Wednesday, 20 May 2026
The NZ Government Will Pay Half Your AI Consulting Bill — Here's How
Most New Zealand business owners I talk to know they should be doing something with AI. They've heard the stories. They've seen the headlines. But when it comes to actually getting started, the same question comes up every time:
"Where do I even begin — and how much is this going to cost me?"
What if I told you the New Zealand government will cover half the bill?
The MBIE AI Advisory Pilot — What It Is
In January 2026, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) launched the AI Advisory Pilot as part of the Government's Digital Strategy for Aotearoa. The programme co-funds up to 50% of AI consulting costs, capped at $15,000 per business.
That means if you engage an AI consultant for a $20,000 discovery and implementation project, MBIE will cover $10,000 of it. If the total is $30,000, they cover $15,000. You pay the rest.
The pilot originally targeted 51 businesses. Demand was so strong that MBIE expanded it to 150 businesses and extended the deadline to 31 January 2027 — a full year beyond the original end date.
The total fund sits at $765,000, drawn from existing MBIE appropriations. This is real money, already allocated, waiting for businesses to claim it.
Who Qualifies
The eligibility criteria are straightforward:
- New Zealand-registered business — you need to be incorporated in NZ
- Fewer than 500 employees — this covers the vast majority of NZ businesses
- Operating for at least 12 months — startups less than a year old aren't eligible yet
- Not already receiving other government AI funding — no double-dipping
- No existing AI capability required — in fact, the programme is specifically designed for businesses just getting started with AI
What the Money Covers
The co-funding is structured in two parts:
1. AI Roadmap (up to $2,500 co-funded)
This is the discovery phase. An AI consultant assesses your business, identifies where AI can save time or money, and produces a documented strategy. Think of it as the "where should we start?" conversation — but structured, thorough, and with a written plan at the end.
2. Implementation Support (up to $12,500 co-funded)
This is where the real work happens. Once you have a roadmap, the remaining funding supports actually building and deploying AI solutions. That could mean setting up automated workflows, connecting your tools, training your team, or building custom AI systems.
The key deliverable MBIE requires is a documented AI strategy or implementation plan. This isn't bureaucratic box-ticking — it's the thing that ensures you actually get lasting value from the engagement.
How to Apply — Step by Step
The application process runs through the Regional Business Partner Network (RBPN), which has 15 regional service providers across the country.
Step 1: Contact Your Regional Business Partner
Find your local RBP growth advisor. They're the gateway into the programme. In the Wellington region, this is typically WellingtonNZ or the local economic development agency.
Step 2: Get Matched or Choose an Advisory Firm
You can work with any MBIE-registered advisory firm. Your RBP advisor can recommend options, or you can come with a consultant you've already identified — as long as they meet MBIE's registration requirements.
Step 3: Develop Your Proposal
Submit a brief proposal outlining:
- Your business and what it does
- The consulting engagement you're planning
- Expected outcomes (be specific — "automate our order processing" beats "explore AI"). The free AI Time-Savings Calculator can help you quantify the impact for your application.
- A quote from your chosen advisory firm
Step 4: Wait for Approval
MBIE reviews applications on a rolling basis — no fixed deadline batches. Most decisions come back within three to four weeks.
Step 5: Start the Engagement
Once approved, the co-funding is paid directly to your advisory firm. You only pay your 50% share. There are no clawback provisions as long as the engagement is completed within six months of approval.
Why This Matters Right Now
Three reasons this window is significant:
1. The pilot is expanded but still finite. MBIE tripled the capacity from 51 to 150 businesses, but that's still only 150 spots across all of New Zealand. When they're gone, they're gone.
2. The deadline is 31 January 2027. That sounds far away, but factor in the 3-4 week approval period plus a six-month engagement window, and businesses applying after mid-2026 are cutting it close.
3. Your competitors are applying. I've already had conversations with business owners who found out about this programme through their accountant, their business network, or their local chamber of commerce. The businesses that move first get the best advisory firms and the most attention.
What a Typical Engagement Looks Like
Here's how I work with businesses using the pilot funding:
Week 1-2: Discovery We map your current workflows. Where do you spend time on repetitive tasks? Where do you copy data between systems? Where do your team say "there must be a better way"? This produces the AI Roadmap that satisfies the first funding tier.
Week 3-6: Build We pick the highest-impact opportunity from the roadmap and build it. Not a slide deck. An actual working system. Automated email workflows. Connected tools. AI agents that handle routine decisions. Real things that save real hours.
Week 7-8: Handover Documentation, training, and a clear plan for what to build next. You walk away with systems that work without me — and a roadmap for the next six months of improvements.
Total cost to you after MBIE funding: often less than $10,000 for work that would cost $20,000-$30,000 at market rates. And the time savings start from day one.
How Build With Billy Can Help
I'm an AI consultant based in Upper Hutt, Wellington. I work with businesses across New Zealand to build practical AI systems — not theoretical frameworks, not slide decks, not "AI strategy" documents that gather dust.
I build the actual systems. Email automation, connected tools, AI agents, workflow pipelines. Everything I use to run my own businesses (a regenerative farm, a wellness booking platform, a national men's health organisation) I build for clients too.
I'm registered to deliver work under the MBIE AI Advisory Pilot. That means if you qualify, we can structure an engagement where the government covers up to half the cost.
The first step is a discovery call. 30 minutes, no obligation, no pitch deck. We figure out whether your business qualifies for the pilot, where AI could save you the most time, and what an engagement would look like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have used AI before to qualify?
No. The programme is specifically designed for businesses that haven't adopted AI yet. You don't need any existing AI tools, technical skills, or prior experience. That's the whole point.
Can I choose my own AI consultant?
Yes. You can work with any advisory firm that meets MBIE's registration requirements. Your Regional Business Partner can also recommend consultants if you don't have one in mind.
What happens if the engagement costs less than $30,000?
MBIE covers 50% of the actual cost, up to the $15,000 cap. So if your engagement costs $16,000, MBIE covers $8,000 and you pay $8,000. The cap only kicks in on engagements over $30,000 total.
How long does the approval process take?
Most applications are reviewed and approved within three to four weeks. MBIE processes applications on a rolling basis — there's no fixed deadline or batch processing.
Is the funding a grant or a loan?
It's a grant. There's no repayment required, no equity taken, no strings attached beyond completing the engagement within six months of approval. The co-funding is paid directly to the advisory firm.
The MBIE AI Advisory Pilot is delivered through the Regional Business Partner Network. For full eligibility details and to find your local RBP, visit mbie.govt.nz. Programme details sourced from Beehive.govt.nz and Beehive.govt.nz (expansion announcement).
Want to use this funding? Start with the free AI Time-Savings Calculator to see how many hours AI could save you — that's the number to put on your MBIE application. Then book a free discovery call to see if your business qualifies, or get an AI Opportunity Map to identify your highest-ROI automations before applying. For more context, read What Does AI Consulting Cost in NZ?
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