February 02, 2018
Maori seeking business help
Business support agencies are getting smarter about Maori business and Maori businesses are getting smarter about asking for help.
That’s the view of Kahurangi Taylor from Ngati Te Ata, a business growth advisor at the Waikato Innovation Park.
Maori business now accounts for 16 percent of the firms seen by the Hamilton-based agency, which is supported by New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE) and Callaghan Innovation.
Ms Taylor says the park helps organisations small and large with capacity development, access to funding, getting ready for export and connecting them with the right people in their sector.
"A lot of it is reassurance they are on the right track, that their idea is a good one. Also around business planning so knowing who the competitors are in your space, doing the market research, validating the idea and making sure that it is actually feasible and profitable," she says.
Ms Taylor says it is important to support Maori business growth and entrepreneurship, not only for national and regional economic growth, but for the benefits to Maori communities and the next generation
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