Auckland Startup Week: dates, who attends, and how founders get in
Auckland Startup Week brings together visionary founders, international investors and industry leaders for five days of inspiration, connection and opportunity.
Verified ·8 official sources·Organised by Auckland Council’s Economic Development Office
The essentials from the organiser's own pages: when, where, how big, and how founders get in. Speakers, investor lists and past editions are on the official site.
- Next edition
- Oct 12–16, 2026 · Auckland Startup Week 2026 source
- Where
- Multiple venues across Auckland, including GridAKL in Wynyard Quarter; Pipiri Lane is the week’s homebase., Auckland, New Zealand
- Format
- in-person
- Tickets
- Free–NZ$435 (2026; event-specific pricing, not a single week pass) source
- Startup pass
- Founders can submit an expression of interest to take part and register separately for individual programme events. Most events are free; some are ticketed. source
- 30-3-3 Elevator Pitch Night
- $1,000 for the judges’ favourite and $1,000 for the audience choice (2026) source
- Cadence
- Annual, October (held 20–24 October 2025; scheduled 12–16 October 2026)
GeneralistPre-seedSeedSeries AGrowthPublicFoundersInvestorsCorporatesPartners
Next edition
| Dates | Oct 12–16, 2026 source |
|---|---|
| Edition | Auckland Startup Week 2026 |
| Venue | Multiple venues across Auckland, including GridAKL in Wynyard Quarter; Pipiri Lane is the week’s homebase., Auckland, New Zealand |
| Tickets | aucklandstartupweek.com source |
How founders get in
| Startup programme | Founders can submit an expression of interest to take part and register separately for individual programme events. Most events are free; some are ticketed. source |
|---|
30-3-3 Elevator Pitch Night
| Prize | $1,000 for the judges’ favourite and $1,000 for the audience choice (2026) source |
|---|
Meeting investors there
Founders can meet investors through networking and investor-facing pitch sessions; the 30-3-3 Elevator Pitch Night puts startup founders in front of investors and judges. source
Before you go: the hub's cold email to VCs playbook covers the pre-event outreach that fills a meeting calendar, and Causo matches your stage and thesis to the funds in its database so you know who to ask for a meeting.
Official links and socials
Social
Prepare for it
- How to cold email VCs — book the meetings before you land.
- The 12-slide seed deck — what to have ready when a partner says "send me the deck".
- Pitch Deck Roaster — a slide-by-slide pass before you submit to 30-3-3 Elevator Pitch Night.
- Accelerator deadlines — the application windows that open around the event.
Sources
Every fact above was read from one of these official pages on Oct 8, 2026:
- aucklandstartupweek.com
- aucklandstartupweek.com/programme-2026/30-3-3-elevator-pitches
- aucklandstartupweek.com/programme-2026/fix-one-thing-auckland-with-base44
- aucklandstartupweek.com/programme-2026/impactful-innovation-26
- ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/media-centre/2026/august/auckland-startup-week-launches-2026-programme
- ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/media-centre/2025/july/first-auckland-startup-week-to-showcase-innovation
- events.humanitix.com/asw-launch-event-2026
- nz.linkedin.com/company/auckland-startup-week
Auckland Startup Week: frequently asked
When is Auckland Startup Week 2026?
Auckland Startup Week 2026 runs Oct 12–16, 2026 at Multiple venues across Auckland, including GridAKL in Wynyard Quarter; Pipiri Lane is the week’s homebase., Auckland, according to the organiser's published dates.
How much does Auckland Startup Week cost?
Published ticket prices run Free–NZ$435 (2026; event-specific pricing, not a single week pass). Startups: Founders can submit an expression of interest to take part and register separately for individual programme events. Most events are free; some are ticketed..
How do startups get into Auckland Startup Week?
Founders can submit an expression of interest to take part and register separately for individual programme events. Most events are free; some are ticketed.
What is 30-3-3 Elevator Pitch Night?
Auckland Startup Week's pitch competition. Prize as published: $1,000 for the judges’ favourite and $1,000 for the audience choice (2026).
How big is Auckland Startup Week?
More than 4,000 attendees attendees (2025), 135 startups showcased startups, per the organiser.