Organization · Accelerator
Ministry of Awesome
Ministry of Awesome is a startup accelerator and incubator located in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand, supporting high-growth startups and early-stage founders.
Overview
What Ministry of Awesome does
What Ministry of Awesome is
Ministry of Awesome is a startup accelerator and incubator located in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand, supporting high-growth startups and early-stage founders.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports program host and community capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Accelerator
- Founded
- Founded in 2012
- Approximate age
- About 14 years
- Structured capabilities
- Program host · Community
- Last reviewed
- April 2, 2026
What Accelerator means
An accelerator is a structured, short-term program designed to speed up a startup's progress toward product-market fit, traction, fundraising, or scale.
Open the glossary entryOfficial channels
Find Ministry of Awesome elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
Ministry of Awesome as a program host
Program thesis
Ministry of Awesome is focused on supporting startup founders to grow the Aotearoa New Zealand economy through founder-first, founder-led startup innovation.
Focus narrative
Ministry of Awesome invests in early-stage startups, providing resources, mentorship, and connections to help them succeed. The organization emphasizes supporting the startup ecosystem in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and focuses on fostering innovation and economic growth.
Value and support
Ministry of Awesome offers mentorship, resources, and connections to help early-stage startups succeed in their growth journey.
Format and cadence
- Format
- In Person
Availability
- Application state
- Not published
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Accelerator · Pre-seed · Seed
- Regions
- Oceania
Alumni and track record
Alumni context
Notable startups include Backkr, a data-driven platform for small businesses; Inoscope, an AI platform for construction and insurance workflows; inviol, which transforms workplace safety using smart technology; and Airie, which simplifies the immigration process.
Capability profile
Ministry of Awesome as a community
Community overview
Ministry of Awesome is an organization based in Christchurch, New Zealand, focused on supporting startup founders. It aims to grow the Aotearoa New Zealand economy through founder-first, founder-led startup innovation. The organization connects founders with mentors, prepares them for investors, and partners with various organizations to facilitate startup growth.
Community focus
Ministry of Awesome invests in early-stage startups, providing resources, mentorship, and connections to help them succeed. The organization emphasizes supporting the startup ecosystem in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and focuses on fostering innovation and economic growth.
Member value
Members benefit from mentorship, resources, and connections to investors, helping them navigate the startup landscape effectively.
Membership
- Pricing models
- free
Format and cadence
- Modality
- in-person
- Schedule
- rolling-admissions
- Commitment
- light
Availability
- Membership state
- Accepting
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Founders
- Benefits
- mentorship and network-access
- Program types
- accelerator and community
- Selection criteria
- open
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed
- Regions
- Oceania
Community activity
Events and activity
Ministry of Awesome hosts several programs, including the Kiwibank Startup+ program for funding support and the Electrify Aotearoa business summit for networking and collaboration among startup founders, investors, and supporters.
Notable members
Notable startups in the Ministry of Awesome portfolio include Backkr, Inoscope, inviol, and Airie, showcasing a diverse range of innovative solutions.
Common questions
What to know about Ministry of Awesome
Upseed classifies Ministry of Awesome under the Accelerator organization type. Its current public profile includes program host and community capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
April 2, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.