Fundraising FoxTauranga · Pre-Seed–Series A · 14 people tracked
Find your way into WNT Ventures
378 people in our graph share verified history with the WNT Ventures team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Investment thesis
WNT Ventures backs deep tech entrepreneurs at the earliest stage of their ideas, engaging intensively to support their success. The firm positions itself within New Zealand's (Aotearoa's) fastest-growing and highest-value technology sector, emphasizing hands-on involvement from the very beginning of a company's formation.
Source: firm website, verified Sep 27, 2026.
Team · 14 people
from the firm's website & curated
Founder mafia
3 people who came through WNT Ventures went on to found or lead other companies.
What they invest in
from 22 of 28 portfolio companiesHardware ×8Cleantech ×7Healthtech ×6AI & Machine Learning ×5Deep Tech ×5Medical Devices ×5Advanced Manufacturing ×4Climate Tech ×4
HQs:New Zealand×12Ireland×1
Who they back
founder profiles across 10 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×42 founders×33 founders×14+ founders×2
Where their founders studiedfrom 12 founders with education data
Victoria University of Wellington ×3University of Auckland ×2University of Otago ×2
What their founders studiedfrom 12 founders with field-of-study data
Engineering ×2Law ×2Life Sciences ×2Physics ×2
Where their founders worked beforefrom 14 founders with career history
LanzaTech ×2Nelson AI Institute ×2Simpson Grierson ×2
Investments · 28 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2024 · 12023 · 12021 · 13 dated
Arcanum AI offers Numa, an AI operating system that connects business tools like Xero and uses custom AI agents to automate administrative tasks such as quoting, reporting, data analysis, sales support, and knowledge search.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareSaaSWellington, NZ
Co-investorsAlt VenturesEnterprise AngelsNZ Growth Capital PartnersNZVCSnow Leopard Technology Ventures
Avertana extracts minerals and chemicals from steel manufacturing waste slag using chemical processes, producing sustainable raw materials for industrial manufacturers.
Advanced ManufacturingCircular EconomyCleantechNew MaterialsAuckland, NZ
James Obern(VP Commercial & Co-Founder)inMichael Oliver(CEO)inBrandon Swanepoel(VP Technical & Project Director)in
Co-investorsIcehouse VenturesArc AngelsEnterprise AngelsNZ Growth Capital PartnersPacific Channel
BSPKL develops catalyst coated membranes (CCM) for electrolyzers and fuel cells with significantly reduced precious metal loading.
Advanced ManufacturingCleantechDeep TechEnergyNew MaterialsNew Zealand, NZ
Christina Houlihan(Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer)inJérôme Leveneur(Co-founder & Chief Technology Officer)
Co-investorsBooster Innovation FundCreative HQ — The IncubatorInvestible Climate Tech FundNZ Growth Capital Partners
Captivate develops a proprietary Metal-Organic Framework material and Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption process for low-energy, cost-effective carbon dioxide capture and separation in industrial applications including biogas, geothermal, and cement production.
CleantechClimate TechDeep Tech
Co-investorsBooster Innovation FundCreative Destruction Lab (CDL)NZ Growth Capital Partners
CarbonCrop uses AI and automation to help landholders, carbon project developers, forestry consultants and primary sector exporters turn carbon removals from their land or supply chain into an asset.
AgTechAI & Machine LearningCleantechClimate TechSaaS
Nick Butcher(CTO & Co-founder)inJulian Maclaren(Co-founder / Director)Alexey Rostapshov(Co-founder / Director)Mark Houghton Brown(Co-founder / Director)in
Co-investorsNZ Growth Capital PartnersNZVCTractor VenturesIcehouse VenturesImpact Enterprise Fund
Kinda reduces food waste by rescuing cauliflower and other produce from being discarded, presenting metrics on environmental impact including waste prevention and packaging reduction.
Circular EconomyFoodTechImpact & Social Good
Jenni Matheson(Founder)in
Co-investorsBetter Bite Ventures
FoundryLab produces metal casting parts for defense, aerospace, and automotive industries using 3D-printed ceramic molds and automated processes, delivering production-grade parts from CAD to finished product in 72 hours without tooling delays.
Advanced ManufacturingDeep TechDefense TechHardwarePetone, Wellington
David Moodie(Founder)inPeter Beck(Director)Mike Collett(Director)
BoardVignesh Kumar(Director)inSamantha Wong(Director)in
Co-investorsArc AngelsBlackbird FoundryBlackbird VenturesEnterprise AngelsGD1Icehouse Ventures+4 more
Goodair makes Nosebuds, a reusable, drug-free nasal device worn inside the nostrils that uses small rotors to generate a vibroacoustic hum, stimulating nasal cilia to clear mucus and allergens and relieve congestion.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerHardwareHealthtechMedical DevicesWellness & FitnessAuckland, NZ
Dr David White(Founder)Kerri McMaster(CEO)in
Co-investorsAlt VenturesBooster Innovation Fund
Hale Animal Health develops novel veterinary pharmaceuticals for companion animals, focused on treatments intended to be effective and safe with fewer side effects.
BiotechHealthtechMedical Devices
Iaso Automated Medical Systems is a medical device company developing machine learning-based technology to detect and manage Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in intensive care units.
AI & Machine LearningHealthtechMedical DevicesAuckland, NZ
Tyler Harmon(CEO and Co-Founder)Andrew Seay(CFO/COO and Co-Founder)inLaDahvia Flournoy Fowler(CQO/CRO and Co-Founder)inTheo Nicholson III(CTO and Co-Founder)
Insite AI provides AI-driven solutions for large consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands, supporting pricing, assortment, trade, and revenue growth management.
AI & Machine LearningRetail TechSaaS
Co-investorsAfterWork VenturesAngel HQEnterprise AngelsNewRoad Capital Partners, LLCNZ Growth Capital Partners
Marama Labs develops optical spectroscopy instruments for life-sciences research, leveraging surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and nanoparticle characterization technology.
BiotechDeep TechHardwareHealthtechDublin, IE
Eric Le Ru(Founder)inBrendan Darby(Co-founder & CEO)inMatthias Meyer(Co-founder)in
Co-investorsBooster Innovation FundNZ Growth Capital PartnersNZVCRadar VenturesIcehouse VenturesQuidnet Ventures+2 more
Olaf Bork(Founder)in
Co-investorsEnterprise AngelsNZ Growth Capital PartnersPacific Channel
Mint develops a chemistry-based process to recover critical minerals from electronic waste, avoiding high-temperature smelting.
Circular EconomyCleantechNew MaterialsAuckland, NZ
Will Barker(Co-founder)inOllie Crush(Co-founder)inMatt Bedingfield(Global President)in
Co-investorsArc AngelsBlackbird FoundryBlackbird VenturesEnterprise AngelsIcehouse VenturesMovac+2 more
Opo develops bio-based ingredients and cell lines for cosmetic, medical, and cultivated meat applications using synthetic biology and biomanufacturing.
BiotechDeep TechFoodTechAuckland, NZ
Co-investorsBooster Innovation FundMatūEpic Angels
OPUM is a MedTech company developing medical device technologies, supported by software and hardware engineering teams.
Digital HealthHardwareHealthtechMedical Devices
David Colvin(CEO)Alexandra Wilson(COO)Paul Mallinson(CTO)in
Co-investorsNZ Growth Capital Partners
Periomedic develops medical visualization systems and provides contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) services in the medical device sector.
Advanced ManufacturingHardwareHealthtechMedical DevicesAuckland, NZ
Tom Snyder(CEO)in
Sortify.tm builds AI-based trademark software for brand owners, trademark attorneys and IP offices, including a subscription productivity toolkit for goods and services tasks and an automated assisted trademark filing portal connected to IP offices via API.
AI & Machine LearningLegalTechSaaS
Claire Foggo(Co-founder & CEO)inAlan Potter(Co-founder & Head of Innovation)inBlair Leighton(CTO)in
SoundSwitch is a lighting control software for DJs that creates music-synchronized light shows compatible with DMX, Philips Hue, and Nanoleaf fixtures.
Hardware
TDRI develops Time-Domain Reflectometry (TDR) technology for real-time moisture monitoring in road infrastructure and construction.
CleantechClimate TechConstruction TechData & InfrastructureAuckland, NZ
Co-investorsTechstars
Xplora Ventures develops thermal energy storage technology aimed at storing heat across time and location to balance seasonal energy demand.
CleantechClimate TechEnergy
Co-investorsCreative HQ — The Incubator
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
ApercureArgo Navis AerospaceNyriadPhaseFoamRapiDose
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has WNT Ventures made?
- WNT Ventures has 28 tracked investments.
- What stage does WNT Ventures invest at?
- WNT Ventures invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
- What is WNT Ventures's typical check size?
- WNT Ventures typically writes checks of $300K – $600K.
- What sectors does WNT Ventures focus on?
- WNT Ventures focuses on AgTech, Cleantech, Deep Tech.
- Where is WNT Ventures located?
- WNT Ventures is headquartered in Tauranga, NZ.
- Does WNT Ventures lead rounds?
- Yes, WNT Ventures leads investment rounds.
- Who does WNT Ventures co-invest with?
- WNT Ventures most often shares deals with NZ Growth Capital Partners, Booster Innovation Fund, Creative HQ — The Incubator, among 23 tracked co-investors.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
featuring the teamINSight #390 with Carl Jones from WNT Ventures
The Inside Adviser · Carl Jones
INSight #393 with Carl Jones from WNT Ventures
The Inside Adviser · Carl Jones
INSight #392 with Carl Jones from WNT Ventures
The Inside Adviser · Carl Jones
Images
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