He tipu ka hua investment programme

Te Taka Keegan (Waikato-Maniapoto, Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Whakaaue) is an Associate Professor in Computer Science and the Associate Dean Māori for Te Wānanga Pūtaiao (Division of Health, Engineering, Computing and Sciences) at the University of Waikato. His research focuses on making te reo Māori more accessible using digital technology and revitalising te reo.

Te Taka was Chair of the Kāhui Māori for the Science for Technological Innovation (SfTI) National Science Challenge and is now Co-Chair of the SfTI Board. His primary research interest is the use of te reo Māori in technology and te reo revitalisation. Te Taka has worked to make te reo Māori more accessible using modern technology contributing to the Māori Niupepa Collection, Te Kete Ipurangi, the Microsoft keyboard, Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office in Māori, Moodle in Māori, Google Web Search in Māori, and the Māori macroniser.

Aroha Mead (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Porou, and Tūhourangi) is an independent Māori researcher specialising in Mātauranga Māori/indigenous knowledge, biocultural heritage and conservation, indigenous cultural and intellectual property policy, practice and law.

Aroha has held positions in public policy, academia, international organisations, and the not-for-profit sector. She is a member of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, as well as on the Kāhui Aronui of the Wai262 Taumata, Māori Trademarks Advisory Committee (IPONZ), the Kāhui Rangatira of Te Tira Whakamātakim and the New Zealand Conservation Authority. Aroha is also on the Repatriation Advisory Panel of Te Papa Tongarewa, Indigenous Advisory Panel of Nia Tero and Chair Emeritus of the IUCN Commission on the Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP). She is currently undertaking research for NZ's Biological Heritage National Science Challenge and Bioprotection Aotearoa.

Ocean Mercier (Ngāti Porou) is an Associate Professor at Te Kawa a Māui (Victoria University of Wellington). She has contributed to the public communication of science through 2 decades of research and teaching in physics and in Māori Studies, developing a programme of courses that critically examine the sciences from Māori and international Indigenous perspectives.

Ocean is known for her role as a TV presenter of Coast NZ (Season 3) and Māori TV's science programme, Project Mātauranga, which investigates how Māori people, knowledge and methods work with the scientific community to solve a variety of problems. Her current research projects explore how mātauranga and science practitioners collaborate to promote healthy environments across domains of terrestrial pest control, marine and groundwater. Ocean has been awarded several prizes, including the inaugural Cranwell Medal from the NZ Association of Scientists, and the Te Apārangi Royal Society Callaghan medal.

Erina Watene-Rawiri (Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto, and Ngāi Te Rangi) is the Pou Pūtaiao (Chief Scientist – Māori) for the NZ Biological Heritage Science Challenge. She has over 25 years of experience working in the freshwater environmental research space, including as a Freshwater Scientist, Research Manager, and Treaty Settlements Advisor. She has been involved in projects working on Settlement Implementation, Taonga species research, and River and Lake Restoration.

Erina is also an experienced director having served on the Waikato River Authority, Te Wai Māori Trust, NZ Biological Heritage Science Challenge, and Iwi Boards. Her strong technical expertise in freshwater management sits alongside her community connections.

Robert McGowan is the founding Chair and current patron of the Kaimai-Mamaku Catchments Forum, established to ensure that Tauranga Harbour and Waihou Catchments are sustainably managed. He has recently retired after many years as the Amo Aratu for Ngā Whenua Rāhui (NWR), a contestable Ministerial fund established in 1991 to provide funding for the protection of indigenous ecosystems on Māori land.

For over 20 years, Robert has been heavily immersed in the teachings and research of rongoā Māori and assisting Māori to re-engage in the traditional uses of New Zealand native plants, particularly for medicine. Robert was one of the key founders and a current trustee of Tāne’s Tree Trust, a non-profit charitable trust established in 2001 to encourage New Zealand landowners to successfully plant and sustainably manage indigenous trees for multiple uses.

Robert has provided input into aspects of intellectual property issues relating to the Waitangi Tribunal’s Wai 262 report and served as a rongoā Māori advisor on numerous Government committees, Māori tribal authorities and several rongoā Māori related research and education initiatives. Robert received a Queen’s Service Medal for services to Māori and conservation in June 2020. In February of 2023 he was awarded the University of Waikato Medal for his significant and sustained contribution to restoring and protecting Aotearoa’s indigenous ecosystems. He is also the author of “Rongoā Māori – a practical guide to traditional Māori Medicine” published in 2009, and “Tiwaiwaka – healing the mauri of the whenua”, published in 2019.

Hēmi Whaanga (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mamoe and Waitaha) is Professor and Head of School of Te Pūtahi-a-Toi, the School of Māori Knowledge, at Massey University.

Hēmi has worked as a project leader and researcher on a range of projects centred on the revitalisation, protection, distribution, and development of mātauranga and te reo Māori in a digital world. He incorporates multi-method techniques and methodologies to analyse and develop new mātauranga in a range of linguistic, cultural, and digital contexts including the design of ethical platforms for digitally managing and distributing mātauranga, oral traditions, Māori ecological knowledge, ecological taxonomies and naming protocols, Māori astronomical knowledge and kaitiakitanga.

Stacey Whitiora (Waikato, Ngāti Mahuta) is the Group General Manager, Māori Strategy, Partnerships, and Enterprise at Plant & Food Research, and is also a member of the senior leadership team. Stacey’s work focuses on the sustainable and economic development of Māori primary industries, with her responsibilities including Māori partnerships and programme development, engagement with Te Ao Māori and Te Taiao, and supporting Māori to implement Mātauranga Māori in research, commercial, and business outputs.

Stacey has held key roles in central government, including Development Manager and Manager Māori Partnerships and Programmes (Te Ika a Maui) at the Ministry for Primary Industries, and Team Leader (Te Tiriti Extension) and Regional Coordinator at the Ministry of Fisheries. At the latter, she coordinated multi-iwi engagement and involvement in fisheries legislation, and co-developed the fisheries implementation plan for the Waikato Tainui River Fisheries Accord focussing on taonga species and Te Awa Tupuna. She has also worked as the lead drafter for the Chatham Islands Iwi/Imi Fisheries Forum Plan.

Stacey’s current role at Plant & Food Research sees her leading the design, development and implementation of TONO, the organization’s Māori strategy direction. Stacey oversees a group which is systematically shifting the organisation’s commitment towards authentic long-term partnerships with Māori, driven by 3 strategic goals “kia haukaha (an invested organisation), kia mahitahi (co-innovation with Māori), kia huatahi (enabling bespoke partnerships)” to achieve a Smart Green Future, Together.

Stacey is a member of the Te Ara Pūtaiao Advisory Group, the Bioprotection Aotearoa CORE Steering Group, the MBIE Photobio Programme Steering Group and the Reimaging Aquaculture Māori Co-innovation Programme Advisory Group. Stacey is also a Chartered Member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

Derek Kawiti (Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou) is a Professor of Architecture at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington, specialising in Māori Designed Environments and the application of contemporary manufacturing technologies and automation in architecture. An expert and teacher in advanced digital tools (generative software) and robotics, he heads SITUA (Site of Indigenous Technologies Understanding Alliance), Indigenous Material Domains (IMD) and Corporate Spheres - Indigenous Workspaces. The labs play a significant role in the ‘reindigenising’ of architectural knowledge through a renewed exploration of customary methods of spatial organisation (tikanga/kawa), engineered structures and patterns, Māori geometries and materials utilising computation and digital fabrication. Derek is also a Principal Investigator and is a member of the Science Executive for the MacDiarmid Institute. He is also a researcher with the Robinson Space Program. As an architectural practitioner Derek is a director of interdisciplinary architectural design firm, CILOARC, and is an associate director at Peddle Thorp Architects in Auckland where he is cultural and digital lead on a range of civic and government projects. He has more than 25 years’ experience in both commercial and domestic scale architecture having worked in both New Zealand and international practice environments including London, the Caribbean and Italy. He has extensive experience as a cultural strategist and design advisor to major companies in the building industry and works with various architectural practices both locally and internationally on project bid strategy. His academic research, teaching and practice orientation all draw influences from his cultural heritage where a central concern is with understanding the implications of the growing use of digital design technologies in architecture and its increasing convergence with aspects of Indigenous customary knowledge.

Aroha Armstrong (Te Arawa, Ngati Whakaue, Tuhourangi, Ngati Uenukukopako, Ngati Te Roro o te Rangi) is Director of Tiriti Futures at Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, where she leads Te Tiriti projects for Māori innovation, iwi future skills strategies, and the Māori future of work. She leads the development of a Kaupapa Māori innovation function, and  has recently taken on the role of Interim Digital Director Māori, advising the Digital transformation of Te Pūkenga. Aroha has extensive entrepreneurial and managerial experience in both the public and private sector, with her work focused on supporting and growing Māori capability and businesses. One of Aroha’s most prominent roles was as Group Manager Māori Economy at Callaghan Innovation, where she led numerous initiatives to connect Māori to the innovation ecosystem, including Matariki X Māori Business Innovation Event, 100 Rangatahi to Silicon Valley, Nuku ki te Puku, Māori Tech Tour to Ireland, and Iwi Internships. Aroha was also responsible for increasing Callaghan Innovation’s organisational capability as a treaty partner through embedding Māori values and commitment to strategic treaty partnership and Māori responsiveness. Aroha is passionate about Māori business and economy, and is well connected in the Māori business, research, and innovation ecosystems. She is a strong advocate for innovation, collaboration, and leveraging government and industry support for Māori centred approaches. As a mother of 4, she has a personal passion for rangatahi and the wellbeing of future generations.