Nau mai, haere mai welcome to
Startup Weekend Wellington.
Build a startup in just 54 hours.
Techstars Startup Weekend Wellington is a high-energy 3-day experience where ideas become businesses.
Pitch ideas, meet collaborators, form teams, and build alongside ambitious people who want to create something meaningful.
From validation and prototyping to mentorship and final pitches, you’ll experience the fast-paced world of startups firsthand — no prior experience required.
Come with an idea, or just come curious.
Leave with new skills, new connections, and something you helped build.
Who Is It For?
SWWLG is for curious people who are willing to step into the unknown, challenge themselves, and build alongside others.
It's less about having the “right” experience and more about bringing the right energy: curiosity, openness, initiative, and a willingness to build with others.
Whether you’re a designer, developer, marketer, founder, student, creative, strategist, or simply someone with ideas and energy, there’s a place for you here.
The magic happens when diverse skills and perspectives come together in one room:
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Product & UX Design
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Software Development & Engineering
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Marketing & Growth
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Sales & Business Development
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Content Creation & Storytelling
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Operations & Project Management
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Finance & Strategy
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AI & Emerging Technology
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Community Building
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Creative Industries & Media
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Research & Customer Discovery
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Startup Founders & Entrepreneurs
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Students & First-Time Builders
You don’t need startup experience or even an idea to join.
You’ll leave with:
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New connections and collaborators
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Practical startup experience
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Confidence in building and testing ideas
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An entrepreneurial lens on problem-solving and innovation.
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A fresh perspective on collaboration and creativity
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Connections into Wellington's startup and innovation community
It’s back — SWWLG 2026!
18–20 September 2026
Rutherford House
hosted with The Atom
supported by Creative HQ
The high-energy weekend returns, turning Wellington into a 'live lab' where ideas become startups.
And planning is now underway!
We’ll be sharing regular updates, announcements, and opportunities to get involved over the coming months.
Stay tuned! If you’d like to partner, mentor, support, or join the conversation, get in touch with us.