Tolaga Bay Innovation

We are an NZ charity for social and economic improvement in the Tairawhiti region (East Coast). To further this mission we have set up the Tolaga Bay Innovation hub which: 

·        Provides training in business and technology for those who are unemployed or in low paid jobs 

·        Supports budding grassroots enterprises with mentorship and help with fund-raising 

·        Connects with tech employers to unlock opportunities for paid internships and remote working 

Over the last year we ran an entrepreneurial training program in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development creating 13 Māori owned enterprises, for example: 

Uawa Factory Road Native Nursery: Growing native seedlings and working with regenerative farmers, council, schools and organisations to plant native trees.  It also teaches environmental regeneration with local schools and employs four local people within the community. 

Huiterangi Digitech: Providing tamariki (children) with learning opportunities for their online code club both at the Tolaga Bay Inn and Hatea-a-Rangi School. Weekly code club via online zoom sessions is now being implemented. Funding of over $100k from MBIE and JR McKenzie. 

The initial MSD grant successfully established the hub, and we are now seeking other sources of funding to enable TBI to run further training programs.  The vision is to establish a Putea Ora Fund which can provide grant based cash flow for grassroots enterprise, and capital for enhancing social and economic opportunities in the East Coast region.