Tākina Events

What Tākina Events does

Tākina Events operates the Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, a purpose-built venue in Wellington, New Zealand's CBD cultural precinct, owned and operated by Wellington City Council. The 18,000 sqm facility combines two flexible plenary halls (seating up to 700 and 1,600 people respectively) totalling 2,730 sqm, 2,770 sqm of exhibition and pre-function space, five green rooms, and a 1,280 sqm public Exhibition Gallery across three main levels plus mezzanines. Notable technical features include New Zealand's first SEFAR glass façade, a fully base-isolated earthquake-resistant structure allowing up to 700mm of horizontal movement, LED production lighting with in-house truss infrastructure and live streaming capability, WaveCAST Wi-Fi-based assisted listening, a 30,000-litre rainwater harvesting system, and energy systems delivering a 66% reduction in operational carbon emissions and 60% reduction in energy use compared to comparable new builds. The facility is the first convention centre in Aotearoa to achieve 5-Star Green Star certification and Gold Qualmark Accreditation.

The venue serves two primary customer segments: enterprise conference and event organisers booking conventions, summits, and corporate events ranging from 100 to 2,300+ delegates (clients include the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases, RANZCOG, Festival for the Future, MEETINGS 2023, and APS & NZPsS); and public exhibition visitors attending touring exhibitions such as LEGO Star Wars, Jurassic World by Brickman, Michelangelo: A Different View, and Disney: The Magic of Animation. Revenue is generated through inquiry-based venue rental for conferences and business events, ticket sales for public exhibitions, and in-house catering services. The venue is positioned through its cultural precinct location opposite Te Papa, its sustainability credentials, and tikanga Māori cultural partnership with Taranaki Whānui and Te Āti Awa. Marketing and distribution operate via direct enterprise sales, the Business Events Wellington Convention Bureau referral channel, MEETINGS tradeshow participation, and self-serve ticketing for public exhibitions.

Tākina Events is a private entity (no public ticker) under government ownership, with capital costs of approximately NZD $179.3M funded through Wellington City Council borrowings and operational costs met through the Downtown Levy (40%) and General Rate (60%). The venue officially opened on 31 May 2023 following a dawn blessing by Te Āti Awa. In its first three years of operation, Tākina injected NZD $120M into the Wellington economy, welcomed more than 300,000 visitors across 8 public exhibitions, and hosted 119,758 delegates across 306 business events. The company has approximately 30 employees and is led by Director Jake Downing and General Manager Andrew Dorrington, with core partnerships established with Te Papa (Museum of New Zealand), Wellington City Council, Taranaki Whānui, and Business Events Wellington.

Name

Tākina Events

Legal name

Tākina Events

Website

https://takina.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tākina Events operates Wellington, New Zealand's purpose-built convention and exhibition centre, hosting enterprise conferences, multi-day business events, and touring public exhibitions for corporate clients, associations, and general visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Convention and Exhibition Centre Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAHAAAA

Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers)

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Conference & Convention Venues (Convention Centers, Civic Centers)

SECONDARYMPAGAFAA

General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Exhibitions, Fairs & Expos (Consumer/Public)

SECONDARYMPAGALAE

Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Event Venues & Venue Operations (Arenas, Theaters, Halls)

Keywords

• Convention venue services
• Exhibition centre hosting
• Conference event management
• Venue rental services
• Business event catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellington

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Venue Rental - Conference and Business Events: Hire of convention spaces including two plenary halls (up to 700 and 1,600 people respectively), 2,770 sqm of exhibition or pre-function space, five green rooms, and conference organiser offices. Spaces can be hired separately or together for large scale events.
2. Public Exhibition Tickets: Admission fees for touring public exhibitions hosted in the 1,280 sqm Exhibition Gallery on the ground floor. Past exhibitions include LEGO Star Wars, Jurassic World by Brickman, Michelangelo: A Different View, and Disney: The Magic of Animation.
3. In-house Catering Services: All event catering is managed through the award-winning in-house team. Custom menus are available with dietary requirements accommodated.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Tākina Events operates Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, an 18,000 sqm purpose-built venue in Wellington CBD combining two large plenary halls (capacity 700 and 1,600), a 1,280 sqm public exhibition gallery, and supporting event infrastructure. The company hires venue space to conference organisers, corporations, and associations for business events, and sells admission tickets to public touring exhibitions such as LEGO Star Wars, Jurassic World by Brickman, Michelangelo: A Different View, and Disney: The Magic of Animation. Integrated in-house catering and audiovisual services complement the venue hire.

Product overview

Tākina Events operates Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, a unified venue combining a 1,280 sqm public exhibition gallery with two large-scale convention halls (totaling 2,730 sqm with plenary capacities of 700 and 1,600). The venue offers integrated conference and events services including in-house catering, audiovisual capabilities, and accessibility features. Tākina Events also incorporates Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa as a neighboring venue partner for combined large-scale events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conference and Business Events Venue Hire Hire of two flexible plenary halls (capacity 700 and 1,600), 2,770 sqm of exhibition or pre-function space, five green rooms, and conference organiser offices for multi-day conferences, conventions, summits, and business events. Spaces can be hired separately or together for large-scale events.
• Public Exhibitions Gallery 1,280 sqm ground-floor Exhibition Gallery hosting touring public exhibitions for families, tourists, and the general public. Past exhibitions include LEGO Star Wars (international debut, 2026), Jurassic World by Brickman (2023), Michelangelo: A Different View, and Disney: The Magic of Animation. Tickets sold individually and via group bookings.
• In-House Catering Services Award-winning in-house catering team providing custom menus with dietary accommodations for conferences, business events, and exhibitions held at the venue.
• Audiovisual Production Services

Quantifiable outcome

• $120M economic impact to Wellington's economy in first three years
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered preferred and core.

• Streamliner ProductionspreferredTechnology or Integration · 8 April 2026Tākina Events appointed Streamliner Productions as a preferred audiovisual supplier for Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre.
• NW GrouppreferredTechnology or Integration · 8 April 2026Tākina Events appointed NW Group as a preferred audiovisual supplier for Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre.
• Museum of New Zealand Te Papa TongarewacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTākina Events incorporates two iconic neighbouring venues: Tākina Wellington Convention Centre and Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. The partnership offers endless possibilities for events across both venues.
• Taranaki Whānui / Te Āti AwacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partnership with Taranaki Whānui (mana whenua) where Te Āti Awa guided the building's identity from the earliest planning stages, embedding tikanga Māori into the venue. Kura Moeahu QSO gifted the name 'Tākina' and the Mouri Stone (Te Uiraroa) represents the building's spiritual essence.
• Business Events Wellington (BEW)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegion's official Convention Bureau that makes planning conferences and events easy, providing support and referrals for event organisers choosing Wellington and Tākina.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• SkyCity Auckland Convention Centre:
• Te Papa Tongarewa (Museum of New Zealand): Adjacent museum and core strategic partner of Tākina. While not a competitor, the partnership makes Te Papa the closest functional peer in Wellington for cultural exhibitions and large public-facing experiences.

Direct peers

• Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre: New Zealand's other major purpose-built convention centre, opened in Christchurch. Direct competitor for national and international conferences; comparable scale with plenary, exhibition, and banqueting facilities, and similar government-backed ownership model.
• NZ International Convention Centre (NZICC, Auckland): Auckland's flagship convention centre under development/operation, designed to host large international conferences. Tākina's most direct national competitor for premium business events and association conferences.
• Auckland Showgrounds (ASB Showgrounds): Large exhibition and events venue in Auckland hosting trade shows, consumer exhibitions, and conferences. Comparable function as a multi-hall exhibition venue and direct competitor for touring public exhibitions.

Broad incumbents

• Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre: Established Australian convention and exhibition venue comparable in size and event mix. Competes for international conferences and touring public exhibitions in the broader Asia-Pacific calendar.
• ICC Sydney (International Convention Centre Sydney): Large integrated convention, exhibition, and entertainment precinct in Sydney. Comparable in scale, public exhibition programming, and premium positioning, and competes for Asia-Pacific association events.
• Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC): Major Australian convention and exhibition centre comparable in scale and function. Direct trans-Tasman competitor for international association conferences considering Australasian venues.

Regional players

• Claudelands Events Centre (Hamilton): Mid-sized events and exhibition venue in the Waikato region. Competes for regional conferences and exhibitions, particularly those centred on the upper North Island.
• Dunedin Centre / Forsyth Barr Stadium events: Lower-volume South Island event venues hosting conferences, exhibitions, and sports events. Comparable in function but smaller scale and primarily serves the Otago region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/takinaevents

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Tākina Events