists
8 March - FUN2bFIT and Dazzle Tickets shortlisted for the inaugural Launchpad
5 March - Company Presentation - Viewnz is going to take us through their latest release.
4 March - We are working hard on our entries to the Wellington Gold Awards. Last year we had 3 finalists and 1 winner.
3 March - CEO Stand Up Session - a new initiative from our CEO's to update on their progress, key achievements and learnings over the past week.
3 March - Creative HQ report back on our attendance at Webstock. Overall, it rocked - a great conference. We loved Eric Ries. One quote stood out "The lion doesn't wait for an RFP before it hunts the gazelle".
1 March - Creative HQ accepts it's second clean technology business - Wetox.
February 2010
26 Feb - We have spent the last few days preparing our two entries for Launchpad 2010. Planet 2010 kicks off in Auckland 12-13 March.
24 Feb - Kickstand launches their pilot with Burke's cycles and gives the Creative HQ CEO's an overview of their cycle tutorials. If you are a keen cyclist - check the tutorials out at www.kickstand.co.nz
17 Feb - US Entrepreneur Eric Ries visits Creative HQ and shares his insights and perspectives on the lean start up. Check out Eric's blog.
12 Feb - Creative HQ heading to Webstock in force.
1 Feb - Creative HQ has accepted Card Junkie into the incubator.
