Kapiti Economic Development Association KEDA

Menu

KickStart Kapiti Projects

 Current Projects

Take a look at the projects KEDA is currently working on below. Listen to our mentees discuss their experience in their own words.

Off the Page
Ann Russell & Rosemary Emery - Part 1

Ann and Rosemary talk about their experience of working with a KEDA mentor. The advice they received to develop and grow their business ‘Off the Page’. This video is Part 1 of 3.

Off The Page creates easy to read, high interest  E-books for low level readers in New Zealand and around the world. The company was established by Anne Russell and Rosemary Emery who live on the Kapiti Coast. Between them they have over 80 years of educational experience, working in both mainstream classes and special education working across all age groups; Anne as a teacher and Rosemary as a speech language therapist.

Off The Page books are suited to readers with any reading disability, struggling readers or adults learning to read. They are fun as well as educational. 

Anne and Rosemary are passionate about applying innovative ways to improve the reading skills of individuals. They aim to writing high-interest content for emergent readers of all levels and to write books which interest all teenagers and young adult low readers around the world. Off The Page stories are age appropriate and use as many decodable words as possible.

A KEDA business development Mentor worked closely with Anne and Rosemary to devise a pathway to further develop their business model 

For more information visit their website: https://offthepage.co.nz

Finders Eaters
Food Forager - Mike King

Mike King introduces himself as a KEDA Member and his relationship with his KEDA Mentor Janice. He briefly discusses his business journey and how KEDA was his support when he needed it most. 

Mike King is a man driven by his passion for the abundance that a garden can offer.

He is particularly driven to find unique new flavours that no one has ever tried before and then showcasing these to people.

Currently Mike has a part time position at Otaki College where he provides one on one foraging mentor education to intermediate age boys.

With the assistance of the students Mike provides 10 weekly ‘vege boxes’ for the teachers. 

The students get to make unique and distinctive plant based ice cream  The only rule being that one ingredient from the garden must be incorporated.

Mike plans to engage the students into the wider community. This will be achieved  by interacting  with the gardens of kindergartens, play groups, rest homes and other schools in order to renovate and run their gardens for them. 

For Mike there is a greater level of satisfaction interacting with the community rather than the business world for his skills and products.

Posting on local social media has raised an awareness of the skills and the information he has to offer. 

Mike is grateful for the support and guidance he has received from KEDA.

For more information visit the website: https://www.finderseatersforaging.com

Starlight Arcade
William Morris - Part 1

William Morris from Starlight Arcade shares some book tips and how he is prepared for the most common pitfalls thanks to his KEDA mentoring experience.

Located at 34B Te Roto Drive, Paraparaumu, Starlight Arcade is the vision of a young man’s vision.

William Morris has had a passion for gaming from an early age.

His desire to fulfil his dream and to enable others from the Kapiti region to enjoy the excitement of gaming, led William to opening his very own arcade business in February 2022.

William received support from his parents and KEDA was instrumental in providing business establishment Mentor advice to William

Anne-marie Tiffen and Ross Allen provided William with three months of free mentoring advice.

Mentor Ross Allen reflects on his role of mentoring William.

“I mentored William at Starlight alongside Anne-marie Tiffen.

It is exciting to see an entrepreneur with a passim  and William has stacks of passion for his business and his customers, 

I met William through the KEDA ‘Kickstart’  evening where he pitched the Starlight Arcade, the business that he was about to start.

William came prepared for the first evening with some market research already completed. He has always impressed me with his single-minded focus on achieving his goal.  

Through our mentorship, Anne-marie and I supported William in adding details to his business plan, evaluating different cash flow scenarios and refining his ideal customer.”

For more information visit the website: https://starlight-arcade.com

Aviation Tales
John Skene - Part 1

John Skeene from Aviation Tales introduces himself and shares his experience becoming a KEDA Member and how it really helped his business. This video is Part 1 of 3.

John has enjoyed a lifetime in commercial aviation. Progressing through the Air Training Corps, John went on to have a career as an aircraft engineer and hold an airworthiness position with New Zealand’s aviation safety regulator. 

Over the years, John has collected numerous aviation stories, memories, souvenirs and paraphernalia and is now one of New Zealand’s foremost aviation historians and advocates. 

On retiring, John decided to establish a small business to share his abundance of aviation stories and knowledge with other aviation enthusiasts and offer various services to other people who have associations with aviation through family and friends.

John shared his business idea at a KEDA Kickstart event in April last year and was assigned a mentor – Laurie Wilson – to help him with establishing the business. Aviation-Tales had lift-off! Today, John offers aviation research services, produces biographies of New Zealand aviation heroes, collects and sells aviation memorabilia and shares stories on Coast Access Radio. He knows his stuff!

“I would like to thank Laurie Wilson and the KEDA team who have helped me to progress my business aspirations. Laurie has helped me identify my business goals, encouraged me to choose an appropriate name for my business and most recently helped to achieve my own web site by working with a local web services provider,” says John

“ KEDA has given me the confidence and support to believe that I can build a successful business as an Aviation Historian,” adds John.

John is a fitting example of the talent we have on the Kapiti Coast. If you have an idea you would like to see take off, just like John’s, contact KEDA today. One of our experienced mentors will be quickly assigned to collaborate with you.

For more information visit the website: https://aviation-tales.com

For more startup success stories, click to visit our YouTube Channel.

 Successful Projects

KEDA has been involved with many fresh and exciting business ideas in Kapiti over the years. Take a moment to read more about some of these in our successful projects section below. We were proud to be a part of their journeys, as we will be during your journey.

Ecoshifter

Project Description and Objectives: Provide an environmentally friendly solution to both business and private goods deliveries. Why this project is of benefit to Kapiti?: The option should reduce the amount of ‘damaging’ vehicles on the roads. This is a start up business, with nowhere else in NZ currently offering this service.

Kāpiti Goodies

Project Description and Objectives: Established in 2018, Kāpiti Goodies showcase the best of Kapiti. In our beautiful crates, you will find treasures all made and produced in Kāpiti. Each box has been handcrafted by The Shed Project in Paraparaumu, providing opportunities for the differently-abled. Each product has been hand-selected, made by a passionate local.

Time Genie

Project Description and Objectives: The purpose of Time Genie is to provide Personal Concierge and Errand Services. This boils down to doing stuff for busy people. The scope of this work is wide, my objectives are to streamline tasks to include: – helping elderly people stay in their own homes, by providing companionship and assisting with tasks.

Vibrating into Health/Rezonate Wellness Centre

Project Description Objectives: By using leading edge treatments my aim is to improve or restore individuals health, wellbeing and emotional state of mind. My objective is to find a coach/mentor that can guide me on how to reach and grow my client base and my business, and fill in the gaps that I am lacking.

Framed Alive

Project Description and Objectives: To introduce indoor and outdoor vertical gardens to the Kapiti Area and beyond. To increase sales from my business. I aim to sell at least one large custom made frame or 6 small frames per week to enable me to cease working for someone else.

50 Plus Entrepreneurs

Project Description and Objectives: The ‘Enterprising at 50plus’ Network is a group of people who, at 50 plus, have started or intend to start their own business. This is a Network for people who, at mid life and beyond, may or may not be employed elsewhere, are self-starters, have an idea, and have a product(s).

Kāpiti Marine Education Research Activity Centre

Project Description and Objectives: KEDA is providing project support to The Guardians of Kāpiti Marine Reserve (GoKMR) to consider the feasibility of establishing a community marine education, research and activity centre near the beachfront in Raumati. It is proposed that this centre would include 3 main areas of business/operation as follows: A public marine discovery center including: Aquariums, wet/touch.

Independence Collective

Project Description and Objectives: The Independence Collective is a cooperative set up to provide business ownership opportunities and a pathway to financial independence for individuals with an intellectual disability. We operate in the social enterprise space.

Learn more about KEDA

About Us

Register your Project

Register Now

Read our FAQ

Our FAQ
Book the Meeting Room & Hot Desks at our Business Hub
Room Hire
KEDA-Logo
About

KEDA helps with Kapiti’s economic development. We support innovation and growth businesses on the Kapiti Coast from our Business Hub at Kapiti Airport.

Quick Links

What is KEDA
Business Hub Kapiti
KickStart Kapiti
News & Posts

Legal
Disclaimer
Privacy & Cookie Policy
Terms and Conditions
Facebook Linkedin Twitter Instagram Pinterest Youtube
Scroll to Top