Support that turns growth into action

The Business South Accelerator is for organisations who are serious about growth and want support that’s practical, affordable, and backed by real insight. It's aligned with proven best practice and tailored to all businesses across the region. 

We understand the realities of doing business here; seasonal pressure, workforce challenges, regulation, and the opportunities unique to the South.

The Accelerator is here to cut through the uncertainty and give you clarity on what to do next.

Once you’ve worked through your Discovery Session and gained clarity on where your business is heading, you might decide to take the next step. Each one offers a different way to strengthen your impact across the South, build credibility, and connect with the people who need what you do most. Besides being a referral partner or being a endorsed by Business South, we offer a wide range of support including;

• Learning and development
• Legal advice
• Networking events
• Promotional opportunities (sponsorship / advertisement)
• Advocacy
• Support from RBP through funding or discounted training
• Mentoring services
• Export services
• Internship or job matching
• R&D funding and much more. 

Explore where you could go from here.

 “The Accelerator Discovery session helped us take a closer look at how the business is operating and where we want to go next. The process was simple but really valuable. The action plan gave us some clear priorities and practical ideas we can work on moving forward.”
— Wolf Coffee, Arrowtown

“Running a small business keeps us busy day-to-day. We don’t always have the time to work on the business itself. The Accelerator Discovery session helped us step back and take a fresh look at what we are doing and where we need to improve. We especiialy enjoyed having someone with a fresh perspective to listen to our ideas and provide some advice. The process was straightforward and the action plan gave us some really useful direction.”
— Weka Landscaping, Central Otago

“…Thank you for all your help so far. We’re really looking forward to working with you and truly appreciate your guidance and support. We’re excited to see what we can implement in our business from all of Business South’s ideas and insights, and we’re looking forward to the opportunities and improvements ahead…”
- Kate Passmore, Owner/Director, Xtra Alexandra & Cromwell

“I got some good clarity around what my next steps are”
- Big Words, Dunedin

You’ll walk away with:

• Clarity on where to focus: A clear, data-driven picture of what’s working in your business, and what’s holding you back.
• A practical, prioritised action plan: Not a 50-page report. A focused plan you can actually implement in the next 3–12 months.
• Expert guidance and local support: Access to Business South advisors and University of Otago expertise, alongside peers who understand the local business landscape.
• Tools you can reuse: Frameworks, diagnostics, and resources you can use again as your business grows and changes.
• Stronger leadership and alignment: Get your leadership team (or key people) on the same page about direction, priorities, and next steps.