“Kiwi Landing Pad Spreads it’s Wings”
New US partnership increases support for Kiwi entrepreneurs
MEDIA RELEASE
October 27th 2016
New Zealand’s tech community - Kiwi Landing Pad - is on the move in San Francisco.
Set up in 2011 with funding from the New Zealand government and private investors, the Kiwi Landing Pad (KLP) has
already helped hundreds of innovators keen to break into the highly competitive United States start-up scene.
The non-profit organisation caters for high growth technology companies. As well as reducing the risks and time involved
in setting up an office, KLP also offers valuable access to necessary business information and networks.
When the new office opens on November 1, KLP will be based at Covo, an innovative new coworking space at 981 Mission Street. Kiwi innovators will continue to have access to shared office
and meeting spaces, charged at casual or long-term rental rates.
The new location also has added benefits. There’s a stylish café for client meetings and entertaining, and a bar where
tenants can unwind with friends and new contacts.
“We’re excited to share our plans for 2017 building on the success to date supporting Kiwi companies and entrepreneurs
make their dreams and business vision reality on a global scale. said John Holt, KLP Chairperson and co-founder.”
“Our new location within the Covo community is a move we considered carefully and makes integrating into the local scene
and networks for Kiwis landing in San Francisco for the first time quick and simple”
Holt says the partnership with Covo will create a full service community hub in the heart of San Francisco’s tech
neighbourhood.
As a serial entrepreneur himself, Holt is well aware of the challenges and effort required to build a successful
business. Currently CEO and co founder of startup Homes.co.nz and previously HR Software company Sonar6 ( which was sold
to US company Cornerstone in 2012).
“When we started Sonar6 there was little cohesion to the Kiwi community in Silicon Valley let alone further afield in
the USA - being the first employee touching down and establishing was hard and lonely work.”
“The move will free more of our time to focus on our community’s needs. Our research shows the best support is in
curating rather than managing community activity.
KLP Global Community Manager, Sian Simpson says a new physical address isn’t the only move. The organisation recently
transitioned membership data to a brand new cloud based platform.
“This will allow more flexible interaction directly, and the autonomous creation of groups of interest making it easier
to help our community by knowing what they need and where they are,” she says.
“We’ve spent a good deal of time looking at the changes in the environment globally and understanding the key challenges
our entrepreneurs face most often. Our new approach is designed to meaningfully support these requirements and make it
as widely accessible as possible.”
“Our events and online content all focus on stories with purpose from entrepreneurs and advisors at all stages who have
been there and done it before.
“This has helped us identify four factors essential for building a tech business. Kiwi innovators must focus on sales;
marketing, product management and the art of entrepreneurship.
“One of our most popular examples of this is the upcoming Sales and Marketing Jam series - www.salesandmarketingjam.com”
Over the past two years the KLP community has grown well beyond just those interested in Silicon Valley or the USA and
they have been drawn by our new focus on relevant content and connections core to their success.
About Kiwi Landing Pad
Kiwi Landing Pad is a non-profit organisation founded by Sam Morgan and John Holt in 2011. The organisation partners
with the New Zealand Government to “soften the landing” of aspiring Kiwi tech start-ups arriving in San Francisco.
KLP’s private sector sponsors include successful Kiwi and US entrepreneurs through their investment firms Evander
Management (Simon Holdsworth); Jasmine Investments (Sam Morgan), K1W1 (Sir Stephen Tindall), Movac (Phil McCaw),
Powerband (Craig Elliott), BNZ, Air New Zealand and NZTE