Te Arawa Primary Sector Māori Agribusiness Summit 2025
Delivered in Rotorua 2025
The inaugural Te Arawa Arataua Māori Agribusiness Summit was a landmark two-day national conference in Rotorua, bringing together whenua Māori landowners, iwi authorities, industry leaders, and government representatives.
Its mission: to tackle the critical issues facing Māori in the primary sector and chart a sustainable, prosperous future for Māori-led land enterprises, grounded in kaupapa Māori, collaboration, and practical solutions.
Organised to promote grass-roots participation, the event was held in Rotorua and blended keynote sessions, panels, and case studies covering current issues such as climate change, trade and supply chains, collective strategy, and innovation.
This summit was a rare opportunity for governors and management of whenua Māori and iwi authorities from around Aotearoa to come together and help shape a sustainable and prosperous future for Māori-led land enterprises.
Message and Theme
The Summit’s overarching theme was expressed in its vision: “Where Māori Land, Industry and Innovation Meet.”
This message highlighted the intersections between whenua, Māori governance, and industry, and how innovation can support long-term prosperity.
The event programme reflected this theme through keynote addresses, panel discussions, and case studies on:
Climate change and system transitions
Trade, supply chains, and global Māori networks
Collective strategy and leadership through whenua
Science, technology, and Indigenous innovation
Partnerships and diversification opportunities
The unifying message was clear: Māori agribusiness can thrive by blending kaupapa Māori with contemporary industry practices and forward-looking innovation, ensuring that whānau, whenua, and iwi are resilient, sustainable, and prosperous into the future.
The Challenge
As the first event of its kind, the Summit presented both exciting opportunities and complex challenges.
HPCE Aotearoa was tasked with managing an ambitious, multi-layered programme featuring keynote speakers, panels, and case studies, all underpinned by strong cultural integrity.
Key challenges included:
Coordinating a large group of stakeholders and speakers across multiple themes
Programme confirmation delays that impacted early registrations
Event postponement and date conflicts with major national events
Balancing strong sponsorship with the need to drive delegate and exhibitor engagement
The event coincided with Koroneihana, a major cultural celebration, which limited availability for some potential delegates.
Despite these hurdles, strong partnerships, committed sponsors, and a clear vision helped ensure the event could move forward with confidence.
1. Partnership and Planning
We worked collaboratively with the organising committee, sponsors, suppliers, and speakers to create a detailed project plan that guided everything from concept to delivery. This ensured clear communication, alignment, and agility as the event evolved.
2. Cultural Capability
Cultural authenticity was central to the Summit’s success. We embedded tikanga Māori throughout the event, from programme design to protocols and presentation, and engaged respected kaumatua to lead key moments and guide the proceedings.
This approach fostered manaakitanga (hospitality) and whakawhanaungatanga (connection), making the event both respectful and empowering.
Our Approach
HPCE Aotearoa took a full-service event management approach, ensuring the Summit reflected both professionalism and kaupapa Māori values.
3. Sustainability and Kaitiakitanga
Reflecting the kaupapa of guardianship, we implemented sustainable practices including compostable catering materials, recyclable name badges, reduced printing through a digital app, and recycling stations throughout the venue.
4. Innovation and Engagement
Technology and creativity brought the Summit to life.
A digital event app provided schedules and speaker bios.
Live illustrators captured key themes in real-time, turning discussions into visual storytelling.
Sessions were recorded for future learning and sharing.
Execution
Over two days, the Summit blended keynote presentations, panels, and networking with flawless onsite management.
Highlights included:
Our professional and charismatic MC, Stacey Morrison, whose mana and warmth elevated every session.
A powerful gala dinner led by Ngahihi o te ra Bidois, whose challenge, “What are you doing to be a good ancestor?” became the event’s defining message.
Vibrant entertainment and a strong sense of unity, connection, and purpose among attendees.
Behind the scenes, HPCE Aotearoa managed all logistics: venue, AV, catering, and theming, ensuring a seamless experience for over 200 delegates.
We worked with trusted, long-standing suppliers for the venue, AV, catering, and theming, ensuring everything ran to the highest professional standard. With logistics managed behind the scenes, the programme flowed smoothly from keynotes to panels to networking sessions. Exhibition stands were open during breaks, creating further opportunities for engagement between delegates and industry representatives.
Over the course of the Summit, delegates experienced a blend of keynote speakers and expert panels, covering a wide spectrum of topics relevant to Māori agribusiness. This variety ensured that discussions remained engaging, informative, and directly relevant to participants’ needs.
A standout feature of the TAPS Summit was the inclusion of the League of Live Illustrators, who brought the event’s key messages to life in real time. As speakers shared insights and ideas on stage, the illustrators transformed these discussions into vibrant visual stories, capturing complex themes in a way that was engaging, memorable, and easy to understand. Their work became a creative highlight of the Summit, sparking conversation and giving delegates a unique visual record of the kōrero that unfolded.
The evening gala dinner was inspiring and entertaining. Guest speaker Ngahihi o te ra Bidois inspired the room with aroha and mana, challenging attendees to reflect on the powerful question: “What are you doing to be a good ancestor?” He then united the room by leading a haka that left a lasting impression on all present.
Following the dinner, local band Black & Gold provided lively entertainment with classic songs that encouraged connection and fun. When guests were hesitant to begin dancing, the HPCE Aotearoa team led the way, setting the tone for an energetic and celebratory evening!
From AV and technology through to catering and entertainment, the HPCE Aotearoa team was present and proactive, ensuring the event maintained its momentum and mana throughout. Any small, last-minute adjustments were handled seamlessly, thanks to the trusted partnerships and strong relationships we have cultivated with suppliers.
Results & Impact
The 2025 Summit was widely regarded as a milestone for Māori agribusiness. Key outcomes included:
Strong delegate turnout despite earlier challenges
Overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees and sponsors
High engagement across all sessions and networking opportunities
Increased visibility for Māori agribusiness leadership and collaboration nationwide
The Summit not only achieved its objectives but set the benchmark for culturally aligned, future-focused industry events.
This event was a milestone event, the first of its kind, and its success was felt not only by the client but also across the wider Māori agribusiness sector.
Feedback from delegates, sponsors, and the organising committee was overwhelmingly positive. Attendees consistently highlighted the mana-enhancing atmosphere, the quality of speakers and panels, and the smooth professionalism with which the event was delivered. Many remarked on how seamlessly cultural values were interwoven with industry discussions, creating an experience that was both grounded in kaupapa Māori and forward-looking.
While the event carried the natural risks of being a first-time Summit, it exceeded expectations by:
Delivering a seamless, high-quality delegate experience.
Creating a platform where iwi authorities, industry, and government could engage in meaningful, future-focused conversations.
Showcasing the ability of Māori values, leadership, and innovation to set the agenda for the primary sector.
The Summit marked a significant milestone for both the client and the wider Māori agribusiness community. It brought together a critical mass of leaders and decision-makers in one place for the first time, helping to shape a collective vision for a sustainable and prosperous future. For many attendees, it wasn’t just an event; it was the beginning of an ongoing movement.
Looking Ahead
The success of the 2025 Te Arawa Arataua Māori Agribusiness Summit has set a strong foundation for the future. What began as a first-time gathering has now sparked a wider conversation about how Māori agribusiness leaders, industry, and government can continue to collaborate in meaningful ways.
Building on the momentum, discussions are already underway to make the Summit a bi-annual event, ensuring it becomes a regular fixture on the national calendar. In addition, plans are being explored for a nationwide roadshow within the next six months. This roadshow will carry forward the kaupapa of the Summit, revisiting the key topics raised on stage as well as emerging issues identified by delegates. By taking the kōrero directly to regions across Aotearoa, the initiative will deepen engagement at a grassroots level and extend the Summit’s reach and influence.
Through these next steps, the Te Arawa Arataua Māori Agribusiness Summit is positioned not as a one-off event, but as the beginning of an ongoing movement, one that champions kaupapa Māori, strengthens collaboration, and helps shape a sustainable and prosperous future for whenua Māori and iwi-led enterprises.