My name is Greg Simmonds, Chief Operating Officer at Priority One, the economic development organisation for Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty. Our role is to build a vibrant economy that retains and attracts talent and business in order to lift the prosperity of local people and communities.

We have worked alongside Venture Centre since its establishment in 2014 as a place-based entrepreneur support organisation designed to support early stage venture development. This has included funding specific programmes, such as Powering On; contracting Venture Centre’s expertise for special projects and sponsoring various events organised by Venture Centre, such as Tauranga Start-Up weekend.

Venture Centre consistently deliver high quality events and programmes that are targeted to the specific needs of the local start-up community. As a result, Venture Centre has played a key role in supporting the growth of Tauranga’s entrepreneurial eco-system – growth evidenced by the city recording the highest number of new start-ups nationally during this year’s Covid-19 lockdown period. In addition, Venture Centre works collaboratively with other public and private sector organisations to ensure there is wrap-around support available for local entrepreneurs at all stages of the business lifecycle.

We have no hesitation in recommending Venture Centre as a delivery partner with the capability to effectively support entrepreneurs and early stage ventures.