Feijoa graduates fintech lab with KiwiSaver round-up app
Feijoa has graduated from Creative HQ's Fintech Lab 2026 accelerator programme. The New Zealand savings app was one of 12 fintech companies to complete the scheme.
The three-month programme helped prepare Feijoa to expand its reach as it builds its KiwiSaver round-up service. Launched in September 2025, the app lets users round up everyday purchases to the nearest dollar and direct the spare change into nominated KiwiSaver accounts.
Feijoa says users are collectively adding AUD $2 million a year to their KiwiSaver savings through the app. It forecasts that this extra saving could add more than AUD $75 million to those users' retirement balances over time.
The figures come against a backdrop of relatively modest retirement savings in New Zealand, where Feijoa puts the average KiwiSaver balance at AUD $37,000.
Growth push
The accelerator concluded in Wellington, where participating companies presented their businesses at a fintech industry event. One theme from the programme that resonated with Feijoa's team was trust in financial technology and money products.
The issue is particularly relevant for consumer-facing fintechs seeking access to bank data or payment flows. Feijoa connects to users' banks via Akahu, a New Zealand open finance platform.
According to Feijoa, Akahu uses regulated bank connection methods where available, allowing customers to authorise access directly with their bank rather than share login credentials. Feijoa says it does not access KiwiSaver accounts directly, hold or manage KiwiSaver funds, or provide financial advice.
Mark White-Robinson, co-founder of Feijoa, said the programme had an immediate effect on the business.
"Being part of Fintech Lab 2026 has accelerated our business in ways we didn't anticipate, and that's exactly the point," White-Robinson said.
He also highlighted the value of the network built during the programme.
"The mentorship from Creative HQ and the relationships built across our cohort are genuinely rewarding. There's something powerful about working alongside people who understand what you're building and are invested in your success."
"Being a part of this group has deepened my appreciation of the extent of innovation within New Zealand's fintech community and the role this can play in strengthening our economy. We wish our peers every success," he said.
Consumer focus
Feijoa is targeting a familiar household finance problem: the gap between intending to save and consistently doing so. Round-up tools have long been used in retail banking and personal finance apps in other markets to automate small contributions without requiring users to make repeated decisions.
In New Zealand, Feijoa is applying that approach to KiwiSaver, the country's workplace-linked retirement savings system. Its model is designed to work across all KiwiSaver schemes in the market, broadening its potential customer base beyond members of any single provider.
Feijoa also plans to introduce rewards and incentives from commercial partners once those arrangements are in place. The aim is to encourage regular saving behaviour, although it has not given further details on timing or the structure of those offers.
Creative HQ also commented on Feijoa's progress during the accelerator.
"It's been fantastic watching Feijoa go from strength to strength in the programme, from raising capital to signing new partnerships... the future is bright for them and New Zealander's looking to boost their KiwiSaver," said Chris O'Neill of Creative HQ.
Feijoa is a registered financial services provider, a member of the Financial Disputes Resolution Service, and a licensed user of the KiwiSaver trademark.