Auckland University’s commercialisation arm UniServices wants more Māori on board to take advantage of its Inventors Fund.
The fund, which is for investment in start-ups and research with commercial potential coming out of the university, has been increased to $40 million.
Tui Kaumoana, UniServices’ kaiarahi Māori, says she’d like to see 20 percent of the fund going towards kaupapa Maori-driven projects.
A major part of that is protecting intellectual property in matauranga Maori, driven by guidance from the Waitangi Tribunal WAI 262 claim.
“So we are creating a safe space for Maori to come, and feel safe that their ideas will be protected, fully – and then we will manaaaki them through the process for their ideas to flourish,” she says.
Tui Kaumoana, whose own entrepreneurial experience includes running seven night markets, says the initial $20 million fund invested in 43 ventures, including the development of a hangi in a bottle liquid smoke product.
