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Asmaan

Asmaan is a sports technology business focusing on revolutionising the way athletes train by creating autonomous sports technology. We at Asmaan understand the struggle athletes face when training, as it is challenging to train independently in game-like environments. Therefore, our technology will focus on enabling athletes to do exactly that by closer replicating game-like scenarios to improve the quality of training and enhance performance in games.

Being cricketers ourselves (my co-founder Toby and I), we always saw this problem growing up as kids. Now, even moving through the ranks of competitive cricket, this is something we still see, especially for school and amateur-level cricketers. Therefore, the first product we are developing is an autonomous cricket bowling machine that will be able to autonomously change line, length, swing, spin, and speed all without you having to touch a button.

Our key design focuses are portability, ease of use, and consistency. Achieving this, the machine has the potential to benefit not only cricketers in New Zealand but also those around the world. It will help players improve their skills, cultivate a deeper love for the game, and ignite the passion and drive to pursue their dreams of becoming professional athletes—just as I am doing now.

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PIQ Cold Brew

Piq is a cold brew coffee concentrate designed to enhance both productivity and well-being. The problem we address is the common trade-off between enjoying the energy boost from coffee and dealing with jitters, anxiety, or crashes that often follow. By infusing our cold brew concentrate with L-theanine, an amino acid known for promoting calm and focus, Piq offers a smoother, balanced energy boost, making it ideal for busy professionals, students, and health-conscious individuals who seek sustained focus throughout their day.

Our vision is to become the go-to choice for those who value both productivity and mental wellness, redefining how coffee can support daily routines. We aim to bring a sense of mindfulness to the coffee experience by offering our product in convenient sachets, allowing customers to customize their coffee’s strength and flavor, fitting into any lifestyle.

The value we create lies in a more controlled, enjoyable energy experience—empowering our customers to stay sharp, calm, and productive without compromising their well-being. Piq isn’t just about coffee; it’s about helping people feel their best while achieving their goals.

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Kopura Gear

I am developing Kōpura Gear to address the growing concern of head injuries in youth rugby. Young players are particularly vulnerable to concussions and long-term brain injuries, and the current headgear on the market doesn’t effectively protect against both linear and rotational impacts. This gap leaves athletes exposed to significant risks, and I believe it’s time for a solution.

Kōpura Gear would serve youth rugby players aged 7-18, as well as their parents, coaches, and sports organisations who are invested in player safety. My vision is to design innovative softshell headgear that exceeds current safety standards by incorporating advanced materials and innovative design. This would not only enhance impact absorption but also provide better comfort and breathability, essential for performance and protection.

Kōpura Gear would create value by offering a product that prioritises player well-being, giving families confidence in their children’s safety while fostering a shift in how we approach headgear standards in youth rugby.

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1%

The 1% Journal App empowers individuals to achieve personal growth by improving just 1% every day. It solves the problem of fragmented productivity tools by integrating habit tracking, goal setting, time management, and reflective journaling into a single platform. Our target audience includes students, professionals, and individuals seeking to manage their lifestyle and mental health effectively.

Inspired by a journaling system I developed during my demanding time as a student, athlete, and coach, the app breaks down long-term goals into small, actionable tasks. Daily time-blocking ensures users have a clear plan to follow, while a habit tracker encourages consistency. Unlike other apps, our AI provides personalized insights, adapting to users' unique needs to guide their self-improvement journey.

Through graphs and data visualizations, users can track their progress over time, identify achievements, and focus on areas for improvement. The app’s simplicity, personalization, and comprehensive design make it a seamless tool for those striving to build better habits, improve well-being, and stay organized, all within one easy-to-use platform.

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Soleilday

Skin cancer is New Zealand’s most common cancer, accounting for 80% of cancer diagnoses annually, with more New Zealanders dying from melanoma than on our roads. Despite SPF’s proven benefits in preventing skin cancer and sun-related aging, usage remains low – only 25% of New Zealanders apply it daily in summer, dropping to 10% in other seasons. Current sunscreens miss the mark with design, texture, and scent, making them feel like a chore to use. Those that offer a better experience are often priced too high, leading to inconsistent and ineffective use. Our solution is to develop an SPF body lotion that offers optimal UV protection. With attractive packaging, various scents to suit different preferences, an affordable price, and a formulation that prioritises nourishing ingredients while avoiding greasy textures and white-cast, customers will actually want to apply SPF. By targeting consumers who already use body lotions but skip sunscreen, we aim to bridge this gap, promoting regular SPF use. Beyond individual benefits, our solution could lead to better public health outcomes through fewer skin cancer diagnoses, ultimately reducing demand for medical resources and lowering treatment costs. Our vision is to make daily sun protection easy, enjoyable, and accessible for everyone.

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Ascensive - Wellphones

Wellphones addresses the growing concern of smartphone addiction and its negative impact on mental health, particularly among young New Zealanders. Our innovative device strikes a balance between the functionality of smartphones and the simplicity of traditional mobile phones, offering a solution for individuals and families seeking to cultivate healthier digital habits.

Our target market includes parents concerned about their children's screen time, adults looking to reduce their own smartphone dependence, and organizations promoting digital well-being. Wellphones feature a compact screen and essential functionalities while minimizing distractions, making modern living easier and more mindful.

Our vision is to create a world where technology enhances rather than hinders well-being, fostering meaningful connections and productivity.

Wellphones provide value to customers by offering:

- Access to necessary apps without the overwhelming nature of traditional smartphones

- A design that discourages excessive use and promotes healthier digital habits

- Peace of mind for parents regarding their children's technology use

- Improved focus, sleep quality, and overall mental well-being

By reimagining the mobile experience, Wellphones empower users to stay connected while prioritizing their mental health and well-being in an increasingly digital world.

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FROTH

In a world where global travel is on the rise and sustainability is at the forefront of consumer choices, FROTH is set to transform the experience for eco-conscious travellers. FROTH offers an innovative, eco-friendly solution to reduce plastic waste in the personal care industry with dissolvable, compact body care tablets that replace traditional liquid shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. These tablets provide unmatched convenience for travellers while eliminating single-use plastics and bulky hair care bars. Packaged in biodegradable materials and made with natural ingredients like coconut-derived surfactants and rice starch, FROTH offers a lightweight, spill-proof, and sustainable alternative that meets travel regulations, is affordable, reduces plastic waste, and fits easily into any bag—all without compromising on quality or convenience. We are here to redefine travel personal care and explore opportunities to collaborate with airlines, airline lounges, and hotels.

FROTH is here to help save the planet in the most convenient way, one tablet at a time.

Great things really do come in small sizes.

Are you frothing for the future?

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Money Neko

Investing in the stock market involves a lot of risk and can lead to losing all of the initial investment, especially when people don't due their own due diligence beforehand. Money Neko aims to make due diligence faster and more accessible to people who want to start investing in the stock market but don't know where to start and lack the knowledge to do their own due diligence.

The vision for Money Neko is to become the go-to hub for investment due diligence for any aspiring investor in New Zealand.

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SnowRider

Skibiking is an awesome alternative to skiing or snowboarding, however it has a high barrier to entry due to the costs involved with buying and importing all of the equipment. Though there are conversion kits on the market currently which slightly lower the costs of entry, they require the user to remove all componentry from their bike in order to assemble and ride. This means that unless the rider is a skilled bike mechanic, their mountain bike would become a ski bike for the entire snow season as they would otherwise need to take it to a shop to be reassembled.

SnowRider takes a cheaper, more user friendly approach to this issue, as the user will be able to convert to skibiking (and back) within minutes. With protective elements in place to guard crucial components from unneccessary damage when skibiking, the user simply needs to remove the chain and the wheels to fit this kit. This means that a rider could ride their bike to their favourite ski resort, fit the SnowRider kit for the day, then ride home after a day on the slopes. This functionality is essential in a place such as New Zealand, where the ski season does not widely affect the mountain biking trails with snow or ice, meaning riders want to be able to use their mountain bikes year round.

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Overnight Leader

My venture is a premium lifestyle golf brand called Overnight Leader – a colloquial phrase for the golfer who is winning after the first day of a golf tournament. It also has connotations of working hard overnight to become a winner and performing under pressure.

The problem is nowadays consumers don't have a personal connection to the big golf brands. What makes Overnight Leader different is the storytelling of our journey and our exclusive, aspirational and underground golfing community. OL is a young Kiwi brand, taking on the golfing world and having a great time in the process. Disruptors in a market of big players – people love an underdog!!

While the products we offer will be stylish and high quality, the unique value Overnight Leader provides will be through our storytelling and community focus. We'll make our followers feel part of the process with our founding story mini-series and regular behind the scenes content. Community engagement will include hosting golf tournaments, product giveaways on courses, shot of the week challenges and much more... Limited drops will make those who are able to get our products feel special.

OL is for young golfers golfers wishing to express themselves with stylish, confident apparel and connect to a network of aspiring golfers. My vision is for OL to be a recognised brand with a group of loyal followers invested in the process of creating the brand and active within our community. OL should be able to be worn on and off the course and will have performance and comfort styles of clothes.

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Sterineedle

The Sterineedle is a holster that holds a continuous syringe needle gun for livestock variation. There will be disinfectant; the disinfectant will sterilise the needle every time the gun is placed inside the holster. The sterilising agent cleans the needle so diseases are not passed on from animal to animal and reduces the chance of abscess. Farmers need to change the needle between each animal, which is time-consuming and expensive; therefore, most don't. Removing the need for constantly evolving needles reduces farmers' risks of accidentally stabbing themselves with the needle.

The holster is also able to store the gun while the farmer is doing other tasks, reducing the risk of it swinging around and harming the user, as currently there is no safe way to store the needle gun. With the vaccination gun stored away in the holster, it means that the farmer is still able to use their hands to carry out the required task, e.g. opening gates, moving stock around the yards, etc.

The Sterineedle makes it easy to effectively and efficiently sterilise needles in between each injection.

Making livestock vaccinations, Cleaner, Faster and Safer.

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Trail Sale

We will be establishing a store and service that provides adventure food (long-life / lightweight consumables) for people keen on getting outdoors. Our store aims to consolidate all adventure foods and provide a re-supply service for people embarking on long-distance adventures such as Te Araroa (TA) and Tour ΢��ҕ�l. Te Araroa is a hiking trail that runs the length of the country and Tour ΢��ҕ�l is the cycling alternative. People who attempt the TA currently need to pre-pack and deliver re-supply parcels to small towns, we will do this for them and, in doing so, save them time, money and unnecessary hassle involved in doing this themselves.

We will also create a range of pre-made meal boxes that will be particularly helpful for people new to getting outdoors and less sure about what food to pack. These boxes will also be of great convenience to people who want all the meals for their trip in a single purchase.

The goal of our business is to encourage others to get outdoors more easily by lessening the burden of planning, organising and sourcing food for their trip."

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Curio

My venture aims to make high-quality STEM education more accessible to high school students by developing an affordable robotics and embedded systems kit, accompanied by a structured online learning platform. The problem we address is the high cost of robotics equipment and the lack of comprehensive, accessible educational content, which limits many schools from offering robust STEM programs. Our solution is designed for schools, particularly those in underfunded areas, that struggle with budget constraints and a shortage of specialized STEM educators.

The kit will feature a modular “robot brain” with easy-to-use peripherals. This provides students with hands-on experience in software development, electronics, and robotics. Our online platform will offer guided modules aligned with national educational standards, allowing students to learn real-world engineering skills while empowering teachers, even those without technical expertise, to deliver high quality engineering and technology education.

Our vision is to inspire the next generation of engineers by providing an affordable, scalable solution that fosters creativity and problem-solving. The value we create lies in offering an accessible and comprehensive STEM education solution that helps students, educators, and schools bridge the technology gap while preparing students for future academic and career success.

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Nzylon

Discarded fishing nylon is a significant contributor to ocean pollution, and New Zealand currently lacks the capability to recycle nylon, with most waste ending up in landfills or being exported. Nzylon seeks to address the problem by establishing a domestic recycling facility that processes ocean waste nylon into high-quality feedstock material. The recycled nylon will be offered to B2B customers looking for sustainable solutions. The opportunity lies in closing New Zealand’s recycling gap and meeting the growing demand for eco-friendly products and circular economy practices.

By providing locally recycled nylon, Nzylon enables businesses to reduce their carbon footprint, promote ocean protection, and fulfill the rising consumer demand for sustainable materials. Additionally, final customers benefit from products made with responsibly sourced materials, enhancing brand loyalty and helping businesses differentiate in a market where environmental impact is increasingly influencing purchasing decisions. This solution creates a local, circular economy by turning waste into valuable new products, fostering a more sustainable future.

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Thermal Energy Storage for Peak Shaving

A challenge is brewing in New Zealand's electricity generation sector. The cry for green electricity is snuffing out coal and gas power stations, forcing New Zealanders to rely on intermittent green energy sources like wind for their future electricity supply. To combat the uncertainty of green energy availability, methods to temporarily store electricity must be implemented.

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) presents a low cost, highly scalable and sustainable solution to this challenge. Electricity will be converted to thermal energy when available, at low economic and carbon emission costs. Then, when green generation dips or transmission lines reach saturation (during peak demand), stored energy can be used to reduce the grid load in heating and cooling applications. Stored energy may also be converted back to electricity to sell to and support the grid during peak demand.

TES systems may be constructed and operated anywhere at extremely low cost per MW stored. No exotic materials are required, and they can be charged and discharged indefinitely with no capacity loss.

My vision for this product is to save users money, help stabilize the electricity grid and expedite New Zealand’s green energy transition.

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Panning for Gold

Gold is often found in the most unexpected places—a cold, muddy river, a dry desert, deep underground, and even in the toughest moments of our lives. Learning to pan for that gold equips us with the tools to navigate our personal and business journeys while finding balance. My venture addresses the pressing issue of burnout among female leaders and entrepreneurs, empowering them to reconnect with their core values and identity.

In today’s fast-paced environment, it’s easy to lose sight of your personal values, purpose, and your why.

By combining my experience in the floral and health industries with Te Ao Māori, to create opportunities for women to explore their values and learn to use them as tangible tools to uncover their inner gold. This includes incorporating floral workshops and wellness toolkits designed to support their journey. This process nurtures authenticity and emotional resilience, ultimately enabling us to thrive in both our personal and professional lives.

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D.O.A.

Problem: Transportation of corpses around NZ, from Morgue to Funeral Directors is expensive, vehicles are dating and costs are high. If someone passes away in another City relocation is very expensive, usually handled at a high cost by Air NZ. Id like to build a fully transparent corpse relocation service, that is cost effective and loved ones can see in real time how their recently deceased family member is being cared for 24/7 video monitoring and full digital accessibility. Reducing costs for Funeral homes (ultimately for the consumer) and providing peace of mind for families, police and emergency services etc.

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ReTile

ReTile is a venture dedicated to producing recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) subway tiles for domestic use. My vision for ReTile is to create a stylish, durable, and eco-friendly alternative to traditional tiles. ReTile addresses a dual problem: plastic waste accumulation and the high environmental cost of ceramic tile production. HDPE, commonly found in household products often ends up in landfills. By recycling this material into a desirable, high-demand construction option, ReTile aims to generate a new use for waste while reducing reliance on resource-intensive materials like ceramic and porcelain.

Our tiles cater to eco-conscious homeowners, designers, contractors, and public sector entities who prioritise sustainability without sacrificing quality or aesthetics. Our vision is to transform waste into beautiful, functional products that reduce environmental impact while enhancing living spaces.

With lower production costs due to readily available recycled HDPE, ReTile provides an affordable solution that supports customers in making sustainable choices. We aim to make sustainable construction accessible, addressing both economic and environmental needs through an innovative, cost-effective product that is ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, and public spaces.

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Lifestyle Luxe

My venture seeks to achieve a better work-life balance for me and my family through the creation of a viable eCommerce business. By offering innovative and desirable products, I aim to enhance the everyday lives of consumers, making their routines a bit more enjoyable and fulfilling.

Targeting the everyday consumer, my vision is to create a brand that focuses on quality, practicality, and enjoyment. By carefully curating a selection of products that bring a sense of happiness and ease to daily routines, I hope to foster a positive impact on my customers' lives.

The value I create lies in providing not just products, but solutions that cater to the needs and desires of busy individuals and families. Each item will be thoughtfully chosen to inspire joy, simplify tasks, and promote well-being. Through this venture, I aspire to not only secure a better lifestyle for my family but also enrich the lives of our customers, helping them find more happiness in their everyday moments.

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Automated Mushroom Fruiting Chamber

My venture addresses the challenges faced by home mushroom growers. Maintaining the right balance of humidity and fresh air exchange is crucial for growing mushrooms, but it can be difficult and time-consuming to achieve these conditions manually, especially in dry climates like Canterbury. Many growers experience poor yields or no results at all because of inconsistent environmental control. My solution is to create an affordable, automated fruiting chamber that ensures optimal growing conditions with minimal effort, making it easier for anyone to successfully cultivate mushrooms at home.

The value created for consumers is twofold: First, the fruiting chamber automates the complex process of growing mushrooms, making it easy for users—particularly beginners—to achieve high yields consistently. Second, by using cost-effective materials and offering a customizable design, I aim provide an affordable, adaptable solution compared to existing products. This approach not only saves customers time and money but also enhances their overall growing experience, making mushroom cultivation more accessible and rewarding—whether they want to grow mushrooms affordably, recycle kitchen waste, or explore new culinary possibilities.

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Ilotabe Engineering Solutions

The issue to solve involves designing a business model for a solar installation company in Vanuatu. Over 70% of the population still lives without access to main grid electricity. The idea is to identify a solution in which the business can ensure access to solar powered electricity to the population at an affordable price. Vanuatu as a nation is engaging on rural electrification with national targets but needs solar installation companies with an effective business model to realise its goals. I have some experience engaging with solar installation projects but have limited knowledge in entrepreneurship which I hope to gain from the Summer Startup Programme. I believe I can also learn from other participants to develop my idea further and ensure the idea is feasible and has the capacity to grow and penetrate the market effectively. I have a passion to help people and I see this business idea as a great opportunity to help Ni-Vanuatu realise their economic, social, and educational dreams and help Vanuatu develop an environment friendly power inftastructure.

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Spice Ship Mercantile

Spice Ship Mercantile addresses the lack of tasty, salt and preservative free spice blends in the market by sharing flavors from around the world and leaving out the salt. Many consumers, particularly those with health concerns like high blood pressure, are limited by the high sodium content in most spice mixes. This creates a barrier for those who want to maintain a low-sodium diet while still enjoying full-flavoured food. Our mission is to simplify food preparation for health-conscious individuals and families with delicious and wholesome spice mixes.

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Wardmate

Currently, nurses tools are poorly stored, which leads to a multitude of headaches and issues. Without anywhere safe to put them tools are often left out and stolen, or simply go missing, which discourages nurses from bringing their own equipment and contributes to a significant amount of our healthcare workforce attending work unequipped and unprepared for their shifts. To accentuate the issue, scrub pockets are poorly designed which leads to tools falling out multiple times a shift. Current storage methods also fail to take health and safety concerns into account, and as such, many nurses stab themselves with their own scissors through their pockets.

Wardmate aims to secure medical ward nurses' tools in a safe, affordable and easy to access manner. I hope to develop a product capable of seamlessly integrating into current hospital workflows, preventing tool spills, difficult tool retrieval, and ensuring nurses are properly equipped for their shifts.

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Mor Victa

At Mór Victa, we recognise that accessing affordable, high-quality graphic design that truly reflects one's unique identity is a challenge for many individuals and businesses. Traditional design services can be expensive and time-consuming, often out of reach for start-ups, small enterprises, and creatives eager to express themselves.

We address this problem by offering cost-effective, AI-assisted graphic design solutions. By embracing advanced technology, we deliver bespoke designs swiftly and affordably without sacrificing creativity or quality. Our mantra, ""Freedom begins with expression,"" embodies our commitment to helping customers showcase who they are through personalised visuals.

Our journey began with crafting custom playmats for trading card game enthusiasts, witnessing firsthand how personalised designs enhance experiences and foster community engagement. Inspired by this, we've expanded our services to cater to a broader audience seeking innovative and accessible design options.

Our vision is to democratise graphic design, making it accessible to anyone wishing to convey their personal or brand identity visually. By bridging the gap between costly traditional design and impersonal generic options, we empower our clients with customised, high-quality designs that help them stand out and connect more deeply with their audience.

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ETETech

ETETech focuses on enhancing information retrieval and content searchability across various formats, including texts, videos, audio, and images. Our innovative solutions leverage large language models to address the unique challenges of various sectors such as education, law, corporate, government, and others.

By implementing modern technologies and best practices, we help clients improve data organization and streamline information access. We collaborate closely with clients to design tailored solutions that prioritize privacy, scalability, and user experience. Our holistic approach allows for the integration of advanced search technologies into existing systems or the development of custom solutions from scratch.

Real-world applications of our services include improving internal knowledge management, streamlining legal research, enhancing educational resource searchability, and providing citizens with public services chatbot. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive framework for information retrieval, enabling clients to enhance their information accessibility.

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FPA Spreading

Our venture specializes in precision fine particle application of fertilizer, addressing the challenges of traditional fertilizer application, which often results in inefficient nutrient use and environmental runoff. The current methods in use can lead to nutrient leaching and volatilization, impacting both crop health and the surrounding ecosystems. We see an opportunity to enhance agricultural productivity while reducing environmental impact by applying fertilizers in a more targeted, efficient manner.

Our primary customers are farmers and agricultural businesses seeking sustainable ways to improve yield and reduce fertilizer costs. By applying fertilizers in finer particles, we ensure more consistent coverage and optimal absorption by plants, which allows farmers to use less product while achieving better results.

Our vision is to revolutionize the agriculture industry through sustainable practices that maximize both environmental and economic benefits. We provide value by increasing crop yield efficiency, reducing waste, and promoting a healthier ecosystem—empowering our customers to farm more responsibly and profitably.