One day, in a rush to class, you'll pass Startup Dunedin on Leithbank. If you take a moment to really look, you'll spy a poster in the window of a student business they have proudly nurtured. Ready, set, Cue-Go.
The audio-visual event tech company, Cue-Go, is a star in the sky, despite starting with “literally nothing.” The managing director, Josh Wiegman, said that their “first client wanted the full package […] We had zero lights." Never fear, using that noggin and a 50% down payment, lights were bought, and they made a 10% profit. From that, they shone bright, and are on track for $500,000 in revenue for 2026. Since 2023, Cue-Go's sponsorship amounted to $25,000, and last year, they sponsored the new $700 Best Service Business award. Frolic Events won it at Startup Dunedin's student pitch competition.
Josh remains grateful for the help that got him here. Entering university computer science study in 2023, all he knew was that he wanted to be a sole trader in event tech. Only one class accommodated this — the "fine class" of THEA152 Theatre Technology. In went himself and fellow student, Abby Fernandes, and out came a business. With those skills in hand and an "excellent mentor" in Martyn Roberts, Josh asked Abby to be his business partner with the encouraging words: “It's not that hard." With a bit more convincing (and bribery via cupcakes), Cue-Go Productions began in July 2023. Josh was 18, and Abby 19.
“Everyone's making it up as they go,” Josh tells Critic Te Ārohi. This seems to be the principle that Josh lives (and succeeds) by. For example, their business had no name until inspiration struck in the form of a technical operator starting a show and pressing the buttons “Cue”, then “Go.”
Cue-Go Productions took Dunedin's event scene by storm. Don't just take our word for it: in 2024 they won the Industry Disruptor Award. They secured contracts with both the University and the Polytech, and quickly became the preferred partners of the Dunedin Fringe Festival. Cue-Go Productions filled a niche of prices and service that was just right for community events, and signs of their sponsorship could be seen city-wide.
While they started out with tech retail, contracting, and equipment loan, their theatre production era ended in July 2025. Cue-Go Productions’ pro-bono work had been rewarding, but change beckoned. They sold off their equipment rental stock to Gravity Events, which Josh said helped avoid “friction.” It took a while for us to understand why he hadn't just blown up the competition like a good capitalist. “We don't want to compete over every little thing, or to poach work,” Josh said, “We want to play to our strengths.” Also lights cost a butt-fuck-ton, and loaning stuff to each other is good for the soul and pocket.
However, when Critic called Josh for a chat, he had relocated to Palmerston North, adding “Bought a laser tag business. Sorry.” Pardon? Turns out Josh had stuck to his policy of making it up as he went along, from making an offer on Facebook Marketplace one day, to becoming the proud owner of Laser Llamas.
But that's the moral of the story. You never know where you'll end up when you seize an opportunity, and Josh says entrepreneurial students should “just start.” It'll mean long hours, loneliness, and workaholism, but what's the worst that can happen? You're young, you'll fall down, and someone will say, “Get up.” Then maybe, just maybe, you'll have the big stupid smile of Josh Wiegman, as he talks about that fluttering feeling of bringing something to life.
