{"id":52971,"date":"2025-11-05T10:15:53","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T10:15:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/?post_type=news&p=52971"},"modified":"2025-12-04T02:25:58","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T02:25:58","slug":"westpac-100m-lending-program-startups-new-zealand","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/news\/westpac-100m-lending-program-startups-new-zealand\/","title":{"rendered":"Westpac\u2019s new NZ$100 million lending program aims to give early-stage entrepreneurs the capital to scale."},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Westpac\u2019s new NZ$100 million lending program aims to give early-stage entrepreneurs the capital to scale.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Small and medium-sized businesses make up 97 per cent of New Zealand\u2019s economy, they\u2019re the engine room of the country, the risk-takers turning good ideas into jobs and growth. Now they\u2019re finally getting a little extra love from big banking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Westpac NZ has announced<\/a> a $100 million lending commitment to help early-stage businesses get off the ground. \u201cWe know small businesses are the backbone of our economy and we want to help more people get started on their journey,\u201d says Cat Feaunati, Westpac NZ Head of Business & Virtual Banking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program is part of Westpac\u2019s new Closer platform, designed to give start-ups and small businesses access to tailored funding options, simplified applications, and flexible terms with a focus on those operating for less than two years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve grown our lending to small and medium sized businesses well ahead of the market over the last 18 months, we\u2019re keen to keep that momentum going into 2026 with the economic outlook set to improve,\u201d says Feaunati<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Westpac\u2019s own research, 35 per cent of small business owners say access to capital is their biggest roadblock, with only 23 per cent reporting they have all the funding they need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eligible businesses can apply for funding to cover essentials like marketing and tech investments, setting up a workspace or buying equipment. To qualify, owners will need a business plan, cash-flow forecast, and statement of financial position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other Early-Stage Small Business Grants in New Zealand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

New Zealand\u2019s start-up scene already runs on a surprisingly strong mix of government grants, subsidies, and mentoring programs designed to get small businesses moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Work and Income (WINZ) offers two key programs for new founders. The Self-Employment Start-up Payment<\/em><\/a> provides up to NZ$10,000 for people launching a business from unemployment or low-income backgrounds, while the Flexi-Wage Subsidy<\/em><\/a> can deliver up to NZ$16,800 to help small firms hire and train new staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Callaghan Innovation, now moving under the stewardship of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is the country\u2019s main innovation funder. Its New to R&D Grant<\/a> covers up to 40 per cent of eligible research and development costs, and the Trailblazer Grant<\/a> (also referred to as the \u0100rohia Trailblazer Grant) can provide as much as NZ$4 million for scaling big ideas.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the Regional Business Partner Network<\/a> (RBP) founders can access local growth advisors, capability vouchers, and practical advice to sharpen operations and strategy. And for founders who\u2019d rather learn from someone who\u2019s been there, Business Mentors New Zealand<\/a> continues to connect new business owners with experienced mentors free of charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For startups chasing investment rather than grants, the Aspire NZ Seed Fund<\/a> targets early-stage tech start-ups, while the Elevate NZ Venture Fund<\/a> supports fast-growing businesses through partnerships with venture capital investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, these programs create one of the most comprehensive early-stage support networks in the region. Combined with private-sector moves, like Westpac\u2019s $100 million Closer initiative, they\u2019re helping Kiwi founders get their ideas out into the world.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Westpac commits $100m to help New Zealand start-ups access funding and scale. Learn how the new Closer platform supports early-stage business growth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":430,"featured_media":52972,"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_visual_mode":"business","exclude_from_algolia":false,"author_id":0,"reading_time":"2 min read","display_reading_time":false,"homepage_thumbnail":0},"categories":[],"tags":[],"learn_topic":[],"audience":[],"post_features":[],"class_list":["post-52971","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/52971","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/430"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52972"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52971"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52971"},{"taxonomy":"learn_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/learn_topic?post=52971"},{"taxonomy":"audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience?post=52971"},{"taxonomy":"post_features","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_features?post=52971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}