Ministry of Awesome

What Ministry of Awesome does

Ministry of Awesome is a New Zealand-based non-profit startup support organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in Christchurch. It operates a tiered founder development pathway that includes Startup Aotearoa (coaching for idea-stage founders), Pre-Founder Catalyst (customer-validation stage), and Founder Catalyst (a seven-month intensive program pairing each startup with a dedicated Entrepreneur-in-Residence). The organization serves early-stage startup founders across New Zealand, delivering programs virtually, in person, or hybrid nationwide, supported by a network of 150+ mentors and 200+ investors, with physical hubs in Christchurch (Te Ōhaka) and Auckland (GridAKL John Lysaght). It has supported 330+ startups since inception, of which 78% (200+) remain operating, with alumni collectively raising $333M in private capital, unlocking $31M in non-dilutive funding, generating $93M in annual revenue, and creating 1,080 jobs.

The organization's business model is government and foundation-funded, with primary foundation partners being MBIE (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment), ChristchurchNZ, and Kiwibank. Ministry of Awesome charges no participation fees and takes no equity in startups in exchange for program participation. Its commercial activity centers on the Kiwibank StartUp+ programme, a progress-based funding product co-developed with Kiwibank that was made permanent and rolled out nationwide in June 2026 after a pilot phase that exceeded demand projections by 3x. Additional revenue-adjacent activities include the annual Electrify Aotearoa summit (held in Auckland) and regular community events such as Coffee and Jam. The organization is governed by a board of trustees and led by CEO Graham Scown, appointed in May 2025, who previously led venture-building efforts at the University of Auckland's UniServices unit for 13 years.

Ministry of Awesome's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, with no traditional sales motion. Founders are recruited through Expression of Interest applications, ecosystem referrals, content marketing (Founder Stories blog, social media, newsletter), and flagship events. Key partners include Kiwibank (financial product co-development), MBIE (government funding), and ChristchurchNZ (regional hub support), alongside workspace partnerships with GridAKL and Te Ōhaka. The organization has been recognized as a finalist in the NZ HiTech Awards in both 2025 and 2026. Ministry of Awesome does not develop proprietary technology products; its value proposition is the program architecture, mentorship model, and curated ecosystem access, all of which are positioned around a founder-first ethos targeting globally ambitious New Zealand startups.

Name

Ministry of Awesome

Legal name

Ministry of Awesome

Website

https://ministryofawesome.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ministry of Awesome is a Christchurch-based non-profit founded in 2012 that runs tiered founder development programs (Startup Aotearoa, Pre-Founder Catalyst, Founder Catalyst) for early-stage New Zealand startup founders, supported by MBIE, ChristchurchNZ, and Kiwibank, with 330+ startups supported and no equity taken.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Acceleration and Entrepreneurship Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Startup accelerator programs
• Early-stage founder support
• Entrepreneurship mentorship
• Venture building ecosystem
• New Zealand startup community

Headquarters

HQ city

Christchurch

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Funding and Foundation Partnerships: Ministry of Awesome operates as a non-profit organization primarily funded through government grants (MBIE) and foundation partnerships (ChristchurchNZ, Kiwibank). The organization does not charge startups for program participation and does not take equity in exchange for participation in Founder Catalyst.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ministry of Awesome operates a tiered founder development pathway for early-stage New Zealand startups, anchored by the seven-month Founder Catalyst intensive program that pairs founders with dedicated Entrepreneurs-in-Residence mentors and connects them to 150+ mentors and 200+ investors. The organization complements this with Startup Aotearoa (idea-stage coaching), Pre-Founder Catalyst (customer validation), the annual Electrify Aotearoa summit, regular Coffee and Jam community events, corporate perks, and the Kiwibank Startup+ progress-based funding partnership. Programs are delivered free of charge without equity participation, funded primarily through government grants and foundation partnerships.

Product overview

Ministry of Awesome operates as a comprehensive startup ecosystem platform offering tiered founder development programmes. The core offerings include: Startup Aotearoa (entry-level coaching for idea-stage founders), Pre-Founder Catalyst (customer-validation stage), and Founder Catalyst (a seven-month intensive programme with dedicated EIR support and access to 150+ mentors and 200+ investors). The organisation also facilitates Kiwibank Startup+, a progress-based funding partnership for early-stage businesses. Additional offerings include Electrify Aotearoa (annual high-impact summit), Coffee and Jam (founder events), Startup Perks (benefits), Startup Stories (case studies), and access to the mentor network. The ecosystem is powered by partnerships with MBIE, Kiwibank, and ChristchurchNZ.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Startup Aotearoa: Coaching programme connecting experienced startup coaches with founders to explore and develop business ideas.
• Founder Catalyst
• Electrify Aotearoa

Products and services

• Founder Catalyst
• Startup Aotearoa
• Pre-Founder Catalyst
• Kiwibank Startup+
• Electrify Aotearoa
• Coffee and Jam
• Startup Perks
• Startup Mentor Network

Quantifiable outcome

• 78% of supported startups still operating
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ChristchurchNZcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristchurchNZ is a foundation partner in Ōtautahi (Christchurch), providing support for maintaining physical and virtual hubs for founders. The partnership contributes to creating a strong innovation community across Aotearoa.
• GridAKL John LysaghtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkspace access partnership for Auckland-based Founder Catalyst participants. Provides free access during program duration, occasional free access for alumni, and guest access for visiting founders from other locations.
• Te ŌhakaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkspace facility for Christchurch-based MoA founders. Open to all current and past MoA founders, with hot desks for visitors and dedicated desks for local founders. Access is free during Founder Catalyst, with potential fees afterward.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mnstryofawsm
• Facebookfacebook.com/mnstryofawsm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ministry-of-awesome.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Ministry of Awesome