CIO

​StepUp: Xero and BizDojo launch mentoring programme for startups

“We see this as a great opportunity to develop our leaders by sharing their experiences with the next generation of entrepreneurs,” says Xero CEO Rod Drury.
XEO CEO Rod Drury: 'This a great opportunity to give back.'
XEO CEO Rod Drury: 'This a great opportunity to give back.'

Xero and BizDojo have launched StepUp, a program to mentor entrepreneurs in early stage innovative companies accelerate their growth.

“We see this as a great opportunity to develop our leaders by sharing their experiences with the next generation of entrepreneurs,” says Rod Drury, Xero CEO, in a statement. “Being able to positively impact our local communities is important to our teams and this a great opportunity to give back.”

“Entrepreneurs benefit greatly by tapping into people who are dealing with global issues in business and technology every day.”


BizDojo CEO Jonah Merchant cites the key need for a programme like StepUp.

“We see a huge need for New Zealand start-ups to have access to quality mentoring and support from experienced people that have faced the problems they are facing,” says Merchant. “For us at BizDojo it’s fantastic to see Xero, as one of the leading tech lights in NZ, stepping up to give back to the ecosystem.

StepUp will use Xero’s story of growth and international success as learning opportunities for other businesses, he adds. “We have seen first-hand the power of this kind of mentoring, and we are excited by the potential for this programme to effect real growth not only for BizDojo residents but the wider community.”

It’s fantastic to see Xero, as one of the leading tech lights in NZ, stepping up to give back to the ecosystem.

Jonah Merchant, BizDoJo

BizDojo has brought together 13 of their residents and six other Wellington entrepreneurs whose industries range from virtual reality and social enterprise to SaaS and -D printing services.

They will meet with 19 Xero mentors to share their knowledge and experience to help them grow their business.

Xero’s mentors come from a range of disciplines and expertise and are expected to help the entrepreneurs with a variety of business issues including building scalable products, developing product roadmaps, captivating overseas markets and establishing market strategy, managing and building teams and understanding SaaS metrics and modelling.

BizDojo CEO Jonah Merchant: 'We see a huge need for New Zealand start-ups to have access to quality mentoring and support from experienced people that have faced the problems they are facing.'
BizDojo CEO Jonah Merchant: 'We see a huge need for New Zealand start-ups to have access to quality mentoring and support from experienced people that have faced the problems they are facing.'


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