Our Kaupapa
Kiko Innovation’s mission is to grow social entrepreneurship and innovation to drive transformative change in Tairāwhiti. A groundswell of local momentum has been building over recent years to drive a much greater transformative agenda through a stronger focus on embracing technological opportunities and creating a cultural shift towards innovation and entrepreneurship.
We are eclectic in our approach, bringing together methods from matauranga Māori, the social sciences, policy, community development, business and design. Catalysing, coordinating and empowering community-led action is at the heart of Kiko Innovation.
Our team have been central figures to the community-led initiative Startup Weekend Tairāwhiti which has run in Tairāwhiti over the last four years and unleashed a wave of entrepreneurial endeavour. Kiko Innovation has also been at the forefront of powering up Tāiki e!, Tairāwhiti’s first Impact House in the heart of the Gisborne driving social and environmental impact using innovative models. Tāiki E! Impact House is made up of several impact business' and community changemakers working across multiple disciplines. It is the residence for Kiko Innovation.
One of Kiko’s key focus areas is on developing youth entrepreneurship pathways which includes Tāiki e! Next Gen, Business Time, Technovation Tairāwhiti, Like A Boss, HīAko and the Hokohoko Youth Market. Kiko Innovation understands that in order to undertake transformative work, a long-term capability programme focused on rangatahi is critical. Our approach is focused on partnering with aligned community leaders and organisations to design, test and iterate different models, while building local leadership capacity and sustainability.
Our Mahi
At Kiko, we are all about cultivating a new generation of fearless innovators to reframe and disrupt the norm to bring about positive change. By empowering ordinary people to do extraordinary things, we inspire people to reimagine the possible, to step into their own leadership, and to be prepared to take action in solving some of our deepest challenges. We help to catalyze a number of transformational projects in our community
Tāiki e! Impact House
Kickstarting the Aroha Economy from Tairāwhiti
Kiko Innovation has powered up Tāiki e!, Tairāwhiti’s first Impact House in the heart of Gisborne that connects people with purpose together. Tāiki e! is a collaborative space with a shared agenda for social and environmental action.
Tāiki e! brings together people who are passionate about creating systemic change using collaborative design principles, entrepreneurial thinking and “leading with aroha”. It is a space for changemakers who question the status quo and want to work with others to pursue durable, positive changes within Te Tairāwhiti and beyond.
