Deadline Date: February 09, 2026
The Startup Dunedin has opened applications for its Microgrants program, offering small funding injections to support early-stage startup experiments and help founders learn by doing.
The Microgrants focus on supporting startup projects that require financial assistance to test ideas, including purchasing critical equipment, developing prototypes or MVPs, running product trials, organizing focus groups, and other experiments that help validate business models and market assumptions. The grants prioritize Dunedin-based founders, early-stage innovators, clear learning outcomes, costed experiments, and connection to local support services. The Microgrants program provides one-off funding, typically ranging from $500 to $2,000, drawn from a total fund of $10,000. The funding is designed to help founders test concepts in a safe and supported way, explore market fit, and develop a repeatable business model. Applicants are expected to clearly outline what they are working on, what they hope to learn through the funding, and where they envision their startup in the coming years.
Eligible applicants are founders and innovators based in Dunedin who can demonstrate how the grant will support their experiments, articulate expected learning outcomes, and show how this opportunity builds on their wider startup ideas. Applicants should also be connected to local support networks, such as Startup Dunedin, Kuma, Business South, Dunedin City Council, and IRD, to ensure access to mentoring and guidance during the experimentation process.
The funding cannot be used for broader marketing or brand awareness campaigns, nor can it be combined with other funding rounds such as the Hapori Fund. The focus remains on small, targeted experiments that provide meaningful insights for early-stage startups.
For more information, visit Startup Dunedin.
