Insight: Fostering innovation, helping Southland startups succeed

COIN South - a community-driven organisation that’s dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs and innovators across the Southland region.

Welcome to The Southland Tribune’s weekly column spot called “Insight”. We have asked leaders of various Southland organisations to share a bit about some of the wins they are having and also some of the challenges they may be facing. This week COIN South General Manager Cathy Peters outlines what the organisation is all about.

Hey there! Kia ora!

This is the first of a monthly column from COIN South where we will be sharing what’s happening in the wonderful world of startups across Southland, including showcasing Southland founders, upcoming events and workshops and sharing some of the tools used to turn ideas into successful products and businesses.

I would like to take the opportunity to introduce COIN South, what we do and our core values.

COIN South is all about fostering a culture of innovation and helping Southland startups succeed. We’re a community-driven organisation that’s dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs and innovators across the Southland region. Whether you’re a seasoned startup founder or just getting started with your first business venture.

We are connectors. Our connections across Southland and the national startup ecosystem is our greatest strength. We have an incredible network of mentors, industry experts, alumni and coaches, and a can-do attitude. We’re focused on coaching teams to ensure we support successful, profitable, and sustainable businesses, and connect startups with the right people, skills and funding opportunities at the right time.

Our values at COIN South guide everything we do.

They are:

* Mahi Tahi: We work together, collaborate and share

* Fear less: We champion courageous ideas and bold decisions.

* Curiosity: We ask why a lot.

* Real: We talk straight, solve real problems and offer real advice.

* People: We back the jockey, not the horse.

* Trust by trusting: COIN is a safe space for starting a business.

These values are the foundation of our organisation, and they help us to create a supportive, inclusive, and innovative community for entrepreneurs and innovators in the Southland region.

So, if you’re a startup founder or just someone who’s interested in innovation and entrepreneurship, I encourage you to get involved with COIN South. We offer a range of programs and events designed to support startups and innovators at all stages of their journey, from ideation to scaling up. Our programmes, events and space create an environment full of creative thinkers, problem solvers and connections who want to help other Southlanders to succeed.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon at COIN South!