COIN South

Name

COIN South

Legal name

COIN South

Website

https://coinsouth.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

COIN South is a community-led innovation network based in Invercargill, New Zealand, supporting Southland early-stage startups and existing businesses through mentoring, design thinking coaching, the Start It online course, and facilitated angel investment connections.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup & Entrepreneurship Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK), Mentoring, Coaching, Alumni Networking & Peer Support Platforms (EDAFAMAN), Business, Entrepreneurship & Case Competitions (DECA-style, Pitch, Case) (EDAMAGAJ)

Keywords

• Startup mentoring programs
• Innovation ecosystem support
• Entrepreneurship education courses
• Angel investor facilitation
• Regional business development

Headquarters

HQ city

Invercargill

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. Education and Training Programs: COIN South generates revenue through fee-based educational programs, including an online self-directed course and a bundled course plus mentoring package for early-stage founders and entrepreneurs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

COIN South runs a regional innovation support network for Southland, New Zealand, delivering the Start It online course (with optional 1:1 mentoring add-on), 1:1 startup mentoring using the COIN Canvas and design thinking methodology, community events and pitch nights, and ecosystem connections to investors and partners. Network membership is free; revenue is generated from paid structured training programs and mentoring sessions for early-stage founders and small businesses in the Southland region.

Product overview

COIN South offers a collaborative innovation network supporting Southland startups and businesses. The primary service is the Start It program, consisting of an online self-directed course (available standalone or bundled with 1:1 mentoring sessions) that teaches business fundamentals. Supporting tools include the COIN Canvas for business model development. The organization also facilitates connections to investors (via Mainland Angel Investors), provides event programming, and offers referrals to coworking spaces. The offering is a single program with add-on mentoring, rather than a multi-module platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Start It Online Course A self-directed online course for early-stage founders in Southland, New Zealand, covering business basics, marketing, finance, customer validation, first sale strategies, brand building, and the COIN Canvas. Delivered via the Thinkific platform at NZ$172.50 incl. GST.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Southern Institute of Technology (SIT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIT is a strategic partner supporting COIN South's ecosystem development in Southland. They represent the education sector in the regional innovation infrastructure.
• Te Rūnanga o Ngāi TahucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTe Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu is a strategic partner, representing Māori iwi interests in the Southland innovation ecosystem development.
• Southland Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Southland Chamber of Commerce is a strategic partner providing a platform for economic development and business support, including facilitating coworking space for COIN South entrepreneurs.
• MCP (McDonald & Co. Accountants)minorOthersCorporate Member providing professional accounting services and supporting the growth of local businesses in Southland. MCP plays an active role in the economic development of the region.
• Elm MarketingminorOthersCorporate Member contributing marketing expertise to support Southland businesses. Elm Marketing (represented by Emma Lindsay) also delivers marketing curriculum content for the Start It program.
• StabicraftminorOthersCorporate Member. Stabicraft is a Southland-based boat manufacturer that plays an active role in supporting regional economic development.
• FindexminorOthersCorporate Member providing financial advisory services to support local businesses in Southland.
• RothburyminorOthersCorporate Member providing insurance services and supporting regional business ecosystem development in Southland.
• AWS LegalminorOthersCorporate Member providing legal services to support the growth of local Southland businesses.
• Harcourts InvercargillminorOthersCorporate Member providing real estate services supporting the regional business ecosystem.
• BDO InvercargillminorOthersCorporate Member providing accounting and advisory services to Southland businesses.
• Malloch McCleanminorOthersJesse Hall from Malloch McClean delivers finance and business building curriculum content for the Start It program (breakeven analysis, value pricing).

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Icehouse: Auckland-based business growth organisation offering mentoring, workshops, and founder support programmes. Comparable in providing structured entrepreneurship education and mentoring, but at national scale and with a broader SMB focus rather than a single-region mandate.
• Creative HQ: Wellington-based innovation hub providing incubator programmes, coworking, and founder support. Comparable in mission and offering portfolio but operates at larger scale in a major city, making it a broader incumbent rather than a direct regional peer.
• NZ Growth Capital Partners: NZ-wide growth capital and ecosystem-building organisation connecting startups with investors and support. Comparable in mission to develop the NZ innovation ecosystem, but operates at national scale with institutional capital rather than as a regional community hub.

Emerging players

• ThincLab Canterbury: Canterbury-based regional innovation hub offering mentoring, workspace, and founder programmes. Comparable as a regional NZ innovation support organisation targeting early-stage founders, though focused on the Canterbury region rather than Southland.

Direct peers

• SODA Inc: Canterbury-based founder development organisation offering incubation, mentoring, and ecosystem events. Comparable to COIN South as a regional NZ startup support hub focused on early-stage founders, with overlapping programme design (cohorts, mentoring, investor connections).
• Startup Dunedin: Dunedin-based startup support organisation and co-founder of Mainland Angel Investors alongside COIN South and Startup Queenstown Lakes. Directly comparable regional innovation hub with similar mentoring, events, and ecosystem-building mandate in a neighbouring South Island city.
• Lightning Lab: Christchurch-based startup accelerator and innovation hub running cohort programmes, mentoring, and investor readiness. Directly comparable to COIN South's Start It programme in targeting early-stage founders with structured programmes and investor introductions.
• Startup Queenstown Lakes: Queenstown-based startup support organisation and co-founder of Mainland Angel Investors alongside COIN South. Directly comparable regional innovation hub serving the same southern NZ ecosystem with founder mentoring, events, and investor connections.

Others

• Canterbury Angels: Christchurch-based angel investor network that amalgamated with Mainland Angel Investors in May 2024. Comparable as a regional angel capital channel directly connected to COIN South's pitch-night programme and Southland founders' investment pathway.
• KEA (Kiwi Expats Abroad): New Zealand global entrepreneur network connecting Kiwi founders, investors, and innovators worldwide. Comparable as a network-based support organisation for NZ entrepreneurs, though it operates globally rather than at the regional level COIN South serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coin-south

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 COIN South