Hive is the dream that Vanessa Wilson has for bringing New Zealanders together.

The serial entrepreneur is convinced there’s a market for connecting people who have valuable skills to share and she’s creating Hive to realise that belief.

Hive is the next evolution of her OddJobs business that put busy people in touch with locals able to do odd jobs around the house.

Hive is one of eight teams that make up business accelerator Lightning Labs first ever XX programme for female-led startups.

Together with co-founders Charlie Coppinger and Jacqui Hastie, Wilson envisages a community of people who recognise and value each other's’ skills.

“We believe that people want to help each other out, from helping someone in their garden to teaching piano to driving someone to their Doctor’s appointment, we all have some skills or know-how that we can share”

The problem is it’s too hard to find these people.If your family aren’t close by, who can you call on?

Hive is a platform to connect opportunities - we want to help people find a market for their own skills, or find the help they need from others.”

“At the heart of Hive is the idea that trust is valuable, that communities can build trust, and that Hive can make it really easy to find a trustworthy person who’ll do a great job for you.”

Wilson admits it was a big call to move away from a vertical market, like house cleaning or gardening, and instead focus on a horizontal slice. “Our customers want to be part of a community - where you put the kettle on for the cleaner when you leave. And the person doing the work is the sort of person people who goes the extra mile - they care about the work and they care about building a relationship.”

It almost sounds like Hive is helping put people into work while promoting community happiness. “You could say that,” agrees Wilson. “Why shouldn’t you be able to use the skills you have, for someone who values them, in a community that cares, and get paid?. It’s the dream isn’t it?”

Wilson and her team are finding the Lightning Lab XX programme incredibly motivating. The combination of expert advice, working with like minded people, and a dedicated space have helped them move far faster than Wilson thought possible and they’re optimistic about the momentum the Lab is helping them build towards their demo day in mid May.

To join the Hive buzz email hello@hiveapp.co.nz