Neighbour Up is community resilience infrastructure — a solar-powered, offline-first ecosystem that connects people, coordinates responses, and builds the skills that save lives when everything else fails.
Cell towers and internet infrastructure are among the most vulnerable systems in any major disaster. The moment you need to call for help, the tools to do it are already down.
Neighbours don't know each other's skills, resources, or vulnerabilities. When a crisis hits, communities that haven't connected in advance can't coordinate effectively.
An emergency app installed and forgotten is useless when you need it. Platforms that aren't embedded in everyday life are never mastered — and never trusted.
New Zealand and the Pacific face some of the world's highest disaster risk — earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, and volcanic events. Most Pacific island communities have zero digital resilience infrastructure.
Neighbour Up runs on solar-powered mesh WiFi nodes — no internet, no cell towers, no cloud. It works the day a disaster strikes because it was already working the day before.
When disaster strikes, SafetyNet becomes the community's operational hub — no internet needed, no app to download, no account to create.
The platform people use every day — because a community that's connected before a crisis responds together during one.
A living map of community assets, skills, and vulnerable residents — available to coordinators when it matters most.
The mesh network does more than run SafetyNet — it's a complete community connectivity platform with multiple tiers.
A single installation puts a solar-powered mesh node at the heart of your community — and the entire platform runs from that moment forward.
A Mesh++ S618 solar node is mounted and powered up. A Raspberry Pi 4B runs the platform. One command installs everything.
Residents join the local WiFi network on any device. No app download. No account. Just connect and access NeighbourLink.
NeighbourLink becomes part of daily community life — notices, resources, maps. Familiarity is built before it's needed.
When disaster strikes, SafetyNet activates. The community already knows the platform, knows each other, and is ready to act.
The Mesh++ S618 node is the physical backbone of every Neighbour Up deployment — rugged, solar-powered, and designed to keep running when the grid and the internet are both down.
A Neighbour Up network is only as effective as the community it serves. Our three-phase deployment model builds relationships and capability alongside the physical infrastructure.
Before a single node goes up, we build the relationships that will determine whether the network is used when it matters. Rushing this phase is the most common mistake in community technology deployments.
Hardware goes in during Phase B — but the most important work is still human. Every node installation is a household visit, a relationship, and a moment to build genuine community ownership of the network.
The network is live — now the community practises using it before a disaster forces them to. An annual exercise cycle keeps skills sharp and champions engaged for years to come.
Neighbour Up nodes are solar-powered and self-contained — but they still need a mounting point. We work with existing infrastructure owners to place nodes where they're needed most, without complex commercial arrangements.
Electricity distribution networks are the single most valuable infrastructure partner for Neighbour Up. Lines companies operate poles distributed throughout every community they serve — including rural areas where no other suitable mounting infrastructure exists.
Schools, community halls, surf lifesaving clubs, and marae are ideal node hosts — they have community legitimacy, suitable rooflines, and people already invested in community wellbeing. These partnerships form the heart of every deployment.
Territorial authorities and Civil Defence Emergency Management groups provide deployment endorsement, help integrate networks into local emergency plans, and often know the right community contacts to approach first.
Telecommunications infrastructure owners may have towers, cabinets, or buildings suitable for node placement — particularly useful for bridging geographic challenges like river crossings or coastal gaps.
Community trusts, foundations, and government resilience funding programmes help cover the cost of node hardware and deployment for communities that need the network most but can least afford it.
Every Neighbour Up deployment is a proof point — for the community that gets it, and for every community watching to see if this is real. We move carefully and finish what we start.
A coastal village of ~440 permanent residents, 14km south of Oamaru and isolated from the district's main town by the Kakanui River. In a significant flood or earthquake event, the river crossing could be severed — making independent communication infrastructure genuinely critical.
A growing community on the outskirts of Oamaru with a population of approximately 1,250. Weston presents a different deployment challenge — larger, denser, and closer to urban infrastructure — making it an ideal second deployment to prove the model at scale.
The Kakanui and Weston deployments establish the model and the infrastructure partnerships needed to roll out across all major Waitaki communities — and eventually across New Zealand and the Pacific. Each deployment is a template, not a one-off.
Is your community isolated by geography, at risk from flooding, earthquakes, or coastal events, and without reliable communication infrastructure when it matters most? We'd like to talk.
Get in TouchListen Up NZ is the disaster resilience education arm of the Neighbour Up Ecosystem — building the community awareness and skills that make the platform come alive when it's needed most.
Structured disaster preparedness curriculum — practical, accessible, and designed for everyday New Zealanders. Covering everything from household readiness to community coordination.
In-person resilience workshops delivered in partnership with local councils, Civil Defence, and community organisations. Hands-on training that builds real capability, not just awareness.
The Listen Up NZ curriculum is available for licensing by councils, iwi, schools, and community groups — extending our reach across Aotearoa and into the Pacific.
Adapted education programmes for Pacific island communities — acknowledging the unique cultural context, languages, and disaster risk profile of our Pacific neighbours.
Experience what a major earthquake feels like in a safe, controlled environment — and learn exactly what to do when it happens for real.
The Resilience Roadshow brings a transportable earthquake simulator to communities across Aotearoa — in partnership with Civil Defence and New Zealand Emergency Services.
A purpose-built, portable earthquake simulator that lets communities experience and prepare for seismic events in a safe environment.
Delivered in formal partnership with Civil Defence Emergency Management — ensuring the Roadshow carries institutional credibility and professional emergency service expertise.
From Northland to Southland — the Roadshow takes disaster education to communities that wouldn't otherwise access it, prioritising rural and high-risk areas.
Every Roadshow stop introduces NeighbourLink and SafetyNet to participants — connecting education to infrastructure and leaving communities equipped and connected.
The Neighbour Up Ecosystem is held together by Neighbour Up Ltd — a holding company that owns the IP and sits above two operating companies and an independent charitable foundation.
Whether you're a council, an iwi, a community group, or an investor — there's a place for you in the Neighbour Up Ecosystem.
Or email us directly at office@neighbourup.nz