Northland Inc, the regional economic development agency, and Auckland University of Technology (AUT) are pooling their
resources to launch a business accelerator programme aimed at enhancing Māori entrepreneurship.
Te Kōrau weaves Māori perspectives and values in, to a focus on building entrepreneurial capability and validating
sustainable business ideas. The pilot programme will run in the Hokianga region on Northland’s west coast, with more
planned to follow during early 2020.
“The programme will help to equip aspiring entrepreneurs in Northland with the insights, relationships, and tools needed
to turn ideas into action and develop a passion into a sustainable, thriving business,” said Joseph Stuart, General
Manager, Business Innovation and Growth at Northland Inc.
“There’s no shortage of ideas, or entrepreneurially-minded people with the potential or drive to make those ideas happen
in Northland. What is lacking is a support system for people who are at an early stage with their business or business
idea, a framework that will nurture, develop and accelerate that potential.
“People have dabbled in trying to correct that situation, but until now there’s been no focused programme to support or
invigorate Māori entrepreneurship when you are just starting out. Te Kōrau will help to bridge what has become a huge
gap in our region. It will play an important foundational role in building entrepreneurial capability and stimulating
the creation of new businesses.”
Te Kōrau is the first Māori contextualised version of the global CO.STARTERS programme, which boasts an impressive track
record. AUT has been running CO.STARTERS since 2016 and, during that time, the programme has built up budding
entrepreneurs through to the wider business community. The programme forms an essential part of AUT’s strategy, aimed at
strengthening support for students to start their own businesses and develop an entrepreneurial mind-set.
“Collaborating with AUT on this programme is the perfect fit for us; it’s exciting because it’s something we’ve been
looking to do for a while now,” Stuart added. “We don’t have a strong university research base here in Northland, and
the breadth of AUT’s networks – it is New Zealand’s second biggest university – and its extensive entrepreneurial
engagement will undoubtedly be something we can tap into. AUT’s support in delivering this programme will be
invaluable.”
Stuart explained that the partnership involves plans to train a group of local facilitators and community champions who
would help deliver Te Kōrau in the future and assist in getting businesses off the ground. “This project really ticks
all the boxes for us and aligns perfectly with our desire to build stronger cohorts and create positive outcomes for
Māori businesses and entrepreneurs, which is one of our key strategic focus areas.”
In the short term, he added, the immediate objectives of the initiative were to expand personal capacity for generating
ideas, to broaden individual perceptions of market opportunities, and to build a regional
entrepreneurial ecosystem through collaboration rather than competition by working alongside existing networks,
communities and services.
“Ultimately, we want to grow Māori enterprises and increase the number of SME’s in the region that can scale into medium
and large-sized businesses while, at the same time, enhancing the attractiveness of Northland as a place to live and
work.”
An introductory workshop will be held at Rawene Town Hall on Thursday, 24 October (5-7pm). The pilot programme is set to
take place at Pa Te Aroha Marae over the weekends of 16 November and 6 December.
For more information or to register, visit www.tekorau.co.nz