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About the Tupu Accelerator

At Tupu, we are dedicated to shining a spotlight on Māori businesses and propelling them onto the global stage.

Developed in partnership with Tapuwae Roa and Sprout Agritech, and co-funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Tupu is an eight-week cohort-style accelerator designed to support Māori startups towards sustainable success. The programme equips founders with the tools, mentorship, and networks needed to strengthen their ventures and prepare for growth.

Named after Tupuānuku, one of the nine stars of Matariki symbolising growth and cultivation, the programme reflects the belief that building a successful startup requires both bold aspiration and strong business foundations. Tupu exists not only to provide practical capability and guidance, but also to empower Māori entrepreneurs to pursue ambitious opportunities for their pakihi.

Nearly half of all startups in Aotearoa close within their first five years. Tupu aims to change that narrative by supporting Māori founders to build resilient, scalable businesses that can succeed well beyond the early stages of growth.

In partnership with Tapuwae Roa and Sprout Agritech

United through the shared vision of driving Māori entrepreneurship forward, Sprout Agritech and Tapuwae Roa have partnered to deliver Tupu, an innovative business accelerator that is paving the way for pakihi Māori to to grow and become investment-ready, co-funded by MBIE.