TechWeek25: Empowering Aotearoa Through Innovation, Elevating Māori Voices in the Tech Sector

Each year, TechWeek provides a powerful platform to showcase innovation, collaboration, and transformation across Aotearoa’s thriving technology ecosystem. TechWeek25 is no exception. As the nation continues its journey toward a more connected, inclusive, and future-ready digital economy, TechWeek25 celebrates the people and ideas that are shaping Aotearoa’s technological landscape.

What is TechWeek?

TechWeek is a nationwide series of events, workshops, and thought-leadership sessions focused on technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Run by NZTech, TechWeek unites industry leaders, startups, educators, government, and community organisations to share knowledge, inspire action, and explore what’s next for Aotearoa and beyond.

Held annually, TechWeek is a catalyst for collaboration across sectors - from agritech and healthtech to gaming, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. It's also an opportunity to address challenges like digital equity, sustainability, and workforce diversity.

Why TechWeek Matters

In a rapidly changing world, technology is no longer a siloed sector - it’s the infrastructure of everything. TechWeek serves as a vital forum for:

  • Education and Inspiration: Showcasing success stories, emerging trends, and real-world applications that inspire the next generation.
  • Collaboration and Networking: Bridging gaps between business, government, education, and communities.
  • Equity and Inclusion: Encouraging diversity in tech, ensuring all New Zealanders have a seat at the innovation table.

The Role of Māori in the Tech Sector

Māori are increasingly taking up space in the tech sector - as founders, engineers, designers, educators, and digital storytellers. The unique perspectives Māori bring, grounded in tikanga, whakapapa, and mātauranga Māori, are not just valuable – they’re vital.

This indigenous worldview fosters kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and whanaungatanga (connection), offering rich frameworks for ethical technology development, inclusive design, and sustainable innovation.

Native Digital: Māori-Owned, Tech-Driven, People-Focused

At Native Digital, we’re proud to be a Māori-owned, full-service IT company based in Manukau City - serving customers across Aotearoa, Rēkohu, the Pacific & beyond.

We exist to make technology work better for people. That means practical, no-fuss IT support, smart cloud solutions, robust cybersecurity, and infrastructure that helps businesses thrive. From managed services to network design, backups, licensing, and cloud migrations - we bring clarity, care, and technical excellence to everything we do.

Being Māori-owned isn’t just a point of difference - it’s a sweet blend of deep technical expertise with cultural identity and values driven service. We carry our values of manaakitanga (care and respect), kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whanaungatanga (connections/relationships), and pono (integrity) into every customer interaction, every project, and every solution we deliver.

We're passionate about creating opportunities for Māori in tech - not just by serving our hapori and pakihi, but by actively bringing others along with us. Whether it’s supporting rangatahi Māori to step into tech careers, mentoring other Māori businesses, or advocating for digital inclusion, we believe in using our platform to break down barriers & open doors.

The future of tech in Aotearoa should be diverse, inclusive, and guided by values. We see Māori not just as contributors to that future - but as leaders within it.

Ko te pae tawhiti, whāia kia tata, ko te pae tata, whakamaua kia tina.
Seek out the distant horizons, While cherishing those achievements at hand.

That’s the mission we’re on, and we’re excited to welcome TechWeek25 and help push those horizons forward - for our hapori, our whānau, our Rangatahi & mokopuna to come.

He Anamata: Opportunities for Māori in Tech

The next frontier of tech offers significant opportunity for Māori participation and leadership, particularly in:

  • STEM Education: Expanding access to culturally relevant tech education for rangatahi Māori.
  • Entrepreneurship: Supporting Māori startups through funding, mentoring, and incubation.
  • Digital Sovereignty: Enabling iwi and hapū to control and protect their data and digital resources.
  • Tech for Social Good: Harnessing digital tools to support language revitalisation, environmental stewardship, and economic development in Māori communities.

As we look to the future, it’s essential that Māori are not just participants in the digital economy, but leaders and innovators shaping its direction. TechWeek25 is an ideal moment to reflect, connect, and envision a more equitable tech future where te ao Māori and technology go hand in hand.

He waka eke noa – we're all in this together. As we navigate the waves of digital change, let’s ensure Māori voices, values, and vision remain at the helm.