This three month accelerator programme enabled a wide group of government agencies to form entrepreneurial teams with private sector entrepreneurs, designers, and developers to reduce the cost of interacting with government. In the 2016 programme, specific problems addressed included “reduce the rate of early stage business failure”, “reduce compliance costs for employers”, “increase immigration of highly skilled IT practitioners lacking formal qualifications”, “reduce the time and effort required for Chinese visitors to obtain visitor visas”. Just as importantly however, the programme trained government employees in contemporary startup methodologies and greatly increased collaboration between government agencies, as well as with the private sector.
Two R9 Government Accelerator programmes have been run, one in 2015 and another in 2016. The government plans to continue to run these programmes in the future.
Number of companies and initiatives attracting government funding post-programme
Number of companies receiving private sector investment post-programme
Return on investment (ROI)
Planning for the next iteration of the programme is already underway.
Five of the teams from the 2016 cohort have been granted “due diligence” funding while they put together proposals for further government funding and/or private investment. As these initiatives are essentially startups, it will be difficult to qualify the impact they’re making for some time.
The programme has made significant waves within government agencies, raising awareness of startup methodologies and new ways of validating problems, quickly developing solutions, and cutting through inter-agency red tape.
Creative HQ led the design and delivery of the programme, in partnership with:
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Inland Revenue
Statistics New Zealand
Ministry for Primary Industries
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
New Zealand Customs Service
Callaghan Innovation
Accident Compensation Corporation
This three month accelerator programme enabled a wide group of government agencies to form entrepreneurial teams with private sector entrepreneurs, designers, and developers to reduce the cost of interacting with government. In the 2016 programme, specific problems addressed included “reduce the rate of early stage business failure”, “reduce compliance costs for employers”, “increase immigration of highly skilled IT practitioners lacking formal qualifications”, “reduce the time and effort required for Chinese visitors to obtain visitor visas”. Just as importantly however, the programme trained government employees in contemporary startup methodologies and greatly increased collaboration between government agencies, as well as with the private sector.
Policy immediate target(s): Government agencies, as well as a wide range of businesses.
Government entity/entities which designed, approved and/or implemented
Creative HQ led the design and delivery of the programme, in partnership with:
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Inland Revenue
Statistics New Zealand
Ministry for Primary Industries
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
New Zealand Customs Service
Callaghan Innovation
Accident Compensation Corporation
