Kaituku pūtea (investors) play a vital role in enabling pakihi Māori to access the capital they need to grow and thrive. Traditional investment pathways often prioritise financial return over collective impact, creating a gap for those who want to support ventures in a way that aligns with their values and aspirations.

Te Whare Manaaki offers an alternative. A peer-to-peer koha lending platform connecting kaituku pūtea (investors) with pakihi Māori (Māori businesses) seeking capital through zero-interest, repayable loans, offering a highly relational way to support impactful ventures.

Through this model, kaituku pūtea can choose which pakihi to tautoko, contributing to their growth while being part of a wider movement to strengthen the Māori economy. Te Whare Manaaki is built on a simple idea: that capital can be shared collectively, returned over time, and passed forward to support future pakihi, creating a circular system of intergenerational wellbeing.

Te Whare Manaaki is currently in its pilot phase, working with select hapū and operating under regulatory clearance through the FMA prior to being a licensed peer-to-peer intermediary. We are now inviting expressions of interest from kaituku pūtea who want to be part of this kaupapa.

Becoming a kaituku pūtea is a simple and transparent process. Te Whare Manaaki enables you to explore pakihi Māori, choose who to tautoko through koha, and follow their journey as they grow and repay over time. As funds are returned, you have the option to reinvest, continuing the cycle of support for future pakihi.

Create your Te Whare Manaaki account and register your interest in becoming a Kaituku Pūtea.

When a pakihi is ready to seek funding, you’ll be invited to complete your investor registration, including AML/KYC identity verification.

Browse approved pakihi, learn about their kaupapa, and pledge the amount you’d like to support from $25, up to $2,000). No payment is taken until the funding goal has been reached.

Once the pakihi reaches its funding target, you’ll be prompted to complete your koha. Public Trust securely holds all funds until they are released as a zero-interest loan.

Receive regular updates from the pakihi you’ve supported, celebrating milestones and seeing the impact of your koha.

When the loan has been repaid, choose to receive your pūtea back or continue the cycle by supporting another pakihi.