Māori economy

Our team

We’re a small group of passionate professionals who understand Māori businesses and see innovation as a crucial pathway to success for Māori.

We’re here to tautoko your business by connecting you to the right research and development (R&D) services and co-funding, and the right opportunities and networks, to help you innovate, commercialise and grow faster.

E hara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.

Who we help

All entities, iwi organisations, land trusts, incorporations and businesses that self-identify as Māori.
Companies acquired by Māori as major shareholders.

It’s about whenua and whanau

Wakatū is a Māori family-owned business based in Te Tau Ihu (the top of the South Island). A business of land and sea, Wakatū has three parts: Manaaki, Whenua and Kono

Kōkiri

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Callaghan Innovation have teamed up with influential sector leaders to create and roll out Kōkiri

Tech, Science and Mātauranga Māori a Powerful Force

Māori are enjoying a stellar year of innovation, with record numbers engaging in R&D, and making up nearly half the finalists in this year’s New Zealander of the Year Awards.

Kiwa Digital

Kiwa Digital was a finalist for the Māori Innovation Award in the 2018 Hi-Tech Awards. In this video CEO Steven Renata shares Kiwa Digital’s journey as a global production house for experiential digital books.

Are you eligible?

We need more Māori businesses to invest in and pursue innovation, commercialisation and growth.

If you are ready, willing and able for R&D, our team is here to help.

You will need:

A clear commercial proposition and pathway to market for your innovation/product.
A clear project plan requiring R&D to create the innovation (we can help with this).
To be ready, willing and able to finance the R&D, then take it to market.

Note: If you are not yet at this stage, please visit one of our Regional Business Partners.