MORGO & the Morgo Community

Jenny Morel, Founder

Way back in 1997, Jenny Morel started a niche investment bank, Morel & Co, to work with tech companies in New Zealand. That was a time that many people didn’t think there were many tech companies there. But within two years, Morel & Co had over 2,000 tech companies in its database!

One year later, Jenny did what she had said she would not do – she started a venture capital fund, No 8 Ventures; New Zealand’s first US-style venture fund. A CEO was appointed to Morel & Co.

In its first year, Morel & Co had 12 clients. They took them away for a weekend together. What amazing conversations! The investment bankers at Morel & Co kept meeting people who should meet each other and so MORGO was born.

In 2023 the Morgo Foundation was formed as a not-for-profit entity with Sir Bill English and Jenny Morel as Trustees. The foundation owns the Morgo operating company and is enabling further expansion of Morgo programs to support and strengthen those building tech & other high growth companies from New Zealand.

MORGO

In 2003,the first MORGO two-day get together was held at Wairakei Resort. About 90 people came, and it turns out that, yes, these CEOs do want to talk to each other. The mood was electric. So much to talk about, so many experiences to share.

And we acquired our awesome event manager, Terri van Schooten, who has run every MORGO since!

A few years later, the CEO running Morel & Co wanted to leave. Jenny was totally consumed in running the venture fund. So the decision was made to close the investment banking side. “But you can’t close MORGO!” cried people. “OK, one more”, replied Jenny. But then Jenny realised she also got an annual re-charge from MORGO , so it continued …

After successfully exiting No 8 Ventures’ second fund Jenny moved to Singapore for 6years.  The MORGO retreats continued…

MORGO Australia

Friends in Australia had been asking Jenny to bring MORGO there. 

The first MORGO Australia was held in 2017 in the Barossa. The following year, MORGO Noosa, then MORGO Byron Bay. This was exciting – the same openness and enthusiasm as at the New Zealand MORGOs, and plenty of amazing companies being built in Australia.

And so the MORGO story continues having built a brand and life all of its own.

The Morgo Podcasts

In 2019 Jenny returned to New Zealand and started recording the Morgo Podcasts. Twenty minute interviews with  leaders of tech companies going global from Australia and New Zealand. 

There are now over 60 Morgo Podcasts released that are great for other entrepreneurs to listen to. But the audience is far wider than that: wannabe entrepreneurs, teachers, parents, students, media and the wider community who love to know more about the exciting businesses being built from Australia and New Zealand into the world.

The Morgo Game

The Morgo Game is based on a team challenge. All the questions have been contributed by the Morgo Community – real challenges they have faced. Two teams face off across a game board, with a moderator at the end of the table. When it’s their turn, the team throw a dice and answer a challenge question. They discuss it openly in front of the other team (who may choose to help or offer suggestions) and then give their answer to  the moderator who gives them a score. And so you move around the game board.

The Morgo Game is a great way for any number of people (at least six for two teams) to get together for a couple of hours over drinks and learn from each other. Morgo Game sessions are held around the country.


More for the Morgo Community

Once people have been to MORGO, they’re keen to connect with each other again - so networking drinks were added to the program. 

And we found that the members of the Morgo Community really like to discuss business issues together so now several workshops are held each year on subjects such as Being Listed and Building a Great Board.

The annual program now includes MORGO, several networking drinks functions, workshops, and sessions of the Morgo Game.

Morgo Partners

With support from Cumulo9
Supported by New Zealand Trade & Enterprise