Dain Guttenbell - Ngātiwai & Ngāpuhi LifeStone is a Social Enterprise that started as a dream in 2016. Dain is on a mission to create honourable memorials for loved ones, here in New Zealand without compromising on quality or authenticity. Dain's passion for this cause grew when he experienced loss himself, the passing of their [...]
Paku is a New Zealand design studio dedicated to creating products uniquely of Aotearoa. They do this by combining mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) with the latest technologies to reimagine the objects around us in a bicultural way. Paku Limited was started by long-time friends Dr Johnson Witehira and James Prier. The intention behind Paku was [...]
GO Media, a leading Māori-owned media company, has been awarded Te Tohu Aorangi Overall Supreme Winner of the prestigious MWDI Māori Businesswomen's Awards 2023. This highly coveted accolade recognises outstanding achievements, innovation, and leadership within te ao pakihi Māori (the Māori business community). GO Media, co-founded by Andrea Rongonui, shone among a formidable line-up of [...]
The new Coralus Venture cohort in Aotearoa were selected last month! These 7 Ventures are addressing everything from reimagining the design, beauty, and sustainability of our systems, exploring the healing potential of food, and uplifting Māori culture and leadership. Together they are working across 5 different sectors + on 5 different UN Sustainable Development Goals. Of [...]
Native Nations - Tracing Indigenous Footsteps is a finalist this year in the New Zealand Tourism Awards under the category of "Industry Alignment & Collaboration". 6 months is all it took, for a couple of extremely passionate indigenous people from Australia and New Zealand to connect, develop, orchestrate and deliver an extraordinarily powerful Regenerative & [...]
Gareth Tipene - Ngāti Hine Eco Lawn specialises in the supply and installation of synthetic turf. They import products from abroad directly from a manufacturer and supply turf to trade and retail customers. Gareth was born and raised in Kawakawa, Bay of Islands. Growing up he spent much of his time in Mōtatau, either at [...]
Nichola Te Kiri - Ngāi Tūhoe NTKMADE LTD is an emblematic company known for its innovative and artistic approach to Māori design. Nichola Te Kiri of Ngāi Tūhoe and Pākeha heritage, founded the company in 2016. It is a dynamic creative enterprise that encompasses multiple product lines and offers a range of design services. Embodying [...]
Poutama was proud to support the MWDI Business Awards with our sponsorship of the Te Pōiketanga (Emerging Business) Category. Alongside MWDI, we’ve a solid reputation of supporting Wāhine Māori-led economic development. Across Aotearoa, we see the contribution that this economic development has for wāhine, whānau and hapori whānui. Te Pōiketanga is about acknowledging a new [...]
Raniera Rewiri - Whakatōhea, Te Arawa Raniera was born and bred in his slice of paradise of Whakatane and currently lives in Ōhope with his beautiful wife and their baby boy. He is hugely passionate about personal development, health and wellbeing, business, and his identity as Māori. His company Tupuānuku started in 2018 in the [...]
An indigenous global knowledge exchange programme in the agri-food sector Arama Kukutai (Ngāti Maniapoto, Tainui, Te Aupōuri) is a venture capitalist and CEO of vertical farming company, Plenty, based in California. He is a US-based business leader who is championing more Māori to get into the science and technology sector by offering internships in America for [...]
