Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation

What Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation does

Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation is a private philanthropic trust registered on the New Zealand Charities Register (CC57931), founded in 2020 by Ian and Wendy Kuperus. The foundation operates as a venture philanthropist, with the entirety of its funding derived from 100% of the profits of Tax Management New Zealand (TMNZ), the world's first tax intermediary, which Ian Kuperus founded over 20 years ago. Applications for funding are by invitation only, and the foundation describes its approach as strategic and systems-level, providing catalytic capital with a high-risk profile to initiatives addressing environmental and community challenges in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The foundation works across two modes: (i) grants and long-term partnerships with non-profit partners in marine conservation (Live Ocean Foundation, WWF New Zealand, Manta Watch NZ, Young Ocean Explorers), food waste reduction (NZ Food Waste Champions 12.3), sustainable fashion (Mindful Fashion NZ), youth mental health (Hauora Aotearoa), and Pacific marine protection (Niue Ocean Wide Trust); and (ii) market-based catalytic investment in ventures developing solutions for a lower-emission economy, including a 2023 investment in Starboard Maritime Intelligence (satellite and machine-learning maritime awareness) and a pre-seed venture fund established with Motion Capital inside Creative HQ's Climate Response Accelerator (2024 cohort: Mara Bio, Aotea Energy, GOOD GRUB AGRITECH; NZD 150,000). Quasi-defensible outcome metrics include the unanimous Environment Select Committee approval of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection Bill (2024), new seabird protection rules for commercial fishers (effective October 2024), and 82,000+ petition signatures and a world-record endurance swim generated via the Swim4TheOcean campaign.

The foundation is structured around a lean operational team (1–10 employees) based in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland, led by Chief Executive Carl Vink and a trustee board that includes founders Ian and Wendy Kuperus plus independent trustees Glen Tupuhi (joined late 2023; extensive iwi governance portfolio) and Geof Nightingale (former PwC NZ partner). The foundation is not a product or technology business; there are no disclosed products, no pricing model, and no commercial revenue streams. Distinction: this is a corporate-anchored philanthropic vehicle — the 'product' is grant capital and strategic accompaniment to partners, not a SaaS or services offering.

Name

Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation

Legal name

Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation

Website

https://whakatupuaotearoa.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation is a New Zealand venture philanthropy foundation, founded in 2020 by TMNZ founders Ian and Wendy Kuperus and funded by 100% of TMNZ profits. It provides invitation-only grants and catalytic investment to environmental and community partners across Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Venture philanthropy
• Impact investing
• Environmental grants
• Community funding
• Catalytic capital

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tax Management New Zealand (TMNZ) Profit Reinvestment: Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation was founded by Ian and Wendy Kuperus in 2020 when they committed 100% of the profits from their business, Tax Management New Zealand (TMNZ), to the Foundation. TMNZ is a tax pooling intermediary and the world's first tax intermediary. As TMNZ succeeds, it enables greater support through the Foundation for environmental and community impact.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation that provides catalytic capital (grants and venture-style investments) to environmental and community initiatives in Aotearoa New Zealand. Founded in 2020, the foundation is fully funded by 100% of profits from Tax Management New Zealand (TMNZ) and operates as a strategic, systems-level venture philanthropist, supporting non-profit partners and investing in market-based climate and social ventures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Non-Profit Grant Funding Programme
• Catalytic Capital Investment Programme
• Climate Response Accelerator Pre-Seed Fund

Quantifiable outcome

• Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection Bill approved unanimously by Environment Select Committee in 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, significant and minor.

• 1000 Ocean StartupscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Global coalition of 65+ entrepreneur-supporting organisations working together to drive collective action across the ocean innovation ecosystem. The foundation joined as a member to support ocean startups and programmes in Aotearoa, contributing capital, acceleration, or innovation support while collaborating with fellow members to scale solutions for ocean health.
• Live Ocean FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Long-standing funded partner since 2020, focused on restoring the health of New Zealand's oceans. Live Ocean runs campaigns including Swim4TheOcean (world record endurance swim) and Swim4TheGulf. The foundation is incredibly proud to back this partnership which has contributed to marine protection policy changes.
• Creative HQcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Creative HQ's Climate Response Accelerator programme, which enables early stage cleantech startups. For 2024, the foundation partnered with Motion Capital to establish a venture pre-seed fund to invest in all programme participants alongside small equity investments. Three winners shared a $150,000 investment deal.
• Centre for Sustainable Finance (CSF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly supporter of CSF, which partnered with the New Zealand Government to develop a sustainable finance strategy for Aotearoa. The strategy aims to provide clarity on priorities to increase flow of domestic and international capital for sustainable and transition opportunities.
• Niue Ocean Wide (NOW) TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPacific partnership supporting marine and coastal conservation. Hosted the NOW Trust delegation's first visit to Aotearoa New Zealand to forge partnerships and strengthen collaboration in sustainable development. The relationship supports ocean leadership across the Pacific region.
• Swim4TheOcean / Jono RidlerflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecord-breaking partnership supporting ultra-marathon swimmer Jono Ridler's 1,367km, 90-day ocean swim along New Zealand's east coast. Swim4TheOcean raises awareness for ocean health and calls to end bottom trawling. The campaign achieved world record status and 82,000+ petition signatures. Endorsed by UN Ocean Decade.
• New Zealand Food Waste Champions 12.3significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported since 2020 with ambition to radically reduce food waste. The organization launched the Kai Commitment voluntary agreement in 2022. Worked with Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor on final food waste reports for Aotearoa.
• Mindful Fashion NZsignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly funder and supporter for Climate Action Programme. Mindful Fashion NZ runs Circular Design Awards recognizing circular fashion innovation. The foundation helped establish their climate action initiatives.
• Manta Watch NZ / Lydia GreensignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded the first dedicated aerial survey for oceanic manta rays in Aotearoa. The research helps build scientific data to support stronger protections for manta rays, which remain data deficient in New Zealand despite their international endangered status.
• WWF New ZealandsignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded partner working on seabird protection, particularly the critically threatened Antipodean albatross. Campaigning alongside Live Ocean Foundation contributed to new seabird protection rules for commercial fishers taking effect October 2024.
• Waiheke Marine ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative Mana Whenua and community project protecting Waiheke Island's marine environment through action-based kaitiakitanga. Hosted the Niue Ocean Wide delegation during their Aotearoa visit.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Live Ocean Foundation: NZ marine conservation foundation backed by the Kuperus family; flagship funded partner of Whakatupu and shares the same ocean-health mission, donor base, and venture-style advocacy approach.
• WWF-New Zealand: NZ environmental NGO and grantmaker that Whakatupu funds for seabird protection; comparable as an NZ-based environmental funder operating across marine and climate programs.
• The Next Foundation: Large NZ family foundation run by the Kuperus-related philanthropy ecosystem; closest direct comparator for a NZ private, founder-led, venture-style philanthropic trust.
• Foundation North: Auckland-based community foundation funding environmental and community grants; comparable as a NZ grantmaker with overlapping community and environmental mandate in Tāmaki Makaurau.
• J.R. McKenzie Trust: Long-standing NZ philanthropic trust with environmental and social justice priorities; similar model as a NZ private trust making strategic grants across community and environmental causes.
• The Tindall Foundation: NZ family foundation supporting community and environmental initiatives through grantmaking; comparable scale and strategic grant approach in the NZ philanthropic landscape.

Broad incumbents

• Minderoo Foundation: Large Australian family-led venture philanthropy foundation with environmental, ocean, and social portfolios; comparable in operating model (catalytic, venture-style) but at materially larger scale and broader thematic scope.

Emerging players

• Creative HQ: NZ innovation hub running the Climate Response Accelerator in which Whakatupu invests; comparable as a NZ-based climate/cleantech venture enabler and ecosystem partner rather than a direct grantmaking peer.
• Centre for Sustainable Finance (NZ): NZ sustainable finance coalition supported by Whakatupu; adjacent as a NZ institution working at the intersection of climate, ocean, and capital flows rather than as a grantmaking foundation.

Others

• Department of Conservation (DOC): NZ government agency administering conservation funding and policy including marine protection; comparable as a counterpart funder/policy actor in the NZ ocean and conservation space rather than a philanthropic peer.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInnz.linkedin.com/company/whakatupu-aotearoa-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments4 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation