Ō mātou Purapura
Meet our Tupu Accelerator 2024 Purapura cohort and find out more about their pakihi
Daniel (Ngāi Tahu) is a proud father of two young boys and a founder with extensive experience in technology sales/business development and account and relationship management. He is passionate about the future of agriculture in Aotearoa and the potential of technology to not only disrupt but also showcase the pastoral farming pedigree, and improve environmental and sustainability outcomes for the benefit of te taiao. Daniel loves science, technology, learning, and finding innovative solutions to problems.
Alps2Oceans Foods is a food innovation company and has developed New Zealand’s first, indigenous, sustainable dairy beef snack product called Mīti. Mīti has been designed as a protein rich, dried meat bar, which combines 10-12 month old dairy beef with a unique New Zealand honey product (honeydew), and native New Zealand seaweed (Karengo).
Product
Mīti – Sustainable nutrition
Unique selling proposition
Experience the unique taste of Aotearoa while nourishing your body and mind with the sustainable natural goodness of grass fed beef, and all-natural energy.
Industry
Food and beverage
Market sector
FoodTech
Status of product
Beta testing/trials
Target market
Individuals who prioritise natural, minimally processed foods and are willing to pay a premium for quality.
IP protection
Trade Secrets
Investment so far
- Agmardt – $14,000
- MPI – $250,000
- BPA – $250,000
- Industry cash and in-kind support – $350,000
- Personal capital – $50,000
- Friends and Family – $100,000
Company FTE
0.0
Business highlights
- Fieldays Innovation Finalist 2023
- Project presented to parliamentary select committee by MPI.
- Large industry collaboration agreement signed May 2024.
Contact details
Saion is the Co-Founder of Milgy. Raised in South Auckland, where entrepreneurial role models were scarce, Saion diverged from the 9-5 path at 19 and found fulfilment in innovation and tangible impact. Recognising the crucial role of capital in societal change, he embraced entrepreneurship. Saion’s goal is to afford his family and himself limitless experiences and believes entrepreneurship is his means to attain genuine freedom for all. Saion is the co-founder of Drink Da Milgy alongside Edward Baker (Ngāpuhi).
In a similar fashion to the commercial success of Korean and Italian cuisine, DRINK DA MILGY envision the untapped market of Polynesian and Māori cuisine becoming a global sensation, accessible to people worldwide.
Product
Drink da Milgy – A Pasifika Māori milk brand
Unique selling proposition
Providing an inclusive Pasifika and Māori-owned milk brand in the Aotearoa Food and Beverage Market.
Industry
Food and beverage
Market sector
FoodTech
Status of product
Generating revenue
Target market
Māori and Pasifika
IP protection
Trademark
Investment so far
Bootstrapped $200k
Company FTE
1.0
Business highlights
- Viral social media posts (500,000 organic reach)
- Launching the first Pasifika / Maori owned Milk brand into Woolworths
- Gaining one-year Woolworths supply contract
Contact details
Panapa Ehau (Ngāti Uepohatu, Ngāti Porou), Panapa is a co-founder of a number of social enterprises based out of Ruatorea, Te Tairawhiti and holds governance roles across numerous for-profit and charitable organisations. Panapa lives in Te Tairāwhiti and focuses on developing economic opportunities alongside his people.
Kaenga Hou Trust offers an innovative whānau-centric finance model, assisting lower-income whānau in achieving homeownership through a unique Progressive Home-Ownership initiative. It seeks to optimise affordability leveraging collective financing, eliminating land ownership barriers, and providing comprehensive support.
Product
Kaenga Hou – Progressive home ownership finance – access for low-income whānau to finance for home ownership
Unique selling proposition
A progressive homeownership product that is whānau-centric
Industry
Finance
Market sector
FinTech
Status of product
Beta testing/trials
Target market
Low-income whānau
IP protection
Trade secrets
Investment so far
- Impact investment – $5,000,000
- Philanthropic grants – $1,500,000
- Ministry of Urban Development – $5,680,000
Company FTE
2.5
Business highlights
- Creating a progressive home ownership model that allows those locked out of the housing market to access home ownership through scalable rent to own and shared equity models.
Contact details
- Details to come
Helen Paul-Smith (Tapuika (Te Arawa)), Co-Founder of ŌKU New Zealand is an Ayurvedic Practitioner, Rongoā practitioner and Yoga Teacher. She has a passion for regenerating native bush and developing sustainable business practices. Her business ŌKU New Zealand was co-founded with her husband Medical Herbalist and Naturopath Scott Smith.
ŌKU New Zealand is an herbal product company whose range consists of herbal teas, healing balms and elixirs. ŌKU focuses on sustainability and regeneration of New Zealand native bush which they sustainably harvest and press into rongoā/wellness products.
ŌKU builds upon the foundations of Mātauranga Māori principles, which have shaped the company’s sustainability and bush regeneration.
Product
Ōku New Zealand – blending traditional Māori knowledge and sustainable practices to create unique herbal products supporting wellbeing
Unique selling proposition
We harness traditional Māori knowledge and sustainable practices to create premium herbal products. Formulations are inspired by native plants, ensuring both high quality and environmental stewardship. Their dedication to sustainability includes their B Corp Certification and initiatives to regenerate native bush in collaboration with landowners.
Industry
Food and beverage
Market sector
FoodTech
Status of product
Generating revenue
Target market
Women aged between 35-55
IP protection
Trademark
Investment so far
- KI International – $100,000
Company FTE
5.0
Business highlights
- B Corp Certification
- 170 plus retail outlets in NZ
- Key retailers: David Jones Australia, Aelia Duty-Free, Wai Ariki Spa Rotorua, Te Papa.
- Currently exporting into the Middle East and Australia.
- Award-winning wellness products
Contact details
Timmy Smith (Whakatōhea) is the founder and innovator behind Toi Tī. Having formed a number of companies over her 20-plus years in the entrepreneurial space, the pou whenua of care and connection have been the foundations of all she has crafted.
Toi Tī Is a white label product company that creates non-alcoholic beverages and loose-leaf teas, with a vision for replication globally.
Product
Toi Tī – Innovative non-alcoholic beverages utilising sustainable byproducts to create site-specific non-alcoholic sparkling teas and loose-leaf offerings from individual wineries and orchards.
Unique selling proposition
Utilisation of sustainable byproducts to create premium non-alcoholic beverages.
Industry
Food and beverage
Market sector
FoodTech
Status of product
Beta testing/trials
Target market
Local and global wine industry
IP protection
Trade secrets
Investment so far
- Angel Investment – $20,000
- Personal Investment – $60,000
Company FTE
1.0
Business highlights
- Onboarded two industry-acclaimed viticulture consultants
- International delegations to Taiwan, Sydney, Korea & Japan exploring market opportunities and global connections
- Speaking about ESG with NZ & Taiwan Business Councils in New Zealand
- Onboarded a non-alcoholic wine distributor
Contact details
Renei Kingi (Te Arawa/Ngati Whakaue) is the founder at Bhone Beauty.
She has a background in finance, public relations and the beauty and health industry. She’s passionate about health and wellness, psychology, travel, and food.
Bhone is a nutraceutical company dedicated to providing wahine with premium supplements and wellness solutions that prioritise their health, well-being, and self-care.
Product
Bhone Beauty – A nutraceutical company dedicated to supporting and nurturing mothers all over the globe with our premium supplements
Unique selling proposition
We are solely focused on motherhood wellness making our products extremely targeted and niche. We’re simplifying the wellness journey for mothers who are often time-poor, by offering an all-in-one collagen & protein powder with added vitamins, eliminating the need for multiple powders. Our collagen is derived from NZ grass-fed beef, a perfect option for those searching for natural ingredients and minimal processing.
Industry
Health and Beauty
Market sector
HealthTech
Status of product
Beta testing/trials
Target market
Mothers in Asia Pacific – with a specific focus on pre-natal, pregnancy & postpartum.
IP protection
Future patent potential
Investment so far
- Bootstrapped
Company FTE
1.0
Business highlights
- Overwhelmingly positive product taste testing with target market
- Secured domestic manufacturer
- Product launch in the coming months
Contact details
- renei@bhonebeauty.com
Maria (Ngāpuhi) is the current managing director of IndigiShare Charitable Trust. Along with her board of experienced trustees, they are embarking on a journey to create a new model of lending to Māori businesses, and imbuing koha as their core kaupapa into other areas of finance, such as Fintech.
IndigiShare is mātauranga Māori led and mana motuhake driven social enterprise building economic resilience amongst whānau so that we can live in a world where the power of koha grows and enables impact.
Product
Te Waharoa – The world’s first indigenous payment gateway
Unique selling proposition
Low merchant fee and social impact via redistribution of profit to communities of need.
Industry
Finance
Market sector
FinTech
Status of product
Prototype
Target market
Brick and mortar retailers with electronic PoS
IP protection
Trademark
Investment so far
- Crowdfund raise – $100,000
- MBIE – $350,000
- JR McKenzie – $50,000
- Booster Foundation – $55,000
Company FTE
2.0
Business highlights
- Building our infrastructure (IT, governance and organisational structure)
- Building to prototype
- Testing at Te Matatini 2023 Market research and insights.
Contact details
Waide Armstrong (Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi) is an apprentice mechanical engineer and is CEO of IRIS. Waide believes IRIS is an opportunity that will turn whānau from consumer to environmental solutions for our earth, around the world.
IRIS is a Climate Tech startup that is working on the adoption issues of renewable energy to the main grid. These are intermittency and lack of inertia problems to not just the grid of Aoatearoa, but to every grid in the world who runs renewable energy.
Product
IRIS Power Pack – Infinity renewable innovation system
Unique selling proposition
A unique sustainable energy production system with application potential in commercial microgrids, off-grid systems, agriculture, residential, and power grid stability solutions.
Industry
Energy
Market sector
Renewable Energy
Status of product
Prototype
Target market
Power retailers
IP protection
International PCT
Investment so far
- None to date
Company FTE
1.0
Business highlights
- Participating in the TUPU Accelerator
- Meeting professionals through TUPU – that are helping progress the business
- Progressing with prototype development.
Contact details
- Coming soon!
Longo (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga), Managing Director at Puāwai Farms, started as a cultivator in California for four year.
Following this Longo began a human resources team handling backend processing for commercial farms.
Puāwai Farms’s goal is simple, making high quality medicinal cannabis product accessible for all.
Its founder Longo Reo Te Kooro brings years of experience and already proven models honed in California through four market cycles. He aims to cultivate and provide affordable, high quality medical cannabis for all of Aotearoa.
Product
Puawai Farms – Making high quality cannabis flower accessible for all
Unique selling proposition
High quality (high THC) flower at affordable prices.
Industry
Agriculture
Market sector
AgriTech
Status of product
Generating revenue
Target market
Traditional users between 28 – 40 year of age
IP protection
Trade Secrets
Investment so far
- $4,500,000 ($480,000 raised to date)
Company FTE
4.0
Business highlights
- Incorporated in April 2023
- Gained immigration accreditation sponsoring Americans to support cultivation operations.
- Secured land
- Established offtake agreements throughout New Zealand.
Contact details
Hanna (Ngāti Porou) is the founder and CEO of Taurus Concrete. Hanna previously founded a marketing agency which was acquired in 2020. Her experience includes marketing, events and corporate sustainability. She is now solely focused on finding solutions to combat climate change and better the planet.
Taurus Concrete utilises cutting edge “smart crushing” technology to create a fully circular concrete system. They exist to close the loop on concrete by transforming waste rubble concrete back into its original components of aggregate, sand and cement.
Product
The Kali Crusher – A uniquely designed concrete crushing technology that recycles concrete back into its constituent parts
Unique selling proposition
Taurus machinery enables three product streams clean recycled aggregate, clean recycled sand, and recycled cement fines. We enable a fully circular concrete product while diverting waste from landfill and drastically reducing emissions related to mining and sand dredging.
Industry
Construction
Market sector
CleanTech
Status of product
Beta testing/trials
Target market
Construction companies, Government agencies for roading
IP protection
- Process patent pending
- Unique IP pending
Investment so far
- $100,000 Own money
- $100,000 Private Investor
- $25,000 Akina Grant
- $55,000 Te Puni Kokiri Grant
- $20,000 Creative HQ
Company FTE
2.0
Business highlights
- Private investment secured
- Pathway to international IP identified
- First functional test of products complete
- MoU signed for feedstock supply
- MoU in progress with Cambridge Electric Cement Company as key process separation partner
Contact details
- Website
- hanna@taurusconcrete.com
Anthony Bell (Whakatōhea) is the Co-founder of Kiwi Brandy Company. his career has been in the export cut flower industry for 40 years as part of a family business, Bell Orchids Ltd. This involved growing cymbidium orchids and then transitioning to Hydrangea. Anthony worked for 15 years as the manager, however it was recently disestablished due to climate change. Anthony holds five black belts in the martial art Aikido and is the head of the Tauranga Aikido club. Anthony has been married for 35 years and has three beautiful daughters and four beautiful mokos.
The Kiwi Brandy Company hope to create a pure and natural high-quality spirit utilising rejected kiwifruit and low-grade honey primarily, capitalising on purity.
Product
NZ Fruit Brandy – Fruit waste solutions, zero waste distillation process to create premium spirits
Unique selling proposition
Premium quality Kiwifruit brandy, sustainably made from waste fruit for the export market,
Industry
Food and beverage
Market sector
FoodTech
Status of product
Product development
Target market
International
IP protection
Trade secrets
Investment so far
-
Bootstrapping – $120,000
Company FTE
1.0
Business highlights
- Imported two state-of-the-art stills in 2018
- 1st test run and tasting in 2019
- Supply agreement with Kiwi pack house in 2024
Contact details
- Details to come!
