Our programme is designed to ignite curiosity and inspire innovation that strengthens people and agrifood.

Our Programme

Our Pōtiki Fellowships are for 3-months and will see up to 15 promising Māori leaders placed over the next three years, beginning with an inaugural cohort in the first half of 2024.

The programme is for Māori aged 35 and under who have:

  • A strong STEMM background (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and Mātauranga Māori)

  • Significant professional experience (science, research, engineering, technology)

  • Curiosity about global agrifood innovation

  • Interest in commercialisation and real-world application

  • The drive to contribute to Aotearoa’s future

Participants are resilient, ambitious, adaptable and ready to step into challenging, high-performance environments.

We aim to be a catalyst, inspiring a new generation of Māori innovators to think global. By opening-up our global network with organisations that are changing the world in food and agriculture, we hope to inspire candidates to expand their horizons, for the betterment of our people.

We are open to all enquiries and are planning other international placement opportunities. So make sure to register to receive our updates.

NOTE: Participants must be elegible to enter the U.S.

Programme Overview

Te Ara Pōtiki recognises the significant impact that globally aware and connected Māori leaders in STEMM can have on Māori economic and community development.

The Te Ara Pōtiki experience provides Māori with hands-on exposure to agrifood commercialisation inside leading US businesses.

Participants:

  • Engage directly with innovation teams

  • Learn how technology and science become global products

  • Build commercial confidence

  • Connect with global experts and leaders

  • Gain perspective beyond Aotearoa

Each placement is shaped to align with the participant’s STEM expertise and future aspirations.

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Programme Stages

Stage One: Registration & Interviews

Applicants complete an online registration, followed by an interview where we discuss:

  • Personal journey

  • STEMM background

  • Professional experience

  • Global readiness

  • Aspirations and goals

This ensures a strong fit between the kaupapa and the participant.

Stage Two: Global Placement (US Immersion)

Participants are placed with leading US agrifood businesses to gain:

  • Commercial and innovation experience

  • Real-world project exposure

  • Insight into scale-up environments

  • Mentorship from global experts

Host business names may remain private until after the cohort returns.

Stage Three: Return to Aotearoa – Activate Your Potential

On returning home, participants:

  • Apply their new commercial understanding

  • Identify new pathways or ventures

  • Share knowledge with the sector

  • Strengthen leadership roles

  • Connect into Aotearoa’s agrifood innovation network.

Participants live and work in the United States, experiencing:

  • High-performing agrifood innovation environments

  • Commercialisation pathways from concept to market

  • Exposure to investment, leadership and entrepreneurship

  • Broader thinking, diversity and global perspective

This experience is foundational, transformative and career-defining.

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