TAITOKERAU Northland is full of great business ideas!
Tell us your idea and we’ll help you start your business journey as part of The Pick 2024.
The Pick 2024 is delivered by Northland Inc in partnership with Whāriki Te Tai Tokerau, McKay and MSD (Ministry of Social Development) along with sponsors Northpower, Henderson Reeves, and the Flying Kiwi Angels.
You'll be supported by business experts, investors, mentors, and regional leaders, throughout a ten-week programme, to help you explore - or kick start - your business idea, to test it and develop it into a business model.
Finalists are selected to present their concepts in front of a panel of Taitokerau Northland business leaders during a pitch event, and the overall winner will receive a tailored business support package to help grow their business idea into reality.
Entries for the The Pick '24 have now closed
The Pick 22 winners and finalists on Pitch Night
WHAT DOES THE PROGRAMME COVER?
Over the first 8 weeks, we start by really digging into your values - what drives you, and what will drive your idea forward, into what you'd love it to become. By week 8, we'll have covered money management, sales and marketing, digital systems, intellectual property law, and lots more.
The last two weeks, as always, our five finalists receive extra coaching and support to hone their pitch... but this year, all of the non-finalists will be invited to join the lessons, as observers.
PROGRAMME OUTLINE
Week 1 - Value and Values - entrepreneurship 101, with special guest
Week 2 - Business Foundations, with special guest
Week 3 - Money Talk, with Jeremy Tauri
Week 4 - Digital and Systems, with Kaye-Maree Dunn
Week 5 - Intellectual Property 101, with Thomas Biss
Week 6 - Customer and Brand, with Jesse Henderson
Week 7 - Sales and Funding, with Jesse Henderson
Week 8 - Marketing and Comms, with Heidi Erceg
Week 9 - Pitch Prep, with Laurel Devenie
Week 10 - Pitch event! With lots of special guests.
** Bonus content New for 2024
Each week, we'll be joined by an amazing guest speaker for a bonus (online only), "Ask Me Anything" session. These will take place at lunch time, for one hour. You'll hear our guests talk about their journey, and you'll be able to ask them "anything" about their area of expertise.
People from all walks of life have joined us for the programme since it started running in 2017.
DOWNLOAD THE PROGRAMME FOR PARTICIPANTS
This information pack will give you the detailed schedule of dates and locations for workshops and speaker events for the 10 week programme.
HEAR FROM one of our previous winners
Vince - Vegetable Mince
Winner of The Pick 2019, Debbie Stowe, developed her idea for a gluten free, vegetable mince, Vince, during The Pick programme. Originally applying with an idea to launch organic granola, the programme workshops soon revealed the granola market did not offer a compelling gap for a product like hers.
“It was through this work, that I uncovered that the potential for a new organic granola brand in the New Zealand market was limited. With the support of The Pick team, I pivoted my idea to a recipe I had developed for my daughter, who was struggling with food allergies. Launching a business in this space was close to my heart.”
During The Pick 2019, Debbie developed a brand identity, a packaging design, and a plan to grow the business – eventually going on to win the competition. Within a year of The Pick, Vince could be found on the shelves at New World Onerahi, Farro, Pak n Save Whangarei and New World Regent, as well as selling direct to customers online, and through smaller health food retailers.
“Without The Pick, the idea for Vince may not have been developed into the business it is today. The workshops, facilitation, and networking opportunities ensured I had the base to grow Vince from an idea to a functioning business. Four years on, I’m now working full time on Vince, and moving to a larger manufacturing facility in preparation for our nationwide launch, in 2024.” she says.
PARTNERS
Bringing you The Pick 2024
The Pick is a Northland Inc initiative, delivered in 2024 in partnership with Whāriki Te Tai Tokerau, McKay and MSD (Ministry for Social Development).
Ministry of Social Development
Whāriki Te Tai Tokerau
Northland Inc
SPONSORS
Thanks for helping us support great business ideas
Thank you to our generous sponsors who we are delighted to be working alongside to help Taitokerau Northland businesses thrive.
