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Venture Capital in New Zealand: How to Find the Right VC Company for Your Startup
If you’re a tech founder seeking venture capital in New Zealand, you’re probably beyond the idea stage. You’ve got traction and a scalable model, so now you need capital to grow.
In this guide, we break down the most active VC funds in New Zealand and discuss the stage at which they tend to invest, the amount they typically offer and what they look for in a founder. We’ve also included practical advice on how to approach VCs, what to expect during the process and how to increase your chances of getting funded.
VC companies invest in startups with high growth potential in exchange for equity. Unlike angel investors, VCs usually come in during seed, Series A or later rounds. They often invest between $100K and $5M+ depending on the stage, take a board seat or play an active strategic role in the startup and provide help with international scaling, follow-on funding and team growth.
In New Zealand, many VC companies are connected to Callaghan Innovation, NZGCP and institutional investors. Most are looking for startups with global potential, strong teams and some evidence of traction.
These companies are active in seed to Series A rounds and are among the most well-known in the NZ startup ecosystem.
A major venture capital fund operating across Australia and New Zealand, Blackbird Ventures invests in software, consumer, deep tech and climate tech. The company is known for backing founders like Sharesies, Halter and Partly.
Stage: Pre-seed to Series A
Investment amount: $100K to $5M+
Icehouse Ventures is one of NZ’s most prolific VC companies and runs multiple funds, with more than $750M in assets under management. It has invested $488M+ into 340+ New Zealand companies since 2003, supporting founders from seed through growth stages.
Stage: Seed to Series A
Investment amount: $50K to $2M
Known for investing in globally ambitious NZ startups, GD1 has a strong presence in SaaS, deep tech and climate tech.
Stage: Seed to Series B
Investment amount: $500K to $5M
One of NZ's longest-running VCs, Movac focuses on growth-stage ventures with proven revenue. Its portfolio includes Aroa Biosurgery, Vend and Timely.
Stage: Series A to C
Investment amount: $2M to $10M
Outset Ventures, based in Auckland, focuses on deep tech and science-led innovation and invests in hardware, medtech, biotech and frontier science.
Stage: Seed and beyond
Investment amount: Varies
These funds are smaller or sector-specific but still play an important role in the funding landscape.
Finding the right venture capital company is about building meaningful relationships, showing strategic clarity and proving your business has the potential to scale globally.
VCs get dozens of cold pitches a day, but the best ones usually come through a warm introduction. Use LinkedIn, mutual contacts, founder networks, or advisors from incubator or accelerator programmes (like Icehouse, Sprout or Creative HQ) to make the first move.
Many VCs are also active at pitch nights, demo days, or ecosystem events. Attend those to build relationships early.
Your deck should clearly show who you are, what problem you're solving, your traction so far, the size of the opportunity, and how much you're raising.
The best decks are made up of 10–12 slides, with a clean design and confident narrative. Include info about your team, market size, business model, go-to-market strategy, traction, funding ask and financial projections.
VCs want to see a solid grasp of your numbers, including CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost), LTV (Lifetime Value), margins, churn, burn rate and runway. Be ready to talk through your financial model and how the funding will be used to hit your next key milestones.
New Zealand VCs aren’t just looking for good local businesses. They’re backing globally ambitious founders.
Have a clear vision of how your startup can scale internationally, what the competitive landscape looks like and where your edge lies.
VCs back founders as much as ideas. Show openness to feedback, a growth mindset and a clear roadmap for execution. Be transparent about your challenges and how you're solving them.
Venture capital companies are looking for globally scalable startups with strong teams and real traction. Your pitch should clearly show a compelling problem, a well-differentiated solution, credible market size and solid early growth or customer validation.
Be clear about your go-to-market strategy, business model and how much you’re raising (and why). Strong financials, unit economics and a realistic plan for the next 18–24 months are essential.
Avoid jargon or vague ambition. VCs want founders who know their market inside out and can execute with focus and clarity.
How much do NZ venture capital companies invest?
Most companies invest between $100K and $10M depending on stage and fund size.
Can I raise VC funding as a first-time founder?
Yes, but you’ll need a compelling vision, early traction and the ability to build a strong team.
How long does the VC process take?
Anywhere from six weeks to six months, depending on the stage and complexity of your round.
What’s the difference between VCs and angel investors?
Angels typically invest earlier and smaller amounts, whereas VCs bring more capital, structure and oversight.
Are NZ VCs open to international expansion?
Absolutely. Most are looking for businesses with global ambition and scalable models.
Need help refining your pitch deck, financials or go-to-market strategy? Atlas Digital works with ambitious founders across Aotearoa to help them scale. Let’s chat.
Looking for earlier-stage support before raising venture capital? Start with our guide to startup accelerators and incubators in New Zealand to access funding, mentorship and idea-stage validation. Need seed capital before you go for Series A? Check out our complete list of angel investors in NZ to find the right early backers for your startup.
