Digital Natives Academy Charitable Trust

What Digital Natives Academy Charitable Trust does

Digital Natives Academy Charitable Trust (DNA) is a kaupapa Māori non-profit tech academy founded in 2014 and headquartered in Rotorua, Aotearoa New Zealand. The trust delivers culturally grounded digital and creative technology education to Māori and other underrepresented rangatahi aged 15-24, reporting a 91.3% Māori completion rate against a 70.1% regional average. Its regulated tertiary arm, Native Tech (an NZQA-accredited Private Training Establishment established 2023), delivers Levels 1-3 programmes covering gaming, coding, AI ethics, cybersecurity, and drone technology; a Level 4 Digital Creativity Foundation is delivered in partnership with Media Design School. Adjacent programmes include DNA Clubs, He Poutama Rangatahi, Foundations+, Te Taumata Entrepreneurs, Guardians of the Moana (with Te Arawa Fisheries), and the Mahere Mahi Taiao Climate Action Plan (2025-2028).

The technology stack spans Minecraft Education, Roblox, Marvel Rivals, Blender, and other creative platforms, structured around DNA's proprietary Three Kete (Three Baskets of Knowledge) pedagogical framework and a Māori Data Justice framework. Subsidiary entities include Native Tech PTE (regulated tertiary delivery), Native Industries (commercial IP and services arm), and Te Papatipu Matihiko (an Indigenous tech collective). DNA operates from a Rotorua hub with satellite delivery across Te Wairoa, Murupara, New Plymouth, Christchurch, Te Waimana, and Papakura.

Revenue is generated through a mix of government Youth Guarantee and TEC tertiary funding (via Native Tech PTE), targeted grants from international and domestic bodies (ICANN USD $350K in 2025, InternetNZ, Spark Foundation), and tertiary partnership delivery fees from Media Design School. The trust employs 1-10 staff, has secured a 2025 Kaupapa Tōtara award, and operates with a leadership profile anchored by founders Potaua Biasiny-Tule (CSO) and Nikolasa Biasiny-Tule (CEO), the latter serving on the UNESCO High-Level Expert Group on the Ethics of Large Technology.

Name

Digital Natives Academy Charitable Trust

Legal name

Digital Natives Academy Charitable Trust

Website

https://digitalnatives.academy

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Digital Natives Academy is a kaupapa Māori non-profit tech academy in Rotorua, New Zealand, founded 2014, delivering culturally grounded NZQA-accredited digital and creative technology education (Levels 1-4) to Māori rangatahi aged 15-24, integrating mātauranga Māori frameworks with gaming, coding, AI ethics, cybersecurity, and drone technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Technology Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Computer Training (611420), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual CTE & Career Pathways Programs (K–12) (EDAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Arts & Design (Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation) (EDAMAAAB), AI & Emerging Technology Literacy (EDAAAIAJ), Data & Information Literacy (Search, Evaluation, Misinformation) (EDAAAIAI)

Keywords

• Digital technology education
• Youth vocational training
• NZQA accredited programmes
• Indigenous tech academy
• Esports education

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotorua

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Training (Youth Guarantee): Native Tech receives government funding through the Youth Guarantee programme, which provides fees-free study at NZQA Levels 1-3 for young people aged 15-24 with no existing qualifications. This constitutes the primary revenue stream for the education arm.
2. Programme Fees and Partnerships: Revenue is supplemented through partnerships with organisations such as Ministry of Education, InternetNZ, and international grants (e.g., ICANN Grant Program). Native Tech programmes are designed to be free or low-cost to students.
3. ICANN International Grant: DNA secured international funding through the inaugural ICANN Grant Program as one of only 23 organisations worldwide to deliver a tech training programme. This represents a non-recurring grant revenue stream for programme development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Digital Natives Academy delivers culturally grounded digital technology education for Māori rangatahi aged 15-24 in Aotearoa New Zealand. Through its NZQA-accredited Native Tech arm, the trust provides tertiary programmes at Levels 1-3 in coding, game development, animation, 3D modelling, cybersecurity, AI ethics, and data sovereignty, plus a Level 4 Digital Creativity Foundation programme in partnership with Media Design School. Additional offerings include the Guardians of the Moana drone and environmental monitoring programme, Te Taumata entrepreneurship journey, community clubs (esports, Art Club, Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer), and the Mahere Mahi Taiao Climate Action Plan 2025-2028.

Product overview

Digital Natives Academy (DNA) operates as a unified non-profit ecosystem combining multiple educational products and programmes. The core organisation, established in 2014, serves as the parent entity housing its NZQA-certified education arm Native Tech (Levels 1-3), the Level 4 Digital Creativity Foundation partnership with Media Design School, and various youth programmes including He Poutama Rangatahi, Foundations+, and Te Taumata Entrepreneurs Programme. Additional offerings include community clubs (Art Club, Dungeons & Dragons, Wargaming), the climate-focused Mahere Mahi Taiao action plan, Guardians of the Moana drone programme, DNA on Roblox digital twin, and the DNA Yokai esports team. Together these products provide a comprehensive pathway from disengaged youth through to tertiary study and employment in digital and creative tech sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Native Tech: DNA's NZQA-accredited education arm offering digital and creative technology programmes (Levels 1-3) for rangatahi aged 15-24. Focus on coding, AI, cybersecurity, game development, and digital storytelling with kaupapa Māori values.
• DNA Clubs
• He Poutama Rangatahi
• Te Taumata Entrepreneurs Programme

Products and services

• Digital Natives Academy (DNA) Core Programme Indigenous-centred, Māori-focused non-profit empowering rangatahi aged 15-24 to move from consumers of technology to creators and leaders shaping its future. Grounded in Te Ao Māori with the Three Kete of Knowledge framework (taiao, ahurea, pā harakeke), combining digital creativity, climate action, and AI education with state-of-the-art facilities in Rotorua.
• Native Tech (NZQA Levels 1-3) NZQA-certified Private Training Establishment and education arm of DNA offering accredited NZQA programmes at Levels 1-3 for rangatahi aged 15-24. Level 1 covers life administration, wellbeing, content creation, and storytelling; Levels 2-3 cover animation, 3D development, game development, coding, cybersecurity, data sovereignty, and artificial intelligence. Fees-free under Youth Guarantee for eligible learners.
• Digital Creativity Foundation (Level 4) NZQA Level 4 programme delivered online by Media Design School with onsite delivery in Rotorua through DNA. Covers creative and digital design across arts, advertising, game design, and filmmaking with pastoral care and high-spec facilities. Enrolment and fees are administered through Media Design School.
• Guardians of the Moana: High-Tech Kaitiakitanga Programme combining drone technology, environmental monitoring, and digital storytelling with mātauranga Māori. Empowers rangatahi to own, manage, and interpret their own environmental data (data rangatiratanga). Delivered in partnership with Te Arawa Fisheries and Touch Media.
• Te Taumata Entrepreneurs Programme 10-week kaupapa Māori entrepreneurship journey for rangatahi aged 14-19, co-developed by DNA/Native Tech and Te Taumata o Ngāti Whakaue. Three phases: He Kākano (identity and exploration), Mahi a te Mahi (building and testing), Ngā Pakihi Hou (launch-ready). Combines business development, maker space production, and te ao Māori values.
• DNA Clubs Community clubs including Art Club (Thursdays 3:30-5:00 PM during school term), Dungeons and Dragons sessions (Saturdays 12:00 PM), and Wargaming (Warhammer sessions). Targeted at rangatahi seeking after-school engagement in creative and gaming activities.
• Foundations+ Programme Non-accredited programme for rangatahi not ready for NZQA, helping them discover their next steps through an engaging and innovative curriculum. Run in partnership with Native Tech to provide a pre-accredited pathway into further digital technology training.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91.3% Māori Youth Guarantee completion rate (vs 70.1% Bay of Plenty average)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and major.

• Te Taumata o Ngāti WhakauecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026DNA/Native Tech co-developed the Te Taumata Entrepreneurs Programme with Te Taumata o Ngāti Whakaue, a 10-week kaupapa Māori entrepreneurship journey for rangatahi aged 14-19. The programme combines business development, maker space production, and te ao Māori values.
• Te Arawa FisheriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025DNA and Te Arawa Fisheries partnered to launch Guardians of the Moana: High-Tech Kaitiakitanga, combining drone technology, mātauranga Māori, and environmental monitoring. Te Arawa Fisheries contributes cultural authority, environmental data expertise, and kaitiakitanga frameworks to the programme.
• Touch MediacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Touch Media collaborates with DNA and Te Arawa Fisheries on Guardians of the Moana, transforming drone imagery and environmental data into powerful digital storytelling experiences for community education and mobilisation.
• ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025DNA secured international funding through ICANN's inaugural Grant Program as one of only 23 organisations globally and the sole recipient from Aotearoa and the Pacific. ICANN funding supports development of an Indigenous-designed accredited course on internet governance, DNS, cybersecurity, and AI for rangatahi.
• InternetNZ (Te Puni Aruhī)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025InternetNZ and the Spark Foundation contribute knowledge and experience to support programme development for the ICANN-funded internet governance course. InternetNZ provides technical expertise and network connections in internet systems and governance.
• Spark (New Zealand)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024DNA partnered with Spark for Spark Game Arena Live, Aotearoa's ultimate gaming festival at Spark Arena with 8,000+ attendees. The partnership also included the 'Rise Cup' Fortnite tournament with a prize pool of over $140,000. Spark contributes marketing support and event infrastructure while DNA provides programme expertise and rangatahi engagement.
• Te Papatipu Matahiko (TPM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Te Papatipu Matahiko is a collective of Māori tech-focused organisations including DNA, Victory Up, Native Tech, and Native Industries. TPM offers programmes in Te Reo Māori and English, focused on building digital infrastructure to transform whānau lives across the motu. DNA scales its programme through TPM's collective network.
• Native IndustriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Native Industries is DNA's commercial arm — a Māori-led tech, innovation, and creative design studio providing indigenous-centred solutions to hapū, iwi, marae, and Māori organisations. It serves as an industry showcase demonstrating how skill progression leads to employment, and currently operates multiple active projects.
• Media Design SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021DNA partners with Media Design School (MDS) to deliver the Digital Creativity Foundation (Level 4) programme online to learners at DNA's digital hub in Rotorua. MDS provides curriculum and accreditation; DNA provides pastoral care, facilities, and community support. The pilot cohort achieved 80% completion, with two students employed by DNA in 2023.
• Alan Turing InstituteflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021DNA partnered with the Alan Turing Institute (UK's national centre for data science and AI) as the sole Oceania-based contributor and one of 12 global teams in the Advancing Data Justice project. DNA led the Aotearoa case study, producing a Māori Data Report centring Indigenous perspectives on data, AI, and algorithmic systems.
• Ministry of Education (New Zealand)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021DNA partnered with the Ministry of Education for Get into Games Aotearoa (GIGA), delivering livestreamed educational gaming content to schools across Aotearoa NZ, reaching over 8,000 students. The Ministry provides funding and institutional support.
• Māori Advisory Group / Te Roopu Whakahaere MāoricoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021A five-person advisory group of Māori data and AI leaders supporting DNA's Alan Turing Institute research: Dr Karaitiana Taiuru (Mātauranga and IP), Sara Cole Stratton (Māori Lab, Indigenous AI Ethics), Caleb Moses (Data Scientist), Te Aroha Grace (Figure Group), and Dr Daniel Wilson (University of Auckland).
• Riot GamesmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019DNA and Riot Games teamed up for education esports programmes, including tournaments and workshops. Riot Games contributed game titles, industry expertise, and event support to DNA's esports initiatives.
• Ngā Kura ā Iwi o AotearoacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019DNA collaborates with Ngā Kura ā Iwi (39 reo immersion kura across Aotearoa) for esports events and Reo Māori programming. Te Whare Angitu department provides direct programme delivery, with three Pou supporting Mātauranga, Tukuihotanga, and Oranga outcomes for uri.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• Manaiakalani: Auckland-based charitable trust that pioneered digital equity programmes for underserved NZ schools. Directly comparable as a NZ non-profit addressing digital inclusion for at-risk learners through culturally relevant education models, although operating at significantly larger scale and different geographic focus.
• Code Club Aotearoa: NZ-based charity teaching young people to code through free after-school clubs. Closely comparable as a NZ-focused non-profit delivering digital/technology education to youth, though without DNA's cultural grounding or esports/gaming specialisation.
• Māori ICT (Ngā Pūkenga Atahua): NZ organisation supporting Māori participation in the ICT sector through training and workforce development. Directly comparable as a Māori-focused digital skills organisation, though primarily workforce-oriented rather than youth education focused.

Broad incumbents

• Te Wānanga o Aotearoa: Largest Māori tertiary education provider in Aotearoa offering NZQA programmes across multiple campuses. Comparable as a Māori-focused tertiary education provider competing for similar Youth Guarantee and government funding, though operating as a wānanga with much broader programme scope.
• Te Kura (The Correspondence School): NZ government-funded distance education provider serving students across Aotearoa including remote and Māori learners. Comparable as a state-funded NZQA-accredited alternative education pathway serving similar demographics, though with a broader academic rather than technology specialisation.
• Ngāi Tahu (Whaikaha): Major South Island iwi with extensive education, training, and digital capability programmes for uri. Comparable as a Māori organisation delivering digital skills pathways and iwi-led training initiatives, with much greater financial scale.

Emerging players

• Code.org: US-based non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science in schools. Comparable as a mission-driven tech education non-profit serving underrepresented learners, though operating at vastly larger scale with different curriculum model.
• Young Enterprise Trust: NZ charity delivering entrepreneurship education programmes for young people including rangatahi. Comparable as a non-profit delivering education programmes (including the recently co-developed Te Taumata Entrepreneurs Programme) for NZ youth with wraparound support.

Regional players

• 2023 Communications / Animation College NZ: NZ specialist tertiary provider for creative technology including animation and game development. Comparable as a NZQA-accredited NZ tertiary education provider in creative digital disciplines, though without DNA's kaupapa Māori framework.

Others

• NZ Esports Federation: National body governing esports in NZ where DNA's CEO serves on the board. Comparable ecosystem partner supporting the formal esports pathways DNA leverages, particularly through DNA Yokai's competitive activities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DigitalNativesAcademy
• Xx.com/digitalmaori
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/digitalnativesacademy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Digital Natives Academy Charitable Trust