On the evening of September 25th 2019, MYOB hosted its annual MYOB’s Head Start For Start-Ups award ceremony at The Common in Parnell. 280 guests competed to win the grand prize of:
- $10,000 cash
- A lifetime subscription to MYOB essentials
- 6 months business coaching with Ventell & 12 months membership at The Common, worth $18K
- NZME Marketing, worth $10K
- Advertising on The Hits, valued at $25K
- 12 months subscription to Unfiltered Pro
- A choice of 3 virtual Acceleration Masterclasses from Ministry of Awesome
valued at $10k
Only 5 contestants were given the chance to pitch their idea to a panel of judges in order to win. The finalists would all receive a $1,000 cash prize, 12 months free MYOB essentials, and 3 months business coaching at The Common with Ventell worth $2.5K.
The night started with guests excitedly trickling into the venue who were greeted with an open and bar and a large grazing table in the centre of the venue put together by The Common. As guests made their way in and got comfortable, networking with other attendees, there was a buzz of excitement in the air. At 6:30, the start of the finalist’s pitches began.
The awards were hosted by none other than The Hits presenters Mike Puru and Stacey Morrison. They introduced the evening with a lot of energy and enthusiasm which clearly rubbed off on the audience, who cheered and clapped for their favorite contestants.
The first pitch was given by Stay Native, whose business idea is a social enterprise that aims to boost economic equality for indigenous people all around the world through tourism. As a society that loves to travel and experience new things, the audience could immediately see themselves using the platform both in and out of NZ.
The second pitch was given by the Smile Initiative, whose business idea talks about mental health in the workplace through methods of understanding and identifying those who are suffering from mental illnesses by utilizing training programs. This was a heavy topic, as many New Zealanders have been affected by mental health issues in their lifetimes.
The third pitch Spout is a business model based around milk alternative storage as compared to the average plastic container. Spout alternatives put milks into keys to reduce plastic waste in cafes as well as provide an eco-friendly method of storage and reusability. They accurately tapped into Aucklander’s love of our café lifestyle with the idea of using less plastic while still being able to enjoy a flat white.
The fourth pitch was given by Getaflex which model was based around seeking jobs that were catered more to casual working jobs, this includes jobs that help mothers with children take time off in the working week in order to care for their kids while also maintaining a professional career.
The last pitch was given by Froth technologies. Their pitch was based around the use of yeast in New Zealand brewing companies and creating a zero-emissions business model. This was an intriguing idea as it has never been done before and seemed like such an obvious market to go in to!
After the pitches were given, there was a break with participants returning the grazing table and bar to network some more and talk with the contestants for more information on their ideas. This was a great opportunity for audience members to ask burning questions, connect with the competitors, and find out more about how to get involved with each project. The
judges left to decide who would win the grand $10,000 cash prize, a hard decision everyone agreed!
When the judges returned everyone was once again called in to deliver the final verdict. Oliva Storm won from The Smile initiative whose pitch swayed the judges with how nothing is more valuable than human life. Oliva stood up on stage, stunned from the overwhelming applause from the crowd and receiving her check of $10,000 to help kick start her project as well as the other prizes mentioned above.
All of this was hosted within The Common in Parnell in a New York loft styled venue. The Common is perfect for this styled event as the layout and style allowed for a section of networking and conversation with finger foods and drinks while also having easy access to the events area that is set up in any styled required to fit the theme of the event. Hosting up to 120 people standing and sitting means The Common is perfect for awards styled events for any business. MYOB chooses The Common every year for its can-do attitude, entrepreneurial spirit, and great energy it brings to this event.
To book your next event with us, contact us here!