What The Factory does

The Factory NZ is a non-profit startup incubator and accelerator headquartered in Palmerston North, Manawatū, New Zealand, founded in 2003 as the Bio Commerce Centre and later rebranded. It is owned and governed by the Manawatū Entrepreneurship and Investment Trust, a charitable trust, and operates with a small team of 1-10 staff. The organisation provides structured support to early-stage founders through a portfolio of programmes including Founder 101 (lean methodology foundations), One-to-One Founder Support delivered under the Startup Aotearoa framework, Ongoing Incubation Support, the Innovate cohort-based accelerator, and an Investment Readiness Programme. It also operates the Perks & Resources benefits programme offering discounted access to third-party SaaS tools, and hosts the annual Manawatū Innovation Showcase, which attracted over 520 registrations in its 2026 edition.

The Factory generates revenue primarily through government and regional council grants and programme funding — including Callaghan Innovation and Startup Aotearoa — supplemented by foundational partnerships with CEDA, CET, Palmerston North City Council, and Manawatū District Council. It does not charge founders direct programme fees and does not publicly disclose financial information. The organisation also facilitates the Manawatū Investment Group (MIG) and MIG Angels network, which has deployed over $40M into pre-seed and seed-stage startups sourced through its pipeline. In May 2026, The Factory participated directly in Vori's $22M Series B alongside Cherryrock Capital and Greylock Partners, signalling an emerging principal investing posture.

Since inception, The Factory reports incubating 303 startups, supporting 483 jobs within active portfolio companies, and contributing to $161M in capital raised by its startups. Its portfolio spans biotech (Biolumic, Koru Biotech), agritech (CropX, Hectre, Sprout Agritech which was spun out as an independent entity), consumer products, and logistics. The organisation's competitive position rests on 22+ years of accumulated relationships across founders, angel investors, and ecosystem partners, and its structural role as a regional delivery partner for national government programmes.

Name

The Factory

Legal name

The Factory NZ

Website

https://thefactorynz.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Factory NZ is a non-profit startup incubator in Palmerston North, New Zealand, owned by the Manawatū Entrepreneurship and Investment Trust. It supports early-stage founders through coaching programmes, mentorship, and angel investment coordination via MIG Angels and the Startup Aotearoa framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubation Services

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Venture Studios / Company Builders (FSANAAAH)

Keywords

• Startup incubation
• Founder support
• Angel investing
• Accelerator programmes
• Startup mentoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Palmerston North City

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Incubation and Programme Services: The Factory generates revenue through delivering startup support programmes, many of which are funded through Callaghan Innovation and government funding mechanisms. They coordinate MIG Angels for early-stage investment.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Factory NZ is a startup incubator and accelerator based in Palmerston North, New Zealand, that delivers structured founder support programmes (Founder 101, One-to-One Founder Support, Ongoing Incubation, Capital Readiness, Innovate) and facilitates an angel investment network (Manawatū Investment Group / MIG Angels). It connects early-stage founders with mentors, investors, and ecosystem partners across Aotearoa New Zealand, and also provides discounted access to software tools through its Perks & Resources programme.

Product overview

The Factory is a startup support organization (incubator/accelerator) based in Manawatū, New Zealand, offering a portfolio of programs and services for early-stage founders. The core offering consists of Founder 101 (foundational lean methodology support), One-to-One Founder Support via Startup Aotearoa, Ongoing Incubation Support, and Capital Readiness & Access programs. The Factory also facilitates the Manawatū Investment Group (MIG) angel network for early-stage investment. Additional programs include the Innovate Programme (regional accelerator), Investment Readiness Programme, the Sprout Agritech agritech accelerator (now independent), and the Manawatū Innovation Showcase (annual ecosystem event). The organization provides Perks & Resources offering discounted access to various software tools. Founded in 2003 as the Bio Commerce Centre, The Factory is owned by the Manawatū Entrepreneurship and Investment Trust and has incubated over 303 startups with $161M capital raised.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Manawatū Investment Group (MIG): The Factory's angel investment network bringing together experienced and emerging investors to support early-stage startups, primarily at pre-seed and seed stage.
• MIG Angels

Products and services

• Founder 101 Foundational startup support programme using lean methodology to help early-stage founders test ideas, understand customers, and build strong early foundations.
• One-to-One Founder Support Personalised support for early-stage founders delivered through the Startup Aotearoa programme, providing individual coaching and guidance.
• Ongoing Incubation Support Continued engagement as startups gain traction and grow, with hands-on support as challenges and opportunities emerge.
• Capital Readiness & Access Guidance into early-stage capital through the Manawatū Investment Group and the wider investment landscape across Aotearoa.
• Manawatū Investment Group (MIG) Angels Angel investment network facilitated by The Factory, bringing together experienced and emerging investors to support early-stage startups at pre-seed and seed stage.
• Innovate Programme Cohort-based incubator and accelerator programme designed and delivered by The Factory, initially supporting Manawatū founders before expanding across multiple regions in the North Island.
• Investment Readiness Programme Structured support programme for founders across all sectors who need preparation for capital raising.
• Perks & Resources Access to discounted or free tools and services for startups including Xero, Notion, Customer.io, HubSpot, Make, Lua AI, Airwallex, Atlassian, AWS, Microsoft, Google Cloud, Miro, Carta, LeanStack, and more.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Sprout AgritechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSprout Agritech is an agritech accelerator that began as a programme delivered by The Factory and has since grown into an independent organisation, creating lasting impact across the agritech ecosystem.
• Startup AotearoacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment-funded startup support programme offering up to 10 free one-to-one coaching sessions for eligible founders. The Factory connects founders to this programme and delivers services under the Startup Aotearoa framework.
• CEDAsupportingOthersFoundational partner providing support to The Factory's ecosystem development efforts.
• CET (Central Economic Development Agency)supportingOthersFoundational partner supporting The Factory's work in the Manawatū region.
• Palmerston North City CouncilsupportingOthersFoundational partner providing municipal support to The Factory's ecosystem development in the Manawatū region.
• Manawatū District Council (MDC)supportingOthersFoundational partner providing district-level support to The Factory's ecosystem development.
• Massey UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey research and education partner in the Manawatū innovation ecosystem, with connections to student enterprise programmes and Massey Ventures.
• NZTE (New Zealand Trade and Enterprise)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational export and investment agency partner supporting startup internationalisation and ecosystem connections.
• Creative HQsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional startup support organisation and partner in the Aotearoa startup ecosystem.
• Ministry of AwesomesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional startup support organisation and partner in the Wellington/Northland startup ecosystem.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ministry of Awesome: Christchurch-based startup incubator and innovation hub offering programmes, events, and founder coaching. A direct peer as one of NZ's regional startup support organisations delivering similar incubation services to The Factory.
• Icehouse Ventures: New Zealand's leading angel and early-stage investment platform operating a venture arm alongside accelerator-style founder support. Highly comparable to The Factory because it sits at the intersection of founder incubation and angel investing, and is explicitly listed as a partner in The Factory's ecosystem.
• Creative HQ: Wellington-based startup incubator and innovation hub delivering founder programmes, events, and ecosystem support. Directly comparable as a regional NZ incubator serving early-stage founders with government and corporate backing, and is a named partner of The Factory.
• Startup Aotearoa: Government-funded national framework delivering free one-to-one coaching to NZ founders. The Factory is a delivery partner, making Startup Aotearoa both upstream funder and direct programme competitor/partner in founder coaching.

Emerging players

• Sprout Agritech: Agritech accelerator originally incubated inside The Factory and now an independent organisation. Comparable as a sector-specialist accelerator that evolved from the same parent entity, sharing lineage and ecosystem overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Antler: Global early-stage VC and founder generator with active presence across multiple geographies including Australasia. Comparable as a scale-stage accelerator/incubator offering cohort programmes, mentorship, and pre-seed investment at a much larger footprint than The Factory.
• Y Combinator: World-leading startup accelerator providing seed funding, mentorship, and a global investor network. Comparable as the archetypal accelerator that The Factory's Founder 101 / Innovate programmes mirror in structure, though at vastly different scale and global reach.
• Angel HQ: Wellington-based angel investment network and part of the wider Aotearoa investor ecosystem. Comparable to MIG Angels as a regionally-anchored angel network, and explicitly listed as a partner in The Factory's ecosystem.

Regional players

• Enterprise Angels: Bay of Plenty-based angel investment network. Comparable to MIG Angels as a regional NZ angel network focusing on early-stage investment, and a named partner in The Factory's ecosystem.
• Flying Kiwi Angels: South Island angel investment network. Comparable to MIG Angels as a regional NZ angel network operating alongside The Factory's investor ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thefactorynz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Factory