Murihiku communities are full of people with ideas that have the potential to shape a thriving south. But even the strongest ideas need support to grow.
Nurturing these ideas is COIN South, a collaborative innovation network that, for the past six years, has been making innovation accessible, practical and rooted firmly in Southland communities.
Led by Southland business and community powerhouse, Cathy Peters, the team blends expertise, passion and creativity seamlessly in a way that brings people together. They don’t sit at a distance, they are agile, present and hands on. COIN South shows up in workshops, farms and kitchens, working side by side with the people who keep our region moving. This is where innovation truly begins.
Mrs Peters shared that COIN exists to strengthen the innovation ecosystem in Southland.
“By bringing together founders, businesses, industry and partners, we create the connections and capability that help new ideas turn into jobs, exports and opportunities for the region.”
The more you learn about Coin South, the clearer it becomes that without their support countless promising ventures would remain unrealised, constrained by capability, capacity, or simply lack of connection.
Last year alone COIN South held 119 activator sessions – 119 times that people were offered practical advice for their idea and connected with the tools and people to help them move forward.
Community Trust South is proud to support COIN South and the pivotal role they play for our communities. Community Trust South Chief Executive, Jackie Flutey, highlighted the power of the trust’s value of connected, that the COIN South team demonstrates every day.
“COIN South excels at connecting startups and businesses with the right information at the right time. For them, and us at the Trust who support them, it isn’t just a business service, but a commitment to collaboration, partnership and collective success for our communities.”
Whether someone is refining a new product, adopting smarter technologies, or exploring ways to grow sustainably, COIN South weaves people together: founders with mentors, businesses with new opportunities, ideas with the pathways that bring them to life. They uplift the region’s economic strength and its workforce potential, creating an ecosystem where innovation is not a rarity, but a rhythm, and while doing so give everyday Southlanders the confidence to try something new.
Mrs Peters highlighted that this confidence is possible thanks to the support COIN South receives from its local partners.
“Support from partners like Community Trust South allows us to stay agile and focused on what matters most. Backing founders, supporting businesses and helping new industries grow in Southland.”
Today, Southland is home to ventures that are scaling nationally, manufacturing breakthroughs that began in a small workshop, and founders who once doubted whether their idea could ever leave the garage.
COIN South helped make many of these stories possible. More than an innovation hub, they are a catalyst for Southland’s next chapter and Community Trust South is proud to stand alongside them, supporting a brighter, more connected and more resilient tomorrow.
If you’ve been tinkering in your shed, have had a lightbulb moment, or have been mulling over your next venture for some time, then get in touch with the team at COIN South who will give you the support to turn your idea into action.
Website: https://www.coinsouth.nz/
