Rotorua Business Programme Continues To Support Māori Entrepreneurs

[Rotorua] — The second intake of Te Aka Matua, a kaupapa Māori business development programme delivered by IndigiShare Charitable Trust, has wrapped in Rotorua, with nine Māori-owned businesses successfully taking part.

Funded by the Booster Foundation, the six-week programme supports Māori entrepreneurs through in-person wānanga and one-on-one mentoring. This year’s intake welcomed a diverse group of businesses spanning strategic consultancy, trades, employment services, digital storytelling, and cultural education.

Now in its second year, Te Aka Matua continues to demonstrate a strong need for culturally relevant support for Māori enterprise.

“Mainstream business support often fails to connect with our people, both in delivery and intent,” says IndigiShare Chief Executive, Maria Ngawati (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whakaue).

Participant feedback from the 2025 cohort confirmed the programme’s impact, with 100% of participants agreeing that the experience had positively shaped the direction of their business. Many cited greater clarity, confidence, and access to resources that felt “made for Māori.”

“Learning the cashflow budgeting method has been one of the most rewarding learning outcomes and has helped to prioritise the needs before the wants, which is important to keep our business alive,” says Keri Pewhairangi Uenuku-Kōpako (Te Arawa), founder of Ōkāreka Oro.

Others spoke to the programme’s emphasis on building long-term infrastructure within their enterprise.

“Te Aka Matua has empowered us to move beyond the passion of performance and storytelling, helping us understand and embed the foundational business practices required to thrive long term,” says Sophie Williams Tūhourangi (Te Arawa), founder of Te Whare Tapere o Te Arawa.

The programme was established in response to research conducted by IndigiShare in 2023, which identified significant barriers to success for Māori entrepreneurs, including limited access to culturally relevant support, low uptake of mainstream financial services, and isolation from expert business networks.

Ngawati says while access to capital remains a challenge, it’s just one part of the picture.

“Pakihi need more than pūtea, they need relationships, mentoring, and tools that are grounded in kaupapa Māori. That’s what sets Te Aka Matua apart. This isn’t just about launching businesses - it’s about building intergenerational resilience.”

With two successful cohorts now complete, IndigiShare will continue to refine and expand Te Aka Matua to meet the growing demand from pakihi Māori across Aotearoa.

Applications for the next intake will open in 2026. For more information, visit: https://indigishare.co.nz/education

2025 Cohort

Te Whare Tapere o Te Arawa

Founder: Sophie Williams Tūhourangi (Te Arawa)

About: A collective of professional artists committed to revitalising and sharing the rich stories of Te Arawa through innovative, multidisciplinary performance arts. Rangatahi are central to the vision — using both traditional and contemporary forms of movement, sound, and visual expression to bring to life the strength, beauty, and passion of their iwi.

Te Whare Matihiko o Te Arawa

Founder: Potaua Biasiny-Tule Ngāti Whakaue (Te Arawa)

About: A Māori digital cultural tourism experience where locals and manuhiri can explore immersive storytelling and learn about the history of Te Arawa in digitally engaging ways.

Hodge Wheelie Bin Cleaning

Founder: Milton  Hodge Ngāti Whakaue (Te Arawa)

About: Commercial and residential wheelie bin cleaning service, removing odours and bacteria with eco-friendly lavender-based solutions. Ideal for kaumātua, busy whānau, and workplaces.

Pūmanawa Collective

Founder: Lincoln Tapsell- de Thierry Ngāti Whakaue (Te Arawa)

About: An online marketplace where early and emerging artists from or connected to Te Arawa can showcase and sell their mahi toi.

Ihi Staple System Solutions

Founder: Ihipera Joyce-O'Rourke Ngāti Whakaue (Te Arawa)

About: Administrative and back-office support services to help pakihi set up strong foundations — so they can focus on the real mahi.

Te Oha Training and Employment

Founder: Ariana Smith Ngāti Tūwharetoa

About: A kaupapa dedicated to supporting rangatahi transitioning from welfare into meaningful employment, with a strong whānau-centred approach.

Ōkāreka Oro

Founder: Keri  Pewhairangi Uenuku-Kōpako (Te Arawa)

About: A kaupapa Māori music production company offering services across the full music pipeline — from consultation to recording to education — revitalising te reo and tikanga Māori through sound.

Iho Creations

• Founder: Jeanette  Jones Tūhourangi (Te Arawa
• About: Originally crafting taonga based on pūrākau, now expanding into the development of educational resources for kōhanga and whānau, alongside bespoke graphic design services rooted in te ao Māori.

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• Founder: Tamihana Hamiora Reweti (Tūhourangi (Te Arawa))
• About: Inter-agency engagement and strategic planning — working with Māori, for Māori.

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