Innovation hub GridAKL is celebrating 10 years of driving economic growth and entrepreneurship, with new figures showing it contributes $424 million annually to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s economy.
Based in Wynyard Quarter, GridAKL is delivered by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (the region’s economic and cultural agency) on behalf of Auckland Council. It supports entrepreneurs, creators and innovators by building strong communities, growing business capability and connecting companies with capital.
GridAKL has evolved from an ambitious startup concept to become a cornerstone of Auckland's tech and innovation ecosystem, housing more than 900 employees across 140 businesses. It now operates across two key locations: a startup hub at 101 Pakenham Street West and a scaleup hub at 12 Madden Street, which houses the independently operated Generator co-working space alongside other technology-focused businesses.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Economic Development Director, Pam Ford, says GridAKL's success over the past decade has exceeded expectations. "What started as a single building has grown into an expansive innovation network that's helping to reshape Auckland's economy. GridAKL's scaleup hub is now a significant economic engine for the region, while its startup hub continues to nurture the next generation of innovators."
Delivering measurable impact
A comprehensive 10-year impact report commissioned by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and delivered by Beca, shows GridAKL generates $424m in annual GDP contributions through its focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, based on 2024 figures. Of this, $33m is additional economic value which has been enabled by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited's investment. This stems from co-location advantages, with businesses benefiting from knowledge sharing, collaboration and connections to investors, talent and complementary firms within GridAKL's ecosystem.¹.
"GridAKL's impact extends beyond its walls, and it is proven being part of GridAKL creates a significant performance premium for businesses. In 2024, it generated an additional $134m through indirect and induced economic effects as businesses purchased from local suppliers and employees spent within the community," says Pam Ford.
It has transformed Wynyard Quarter into a thriving innovation district. Since launching in 2014, The wider Wynyard-Viaduct area has seen remarkable 10 per cent annual job growth since 2015, increasing its share of Auckland jobs from approximately 17,000 to 30,000.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Head of Tech Economy, Marissa Brindley, says, “GridAKL's success has catalysed further investment in the area and some major organisations including Media Design School and Mott MacDonald have chosen to locate here. We've successfully created a vibrant community where people want to work and collaborate."
GridAKL’s impact is exemplified by alumni such as Oritain, which applies forensic and data science to verify the origins of products and raw materials across industries including fashion, food and pharmaceuticals. The Dunedin-founded company established its Auckland presence at GridAKL from 2021 to 2023, before moving to the city centre. It now operates globally with offices in the United Kingdom, United States, Singapore and New Zealand."
Expanding across Tāmaki Makaurau and beyond
Over the past decade, GridAKL has expanded its reach through innovation hubs across Tāmaki Makaurau: GridMNK in Manukau and ReserveTMK in Glen Innes focus on Māori and Pacific peoples’ led startups, while Click Studios in Avondale supports creative technology businesses. Most recently, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited has opened Te Puna Creative Innovation Hub in Te Kōpua Henderson to support expansion of the area’s existing creative industries sector through Te Puna Creative Innovation Quarter.
GridAKL's impact extends beyond Aotearoa New Zealand through strategic international partnerships that promote Auckland's tech ecosystem globally. These include a City2City partnership with Denver Economic Development & Opportunity (DEDO), collaboration with Australia's largest innovation hub Stone & Chalk, and an ongoing relationship with Startup Fukuoka that helps founders explore Japanese market opportunities.
What’s next
Marissa Brindley says, "Looking ahead, GridAKL is evolving into a complete technology ecosystem that scales companies for global success, focusing on innovations that create positive impact while strengthening international investment pathways. GridAKL will also continue to establish Tāmaki Makaurau as a leading force in global markets. The team is excited about building on this momentum over the next decade and beyond.”
For more information about GridAKL and the 10-year impact report, visit HERE.
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