1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
GridAKL / John Lysaght
Speaker Panel
  • Starting Out
  • Scaling Up
The Founders' Clinic - Tues 21 Oct

The Founders' Clinic is your chance to sit down one-on-one with some of Aotearoa’s top startup advisors in a fast-paced, high-impact session.

Whether you’re just getting started or facing a roadblock on your founder journey, this energising Auckland Startup Week event at GridAKL gives you access to expert insights to help you get unstuck, validate ideas, and build the right connections.

You’ll have a series of 15-minute clinics with seasoned mentors, tailored to help you tackle real challenges and move your startup forward.

Free
 

This is a free event — registration coming soon

Advisory panel

Sean Wallendorf

Sean Wallendorf

CFO at Naked Balance

Sean is a highly skilled Chartered Accountant with a passion for helping entrepreneurs. His technical expertise and personable approach make him the perfect partner for businesses looking to take their financial management to the next level. With a can-do attitude, Sean creates a supportive environment where entrepreneurs can ask questions and receive guidance without judgement. He is committed to uncomplicating the world of numbers, making it accessible and manageable for all.

Website
David Claridge

David Claridge

Customer Navigator at Callaghan Innovation

David is a navigator based in Auckland who works with inventors, scientists, and engineers to help turn ideas into successful ventures. Driven by a desire to boost New Zealand’s economic wellbeing by creating better jobs, David's supported companies that now employ 20–50 people in high-quality roles. In 2020 alone, he secured $10 million in R&D funding for more than 80 ventures, enabling $20 million in total investment.

Website
Brendan Boughen

Brendan Boughen

Media Lead at FoundrPR

Brendan is an experienced public relations consultant who’s worked with tech companies and organisations including Microsoft, Gen-i, Technology Investment Network, and Worldline. He combines deep communications expertise with a passion for innovation, helping businesses tell their stories effectively while navigating the path from R&D to commercial success. Brendan is also a skilled writer, creative strategist, cartoonist, and startup mentor, with a strong belief in the power of storytelling to drive growth and impact.

Website
Rudi Bublitz

Rudi Bublitz

Company Director at Rudi2Wings

Rudi is an Auckland-based angel investor, business advisor, and independent director. He has invested in more than 30 Kiwi startups and led a collaborative, no‑fees investment model that has generated significant returns and ecosystem impact. As the driving force behind ADI (Angel Drop In) clinics, Rudi has given thousands of founders expert advice, combining lean startup methodology, funding strategy, governance guidance, and candid industry commentary.

Website
Keren Phillips

Keren Phillips

Startup Aotearoa Coach and former Co-Founder of Weirdly

Keren Phillips is the ecosystem coordinator and lead advisor for Startup Aotearoa's Auckland branch. She also works within the Auckland Council team designing support programmes and initiatives for the startup community. Previously, she was the co-founder and VP Marketing of HRTech software, Weirdly. Her experience spanning SME and startup leadership, brand, and business strategy development across a range of industry sectors helps inform her coaching work with NZ's most exciting cohort of emerging founders.

Website
Calvin Luo

Calvin Luo

Senior Associate at Hudson Gavin Martin

Calvin specialises in corporate law and has extensive experience in private equity and venture capital mergers and acquisitions. He advises on corporate transactions such as business sales and acquisitions, corporate restructures, capital raisings, joint ventures, shareholder agreements and employee share schemes.

Website
Craig Adams

Craig Adams

Customer Navigator at Callaghan Innovation

Craig has a strong background in the commercialisation of R&D, with experience as both an engineer and R&D manager, as well as a business improvement consultant specialising in LEAN and Agile methodologies. He has supported innovative companies to access government support and has a proven track record in science and innovation, including new product development for technology firms and funding organisations.

Website
Edwin Lim

Edwin Lim

Partner at Hudson Gavin Martin

Ed lives and breathes tech and leverages his qualifications and experience to provide technical, commercial and legal advice. Passionate about giving back to the industry, Ed holds and has held board positions for the NZ Software Association, NZ Game Developers Association, and The Law Association Technology Law Committee. Ed is also a judge for the NZ Hi-Tech awards.

Website
Jonathan Tan

Jonathan Tan

Senior Investment Analyst at GD1

Jonathan is a Senior Investment Analyst at GD1, a venture capital firm, working closely with founders on fundraising, pitch refinement, and business strategy. With prior experience in Business Advisory and Corporate Finance, he brings expertise across finance, accounting, and operations, supporting portfolio companies as a versatile, hands-on partner through growth.

Website
Richard Liew

Richard Liew

Founder of Startup NZ Entrepreneurs Programme

Richard is creator of Startup NZ Entrepreneurs Programme, and Founder and Editor of NZ Entrepreneur Magazine and APAC Innovator, through which he helps inspire, inform and educate thousands of Kiwi startup founders and SME business owners every month. Richard launched his first small software business at the age of 23 and got his first glimpse into the growing New Zealand startup community when working with one of the first startups at Auckland's Icehouse incubator in 2002. He has experience across industries including recruitment and HR, software, sales training, digital media, advertising, PR and online education. 

Website
GridAKL - John Lysaght Building
Venue

GridAKL / John Lysaght

101 Pakenham Street West, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland 1010

GridAKL / John Lysaght is more than just a workspace — it's a thriving community of visionaries, innovators and change-makers. GridAKL is home to a diverse mix of startups and small businesses working together to create solutions that make a difference.