Richard Coon named New Zealand’s 2026 Arch Angel

Angel Association NZ is delighted to announce Richard Coon ONZM as the recipient of the 2026 Arch Angel Award, recognising his extraordinary contribution to New Zealand’s early-stage investment ecosystem and his enduring commitment to business and philanthropy. This was awarded at AANZ’s 18th Annual Summit being held at Puketutu Island in Auckland.

The Arch Angel Award is the highest honour in New Zealand’s angel investment community, given to those who exemplify the quintessential angel and who advocate for the endeavour and make a significant difference to New Zealand’s start-up ecosystem. As well as their personal capital, Arch Angel recipients share their time, insights, deeply relevant skills, and their networks with high growth startup companies.

Richard founded Angel Investors Marlborough (AIM) in 2017 shortly after moving to the region, driven by a belief that regional New Zealand could and should play a leading role in supporting high-growth companies. Under his leadership as Chair from 2017 to 2024, AIM grew into one of the largest and most active angel groups in the country. Today, AIM has 146 members and has invested $31 million into 82 companies. AIM stands as a powerful example of what can be achieved through collective commitment and disciplined investment. Upon retiring as Chair, Richard was appointed a Life Member and now serves as Patron of AIM.

Widely regarded as one of New Zealand’s most active and engaged angel investors, Richard continues to serve on the boards of several investee companies, including Spacecube NZ Limited, AudienceZen Limited, Seismic Shift Limited, Myovolt Limited and Hectre Group Limited. His hands-on governance style and willingness to back founders with both capital and experience have made him a trusted partner in the growth journeys of many emerging businesses.

Richard’s contribution to business extends well beyond angel investing. He was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours for services to business and philanthropy. Over several decades, he helped found Sovereign Assurance, Seniors Money and Partners Life, and served as a business mentor from 1998 to 2020 — supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders.

His philanthropic impact has been equally significant. Through the Laurie Coon Foundation — a charitable trust established in honour of his father — more than $400,000 has been distributed in scholarships since 2008, supporting young New Zealanders to pursue their educational aspirations. The Foundation is currently supporting recent migrants to New Zealand to attend university and has stepped in to secure the future of Marlborough’s annual Secondary Schools Business Challenge after the withdrawal of a major sponsor. The three-day programme introduces Year 11 students to business fundamentals, guiding them from idea generation through to pitching before judges, with around 100 students set to participate.

A passionate advocate for financial literacy, Richard has also championed the introduction of financial capability education into Marlborough schools through the FACE (Financial Awareness, Capability and Experience) programme and the Future FX initiative. With funding secured for the initial rollout in Marlborough, the ambition is to expand the programme nationally, reflecting Richard’s belief that financial literacy is a critical life skill for young people.

The Arch Angel Award recognises individuals whose leadership, generosity and vision have had a transformative impact on the early-stage ecosystem. Richard Coon’s legacy — as an investor, founder, mentor and philanthropist — exemplifies those qualities and underscores the powerful role angels can play in shaping New Zealand’s economic future.

Warren McNabb, Chair of AIM says ““In less than a decade, Richard has established Marlborough into a genuine force in New Zealand’s early-stage ecosystem — building AIM from the ground up. Richard brings himself to every investment — his time, his governance experience, his networks, and his unfailing belief in founders. Add to that his decades of company building, his philanthropy through the Laurie Coon Foundation, and his passion for financial literacy in schools, and you have someone whose contribution to New Zealand is truly extraordinary. The Arch Angel Award could not go to a more deserving recipient.”

Each year, the Arch Angel award recipient is chosen by the previous years’ winners.

Richard was awarded the Arch Angel award today at the annual summit being held at Puketutu Island in Auckland.

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For more information, please contact Bridget Unsworth, CEO Angel Association

mob: 021 555 563 or email: [email protected]

Former Arch Angel winners include The Warehouse founder and K1W1 founder Stephen Tindall; Andy Hamilton, former chief executive of The Icehouse and IceAngels founder; the late US super angel Bill Payne; Movac Ventures founder Phil McCaw; veteran angel investor the late Dr Ray Thomson; prolific AngelHQ member Trevor Dickinson, former AANZ Chair Marcel van den Assum; ardent angel investor Debra Hall, champion for kiwi start-ups Dave Moskovitz and long-time Ice Angels member Scott Gilmour, SaaS champion, Serge van Dam, a member of AngelHQ, Rudi Bublitz, founder and CEO of Flying Kiwi Angels, active investor Dana McKenzie, Susan Iorns, super engaged investor for Angel HQ and most recently Mike Caird.