A new entrepreneurial co-working space has opened at Victoria University of Wellington.

The facility, called the Taiawa Wellington Tech Hub, is located in Rutherford House on the Pipitea University campus. A variety of fast-growing companies will take part, including climate technology firms Cogo and CarbonInvoice, botanical prescription drug developer Evithé Bio and scientific literature review assistant Litmaps. A total of 51 desktops will be available to these businesses.

Professor Stephen Cummings, co-director of the university’s innovation space The Atom-Te Kahu o Te Ao, expressed his enthusiasm for the new centre. He said: “This will enable us to better engage with Wellington’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and create opportunities for the exchange of ideas between innovative businesses and our staff and students.”

Cummings highlighted Rutherford House as the ideal location for such a co-working initiative, noting: “This comes from the recognition that Rutherford House is the ideal location in the ideal location to host such a co-working space. Opening up our buildings to So the city can create greater synergy and value not only for our students and researchers, but also for Wellington’s business community.”

Taiawa is being developed in partnership with WellingtonNZ, the regional economic development agency. Rebecca Campbell, who leads the technology sector group in Wellington, New Zealand, noted the importance of a cohesive workplace in promoting economic and technological growth in the region. “Wellington has many successful technology companies, but despite being a compact city, we can do better in promoting collaboration and skills sharing. Wellington needs its technology sector to thrive and our mission is to create 30,000 new value jobs over the next decade,” she explained.

Campbell highlighted the successful precedents of such hubs around the world, noting: “We looked at other cities that have successfully accelerated the growth of their technology sectors, and a key component of each strategy is to create a central location where companies can work together. , learn from each other and create a shared culture of ambition and collaboration. The most successful centers were centered around universities.”

Dr. Jesse Pirini, co-director of The Atom, described the hub as “the culmination of years of engagement with the entrepreneurial community through The Atom and hosting events such as Slush’D and TedX.” He added: “So when the opportunity to work with WellingtonNZ came up, we jumped at it. It’s great to be able to collaborate with them on this unique partnership.”

Tenants at the technology center include Cogo, a company that helps businesses reduce and measure their carbon emissions. Ben Gleisner, Cogo CEO and Te Herenga Waka alumnus, described the space as a “win-win” for everyone involved. “This will provide unprecedented opportunities for companies, the wider technology industry and business students that they cannot access at other institutions in Aotearoa – there is potential for collaboration on research, internships or special projects. Ultimately, just as we are supported to grow, we hope there will be real jobs for students as well.”

Victoria University of Wellington Vice-Chancellor Nick Smith highlighted the importance of the center in strengthening Wellington’s business sector, particularly during challenging times. “The development of this center is a vote of confidence in Wellington’s business community, especially in the face of bad news about public sector redundancies. We believe in the technology and innovation industry, and we are excited about the opportunity to contribute to the development of this center. his growth.”

The name “Taiawa” combines the words “tai” (ocean) and “ava” (river), symbolizing the fusion of different entities in a shared space. It echoes the community pipi collection activities, reflecting the engagement and collaboration the center aims to foster among businesses, staff and students. This name was approved by Kura Moeahu, Rangatira Te Ati Awa and Taranaki.