Supporting Kiwi founders to thrive

Justin Milano, Founder of Abroad, is supporting Kiwi founders, their teams and investors to create outsized impact and value and stay well. 

The Abroad ‘New Zealand Founder Wellbeing Programme’ draws on scientific research and ancient wisdom and is co-facilitated with Tuihana Ohia from Woo Wellbeing whose whānau whakapapa to Tauranga. 

Startup teams, just like others in Aotearoa NZ, face significant mental health challenges. The gaps in startup founder support have now been identified - and with programmes such as Justin’s - measures are being put into place to create a 'wellbeing economy' within Aotearoa NZ’s innovation ecosystem.

From June to September, NZ entrepreneurs and investors have the unique chance to engage weekly in the 4-month New Zealand Founder Wellbeing Programme; an opportunity made possible through partnerships with Angel Association NZ, New Zealand Growth Capital Partners, Callaghan Innovation and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, whose support enabled the initiative to be accessible including scholarships for tangata whenua founders.

After the completion of the NZ programme, Justin reported on the measured growth among 50+ participants, with a notable improvement across areas such as managing workload to maximise impact, buffering against occupational burnout, and flexibility in the face of unexpected or unintended situations, plus more.

Angel Association Executive Chair, Suse Reyonlds said the Abroad programme has had an incredible impact on Aotearoa NZ’s startup ecosystem and on the individuals who have taken part. “We have had such effusive feedback, including from a number who have said it has quite literally changed their lives. And it is terrific to see Callaghan Innovation, with the recent announcement of services to augment programmes like Abroad, making support for startup team wellbeing systemic.”    

The success of the NZ programme has resonated globally, with plans for replication in other innovation hubs, such as Singapore and Chicago. This expansion positions Aotearoa NZ as a successful proving ground to demonstrate the positive impact of holistic leadership development within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Find out more about Abroad here: https://www.abroad.io/nz-founder-programme-2023