Welcome to Dunedin 1 Why Dunedin? Blackhead Beach Sunset Dunedin is a confident It’s become clear that a significant commercial centre with a global part of Dunedin’s future economic focus and a strong emphasis success lies in providing the ideal on design and innovation, environment for our increasingly underpinned by cohesive business successful startup, tech, gaming, connections and a burgeoning niche manufacturing and digital talent pool. The city is enriched industries to expand and thrive. by successful businesses that We believe we have all the right produce cutting-edge products ingredients in place for this to and services selling into global happen. markets over a sustained period. The city’s global connections, particularly its sister city relationships with Shanghai and Edinburgh, have been carefully fostered over time and are underscored by a high level of trust and integrity. 2 The right focus 07 Port Chalmers Dunedin’s Economic In 2012, the Dunedin City Council, The Economic Development Development Strategy VisionUniversity of Otago, OtagoStrategic contextStrategy sits alongside and DunedinPolytechnic, will be a compelling Otago ChamberThe Dunedin of Destinationcomplements Plan seven other The City’s vision is to be one of destination, with highly regarded is an implementation plan that attractions,Commerce, education Otago and lifestyle Southland will deliver on the visionstrategies and owned by the Dunedin the world’s great small cities. This experiences.Employers Dunedin’s Association reputation andstrategic Ngāi objectives setCity out in theCouncil which are also vision encapsulates several ideas: as a great small city will attract city’s strategic framework (see the visitors,Tahu investors came and together migrants. to developdiagram below), developedintended by the to deliver the vision for Our growing business vitality DCC and the community. There • Dunedin is a centre of learning, willand improve agree lifestyle, the income 2013-23 and Dunedinare eight city strategies,the along city and are summarised in the employment levels for our residents. with the Council’s Long Term Plan education and research; Economic Developmentand Strategy. Financial Strategy, following and all are diagram: underpinned by the principles of • It sparks creativity and sustainability and commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi. experimentation in our community; Dunedin Strategic Framework Dunedin Strategic Framework • It has an enterprising and pioneering spirit; • It has strong relationships with mana whenua; SPATIAL • The city has an inspiring PLAN cultural heritage and natural DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC environment; STRATEGY • Dunedin is relevant and SOCIAL WELLBEINGSTRATEGY connected to international COMMUNITY OUTCOMES RECREATION PARKS & markets. STRATEGY ARTS & CULTURE STRATEGY ENVIRONMENT STRATEGY INTEGRATED TRANSPORT STRATEGY 3 The Economic Development Dunedin as a digital Strategy has two specific destination economic goals: Dunedin is increasingly becoming • An average of $10,000 extra a hub for thriving digital income for each person businesses. We are recognised as (requiring GDP per capita to a leading research centre for new rise by about 2.5% per annum); technologies, including virtual • 10,000 extra jobs over 10 and augmented reality. The city’s years (requiring employment size, affordability and accessibility growth of approximately 2% per - along with its educational and annum). research networks, pool of talent and culture of collaboration - make it a hub for creativity To focus activities towards and innovation. Dunedin also achieving the goals, the Dunedin has a higher growth in workers Economic Development Strategy employed in knowledge-intensive comprises the following themes: (3 per cent compared to 2.9 percent nationally) and creative • Business vitality; occupations such as film and • Alliances for innovation; music (2.4 per cent compared to • Hub of skills and talent; 1.8 per cent nationally). • Linkages beyond our borders; Locally-owned, independent self-publishers such as Dunedin’s • Compelling destination. RocketWerkz and Runaway Play For more information https:// are blending Dunedin creativity www.dunedinnz.com/business/ with leading technology to create enterprise-dunedin/strategy successful games exported around the world. International gaming companies are now seeing our potential and are investing their digital futures here too. Dunedin’s growing digital industry will extend the into ‘serious games’ that can add value to our health and education sectors. 4 A recognised Centre of • Growing digital capability While gaming and gamification Digital Excellence (CODE) through enhanced partnerships applications is a priority for (building local partnerships - CODE, we recognise that these Our confidence in Dunedin’s firms, education providers, Ngāi are not the only opportunities that bright digital future is backed up Tahu, the startup ecosystem, CODE can foster. by the New Zealand Government’s developing and extending decision to select Dunedin as We’ve made a commitment at a international links, hosting the base for its Centre of Digital local level to work collaboratively international research fellows Excellence (CODE). with education providers and the and speakers); local digital industry to maximise CODE will build on existing • Supporting innovation to create what CODE can deliver for gaming and digital businesses growth through contestable businesses, our city, the region and the existing academic centres product development funds and New Zealand. in Dunedin. Over ten years, the targeted to areas of special ambition of CODE is to move the focus (e.g. Māori coders, women, computer gaming industry to a youth), hosting annual game sector generating $1bn of output. development challenges; The Government plans to invest • Facilitating growth in digital significantly into CODE. employment in Dunedin CODE will focus on the core (leveraging investments in factors identified by stakeholders skills, capabilities, research - as essential for growing Dunedin’s industry and academic, and video games development innovation by building an industry: environment that connects • Developing skills (revamping individuals with opportunities the tertiary education leading to earnings and jobs); curriculum, investing to build • Diversifying the industry school and non-school pathways through targeted pathways, to the industry, providing particularly for Māori, youth incentives that attract and and women; retain talent, including Māori, • Attracting businesses and leading an annual workshop individuals to Dunedin on education options and skill (establishing Dunedin as a needs); compelling location for game developers). 5 The right support networks Business Vitality and City For example, CODE aligns well to Dunedin’s Startup Ecosystem work already underway to support Investment in the Tech, The Dunedin City Council has an engaged and motivated Digital Ecosystem done some rigorous analysis startup ecosystem. This work has There is growing interest from around the challenges and gained momentum over the last entrepreneurs, investors and strategic approaches to Startup two years based on the efforts of businesses in Dunedin due to ecosystems. As a result, the city industry, the Startup Dunedin its burgeoning talent pool and is preparing to invest substantial Trust, investment by private inclusive and creative startup funding to nurture and grow the sector co-working spaces and culture. The city also provides startup ecosystem. support through agencies such as an environment where people the Grow Dunedin Partnership, • Startups have access to key can set up at a fraction of the University of Otago, and Otago players and resources to cost of larger centres and do Polytechnic. The Dunedin City grow their businesses, and more with their resources. This is Council invested nearly $250,000 to celebrate and promote complemented by the Dunedin in activities to support startup startup success to improve the City Council’s ‘Red carpet, not red businesses (particularly tech and perception of Dunedin as a tape’ initiative - a proactive and digital startups). business-friendly city; business-friendly approach being implemented across the council. • Key investors and mentors continue to be drawn into the Where in the past successful ecosystem from within the city, startups might only be found in nationally and internationally; the metropolitan areas of North America, today a startup may • Initiatives continue to be emerge from any location where developed - such as Rising there is the right support and Tide, a community driven grant environment for growth. scheme designed to help launch early stage businesses and create better founders. 6 Dunedin Cityscape This work will combine the efforts • Build on the innovation and Co.Starters and resources of Dunedin City start up ecosystem being Co.Starters is a nine-week action- Council’s partners and a range of developed in Dunedin by driven, collaborative programme other stakeholders, including the retaining talent to support the in Dunedin that equips aspiring private sector. Work is being done growth of Dunedin businesses. entrepreneurs with the insights, to: For more information relationships, and tools needed to • Raise the profile and improve www.startupdunedin.nz turn business ideas into action. the attractiveness of the The programme is run with a ecosystem to founders locally, small and supportive group of nationally and internationally; CreativeHQ – ‘Challenger like-minded people led