The Tauranga Chamber of Commerce works closely with Poutama Trust through the Regional Business Partner (RBP).

Our partnership with Poutama, as well as Eastern Bay Chamber of Commerce and Rotorua Business Chamber, was integral last year when it came to distributing the COVID-19 Advisory Funding to Māori businesses in need.

 This partnership continues to play an important role in our everyday capability support services through RBP, helping Māori businesses develop and thrive.

We asked the new CEO of Poutama Trust, Koro Dickinson, to discuss where Poutama is at and reflect on some of the local businesses they have helped.

Tēnā koutou, e ngā rangatira mā,

On behalf of Poutama Trust , we hope that you and your whānau are taking care of each other, and that both your businesses and employees are keeping safe and well during the current Alert Level 3 status.

Now, for more than 32 years, Poutama has been committed to growing Māori enterprise for current and future generations by providing business services to Pakihi | Māori businesses in Tauranga and all over Aotearoa New Zealand – in the form of advice, grants, and investment funding.

Poutama has extensive and long-standing connections with more than 3000 Pakihi | Māori businesses across Aotearoa New Zealand – many of whom successfully operate and are based right here in Tauranga.

Just last month, we partnered with the Eastern Bay Chamber of Commerce to proudly sponsor the Māori-Owned Business Excellence category at the 2021 Eastern Bay of Plenty Business Awards. This demonstrates Poutama enduring commitment to both supporting and celebrating Māori business excellence right across the region.

In partnership with the MBIE and through the Provincial Growth Fund, Poutama recently provided financial investment to Mount Maunganui based Envico Technologies Ltd. This enabled the business to acquire specialised tools and equipment to support the manufacture of their drone technology, as well as create new local jobs.

Again with MBIE, Poutama also financially supported The Martial Arts Academy with their investment into their digital offering to customers that either train remotely or are unable to make it into the Tauranga and Papamoa training locations; this ultimately led to the creation of new jobs too. These are just two examples of many, where we’ve been able to partner with government to help direct the necessary financial support Pakihi | Māori businesses are seeking to help grow and be successful.

With Poutama’s own capital fund, we’ve helped many more Tauranga-based Pakihi | Māori businesses in the agriculture, construction, education, health, technology, tourism & hospitality sectors. This support has enabled these businesses to further grow and scale their activities. In turn this has contributed to the creation of local jobs, as well as quality goods and services being made and delivered (to the world) from right here in Tauranga.

The future of Tauranga’s economy looks exciting, and Poutama will continue to help support Pakihi | Māori businesses – so they too can contribute to a thriving local economy.

Poutama will continue to collaborate with the Chambers, local iwi, the Tauranga Māori Business Association, local and central government agencies, and the broader business community. Together, we can help ensure Poutama is able to direct its assistance, services and expertise to Pakihi | Māori businesses across Tauranga.

Poutama’s work with the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce through the Regional Business Partner (RBP) network remains important. We’ll continue to connect and refer Pakihi | Māori businesses to the RBP Network so that business owners can plug into the business support and resources that are available to them.

Over the short term, the current Alert Level 3 status and its impact on business owners and Pakihi | Māori businesses across Tauranga will continue to evolve. We need to be mindful that each of us responds differently to disruptions – to our daily lives, our businesses, and employees. Also, our personal circumstances may mean that working from home may, for some of us, be challenging, particularly if we are navigating difficult circumstances at home. Please remember that Māori and Pasifika communities and essential workers are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. He waka eke noa. We’re all in this together.

More information about our services and the types of business activity we’ve supported can be found on our website. If you want to learn more, please do reach out to our Poutama team. We’re also available at: poutama@poutama.co.nz and 0800 476 882.

Kia kaha, kia atawhai – be strong, be kind.

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