Konaki
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Nau mai, haere mai ki Konaki, Welcome to Konaki - where academic potential meets real-world impact, and the next generation of Māori business leaders comes to life.

What is Konaki?

Konaki is a pioneering business activator, delivered by Innov8HQ in partnership with Te Kura Pakihi, the University of Otago's Māori Business School. We connect tauira (students) with pakihi (businesses) - giving students hands-on experience and giving businesses the benefit of committed, well-informed rangatahi ready to make a real difference.

At the heart of Konaki is a simple but powerful belief: Learning has deeper impact when it's lived.

What we do

- Match Māori business students with real startup challenges
- Bridge the gap between classroom knowledge and real-world application
- Embed te ao Māori values - Whanaungatanga, Manaakitanga, Tuakiritanga, and Whakaruruhau  into every part of the experience
- Continuously measure impact through the Konaki Research Project, so the programme evolves with industry needs
- Grounded on a tuakana-teina model, where former students mentor and guide the next intake

Our Impact.  

‍Since launch, Konaki has seen:
- 42 tauira graduated 20 pakihi supported, including 10 startups and 10 existing businesses
- 50% of businesses achieved product or service commercialisation during the six-week incubator
- 40% pivoted strategies for better market alignment
- Graduates report stronger confidence, clearer cultural identity, and sharper business skills setting them apart in the marketplace.

Our Cultural Framework‍

We're proud to introduce Pou Tarāwaho Konaki 1.0 - our cultural framework that masterfully weaves Māori values into modern business education and entrepreneurship. It's not just a framework. It's our whakapapa.

‍Check it out here for the latest insights, innovations, and the future of the programme here.
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Join Us
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‍Whether you're a tauira ready to level up, a pakihi looking for fresh thinking, or a supporter of Māori-led futures - there's a place for you here.

‍Haere mai ki Konaki - where we turn academic potential into entrepreneurial success, and cultural identity into your greatest business advantage.
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‍Lesss goooo!!
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