The number of start-ups is growing every year, with 2023 being another great year for the entrepreneurial space; from securing millions of dollars in funding, to going global and more. So, what companies should you look out for heading into 2024.
Wonky Box
A fresh spin on the traditional food subscription box, Wonky Box has changed the way people purchase fruits and vegetables.
With a mission to stop perfectly fine produce that looks a bit different heading for the landfill, Angus Simms and Katie Jackson started Wonky Box, bringing something new to the grocery sector in New Zealand.
Traditionally, fruits and vegetables that don’t meet “commercial standards” get thrown away. Now Wonky Box is saving thousands, if not millions becoming waste at a cheaper price than at Countdown or PAK’nSAVE.
Simms and Jackson say that the introduction of Wonky Box is offering something new to the FMCG industry – an industry that already lacks competition.
Earlier in February, Wonky Box expanded to Auckland after a successful launch in Wellington during the pandemic and is now working towards being available nationwide.
“I feel what we’re doing here is so new and so unique that we’re hoping the growth continues, and the momentum continues,” says Simms in a previous Idealog article.
Ideally
Only two months since its launch, Ideally secured a funding of $2.15 million, meaning only one thing; it is undoubtedly a company to look out for in 2024.
A brainchild from TRA (The Research Agency) Labs and Previously Unavailable’s incubation, Ideally is an innovative customer insights platform that gives clients insights on their concepts, ideas and messages using generative artificial intelligence.
Through this platform, Ideally is supporting the growth of Australasia’s most innovative platforms, says CEO and Co-Founder, James Donald.
“That’s why we built Ideally – to help people bring great ideas to life. Our clients don’t have to bet the house on an idea anymore. They can test, grow, and develop ideas with the voice of the customer throughout,” says Donald.
Already, Ideally is working across some of the largest companies across New Zealand and Australia including Tegel, Asahi Beverages, Kiwibank, and more.
Goldie
Only recently launching at the end of 2023, Goldie is introducing a new way for Kiwis to invest their money and already is taking the country by storm.
Founded by Cam Maclachlan and Glen Jenkins, who consider themselves everyday retail investors, have been working on this for three years now after realising the blocks that prevented them from investing in “real high value assets”.
“The idea and the opportunity with Goldie is it’s a simple, easy, you put your money in, it’s a safe investment, and you have fun with it. You don’t feel like you need to be an expert of investing,” says Maclachlan.
Read more: New Zealand’s first ‘real’ investment platform: Goldie
The whole idea with Goldie is to give investors another safe and diverse investment option for their portfolio.
Despite only launching in November 2023, Maclachlan and Jenkins have plans to further their asset investments to other “real things” such as art, clothing, collectibles and much more.
Dosh
As the years go by, our physical items are quickly becoming digitalised, so what’s up next? Digital wallets.
Being one of the first companies to introduce digital wallets to New Zealand, Dosh is providing a new payment solution for Kiwis to pay bills, pay friends, and purchase goods.
The idea of digital wallets are the norm in parts of Asia, where James McEniery and Shane Marsh took inspiration.
With the world becoming more and more digitally inclined, this is certainly a company to look out for in 2024.
The popularity and demand of applications like Dosh even sparked University of Waikato to be the first tertiary education provider to offer a fintech (financial technology) degree.
VeVe
Having won the 2023 EY Entrepreneur of the Year, David Yu of VeVe must be doing something right.
What started as a comic store on Auckland’s Karangahape Rd, VeVe has quickly become a global collectible platform.
Yu’s app has changed the landscape, making it easier for people all around the world to collect and trade digital items using NFT technology.
Since its launch five years ago, the app has saw more than eight million collectibles sold from global brands such as Disney, Marvel and DC Comics.
“David Yu is a true Kiwi entrepreneur – he is a silent achiever that is both humble and grounded in his approach. He has been running businesses from the age of sixteen and has grown as an entrepreneur alongside his company, constantly adapting and refining his approach along the way,” says Cecilia Robinson, Chair of Judges at EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year awards.
