Te Ara Pōtiki Trust Partnership Opportunities

Te Ara Pōtiki is an indigenous global knowledge exchange programme and network focused on the agri-food technology sector.

Te Ara Pōtiki Partners are iwi, corporate, community and public sector organisations committed to maximising Māori talent potential and capability to build the future Agrifood & Sustainability sectors in Aotearoa, New Zealand while growing the next generation of Māori talent in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Mātauranga Māori (STEMM).

Almost half of New Zealand’s trade sector is in Agriculture, with nearly NZD$14B in 2023. Primary sectors and related businesses make up nearly 35% of Māori assets which are key to the future of the country’s economy, and one where Māori will play an influential role, not only as producers but in climate impact and sustainability.

Our Mission & the Partnership Opportunity

Te Ara Pōtiki Trust values are embedded in collective intergenerational transformation.
We are a non-profit Trust that promotes Māori STEMM career development through a unique Fellowship that places candidates into US-based startups where they get to work in a ‘live’ company, on an applied project, building both their knowledge and personal network.
We have established this initiative specifically for Māori future leaders in STEMM to address the gap in global knowledge exposure in the Agrifood sector, and to seed the talent development of iwi and entrepreneurial Māori organisations.
Through our global network and extensive experience in entrepreneurship, investment, science and innovation, we place Māori Fellow candidates (or Pōtiki) into world-class technology companies in the United States and beyond to build the best career and network outcomes for the participating candidates.
  • Te Ara Pōtiki funds the program development and a supporting living stipend for the duration of the time in market, typically 6 weeks.
  • We promote and match the candidates to the host company. Host Companies typically support living costs included in a stipend.
  • We seek sponsorship support from Partners for the candidate’s agreed expenses and to support the Trust’s operations in support of the program.
We exist to grow the number of STEMM graduates into practitioners with real world experience that can grow the talent base of our Tangata Māori, that in turn can help grow innovation and technology capabilities of both our Iwi and also Aotearoa, New Zealand’s economy.
There is high demand for Māori who are entrepreneurial, reo Māori me ōna tikanga tuned, have higher level skills and are equipped to manage assets and people in a way that improves economic, social and cultural outcomes for whānau, hapū, iwi and Aotearoa.

Why Partner to support a Te Ara Pōtiki fellow?

Our rangatahi account for 1 in 3 people in Aotearoa under the age of 27 years old today. That’s 33% of people in Aotearoa, 20% of the whole population of Aotearoa which is a million people.
By the time this generation matures and have their own whānau over the next 20 years, Māori will be one of most prominent demographic groups in Aotearoa, something that hasn’t happened since the 1850s. 
As a Partner and Sponsor, you are impacting the lives of our Pōtiki fellows, future leaders and improving the outcomes of our wider Māori communities, whānau, hapū and iwi.
The program is highly curated and targeted. Over the next 5 years through 2030, we aim to place 25 Fellows into Host companies, and to engage them in building our kaupapa to benefit themselves, their communities and the economy and people capabilities of Aotearoa New Zealand.

  • Pōtiki sponsors support candidates with airfares (return to US) and up to six weeks accommodation support in-market. We estimate this to be approximately $15K, and the Trust will ask for a $10K donation for administration & pastoral care support of the Fellow as a component of the Sponsorship.

    Sponsorships can be customised to the specific goals of the Sponsor to reflect for example, alignment around support of a Pōtiki from the iwi, hapū or Māori Trust/entity. In corporate or philanthropic sponsorships, we will curate the list of qualified candidates that can be supported with a donation to the Trust, which in turn will administer the placement and assignment.

    We also welcome Sponsors who have qualified Māori personnel who would be placed under a secondment/work experience engagement while they remain in the Sponsor’s employment, as opposed to being paid by the Host company.

    Ultimately, this is a highly curated and flexible partnership that will be tailored to meet the objectives of the Pōtiki candidate, the Sponsor and our Trust.

  • We invite Government, Community and Philanthropic organisations to contribute to the development and administration of the Te Ara Pōtiki and/or continue to support us as we expand our initiatives and reach with services in-kind.

    Our initial Government Partner is the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Enterprise (MBIE) over our first three years until 2025/6.

  • Te Ara Pōtiki has unique access to international start-ups and investment networks, and the potential for significant impact that the development of globally aware and connected technology entrepreneurs can have on Māori and Aotearoa economic development.

    We are seeking a Principal Sponsor for a five year commitment to support the outreach and engagement of future Pōtiki Māori candidates, through support of the Trust, and to occupy the named Partnership for Te Ara Pōtiki program. We anticipate the Sponsor will benefit from:

    • If desired, public recognition of support for the mission and organisation.

    • Connection into the expansive agrifood start up network in the US through our Māori talent capability build.

    • Alignment of Research & Development to industry strategic problems to solve.

  • Our initial Māori partner organisation is Tapuwae Roa. (see ww.tapuwaeroa.org)

    A charitable entity formed with a grant from the Māori Fisheries Commission, it promotes Māori leadership in governance and management.

  • Te Ara Potiki trust is seeking a Media partner to promote the Trust’s programs to candidates, report on outcomes from the successful applicants and their companies, Iwi, communities; support online media and website/social engagement.

  • The Trust will host an annual Hui to provide opportunities from the Pōtiki to share their experience, research and outcomes. This event will also enable networking from our Partners and supporting organisations. The 2024 event was hosted by Waikato-Tainui at the Novotel Hotel at Auckland International Airport. Future events will be recorded and webcast.