45 exceptional rangatahi Māori and Pasifika from high schools across Aotearoa were united in Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland to attend the entrepreneurial education programme, ‘Young Navigators,’ by Young Enterprise Trust. 

Otago Girls' students Mariah Taungapaeu, Ella Moses and Martasha Maua were lucky enough to be three of these students.

The initiative, sponsored by One NZ, alongside Pacific Business Trust, and New Zealand Māori Tourism, is designed to immerse Māori and Pasifika taiurua (students) in three days of enterprise-focused activities to connect, collaborate and learn. 

The programme is a fusion between the organisation’s flagship programme, ‘Young Enterprise Scheme,’ and a fast-paced startup weekend.

In teams, the students were hosted by one of seven New Zealand companies; One NZ, ARA Journeys, Spark Foundation, Deloitte, Grid Auckland, Pacific Business Trust and Ngahere Communities who mentored the students as they tackled ‘The One NZ Business Challenge’. 

Students were challenged to create a business leveraging technology and innovation to build a resilient food system, improving any aspect of the food supply chain with the aim to address and alleviate the burden of food insecurities for whanau in Aotearoa.

Team Ara Journeys took out first place in the 36-hour business challenge with their innovative solution addressing the challenge. The winning team members were Rimu Tayor (Mount Albert Grammar School), Mariah Taungapeau (Otago Girls High School), Akkadian Winterstein (Aorere College), Hu’i vaka (WesleyCollege), and Alize Ross-Araia (Hastings Girls High School), Lotia Lio (ChanelCollege), Thurston Ngametua (De La Salle College). 

The team was guided by their alumni mentor, Rosa Meredith, and company host from Ara Journeys, Amber Taylor. The judges were impressed by the team's plausible business plan and the scalability of their idea.

Mariah: Malo e lelei, Ko hoku hingoa ko Mariah Taungapeau and this year I was fortunate enough to be able to return back to Young Navigators for a second year, this time as a Year 13. Young Navigators is an extreme experience run by YES (Young Enterprise Scheme) held to encourage young Māori and Pasifika entrepreneurs to step out of their comfort zone and into the business world. 

One of my biggest highlights from this life-changing trip would definitely have to be winning the challenge and a trip to the next extreme experience, EIA (Entrepreneurs in Action), in Wellington this July, plus a couple of other goodies thanks to One NZ. I’m so grateful to have been selected for such a special opportunity and for what connections I made during the trip that will help set me up for the future after finishing school this year. Shout out to my corporate host, Ara Journeys and the MaiKAI fam! and in honour of our main sponsor #UpTheWahs!!

Ella: Kia ora, my name is Ella Moses and I am a Year 12 student who had the amazing opportunity to join the YES team in Auckland for Young Navigators, which was such a privilege. I met so many amazing people, filled with bright ideas and potential whom I could connect and relate to. Connections were a massive part of this trip, getting to work alongside sponsors, alumni, the YES team and an amazing group of rangatahi. This trip and experience left me with so much more knowledge and appreciation for the business world, especially as a young Māori woman, than I had before I went. My biggest thanks go to the team I got to work alongside for the three busy days, Tupu Kai, the amazing alumni Tyla who supported us through our journey, and our fantastic corporate hosts One NZ, and on that note #UpTheWahs!!