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Wednesday the 2nd of April saw us spruce up the office and restock the booze fridge to host the first of our new event series, Emerging Insights. We kicked off discussing where many startups face their biggest challenge: how to unlock capital. With speakers tackling the topic from all angles—venture capitalists, investment managers, startup founders, and the NZX itself—we all walked away with some pretty epic insights on how to score cash for our business dreams.

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Finding your unfair advantage.

First up was McGregor Fea from Altered Capital, who dished the dirt on what makes a startup stand out from the crowd, why you need to nail down your unfair advantage, and how to snag the right investment partner. 

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Beyond the raise.

Our panel chat was a real eye-opener. We didn't just yak about how to raise capital—we got into the nitty-gritty of whether you even should, then dove headfirst into the state of New Zealand's investing scene (spoiler: it's complicated).

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The Founder's Journey.

Jovan (Emerge) and Janine (Easy Crypto) kept it real, sharing their capital raise war stories. Their hot take? Don't rush the raise.

Investors might be sizing you up, but remember—you should be too. Who do you want to give a slice of your pie? This isn't Married At First Sight. Take your sweet time and be picky.

Jovan dropped a gem: "You haven't just raised $12 million dollars, you've made 12 million promises." And in classic small-town Kiwi fashion, Janine fired back: "and sometimes you meet those promises at a barbecue." Eek!

This hammered home that you'd better deliver on those promises. Chances are, you'll bump into your investors while flipping snags on your Weber. 

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Raising Smart.

When figuring out your magic number, Janine reckons greed isn’t the way to go. Think hard about it: "Is every dollar you're raising going to shift the dial?". 

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Changing investment culture.

We also dug into how we can get everyday Kiwis to dip their toes in the stock market instead of the same old property game. A hangover from the 2008 GFC still plagues many locals’ attitude towards investing. 

Joe from NZX pointed out that the folks sitting on the most cash are the same ones who reckon the stock market is dodgier than a bottle of old milk. They're missing out on sweet gains, and local businesses are missing their cash. While he agreed it’s unwise to encourage punters to stock pick, he emphasised that our national distrust of investing needs a makeover. He gave props to Sharesies, Jarden, Hatch, and Kernel for making investing infinitely more accessible for everyone.

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Local Investment Solutions.

Another bright idea? The panel suggested KiwiSaver funds should spread their love to local businesses. This lets regular folks back Kiwi companies without having to pick winners themselves.

Joe noted that property feels safer because, well, you can actually see the thing and maybe even live in it. But having a decent portfolio with a couple of companies you actually give a damn about is an epic way to feel connected to your investments. 

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Until next time...

Massive thanks to everyone who rocked up to our little knowledge fest. And big ups to our awesome speakers—Kate, McGregor, Jovan, Jamie, Janine, and Joe—we're very lucky to have you share your wisdom.

Keep your peepers peeled for our next event. Until then, happy hunting for that sweet, sweet capital!