Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki, the region's economic development agency, is calling on early-stage founders, startups, and ambitious thinkers to apply for the 2025 PowerUp Business Ready programme, a free, eight-week business capability workshop series designed to help Taranaki entrepreneurs validate their ideas, build confidence, and develop a viable plan to launch or grow.

The 2025 intake begins on Tuesday 16 September, with applications now open and closing on Sunday 31 August. Places are strictly limited and subject to a panel-based selection process.

Over the course of eight weeks, participants will engage in interactive, practical workshops that cover core business fundamentals, including customer validation, value proposition development, market strategy, financial planning, and pitching. Each participant also receives a one-on-one session with a business advisor to review progress, refine their business model, and define their next steps.

"PowerUp Business Ready is an established programme with proven results" says Jenn Patterson, GM Economic Development at Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki. "It's designed for people who are ready to act, whether they're at the concept stage or looking to grow innovation within an existing business."

The programme has already helped accelerate the growth of numerous Taranaki ventures. One of last year's participants, Kris Sebro, CEO of Lastmyle, says, "PowerUp enables the business to capture the key elements for the appropriate structure and provides a great foundation for any company, new or existing, to set them up for success." says, "PowerUp enables the business to capture the key elements for the appropriate structure and provides a great foundation for any company, new or existing, to set them up for success."

Sebro, whose business is creating energy solutions to meet the needs of the future energy system in Aotearoa, praised PowerUp for helping Lastmyle strategically align along the electricity value chain.

"A key challenge for us was product-market fit and optimising our value proposition. PowerUp helped us clarify this by challenging us to understand our customers' motivations and refine our approach to market."

"Plans rarely proceed as indicated, and the ability to pivot is critical. Listening to your customers will guide you to create a better, fit-for-purpose product."

PowerUp Business Ready is one of several initiatives within the broader PowerUp platform, a suite of programmes designed to support every stage of the entrepreneurial journey. Other initiatives include the PowerUp Accelerator and Scale Up Grants, as well as expert-led masterclasses, structured workshops, and inspiring storytelling from local Taranaki founders through the PowerUp Podcast.

"The startup ecosystem in Taranaki is building real momentum" says Jenn Patterson. "PowerUp Business Ready is the longest-running and most successful business incubator programme in the region. We're proud to back the next generation of bold thinkers and early-stage businesses."

For more information and to apply, please visit - https://www.venture.org.nz/enterprise-and-entrepreneurship/power-up/businessready-registration-form/