About Tūātea

Tūātea is our next-generation Wave social investment fund, designed to provide targeted assistance for those striving to create a thriving business, ensuring their passion and determination are met with the tools needed to succeed.

Tūātea, with the right support and belief, will enable whānau to turn challenges into opportunities, reaching ‘Te Tai o Angitu’ – the tide of success.

Applications open Monday, December 2, 2024 and close on February 12, 2025.

Keep scrolling for more information and to register to attend one of our upcoming funding workshops, happening around the motu throughout November.

 

Tūātea, with the right support and belief, will enable whānau to turn challenges into opportunities, reaching ‘Te Tai o Angitu’ – the tide of success.

Background 

In 2014, Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu introduced an innovative direct investment approach to commissioning with the launch of The Hothouse incubator, which invited whānau to share their dreams, aspirations and their own flax-roots whānau-driven solutions.

That inaugural Hothouse attracted more than 200 applications and from this pilot, our cornerstone WAVE social impact investment stream was launched. Since then, each funding ‘wave’ has come to represent the unstoppable momentum of change that derives from whānau strength.

Over 18 rounds, Wave funding has supported 705 whānau initiatives with an approximate investment of $34.21 million. This unique commissioning pipeline has been “at the cutting edge of innovation in the Whānau Ora commissioning context,” standing out for its focus on social entrepreneurship.

Tūātea, the next generation

 

 

 

 

Since its inception a decade ago, the Wave investment stream has grown to become particularly popular with whānau enterprise ventures. As an example, earlier this year, the Wave 18 funding round received 240 completed applications; of these 80% were business-focused initiatives.

Tūātea responds accordingly, providing targeted assistance for those striving to create a thriving business, ensuring their passion and determination are met with the tools needed to succeed.

Three categories to match your pakihi journey

Te Pūaha 
Te Pūaha is for applications up to $20,000. You do not require a legal entity to apply for this category. However, you will be required to establish a legal entity or have an entity umbrella your initiative if you are successful.

Te Pūkarukaru
Te Pūkarukaru is for those who are not yet registered as legal entities or who have been operating for less than 12 months. This includes applications that will be under the umbrella of another legal entity. This category is for applications between $20,000 and $80,000.

Te Pukenga
Te Pukenga is for entities who have been legally registered for longer than 12 months. Applicants under this category will be required to upload their most recent annual financial reporting. This category is for applications between $20,000 and $120,000.

Find out more

We’re hitting the road ahead of applications opening on December 2, 2024 to give whānau the chance to be even better prepared!

We will be covering Tūātea, as well as our other upcoming investment streams, Kōanga Kai and Tai Neke, Tai Ora.

Please share the word and come along if you would like support developing a pakihi plan, a budget, or an implementation plan. It doesn’t matter if you have a dream, an idea or a full-fledged business plan, all are welcome!

Māu te ara, kia ora ai te whānau.

You can register here. 

Mauri ora!

Tūātea Toolbox

These resources will help you with your application

Pakihi Plan Template

Implementation Plan Template

Budget Template

Powering whānau dreams

Tīmata Technologies – Fresh, kiwi meals, delivered to your door!

Tīmata Technologies has launched an app so that users can purchase affordable meals for delivery from the comfort of their home.
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Te Puna Reo o Te Ahi Kaikōura a Tama ki te Rangi

Te Puna Reo o Te Ahi Kaikōura a Tama ki te Rangi is a new puna reo; a kaupapa Māori early learning centre that has recently opened there doors to all whānau in Kaikōura, situated on the grounds of Hāpuku school.
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Huikai Creations

An unexpected journey into the world of candles! Huikai Creations was born from the simple joy of Ngaire and her tamariki experimenting with a DIY kit. Now, their home garage has become the maker station as the pakihi grows.
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Watch these previously funded kaupapa

Gina Malcolm’s journey into mātauranga Māori holistic rongoā has been life changing one. Now, through Māmā Gee (previously known as Hine Mahuta Hauora) the business she set up three years ago, she is encouraging whānau to intuitively seek out their pathway for healing towards becoming the best they can be.

Reni Wereta-Gargiulo (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Rauru, Te Ātiawa), has been able to develop Kiwi Kai Nelson into a successful parent company that prepares and produces healthy, sustainable Māori-inspired kai and seafood. Inspired by her whānau upbringing, Reni says “As long as we’re holistically following our Māori principles, we’re happy with what we’re doing”

What began as a whānau fundraiser and part-time passion seven years ago, is now a fulltime business and Bridgette Keil (Ngāti Tamaterā), owner of Koukou Creations, is excited that Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu WAVE funding has helped make her dream a reality.

“With Te Pūtahitanga, you develop long-term relationships with like-minded individuals who understand Māori. They help you reach your goals. They encourage and support you to reflect, to grow, to progress.”

Janice Lee - Koha Kai

Enquire about Tūātea

He pātai āu? Have you got a question, give us a call, or send us your pātai