OUR STORY
Ideas and collaboration start with us. The Cell is a co-working collaboration space in the heart of downtown Wanaka. We are an idea accelerator and strive to support and strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Wanaka and our region.
The Cell is your starting point to make things happen. We support early-stage entrepreneurs, start-ups, solopreneurs, emerging enterprises and more; to turn their ideas into reality.
Our Team
The Cell is driven by a small, but passionate group of people who are committed to the business and economic development of the Upper Clutha region.
Kelly Good
CO-FOUNDER
With a passion for business and the start up community Kelly's motivation behind her involvement is to create a vibrant and energetic working environment that provides both stimulus and opportunities for all business. The right infrastructure, culture and environment is critical to attract new companies to the playground of Wanaka and that is what we aim to achieve.
Arna Craig
CO-FOUNDER
A serial entrepreneur at heart, Arna's vision for the region is to create a thriving and diverse business community. With particular affection for the start up community, Arna is dedicated to supporting talent and encouraging innovative new business development.
Alistair King
CO-FOUNDER
Founder of Gigatown Wanaka and Chairman of the Wanaka Chamber of Commerce Alistair is excited about Wanaka as a premier business and lifestyle destination. The Cell and CUBE initiatives will help to unleash the awesomeness Wanaka has to offer.
Aj Spence
OFFICE MANAGER
Creativity is at the heart of what AJ does. Running her own Graphic Design company, Left Creative, she is always looking for exciting new projects to share ideas and develop small business brands to be the best they can be. AJ runs the day-to-day operations at The Cell.
A Little History…
Gigatown was an online and real world competition developed by Chorus to help educate and inspire New Zealanders about the possibilities that a country connected with ultra-fast broadband can provide. When the competition kicked off in October 2013, 50 towns from around New Zealand signed up to become the country’s first Gigatown. In September 2014, only five towns made it through to the final round - Dunedin, Gisborne, Nelson, Timaru and Wanaka. Although Wanaka did not win the competition, it brought about many positive changes.
The Centre of Unique Business Evolution (CUBE), nonprofit economic development entity, was created to maintain the momentum that was generated by the Wanaka Gigatown Campaign. It facilitates a number of business focused initiatives including CO. STARTERS, a mentoring program, investment network, entrepreneurial seminar series and a variety of localised business support activities. The CUBE also gave The Cell its start. Here, years later The Cell team is very proud to be thriving independently as a fusion of start-up and emerging businesses working along-side one another in an environment that stimulates and supports creativity and business growth.
Building on the work of the CUBE and the input from others, Startup Queenstown Lakes was formed in November 2017. We welcome you to visit The StartUp Queenstown Lakes website to learn more about their engagements in Business Support, Business Advocacy, Knowledge and Planning Development and the operation of key initiatives for the business community.