Māori entrepreneurs are behind some of New Zealand’s most innovative companies, from fintech firm BlinkPay to fusion energy startup OpenStar.
But those behind the Tupu Accelerator say creating the next generation of high-growth Māori businesses will require backing founders much earlier in their journey.
“I’ve sat in the venture capital space as an investor for years, and I would often ask, ‘Where are all the Māori founders?'” programme lead Te Pūoho Katene said.
“We don’t think it’s an innovation problem. It’s an access question that we’re stepping in to solve.”
The Tupu Accelerator is an eight-week programme designed to connect Māori founders with experienced entrepreneurs, investors and mentors, while helping them navigate the challenges of building a startup.
The Tupu Accelerator programme connects Māori entrepreneurs with investors and mentors. (Source: BNZ Business Breakfast)
Katene said many participants had never had the opportunity to work alongside other founders facing similar challenges.
“For a lot of them, it’s the first chance they’ve had to sit side by side with people who understand the loneliness, the uncertainty and the stress of building a business,” he said.
Among those founders is Renei Kingi, who joined the programme before launching her wellness company, Bhone Beauty.
She said the accelerator gave her access to networks and knowledge that would otherwise have taken years to build.
“Tupu really helped demystify that investment world, helping me understand the mindset of an investor,” Kingi said.
“Those connections may have taken years to access otherwise.”
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She said the programme also changed the way she thought about growing her business.
“Tupu took me from thinking small and safe to thinking about how we can win big.”
While investment is an important part of building a startup, Kingi said the biggest benefit was becoming part of a wider community of founders.
“It’s all about having that ecosystem around you to really bring that success,” she said.
Katene believes the benefits of supporting Māori entrepreneurship extend well beyond individual businesses.
“We see entrepreneurship as a key pathway to grow economic resilience,” he said.
“When Māori businesses do well, they hire more Māori, they’re investing locally and we’re helping communities take control of their own futures.”
The programme’s organisers hope that by improving access to capital, connections and mentorship, more Māori founders will be able to build businesses capable of competing on the global stage.
