Venture Taranaki
As the regional development agency for Taranaki, Te Puna Umanga, Venture Taranaki supports local entrepreneurship and enterprises to grow, promotes our region, and helps develop our sectors, building a thriving Taranaki economy that supports the well-being of our region’s people and environment.
Specifically, the agency’s strategic focus areas encompass energy and food and fibre transition, catalysing hi-tech innovation, and visitor futures and destination development
Te Puna Umanga, Venture Taranaki works with stakeholders across a wide range of industries and sectors, local and national government, community groups, iwi, and individual enterprises to support the region’s development. With a strong and inclusive culture, they are proud to be embarking on becoming a Te Tiriti-led organisation.
A Council Controlled Organisation, owned by New Plymouth District Council (NPDC), Venture Taranaki is incorporated as a charitable trust, and operates a leveraged funding model with NPDC funding at its core. Venture Taranaki also partners with South Taranaki District Council and Stratford District Council to deliver regional development services around the Maunga.
Enterprise & Entrepreneurship
If you’re starting out in business, or need support to grow your enterprise, a Venture Taranaki Enterprise Advisor can support you with:
Complete the Venture Taranaki Support Enquiry Form to connect with an Enterprise Advisor.
Regional Intelligence
Access facts and figures, reports, survey results and other important information about Taranaki. Venture Taranaki manages an interactive webpage that houses key economic measurements (GDP, unemployment rate, consumer spend, visitor spend, guest night and median house prices), and dashboards which are updated quarterly and monthly
Taranaki Trends is a bi-annual publication covering a wide range of national and regional measures, to enable Taranaki businesses and researchers to find key information and make informed decisions.
The Taranaki Business Survey is a bi-annual business confidence survey, which goes out to a range of enterprises of different sizes and sectors.
Science & Research
Science and research is supported from grassroots, through the PSP Curious Minds Programme, Through Curious Minds research professionals and community groups can apply for up to $20,000 to undertake collaborative locally relevant research projects. In partnership with Massey University student internships are fostered and Taranaki businesses and industry sectors can access Massey University’s expertise. Furthermore, Venture Taranaki also partners with Callaghan Innovation, to support innovation and to help Taranaki business explore their innovation challenges through facilitating research and development (R&D) grants.
Sector Development
Venture Taranaki supports both core industries and emerging sectors, through collaboration, trade support and industry projects.
In order to maintain a stable and diverse economy, Taranaki needs both established core industries and emerging sectors.
Venture Taranaki supports both, and in many different ways, from facilitating cluster groups, to project management and trade show support.
Visitor Futures and Destination Development
Venture Taranaki is the regional tourism office and has a multifaceted role in promoting the region and developing the visitor sector. They also operate the regional film office and Convention Bureau. Their sustainable destination development approach involves strategic planning, regional marketing, product development, industry support, and collaboration with businesses and events to drive economic impact through increased visitation. The agency works to position the region as an attractive destination for investment, living, working, playing, creating, learning, and visiting. They achieve this through planned promotions, media engagements, and communications initiatives that generate significant regional exposure domestically and internationally.
