Supporting the innovators who are shaping New Zealand
In February 2026, 10 ventures were presented at the Summer Startup Showcase – the culmination of 10 weeks of ideation, refinement, skills development and sheer hard mahi.
Our Impact
We’re proud to support UCE’s Summer Startup, helping ambitious tertiary-level students transform their ideas into real world ventures.
The Story
Every summer, a group of University of Canterbury students step out of the classroom and into the world of entrepreneurship. UC Summer Startup is an intensive 10 week programme run by the UC Centre for Entrepreneurship, designed for students who aspire to solve real problems and build new ventures from the ground up.
Now in its 13th year, the programme supports participants through workshops, speaker sessions, mentoring, and field trips to local start-ups and established organisations, including Tait Communications. It’s designed to give students the skills and confidence they need to explore market opportunities, validate their ideas and start gaining traction.
“The depth of quality this year was extraordinary,” says Pete Howard, Student Innovation Lead at the UC Centre for Entrepreneurship. “We saw 18 ventures developed and 10 pitched at showcase, each one absolutely worthy of being on stage. What students were able to achieve in 10 weeks was incredibly impressive.”
Standout ideas included a blockchain education platform, an app that makes decluttering effortless, and a seaweed-based alternative to single-use soft plastics.
The Tait Foundation plays a pivotal role in making this programme possible. With Summer Startup being an extracurricular initiative, scholarships are essential in removing financial barriers for students. The Foundation makes a significant annual contribution, with funds funnelled into individual student scholarships as well as venture development grants.
For Pete, the alignment between the Tait Foundation and UC Summer Startup is clear. “The Tait Foundation’s mission is to support the next generation of STEM leaders. Summer Startup’s mission is to ignite the next generation of entrepreneurs and change-makers. When you combine technical capability with an entrepreneurial mindset, it’s a hugely powerful intersection.”
The Tait Foundation’s support of UC Summer Startup reflects our commitment to ‘Building Bridges’ – helping students progress through all levels of STEM education and into meaningful real world roles. From younger learners just discovering technology, to university students getting set to launch their careers, the Foundation is proud to support the full pipeline of future innovators.
Congratulations to this year’s Summer Startup cohort. We’ve been blown away by the ideas and passion on display, and can’t wait to see what unfolds next.
The Tait Foundation is thrilled to support UC Summer Startup and help launch the next generation of founders and entrepreneurs, empowering them to build the ventures that will shape the future of New Zealand.
