The inaugural Hauraki Māori Business Awards 2025, held at the Silver Fern Farms Events Centre in Te Aroha on October 17, brought together more than 300 guests to honour Māori enterprise, innovation, and leadership across the Hauraki rohe.
Award recipients include Leadership Award winner Punehu Wilson and Wellbeing & Social Impact Award runner up Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki.
The evening was a celebration of Māori success, showcasing the ingenuity and cultural integrity of Māori businesses leading change.
Te Arikinui Kuini (the Māori Queen) Nga wai hono i te po attended the event, alongside Hauraki-Waikato MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, Tama Potaka, mana whenua of Hauraki, local government mayors and councillors, marae representatives, and kaumātua (elders) and rangatahi (youths) from across the region.
Hosted by the Ngāti Tamaterā Treaty Settlement Trust, the awards recognised the achievements of Māori businesses in driving economic growth and strengthening cultural identity, environmental stewardship, and community wellbeing.
“These awards reflect the heartbeat of our people – the creativity, courage, and collaboration that keep Hauraki moving forward,” trust chief executive Michelle Wilson said.
“This is more than business excellence – it’s about celebrating Māori innovation that uplifts whānau, restores our taiao (nature), and builds a stronger future for generations to come.”
Each recipient demonstrated the transformative impact of Māori-led business models that prioritise collective prosperity, whānau empowerment, and sustainability, the Trust said.
The awards evening also saw the launch of Ngā Pōito o te Kupenga, a new Hauraki Iwi Māori Business Database, developed in partnership between Ngāti Tamaterā and Ngāti Pāoa.
The platform will connect Māori enterprises across Hauraki, allowing Ngāti Tamaterā to work directly with iwi-owned and Māori-led businesses to understand their needs, foster collaboration, and ensure equitable access to contracts and partnerships across the region.
“Ngā Pōito o te Kupenga represents more than a directory, it’s the weave that connects our business ecosystem,” Ngāti Tamaterā economic development lead Elle Archer said.
“What we witnessed tonight was more than an awards ceremony, it was a declaration of identity and intent. Māori business is not just contributing to the economy; we are reshaping it.
“The Hauraki Māori Business Awards are proof that when we lead with whakapapa and kaupapa, we don’t just succeed – we transform the landscape for everyone.”
AWARD RECIPIENTS:
Ko te tohu kounga mō te taiao/Environmental Excellence Award: winner, Pou Rāhui.
Ko te tohu whakanui mō te taiohi/Rangatahi Leadership Award: winner, Punehu Wilson; runner-up, Rihipeti-Paerau Forbes.
Ko et tohu whakanui mō te hauora me te toiora/Wellbeing & Social Impact Award: winner, Ki Tua o Matariki; runner-up, Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki.
Ko te tohu whakanui mō te kaipakihi hou/New Horizons Award: winner, Tidal Construction Ltd; runner-up, Waikato Ready Mix.
Ko te tohu kounga mō te ringarehe me te ahumahi/Trades & Industry Excellence Award: winner, Lite Civil; runner-up, Concrete Management Ltd.
Ko te tohu whakanui mō te ringatoi/Creative Visionary Award: winner, Chris Bailey Sculpture; runner-up, Jeanine Clarkin Design.
Ko te tohu toi tongarewa o ngā rangi/Ureia Supreme Excellence Award 2025: winner, Ki Tua o Matariki.
