Hi all,
It’s been a huge few weeks for us at NZVC — across the portfolio, milestones, and some unforgettable moments back in Auckland.
🇳🇿 Auckland in full bloom
October was one for the books. We hosted NZVC Portfolio Day 2025 as part of Auckland Startup Week — bringing together over 150+ founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders at Pipiri Lane. From Brad Feld’s opening remarks on “From Edge to Epicenter” to panels on AI, scaling, and the future of venture, the day captured the energy of a region at its inflection point.
The fun(d) didn’t stop there. We had two fantastic dinners with many of our LPs and founders, followed by a chance to ride Vessev’s VS–9 electric hydrofoiling vessel the next day — a breathtaking showcase of New Zealand innovation in action. Quiet, clean, and effortlessly futuristic, it’s exactly the kind of technology we’re proud to back.
💰 Fund II Momentum
Our Fund II launch has started to attract attention, with media coverage highlighting NZVC’s growing role in shaping the ANZ venture landscape. We continue to back world-class founders across our four focus areas:
Service-as-Software — AI-native automation platforms
Next Automation Frontier — robotics and intelligent systems
Human Enhancement — biotech, health, and performance
Geopolitical Sovereignty — critical infrastructure and resilience
We’re grateful for the support from both returning and new global LPs as we build on this momentum.
Read about us on Startup Daily:
…or in the National Business Review (paywalled)
🚀 Portfolio Highlights
Lula Commerce
Lula just announced an $8 million Series A, led by Philadelphia-based investors and covered by BizJournals. The company is redefining last-mile logistics for local commerce — helping independent retailers deliver faster, cheaper, and more sustainably. Read more.
Curve Biosciences
Curve raised a $40 million Series B, featured in Inside Precision Medicine. Their blood-based monitoring platform for chronic diseases represents a major leap forward in non-invasive diagnostics — and another global signal from the ANZ biotech ecosystem. Read more.
Emerge Banking
Neobank Emerge just announced a partnership with Mastercard to expand its personal banking services across New Zealand. Backed by NZVC since its early days, Emerge is reimagining what modern banking looks like — giving customers an all-digital, automated experience that blends payments, savings, and financial management into one clean platform. Read the story.
And there’s more to come — a few exciting updates are on the horizon before year-end.
💡 The momentum is real
Between record portfolio rounds, new launches and partnerships, and growing global attention on the region, it’s an exciting time to be building from ANZ.
More soon,
The NZVC Team