In March, private sector entrepreneurs and public sector changemakers teamed up to embark on a challenging 3-month journey — one that combined intensive mentorship, lean startup methodologies, and heaps of inspiration. Eight teams flourished in the third iteration of the R9 Accelerator, a unique model of GovTech innovation born right here in New Zealand.

It was such a pleasure to guide these passionate and energized teams through the acceleration process (my second accelerator in the GovTech space), and I’m proud of what they accomplished in such a short time. The recent R9 Demo Day showcased the customer-centric approaches, the many ups and downs (“pivots”), and new solutions that can transform how government functions in the business and social impact sectors. We’re honored to have received attention and exposure across the globe, as well as a number of visitors from distant corners such as Estonia, Singapore, Bangladesh and more.

Teams from the third R9 cohort are now securing funding to enter a special post-acceleration support program (PASP) at the beginning of the month. I invite you to join the R9 journey and get involved with these startups that endeavor to change the world — together we can go far.

More background and insights on the program can be found via the R9 Accelerator channel on YouTube »