The new Market Lane haunt is Xero’s current 2000 square metre premises, a step up from BizDojo’s current Tory St headquarters, which is 1470 square metres in size.
Xero will be staying in close proximity to BizDojo, moving across the road to Taranaki St, where it will merge together staff from its various sites around Wellington under one roof.
Xero founder Rod Drury was welcoming of BizDojo to the area.
“We’re so happy our friends at BizDojo have taken over our old home,” Drury said.
“We’ve worked a lot with their team mentoring companies and the space has been the launch pad of much global innovation that we’re sure will continue.”
BizDojo co-founder Nick Shewring said the team was on the lookout for a space within Wellington’s burgeoning tech precinct that had the right character and fit for the business.
“We can’t have been the only ones to look at the Xero building and thought, ‘Man, we could do something incredible in there.’ So when we learned it was going to be available it seemed a natural next step for us to take over the lease,” Shewring said.
The new space creates the ability for BizDojo to host up to 450 residents, bringing together various startups, entrepreneurs, small businesses and creatives in one hub.
This will help with onboarding new businesses and entrepreneurs, as the current Tory St site is at full capacity.
Shewring said the increase in size would allow for more collaboration and opportunities for New Zealand companies looking to go global.
What’s more, those operating in the tech and innovation sector will have a bunch of inspirational businesses on their doorstep to interact with.
Xero, Trade Me, Te Papa’s incubator Mahuki, the NZ Stock Exchange and the NZ Film Commission are all based close by in what’s been dubbed Wellington’s ‘tech precinct’.
BizDojo credits the Wellington City Council for supporting BizDojo’s ColliderWgtn initiative, which Shewring says has been a catalyst for helping the tech precinct grow.
“The work that WCC and our Mayor have done to help build a true ecosystem here in Wellington has to be commended.
“New Zealand is one of the easiest places in the world to set up a new business and this corner of Wellington with Xero and TradeMe so close by is ideal for the tech and innovation sector, particularly as the tech precinct finds its feet and starts to attract new talent.”
BizDojo’s other co-founder, Jonah Merchant, says the company’s move to Market Lane is a sign that the tech precinct is coming to life.
“It is great that this is happening naturally in a city like Wellington, and speaks volumes that the local ecosystem is able to organically build a vibrant community with minimal intervention.”
BizDojo will take over the new building in November.
Want to know more about the cool things happening in the capital? Check out Idealog’s Guide To Wellington.
