Startup Weekend Taranaki 2026

See what you can build in a weekend!

Bring the skills and life experience you already have. We’ll add a team, expert mentors, a proven process—and plenty of great food.

Over one exhilarating weekend, you’ll help turn an early idea into something remarkably complete: customer insight, a tested concept, a prototype, a plan for finding customers, a business model and a five-minute pitch.

You don’t need an idea, startup experience or a technology background.

What happens?

On Friday evening, participants pitch early ideas. You can pitch, but you absolutely don’t have to.

You’ll join a team around an idea that interests you, then spend the weekend researching the problem, speaking with potential customers, developing a solution and working out how it could become sustainable.

By Sunday, teams will have:

• Tested a genuine customer problem.

• Developed a product or service concept.

• Created a prototype or mock-up.

• Explored branding and marketing.

• Planned how to find their first 100 customers.

• Developed a business model.

• Prepared a five-minute pitch.

Every team presents to an expert judging panel on Sunday evening.

Who is it for?

Startup Weekend is for curious people who want to experience what it is like to create something new.

You could be a student, parent, freelancer, employee, technologist, career changer, community worker—or simply someone wondering whether you have something valuable to contribute.

Teams need people who can research, organise, communicate, design, analyse, solve practical problems, work with technology, understand customers and support others.

You already have useful skills.

What your ticket includes

• Dinner on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

• Breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday.

• Snacks and refreshments throughout the weekend.

• Sunday-night celebration beverages.

• Two specialist Startup Weekend facilitators.

• Onsite expert mentors across entrepreneurship, marketing, law, accounting and other disciplines.

• Practical modules in customer research, marketing and pitching.

• All materials.

• Expert judging, feedback and critique.

• Continued, capped entrepreneurial coaching if you choose to keep developing the idea after the event.

• Potential incubation opportunities as the venture develops.

Dietary requirements can be accommodated.

Tickets and supported access

Standard ticket: $99

Student ticket: $49
Participants aged 16-17 require parental consent.

Returner ticket: $49
For those who've ridden the rollercoaster and can bring that insight to newcomers.

Caregiver access ticket: $39
Five sponsor-supported places are available for primary caregivers who need to arrange care to participate.

Community-access ticket: $39
Limited sponsor-supported places are distributed through selected community partners.

If cost is the only thing preventing you from attending, contact info@doso.nz confidentially.

Event times

Friday 13 November: 5:30 pm-10.30 pm
Saturday 14 November: 8 am–10.30 pm
Sunday 15 November: 8 am–7.30 pm

Participants should plan to attend the complete weekend so their team can rely on them.

Location

Manifold Coworking Space
49 Currie Street, New Plymouth

Bring a laptop or tablet if you have one, along with a reusable water bottle and coffee cup. Wi-Fi is provided.

Travelling from outside New Plymouth? Contact us for accommodation suggestions and possible carpools.

What happens afterward?

You do not have to continue with the idea after Sunday.

If you want to keep going, capped entrepreneurial coaching is available to every participant or team that continues working on its idea, with potential pathways into incubation and further support.

Winner and runner-up certificates are awarded on Sunday evening. The winning team also receives a period of coworking space.

Participation agreement

Startup Weekend is an inclusive, collaborative environment for sharing, learning, building and having fun.

By participating, you agree to treat other people and their ideas respectfully and to act professionally throughout the event. Ideas discussed during the weekend contribute to the shared experience; if an idea contains confidential intellectual property, pitch only what you are comfortable sharing.

You also acknowledge responsibility for any damage or accident you cause and agree not to hold Techstars Startup Weekend, Doso or event supporters liable for unforeseeable loss, damage or injury.

Photography and video may be captured during the event and used by Techstars and Doso for promotional purposes.

By purchasing a ticket, you agree to the applicable Techstars Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Bring your curiosity. See what you can build.