The Māori biotech company Rua Bioscience, born from a Tairāwhiti vision for sustainable and positive use of cannabis, believes it has turned a corner after six challenging years.

The company recently held a shareholders and community event in Tolaga Bay, where it shared that medicinal cannabis markets in the UK and Germany show particular promise.

Panapa Ehau, Co-Founder and Director of Rua Bioscience Ltd says ironically, New Zealand’s complex regulations—not foreign markets—have been the hardest to navigate.

“I think the biggest challenge is – we’ve overcome. And when we think about it, we are trading a narcotic – or what’s deemed as a narcotic – across international borders. And there’s nothing much harder to do than that,” says Ehau.

Panapa Ehau says if their latest fundraising efforts succeed, Rua Bioscience is on track to achieve profits of $3 to $5 million next year, and $8 to $10 million in 2026.