e-Centre ltd. is an innovation centre located on the Massey University campus in Albany, Auckland. It is a limited company 100% owned by the University. The centre targets entrepreneurs who are focused on a global market and where technology will be a key driver in their growth. The centre is linked with a regional development (through Enterprise North Shore), global development (through its alliance with the Indian company CMC – 51% owned by Tata group), applied innovation (through the Massey university Innovation team and ‘PG Garage’) and best practice models through programmes in idea evaluation, pre-incubation, incubation and export acceleration.

Support activities of e-Centre consist of programmes and other key services.

1. 1. Programmes

Programmes give the participants the courage, skills, and resources they need to transform their ideas into a successful business. Sprint Programmes are designed to propel participants forward from ideation and market validation, right through to customer acquisition and revenue generation. e-Centre keeps participants on track while they build their business and grow their networks. The association with Massey University gives an extra edge, the opportunity to connect with world-class researchers, subject matter experts, and talented students.

• Sprint Foundation. A flexible programme of workshops, seminars, and individual coaching. The programme provides participants with the tools every entrepreneur needs to succeed.
• Sprint Develop. Spring develop builds on the Sprint foundation. The programme helps participants refine their business model and validate their market.
• Sprint Launch. An intensive 12-week accelerator-style programme, Sprint Launch focuses on generating revenue through customer acquisition for businesses with a market-ready product or service.
• Go Innovate! Go Inovate is a program aimed at developing the business ideas of Massey University students.
• Starting Blocks. A two-day intensive course for Massey University students designed to rapidly define and validate business ideas.
  2. Other services

By enabling access to key services such as the coworking environment and specialised workshops, e-Centre offer generous support and pragmatic solutions at each stage of the startups. The goal is to provide participants and their venture with the expertise and resources needed to optimise success and scale quickly.

• Coworking Environment. Coworking facilities in Albany for individuals or small teams
• Professional Entrepreneurs Network. Membership to Professional Entrepreneurs Network gives access to the e-Centre community as well as special benefits to support entrepreneurs.
• Growth Strategy Sessions. Facilitated workshops enabling participants to identify and resolve any roadblocks on their way to achieving milestones.
• Software System Assessment. Advice on software design, architecture, technology, tools, and functionality for businesses with cloud-based solutions, web and mobile applications, and embedded software.
• Custom Workshops & Innovation Tours. Exploring the tools used to ignite innovation and entrepreneurial thinking through workshops tailored to meet unique requirements of participants.

Good networks are important for entrepreneurs. e-Centre connects the incubator companies with best experts in New Zealand, giving indispensable opportunities to pitch for funding. The network of e-Centre includes investors, mentors, partners, academics, researchers, and also residents and alumni of e-Centre.

The incubator size is 2,000 m sq. (gross floor area) and houses 14 resident clients, including ‘strategic tenants’ who provide around 50% of the rental income and are residents on a long-term basis, providing services to other tenants. There are also 2 virtual tenants who come in to the incubator once a week and are charged on a royalty basis.

The Criteria for acceptance includes: good potential market, leading edge or faster-better, global relevance (i.e. niche), technology focus (including being able to leverage capacity / expertise from University). The incubator receives applications from 50-60 companies per year, out of which only 5% are accepted. Throughput of companies is around 2 per year (i.e. 12 in total have ‘exited’). Ultimately, performance is measured according to the export earnings of the incubator companies and graduates, as well as domestic revenues, investment rate and market capitalisation.

The CMCTEC venture was launched with funding, from both the Indian company CMC and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise[1] (80,000NZD each) with the aim to significantly increase the successful export of New Zealand´s technology and innovation to India. 55 New Zealand ventures have been involved or considered, and 20 are currently active. Formal MOU’s have been signed between CMC and five companies. By this means, exporters are taken to the Indian market, as they are matched up with opportunities arising within CMC. The involvement of the incubator allows for de-risking of the project, both from the companies and CMC‘s viewpoints. It is anticipated that this venture will generate revenue for the e-Centre, to the tune of around 150,000NZD per year, from royalties on the export revenue of the companies involved.

‘PG Garage’ is a way of bringing together researchers and businesses, to identify business and research opportunities and assist researchers to locate and secure intellectual property. The intention is to facilitate an establishment of interdisciplinary, business-facing research and thereby increase innovation and the commercialisation of research.