Leadership series

what to expect

Learn from leaders building alongside you.

The Icehouse Ventures Leadership Series brings together founders and startup leaders from across our portfolio and close community to learn from one another, share experiences and build relationships with peers who understand the realities of growing a company.

Guests will break out into one of three sessions, each guided by experienced leaders who will share lessons from their own journeys and draw out the collective knowledge in the room.

The sessions will cover GTM Excellence, including how to build and scale a high-performing go-to-market engine; Product Excellence in the Era of AI, exploring what sets great products apart when AI makes it easier than ever to turn ideas into reality; and Building High-Performing Teams, focused on how to bring out the best in your people and build a culture that thrives under pressure.

Sessions are designed to make the most of your time, with focused conversations that get quickly to what matters, followed by time to connect. You’ll leave with fresh perspectives and a stronger network of leaders to learn from as you grow.

Pre-register now

what to expect

Four cities, one week.

First Cut is Icehouse Ventures' community for young startup founders and operators, and this year, we're taking it on the road.

Across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, we're bringing together young founders and operators to share stories, make connections, and fuel aspirations.

Whether you're in the thick of your first venture, brainstorming your next big idea, or just trying to figure out what building a startup looks like, this is for you.

Expect honest conversations and practical insights from founders and operators at different stages of the journey.

Free to attend. Drinks and kai provided.

RSVP Now

WHEN & WHERE

Roadshow tour schedule

Dunedin

Monday, 18 May, 5:30-7:30pm, maggie's cafe

Jason Leong: Co-founder of PocketSmith, a personal finance platform helping people manage money and forecast cash flow, used in over 190 countries.

Yvette Shum: Founder of Coral Cone, sustainable menstrual products designed and manufactured in New Zealand, with a portion of every sale donated to marine conservation.

Christchurch

Tuesday, 19 May, 5:30-7:30pM, appetise hq

Monique Kaminski: Founder of Jeuneora, a B Corp-certified skincare and supplements brand started with a single product in 2016, now has over 100,000 customers across 15+ countries.

James Powell: Co-founder of Dawn Aerospace, a New Zealand company building reusable spaceplanes and green satellite propulsion, with 130+ people globally and over 200 thrusters in orbit.

Vanessa Radich: Head of People and Culture at Appetise, a meal planning and grocery app used by 40,000+ households, turning real shopping behaviour into live insights for 150+ FMCG brands. Previously at Vend, Timely, Fuel50, Melodics.

Wellington

Wednesday, 20 May, 5:30-7:30pm, trade me hq

Brooke Roberts: Co-founder of Sharesies, a wealth technology platform built to create financial empowerment for everyone, now with over one million investors across New Zealand and Australia.

Sonny Ngatai: Director at ATA, a Māori language promotion and production agency delivering content, campaigns, and social strategy for Aotearoa-centric audiences.

Frances Shoemack: Founder of Abel, a 100% natural fragrance brand founded in 2013, now selling in over 30 countries.

Auckland

Thursday, 21 May, 5:30-7:30pm, icehouse ventures hq

Robbie Wen: Co-founder of Legend Story Studios, the trading card game studio behind Flesh and Blood, which is now sold in over 4,000 stores across 50 countries. Named New Zealand's fastest-growing company in the 2022 Deloitte Fast 50.

Jimin Seo: Co-founder of HYADES, a University of Auckland student building a geospatial machine learning platform for enterprise teams working with satellite and spatial data.

Penelope Barton: CEO of Crimson Global Academy and Co-founder of Crimson Academies, where she leads a portfolio of innovative schools redefining what education can look like in a digital-first world.