Wāhine Māori in New Zealand’s business world are to be celebrated in the upcoming Māori Businesswomen’s Award set for October 25.
In the entrepreneurial scene in Aotearoa, wāhine Māori are the fastest growing demographic.
This sparked Māori Women’s Development Inc to celebrate the accomplishments these wāhine Māori have achieved in the space.
The awards ceremony is marked for October 25 and will be celebrated at the Pōneke Tākina Convention Centre.
“By celebrating the very best wāhine Māori in business and their pakihi, these awards embody our commitment to fostering economic development and empowerment for wāhine Māori and their whānau,” says MWDI General Manager Linda Clay (Ngāti Awa, Te Whakatohea).
“Everyone involved in the Māori Businesswomen’s Award are champions of the MWDI vision, to ensure equitable contributions to cultural, spiritual, economic, social, and political achievements. From Aotearoa to the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, these awards showcase brilliance on a global scale.”
Read more: Nearly 5% of NZ’s tech sector is owned by Māori
She adds that the event is renowned as the premier indigenous businesswomen’s award global.
The invaluable economic and wellbeing contribution from wāhine Māori was recently documented in the first major research study of its kind. Led by the Ministry for Women and BERL, Te Ōhanga Wāhine Māori, The Māori Women’s Economy (2024), reveals that the wāhine Māori economy can be valued at $12.5 billion, the equivalent of 3.2% of Aotearoa’s GDP.
There will be 17 awards across eight regions and nine categories for wāhine Māori-owned businesses.
At the 2023 awards, Andrea Rongonui (Rātana, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), Director of GO Media, swept the Innovation, Social Enterprise and Supreme award categories.
“Personally, this award has been a source of immense pride and motivation, reigniting my perseverance and resilience in the journey of entrepreneurship. It has inspired me to continue pushing boundaries and making a positive difference in our community and beyond,” says Rongonui.
Entries for the awards are open until August 25 and tickets for the awards are now available.
