Innovate
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersPalmerston North, New Zealand
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Innovate firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Innovate
- Legal name
- The Factory NZ
- Website
- https://innovate.kiwi
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Innovate industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Incubation Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Venture Studios / Company Builders (FSANAAAH)
Keywords
Where Innovate is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Palmerston North
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Innovate business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Incubation & Support Services: Provides hands-on coaching and tailored incubation programmes to early-stage startups in New Zealand, connecting them with capital pathways and experienced founder guidance.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Innovate product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Factory NZ is a startup incubator and early-stage investment organization that delivers hands-on coaching, tailored incubation programmes, and founder advocacy services to ambitious startup founders in New Zealand. It also coordinates the MIG Angels investor network to connect founders with early-stage capital and partners with Sprout Agritech to support agritech startups.
Product overview
The Factory NZ operates as a startup accelerator and incubator offering a unified support platform for early-stage founders in Aotearoa New Zealand. The core offering consists of three integrated service pillars: (1) Founder Support Services that champion and advocate for founders to build visibility and momentum, (2) a Startup Incubation Programme providing hands-on coaching and tailored incubation programmes to help startups scale, and (3) MIG Angels Investment Coordination that connects founders with early-stage capital through an investor network. The platform also offers Perks & Resources as add-on support for enrolled startups. Sprout Agritech operates as a related partner brand focused specifically on agricultural technology startups. The accelerator has supported 303 startups, helped create 483 jobs, and facilitated $161M in capital raised.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Startup Incubation Programme
Quantifiable outcome
- 303 startups incubated
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Innovate
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Innovate technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Innovate partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered foundational and core.
- CEDAfoundationalFoundational partner of The Factory NZ, supporting regional startup ecosystem development.
- CETfoundationalFoundational partner of The Factory NZ, supporting regional startup ecosystem development.
- PalmyfoundationalFoundational partner of The Factory NZ, supporting regional startup ecosystem development.
- MDCfoundationalFoundational partner of The Factory NZ, supporting regional startup ecosystem development.
- Sprout AgritechcoreSpecialized agritech startup support channel linked to The Factory NZ, providing focused resources for agricultural technology founders.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Innovate competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Y Combinator: The global benchmark startup accelerator offering cohort-based programs, mentorship, and seed funding to early-stage companies. Comparable as a top-of-funnel accelerator, though operating at vastly larger scale and global reach than The Factory NZ.
- Techstars: Global accelerator network running mentorship-driven startup programs with an established alumni base and investor network. Comparable in accelerator-model mechanics but with global presence and significantly larger portfolio scale.
- Callaghan Innovation: New Zealand government's innovation agency providing grants, R&D support, and commercialization services to startups and growth companies. Comparable as a foundational ecosystem player supporting founders, but with broader public-mandate scope and not a venture-style accelerator.
- NZTE (New Zealand Trade and Enterprise): New Zealand government's international business development agency supporting high-growth NZ companies to scale globally. Comparable as a national-level institution backing founder and ecosystem development, though focused on export and trade enablement rather than cohort incubation.
Direct peers
- Lightning Lab: NZ-based accelerator program that runs cohort-based startup bootcamps with investor and mentor networks. Comparable in mission, cohort structure, and capital-pathway focus to The Factory NZ's incubation offering.
- Icehouse: New Zealand-based startup incubator and accelerator providing founder support, mentorship, and investor connections. Directly comparable as another domestic NZ incubator competing for the same founder pool and regional economic development partnerships.
- Antler: Global early-stage venture investor and accelerator with strong presence in New Zealand and the broader APAC region. Comparable as a structured cohort program connecting founders with investors and mentors, though operating at significantly larger global scale.
- CreativeHQ: Wellington-based innovation hub and startup support organization delivering incubation programs, founder services, and ecosystem development. Comparable as a regionally-anchored NZ incubator offering similar founder-support services.
Others
- Startup Genome: Global research and policy advisory organization focused on startup ecosystem development. Comparable as an ecosystem-builder adjacent to The Factory NZ's incubation role, though operating in research/advisory rather than direct founder-support services.
Emerging players
- Sprout Agritech: Agritech-focused accelerator operating as a partner brand to The Factory NZ, with specialized programs for agricultural technology startups. Highly comparable in agritech vertical focus and overlapping founder base, though narrower in sector mandate.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Innovate social profiles
Digital presenceInnovate financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Innovate leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Innovate funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Innovate M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Innovate
What does Innovate do?
The Factory NZ is a startup incubator and early-stage investment organization that delivers hands-on coaching, tailored incubation programmes, and founder advocacy services to ambitious startup founders in New Zealand. It also coordinates the MIG Angels investor network to connect founders with early-stage capital and partners with Sprout Agritech to support agritech startups.
Is Innovate a public or private company?
Innovate is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Innovate founded?
Innovate was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Innovate based?
Innovate is headquartered in Palmerston North, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Innovate make money?
One revenue line is on record: incubation & Support Services.
Who are Innovate's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Y Combinator, Techstars, Callaghan Innovation and NZTE (New Zealand Trade and Enterprise). Direct peers are Lightning Lab, Icehouse, Antler and CreativeHQ. Startup Genome is listed as an others. Sprout Agritech is listed as an emerging player.
Does Innovate have an API?
No public API is recorded for Innovate.
What industry is Innovate in?
Innovate's product category is Startup Incubation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated), with a secondary code of FSANAAAH, Venture Studios / Company Builders.