Access Quest secures NZ$77,500 grant from Whaikaha to expand accessibility mapping
What's the deal? Access Quest, a Hamilton-based startup, has received a NZ$77,500 grant from New Zealand's Ministry of Disabled People, Whaikaha, to expand its accessibility mapping across the country.
The startup builds personalised routes for people with accessibility needs — such as wheelchair users or those with low vision — helping them navigate safely to their destinations.
Why now? The grant signals growing government interest in using technology to improve daily life for disabled people in New Zealand. Access QuestDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → plans to use the funding to map more of the country, extending its reach beyond its Hamilton base.
The signal: Accessibility tech remains a niche but expanding space where public funding often fills gaps that venture capital overlooks. The NZ$77,500 grant from Whaikaha suggests New Zealand's government sees value in backing early-stage companies tackling disability access — an area where commercial incentives alone have been slow to drive innovation.
Read more: rnz.co.nz
