Velocity: The University of Auckland Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programme

Velocity is the University of Auckland entrepreneurship programme. It unleashes potential, giving momentum to people, innovation and ideas. We empower students and staff by developing their entrepreneurial mindset so they can solve social and environmental problems, power industry as employees, and start ventures based on their research, studies or simply as a result of creative thinking. Born of a big idea: to transform New Zealand into a growing and prosperous nation by shaping its economy into one that is built on innovation, creativity, science and technology. Modelled on programmes operating in highly effective innovation hubs around the globe. This ambitious dream has turned into a powerful reality. Previously known as Spark, the programme is making a global impact with alumni working in start-ups, SMEs, corporate firms, not-for-profit organisations and government departments. They have launched more than 120 start-up ventures that have attracted $200 million in investment, created more than 460 jobs and selling products and services in more than 35 countries. Velocity is an inspirational and exciting programme of talks, workshops, events and challenges. Volunteers from the business community and entrepreneurial ecosystem, give their time as speakers, judges, mentors and supporters. Velocity is run by a student committee, supported by the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and funded through sponsorship. In 2014 a global study by MIT identified the University of Auckland as one of the world’s top five emerging leaders in entrepreneurship expected to become an international innovation powerhouse in the decades ahead – and the programme was identified as the “beating heart” of this movement.