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In the heart of Nelson Marina/Port Nelson, the Blue House is a partnership between Nelson Regional Development Agency, Moananui, Kernohan Engineering and Westpac NZ.
The hub is also the home to Moananui, a cluster of businesses, researchers, investors and industry leaders focused on growing ocean-related opportunities for Aotearoa.
Officially opened by Her Excellency The Right Honourable Dame Cindy Kiro in March 2026, the Blue House was established to provide a physical space for businesses working on initiatives related to the development of a more sustainable marine economy – the “blue economy”. Entrepreneurs, sector experts, and investors into the blue economy can use the hub to connect, collaborate and move more quickly from concept to commercial reality.
Just a few months since opening, the Blue House has already become home to a number of innovative ventures: Maidenfleet is developing cybernetic crew members for commercial fishing; Ocean Intelligence is focusing on marine forecasting to support aquaculture and ports; Ocean Impact Organisation Aotearoa is leading the BlueStart Aotearoa incubator and accelerator programme; and Citizens of the Sea is connecting sailors to help map ocean biodiversity.
Fiona Wilson, Chief Executive of the Nelson Regional Development Agency, says it’s been a promising start.
“The Nelson Tasman region is already home to more than 320 businesses in the blue economy sector, with more than 3000 people working in aquaculture, seafood processing, marine engineering, marine technology, research and science. So the big opportunity is building on that base.
“We see huge opportunity for collaboration in the blue economy to create new jobs, attract investment, grow exports and deliver meaningful long-term benefits for our communities, businesses and environment.
“The Blue House is helping to bring together the people, capability and ideas needed to turn that opportunity into real activity. If we can help build the start-up pipeline and connect it into the region’s existing strengths, we can grow the future blue economy for this region and more broadly for New Zealand.”
Paul Miller, Chief Executive of Kernohan Engineering, says he hopes the Blue House will support other businesses to evolve.
“In pivoting to provide more services to our region’s fishing fleets and aquaculture industry, and even beyond aquaculture to blue tech, we’ve materially diversified and grown our business over the past few years.
“Helping to establish the Blue House is us taking the initiative to house the innovation and build the infrastructure that will support our future customers to grow. We want to operate in a business environment of growth and prosperity.”
Joanna Silver, Westpac NZ Head of Sustainable Economic Development, says the bank sees the blue economy as a critical opportunity for Aotearoa and one that will depend on more deliberate partnership across sectors.
“Our economists have estimated that if New Zealand transitions towards a more sustainable blue economy, the marine sector could increase in value from at least $10 billion today to $14 billion by 2035,” Ms Silver says.
“But the blue economy opportunity is not just about the size of the market. What motivates us is how we can help build the connections and capability needed to help high-potential businesses achieve their growth aspirations.
“While we can support eligible blue economy businesses with access to capital, our role is broader than finance. We have bankers who really understand the blue economy and are actively working to connect people, remove barriers and work with customers to turn ambition into bankable long-term growth.
“The Blue House is important because it turns partnership into practical action. It brings together the people, ideas, capability and capital needed to help blue economy businesses move faster from ambition to commercial growth.”
If its first few months are any indication, the pool of opportunity for the Blue House will be deep.
Westpac NZ CEO Catherine McGrath (far left) and Kernohan Engineering CE Paul Miller (second from left) with Her Excellency The Right Honourable Dame Cindy Kiro at the opening of the Blue House
Photos by Tim Cuff