What would it take to encourage tech companies like Vend, Xero, Timely, PocketSmith, Revert etc. to open satellite offices in Nelson?

I know there’s been a push to get large organisations to move their HQs to Nelson—and that would be great—but what about the far more achievable idea of encouraging growing tech companies to open smaller offices here?

Why would a growing tech company want to open an office in Nelson?

I definitely don’t have all the answers but here are some initial thoughts off the top of my head—please feel free to chime in in the comments….

(In no particular order.)

1. The main reason is simple. It’s where a lot of these companies’ staff would dream to live. In an increasingly competitive hiring space, this is important.
2. The cost of running an office is almost certainly cheaper than Auckland or Wellington.
3. The cost of living is certainly cheaper.
4. The commute can hardly be called a commute. Our traffic jams last maybe half an hour in the mornings and the evenings—and, even then, it’s only for a few kilometres.
5. The climate is fantastic! Warm and sunny in the summer and cool, crisp, and often sunny in the winter.
6. The mountainbiking, walking, tramping, skiing, kiteboarding, sea swimming, boating, etc. etc. etc. is wonderful. Almost any outdoor adventure you could imagine is nearby.
7. The craft beer is some of the best in the country! Not to mention the wineries.
8. The Nelson Saturday Market is apparently one of the best in the country (I don’t know for sure as I haven’t been to many others).
9. We have great summer and winter music and arts festivals.
10. Great bars, restaurants and cafés.
11. We have (a shared co-working studio)[http://www.bridgestreet.co.nz/ ]! ;)
12. Nelson is the centre of New Zealand. Super easy to get to Wellington—possibly even quicker than some Wellingtonian’s commutes by car. Pretty easy to get to Auckland and Wellington. Not so easy to get to any of the other “provinces.” But that might change.
13. There is a lot of available office space right in the CBD.
14. It’s where your wives, husbands and partners would love to live and where your children would love to go to school.
15. You can probably walk to work if you choose to.
16. Great community, people and culture.

What have I missed? Feel free to add to the comments.

I would love to hear people’s thoughts on what it would take? What can we do as a region to help make it easier for the decision-makers to entertain the idea of giving their staff the option of living and working from Nelson?

I’ll kick it off. If you want to come try it out or you want to give your staff a chance to do so, you are welcome as our guest for a period in The Bridge Street Collective.