Great South

What Great South does

Great South, legally Southland Regional Development Agency Limited, is the designated regional development agency for Murihiku Southland, New Zealand, succeeding the former Venture Southland and consolidating regional development functions under a single entity. Founded in 2015 and headquartered at 143 Spey Street, Invercargill, Great South holds a formal mandate from Invercargill City Council, Southland District Council, and Gore District Council plus central government to drive economic, social, and cultural growth across the Southland region.

Service delivery is organised across four pillars: Business Services (workforce development, decarbonisation support, and business support workshops), Tourism & Events (travel trade support, Business Events Southland, destination development for Fiordland and broader Southland), Regional Development (housing, the Beyond 2025 long-term plan, aquaculture, and regional data), and Strategic Projects (GIS & Mapping, regional emissions, net-zero and decarbonisation initiatives). The technology stack is service-delivery-oriented rather than proprietary software: the Data Insights Southland Hub (DISH) at southlanddata.nz aggregates regional demographics, economic, and environmental data; Solar and Wind Energy Maps provide interactive spatial tools; the Brandkit-powered Visual Library distributes digital marketing assets; the Build Southland portal navigates housing services; and the Awarua Satellite Ground Station operates through wholly-owned subsidiary SpaceOps NZ. The company has no API or SDK surfaces and no disclosed AI/ML capability.

Revenue is generated through government and regional council funding allocations rather than market-priced service fees. Beneficiaries of Great South's programmes include Southland businesses (workforce, decarbonisation, growth planning), tourism operators (Fiordland and broader Southland including cruise, business events, and destination marketing), regional councils and central government partners (MBIE, Ministry of Social Development, Government's Social Wellbeing Agency), young people aged 16–24 via the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs, and broader Southland communities (housing, data, and digital inclusion initiatives). Sub-brands include Southland NZ, Fiordland Beyond Belief, Visit Southland, and Visit Fiordland. Leadership comprises Chief Executive Chami Abeysinghe and Chair Ian Collier, with the General Manager of Strategic Projects retiring in 2026 after 25 years.

Name

Great South

Legal name

Southland Regional Development Agency Limited

Website

https://greatsouth.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Great South is the designated Southland Regional Development Agency (New Zealand), delivering business support, tourism promotion, regional planning, and strategic projects for Murihiku Southland, funded primarily through three district councils and central government agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional & Land Use Planning (BPAHAKAE), Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO), Climate, Environment & Natural Resource Management Aid Programs (BPADABAI)

Keywords

• Regional development services
• Economic development
• Tourism marketing
• Business support services
• Workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Invercargill

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Great South operates as a Southland Regional Development Agency funded primarily through government sources and regional council investments. As a Crown entity/regional development organization, they receive funding to support regional economic development, tourism promotion, and business support services for the Southland region.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Great South is the Southland Regional Development Agency delivering economic development, tourism promotion, business support, and strategic project coordination for the Murihiku Southland region of New Zealand. Its offerings span four pillars: Business Services (workforce, decarbonisation, business support workshops), Tourism & Events (destination marketing, travel trade support, destination development), Regional Development (housing, aquaculture, data, long-term planning), and Strategic Projects (GIS, mapping, regional emissions, net zero initiatives). Services are funded primarily through government and regional council sources and provided at no direct cost to beneficiaries.

Product overview

Great South is the Southland Regional Development Agency offering a portfolio of regional development services organized around four main pillars: Business Services (including workforce support and decarbonisation), Tourism & Events, Regional Development (housing, aquaculture, data), and Strategic Projects. Key digital offerings include the Data Insights Southland Hub (DISH), Solar and Wind Energy Maps, and the Great South Visual Library. Additional programs include the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs, Sustainable Tourism Programme, and Decarbonisation Workshops. The organization does not operate as a unified software product but rather as a service-based regional development agency with several digital tools and platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fiordland Beyond Belief: Regional tourism brand for Fiordland destination marketing
• Southland NZ
• Visit Southland
• Visit Fiordland

Products and services

• Business Services Comprehensive business support services for Southland businesses, including business support workshops, workforce development assistance, and decarbonisation support. For Southland-based business owners and operators seeking to grow, innovate, and decarbonise.
• Tourism & Events Tourism promotion and events support for Murihiku Southland, including travel trade support, business events coordination, tourism marketing, and destination development. For tourism operators, event organizers, and destination businesses across the region.
• Data Insights Southland Hub (DISH) Regional centralized digital data platform providing timely, comprehensive, and accurate data about Southland's people, economy, and environment to support evidence-based decision making. For regional decision makers, councils, businesses, and researchers.
• Solar Energy Map - Southland Interactive map tool showing solar energy potential across Southland, displaying solar irradiance data to help identify suitable locations for solar energy development. For businesses, developers, and energy planners.
• Wind Energy Map - Southland Interactive map tool showing wind energy potential across Southland, displaying mean wind speed at 100m above ground, power density, and prevailing wind direction. For businesses, developers, and energy planners.
• Great South Visual Library Brandkit-powered digital asset library containing images, videos, documents, and brand assets for Southland regional marketing and promotion use. For tourism operators, regional marketers, and content creators.
• Mayors Taskforce for Jobs Employment support program connecting young people aged 16-24 with sustainable employment opportunities in rural Southland, including training, CV building, job placement, and employer subsidies. For young job seekers and rural employers in Southland District.
• Sustainable Tourism Programme In-depth sustainability program supporting tourism operators in Murihiku Southland on their sustainability journey, complementing the webinar series. For tourism operators across the region.
• Sustainable Tourism Webinar Series Free webinar series for tourism operators held on the first Wednesday of every second month, covering topics such as waste reduction, sustainable procurement, and electric vehicles. For tourism operators across Murihiku Southland.
• Build Southland Digital portal acting as a one-stop shop to help people navigate Southland's housing landscape for buying, building, renovating, or investing. For residents, prospective residents, and housing developers in Southland.
• Decarbonisation Workshop Series Workshop series supporting businesses to reduce carbon emissions and support regional decarbonisation efforts. For Southland businesses pursuing carbon reduction and net zero pathways.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 of 13 housing projects successfully delivered through Murihiku Southland Housing Action Plan
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with MBIE to support digital inclusion for Southland youth through donation of 320 refurbished laptops from MBIE's fleet to support the Southland Youth Futures Programme, youth development organization Your Corps, and Southland Boys High School.
• Southland District CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreat South delivers the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs initiative on behalf of Southland District Council, with funding from Ministry of Social Development.
• Government Social Wellbeing AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Government's Social Wellbeing Agency who are developing public dashboards consolidating Government information across 5 areas: Health, Safety, Education, Housing and Economy.
• COIN SouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with industry and COIN South to explore how data networks could hold the potential to add economic and societal value through innovation.
• Regional CouncilscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShared approach between Councils and Great South to investigate required data to inform spatial planning and climate change planning across the region.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce: The Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce provides business support, advocacy, and economic development services for Canterbury businesses. It is comparable as a regional business support intermediary, although structured as a chamber rather than a development agency.

Broad incumbents

• Invest Northern Ireland: Invest Northern Ireland is the regional economic development agency for Northern Ireland, delivering investment, business support, and tourism promotion. It is broadly comparable as a publicly mandated regional development agency operating under a similar integrated economic development model.
• Tourism New Zealand: Tourism New Zealand is the national destination marketing organization for New Zealand, operating at a national rather than regional scale. It is comparable as the incumbent tourism marketing body that regional agencies like Great South complement and partner with for international promotion.

Direct peers

• Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED): ATEED operates as Auckland's regional economic and cultural agency with business support, destination marketing, and major event delivery. It is the largest-scale analogue of Great South's integrated economic development and tourism mandate in New Zealand.
• Northland Inc: Northland Inc is the regional development agency for Northland, New Zealand, focused on economic development, investment attraction, and tourism promotion. It is comparable as a regional-scale integrated economic development and destination agency.
• ChristchurchNZ: ChristchurchNZ is the economic development and city profile agency for Christchurch, operating with a similar mandate across business growth, tourism, events, and talent attraction. It is the most direct functional peer to Great South as a destination-led regional development agency in New Zealand.
• Hawke's Bay Regional Economic Development Agency: Hawke's Bay's regional economic development agency delivers economic development, tourism, and investment attraction services for a similarly sized NZ region. It offers a comparable model of regional economic and tourism development under a unified agency structure.
• WellingtonNZ: WellingtonNZ is the Wellington region's economic development and destination agency covering business, tourism, events, and major projects. It mirrors Great South's integrated model combining destination marketing with business and regional development services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/great-southnz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Great South