Celebrating our 2025 cohort!

Last month marked the completion of the 2025 intake of Te Aka Matua, IndigiShare’s kaupapa Māori business development programme supporting Māori entrepreneurs in Rotorua.

Delivered over six weeks through a mix of in-person wānanga and one-on-one mentoring, Te Aka Matua helps whānau grow their pakihi with confidence, guided by expert mentors, peer support, and practical tools grounded in te ao Māori.

Funded by the Booster Foundation, the programme supported nine pakihi Māori across a range of industries including strategic consultancy, digital and performing arts, trades and services, employment and training, and cultural education.

This year’s feedback confirms the programme’s ongoing impact, with 100% of participants agreeing that the advice and insights received during Te Aka Matua would have a positive impact on their pakihi. Many noted how the programme helped clarify key challenges and identify the strategic steps needed for sustainable growth.

“IndigiShare has been a crucial part of shaping Te Whare Tapere o Te Arawa not only as a creative kaupapa but as a sustainable Māori-led business. Their tautoko 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.

We are incredibly proud of all the pakihi who participated in this cohort, each contributing their pūkenga and whakaaro to our collective puna, and ultimately working towards realising their entrepreneurial moemoeā.

Ka nui te mihi to our mentors, partners, and the Booster Foundation for backing this kaupapa and making this year’s programme possible.

To learn more or be the first to hear when the next intake opens, click here.

Inter-agency engagement and strategic planning — working with Māori, for Māori.

A collective of professional artists committed to revitalising and sharing the rich stories of Te Arawa.

A Māori digital cultural tourism experience that explores immersive storytelling about the history of Te Arawa.

Commercial and residential wheelie bin cleaning service, removing odours and bacteria with eco-friendly lavender-based solutions.

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

Administrative and back-office support services to help pakihi set up strong foundations.

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

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.

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.