Velocity
New Zealand’s leading university entrepreneurship development programme
Velocity is the University of Auckland’s flagship extra-curricular entrepreneurship development programme. Each year a student committee of around 30 students lead the design and development of the year’s offerings, opening up opportunities to hundreds of participants to develop potential. Velocity is supported by the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and funded through sponsorship. Visit the Velocity website
Velocity
New Zealand’s leading university entrepreneurship development programme
Velocity is the University of Auckland’s flagship extra-curricular entrepreneurship development programme. Each year a student committee of around 30 students lead the design and development of the year’s offerings, opening up opportunities to hundreds of participants to develop potential. Velocity is supported by the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and funded through sponsorship. Visit the Velocity website
About Velocity
Velocity is about giving momentum to great ideas, to surge ahead and innovate the future. Past Velocity participants have gone on to create world-changing ventures. Over the past 20 years, Velocity participants have ignited more than 292 ventures, attracted over $3.25 billion in investment and have created more than 3,300 jobs with products and services in over 35 countries.
Dealing with ambiguity, working in teams, creative problem-solving, global views and confidence are the foundation of an entrepreneurial mindset. We also believe they are capabilities needed to thrive in a 2021 century world of work, whether a person decides to work in a large organisation or an emerging start-up. Our goal is to enhance skills that we know will future-proof careers and enable people to better navigate their way in an increasingly complex and changing world.
Join Velocity to build a venture idea, your career potential and your networks!
About Velocity
Velocity is about giving momentum to great ideas, to surge ahead and innovate the future. Past Velocity participants have gone on to create world-changing ventures. Over the past 20 years, Velocity participants have ignited more than 292 ventures, attracted over $3.25 billion in investment and have created more than 3,300 jobs with products and services in over 35 countries.
Dealing with ambiguity, working in teams, creative problem-solving, global views and confidence are the foundation of an entrepreneurial mindset. We also believe they are capabilities needed to thrive in a 2021 century world of work, whether a person decides to work in a large organisation or an emerging start-up. Our goal is to enhance skills that we know will future-proof careers and enable people to better navigate their way in an increasingly complex and changing world.
Join Velocity to build a venture idea, your career potential and your networks!
How Velocity works
Velocity involves a year-long schedule of talks, workshops, events and challenges. You can pick and choose which parts of Velocity you want to take part in.
Ideas Challenge
Brainstorm your way into receiving part of a $10,000 prize pool!
The Ideas Challenge is an opportunity for you to practice articulating yourself and winning people over with your idea. Have you got an idea that could change the world? Or see a problem that needs solving?
Write 1,000 words on your idea and submit it for the chance of a $1,000 prize. A panel of industry experts will read the submissions and select the winners.
Velocity Ideas Challenge takes place in May. Find out more.
Velocity $100k Challenge
Develop an idea for a venture, form a team, build a business case and pitch for an opportunity to get the resources to help you bring your idea to life, including a share of the prize package valued at over $100,000!
Have you spotted an unrealised market opportunity, identified a problem to solve or a social issue or an environmental problem? Have you got University research ready for the world? Enter your idea into the $100k Challenge to show how your idea can be a venture. A pool of Judges decides which ideas have the potential to fly. Fifteen teams are shortlisted for a place in the Velocity six-week Launch Pad Programme. The teams receive mentoring from industry leaders and take part in workshops designed to make the idea into a reality. The finalists also compete for a share of the seed-capital and support in growing their venture!
You might have an idea but no teammates. Or you might be wanting to give entrepreneurship a go but don’t have an idea. Get involved early-on in Velocity and the team will help you find a way forward. Everyone is welcome! Velocity teams only require one member to be a current student or staff member of the University of Auckland.
The $100k Challenge takes place between August and October. Find out more
Innovation Seminars
Be inspired by this generation’s innovation pioneers! Innovation Seminars are a series of talks curated by the Velocity committee where entrepreneurs are invited on campus to share their stories and inspire you to dream big.
Innovation Seminars take place between March and September. All welcome! Find out more.
Benefits
| Ideas Challenge Entrants | Ideas Challenge Winners (12) | $100k Challenge Entrants | $100k Qualifiers (Top 15) | $100k Winners (Top 5) | |
| Access to a growing database of entrepreneurship resources | X | X | X | X | X |
| Personalised feedback from experts in the entrepreneurial ecosystem | X | X | X | X | X |
| Connections to Alumni network | X | X | X | X | X |
| Access to Momentum Investment Committee | X | X | X | X | X |
| Access to 1-1 startup advisors | X | X | X | X | |
| Amazon Web Services credits | X | X | X | ||
| Promotion and support towards media exposure | X | X | X | ||
| Win a share of $12,000 (equity-free) cash prizes | X | ||||
| Be paired with mentors who are experts in the same field as your venture | X | X | |||
| Access to Master Classes | X | X | |||
| Access to co-working space | X | X | |||
| Invitation to six-week LaunchPad Programme | X | X | |||
| Access to additional investment committees | X | X | |||
| Win a share of $28,000 (equity-free) seed capital | X | ||||
| Access to interns | X | ||||
| Invitation to University incubator | X | ||||
| Invitation to present at VentureLab showcase | X | ||||
| Your share of milestone payments (stipend) $50,000 | X | ||||
| Access to targeted entrepreneurial VentureLab classes | X | ||||
| 1-1 Mentorship with VentureLab Manager | X | ||||
| Entrance to Vanguard Programme, including trip to Silicon Valley (when allowable) | X |
EMAIL
CIE@AUCKLAND.AC.NZ
POSTAL ADDRESS
THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND BUSINESS SCHOOL
PRIVATE BAG 92019, AUCKLAND
