Applications open for fourth Rotorua Incubate Programme

Applications open for fourth Rotorua Incubate Programme

Rotorua X is seeking applications for the fourth round of Incubate, a fully funded programme to help young businesses and social enterprises succeed and grow.

Over 12 weeks participants will receive one-on-one coaching sessions and group training modules to build business capability to help them on the path of success.

The Incubate programme is free thanks to sponsorship from Rotorua Lakes Council. There are limited fully sponsored seats in the programme but organisations have the option of funding themselves through the programme at a cost of $95 per week plus GST.

The programme was designed by Rotorua X, a charitable trust set up to inspire, grow and launch businesses and social enterprises in Rotorua. It is supported by other organisations including BDO, EMA and Firestation.

Rotorua X Chairman and Incubate Programme Director Darren McGarvie said the programme has had five intakes previously, three in Rotorua and two in Kawerau, with more than 40 graduates.

“All participants have given excellent feedback on the programme and all said they would recommend it to others. We are pleased to offer Incubate for a fourth time in Rotorua as it is making a real difference to how participants set-up or run their organisation,” he said.

“At the heart of the Incubate programme is the desire to support and inspire the entrepreneurs in our town to be successful. Starting a new business or social enterprise is challenging and Incubate is there to help and provide a support network.”

“Through coaching and training it teaches participants the importance of spending time working on the business. It helps them to set goals, implement actions and after 12 weeks they will walk away with a business plan to help them succeed,” Mr McGarvie said.

Mr Potaua Biaisny-Tule, founder of Digital Natives Academy, completed the Incubate programme in June this year and he highly recommends it to others.

Digital Natives Academy is a non-profit organisation developed on the premise that coding is the new literacy. They have a mission to encourage tamariki to be the creators, developers and producers of tech and not just consumers of it.

“The Incubate programme really helped us develop Digital Natives Academy. After one session with Darren McGarvie we had changed our original idea of Arrakis, an online tech culture retail store, to Digital Natives Academy, a youth IT training hub.”

“He gave a sense of excitement and realism around our dream and gently nudged us toward community IT, something we are passionate about, rather than on an abstract retail experience,”

“We felt like our dream mattered. It was enabling to meet like-minded leaders, empowering to receive focused attention and we had a positive sense of relief when we invited Darren McGarvie into DNA for one of our coaching sessions.”

“He could see our idea and pushed us forward with expansive thinking,” Mr Biaisny-Tule said.

Rotorua X Incubate will commence November 2015 and applications close Friday 30th October. Local businesses and social enterprises are invited to register their interest online atwww.bit.ly/RXInc4

ENDS

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