Unconference
Unconference and Workshops 2026
Uniting the Startup Ecosystem
GEN NZ Unconference and Workshops are back again, and it's all happening at Victoria University of Wellington this year!
This unique opportunity to connect and reconnect will be held on Monday, 24 August (Workshops) and Tuesday, 25 August (Unconference) at Victoria University's Rutherford House.
Let's come together kanohi ki te kanohi / face to face and learn from each other about the art and science of entrepreneurship, and how to improve our entrepreneurial ecosystem. Join your ecosystem colleagues and new ones for a barely controlled explosion of entrepreneurial energy.
The Unconference on Tuesday, 25th August, brings together people from all over the country and the various niches in the entrepreneurial ecosystem to collaborate on how we can connect entrepreneurs to the resources and people they need to thrive, locally and globally. At an unconference, you set the agenda - and we’ll be soliciting ideas for sessions closer to the date. We’ll meet in small groups and discuss topics that are of interest on the day. Everyone can contribute to the conversation, and the main idea is to connect with like-minded people with whom you can work together to achieve your common goals. The Unconference sessions will be facilitated, but there won’t be a single “presenter” as such in the sessions.
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The Unconference will be preceded by a day of workshops on Monday, 24th August. The workshop sessions will be more traditional conference workshops - led by one or two people, with presentations, each with specific learning outcomes, and feeding into the Unconference sessions the following day.
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More details to come on speakers and the agenda!
Expect fresh ideas, real conversations and meaningful connections
Have a conversation you want to share with your peers in the ecosystem?
We'd love to hear from you! Please fill out the form on the link below!
Want to help ensure this amazing event and the rest of GEN NZ's work continues in 2026?
Reach out to discuss sponsorship opportunities!
Join us on LinkedIn for all updates of upcoming events
Unconference 2026 Sponsors
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What is an Unconference?
An ‘unconference' is a conference without a set agenda.
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Attendees are given the freedom to create the event they want. There is no pre-planned agenda. Instead, it is created by the attendees at the beginning of the meeting. Anyone who wants to initiate a discussion on any topic can choose a time and space.
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Unconferences allow every attendee to be a worthy keynote speaker on their own. All topics of conversation are on the table.
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GEN NZ has been running Unconferences in various locations around New Zealand since 2020. The event welcomes entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, ecosystem builders, and many others to meet, discuss, and learn together.
