Ember Korowai Takitini

What Ember Korowai Takitini does

Ember Korowai Takitini (The Ember Group) is a New Zealand charitable trust that delivers mental health, addiction, intellectual disability, peer support, community housing, and digital media services through five wholly owned operating entities: The Ember Wellbeing Trust, Ember Services, Ember Innovations, Ember Systems, and Kāinga Haumaru. Headquartered in Auckland, the organisation employs more than 300 kaimahi (staff), many of whom bring lived experience of mental distress, addiction, or disability, and operates nationwide across Aotearoa New Zealand. Its service portfolio includes walk-in peer support via the Te Piringa Ahuru hub in Hunters Plaza (Auckland), supported long-term housing via Kāinga Haumaru developments such as Rongo Te Ata in Pukekohe (14 units), digital mental health solutions through Ember Innovations, proprietary technology through Ember Systems, and media and advocacy platforms (Take It From Us podcast and Horizon digital magazine). Cultural grounding is delivered through Te Ahi Kaa, a rōpū that guides Te Ao Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi practice across the group.

The organisation is funded primarily through government contracts and social sector commissioning arrangements, principally with Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand), rather than through commercial pricing to end users. Its go-to-market is community-led: services are accessed via walk-in (no referral or appointment), through referrals from crisis teams and government partners, and through direct government commissioning for housing and peer support. The retail-embedded peer support model at Te Piringa Ahuru is positioned as a national pilot intended to inform similar hubs in other regions. Ember also leads advocacy across community, sector, corporate, and government channels.

Leadership is headed by Group CEO Darryl Bishop MNZM, supported by a CFO, COO, Chief Pacific Cultural Officer, and Executive Director of Ember Innovations, with governance provided by a Trust Board chaired by Derek Wright. International recognition includes the eMental Health International Collaborative (eMHIC) 2025 Global Leadership Excellence Award for Aotearoa New Zealand and a shortlisting for the 2026 Auckland Architecture Awards for the Rongo Te Ata housing development.

Name

Ember Korowai Takitini

Legal name

Ember Korowai Takitini

Website

https://ember.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Ember Korowai Takitini (The Ember Group) is a New Zealand charitable trust delivering mental health, addiction, intellectual disability, peer support, community housing, and digital mental health services through five operating entities. It serves people experiencing mental distress and addiction, funded primarily by Te Whatu Ora government contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health and Social Services

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD), Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE)

Keywords

• Mental health services
• Peer support programs
• Community housing
• Addiction support
• Social sector services

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government contracts and social sector funding: Ember operates as a not-for-profit social sector organisation funded primarily through government contracts and social sector commissioning arrangements, likely through Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand) and other public health and social service commissioning bodies. Revenue is directed toward service delivery across mental health, addiction, and community housing.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ember Korowai Takitini is a group of five entities (The Ember Wellbeing Trust, Ember Services, Ember Innovations, Ember Systems, and Kāinga Haumaru) delivering non-clinical mental health, addiction, and intellectual disability support, alongside community housing, cultural advisory grounded in Te Ao Māori, digital mental health innovation, and lived-experience-led advocacy across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Product overview

Ember Korowai Takitini is a group of companies comprising five entities: The Ember Wellbeing Trust, Ember Services, Ember Innovations, Ember Systems, and Kāinga Haumaru. Together they bring services delivery, innovation, proprietary technology, and community housing into one connected group. Key products and services include Te Piringa Ahuru (a peer support hub providing immediate non-clinical mental health and addiction support in a retail setting), Horizon (a digital magazine covering mental health and addiction issues across Aotearoa and Australia), and Take It From Us (a podcast sharing lived experience voices). Kāinga Haumaru manages community housing developments including the Rongo Te Ata project in Pukekohe with 14 residential units. Te Ahi Kaa provides cultural advisory services grounded in Te Ao Māori.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Take It From Us: Podcast dedicated to sharing the voice of lived experience across Aotearoa, creating space for real conversations about mental distress, addiction, and recovery.
• Horizon
• Bold Horizon

Products and services

• Te Piringa Ahuru A walk-in peer support hub providing immediate, non-clinical mental health and addiction support within Hunters Plaza retail centre in Auckland. Staffed by peer support workers with lived experience, it requires no appointment or referral and is designed for people seeking immediate daytime support as an alternative to acute admission.
• Kāinga Haumaru Community Housing An Ember operating entity managing safe, secure, supported community housing for tenants recovering from mental distress and addiction, designed to foster stability, community connection, and wellbeing through well-being-focused amenities and a supportive property management team.
• Horizon Digital Magazine

Quantifiable outcome

• Te Piringa Ahuru described as a 'game changer' by the Minister of Mental Health, marking a first in New Zealand with a peer support hub operating openly within a major retail centre.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTe Whatu Ora partnered with Ember Korowai Takitini and Drive Consumer Network to create Te Piringa Ahuru, a first-of-its-kind peer support hub operating within Hunters Plaza retail centre. Te Whatu Ora acts as a government commissioning and funding partner for mental health and addiction services. The partnership enables the expansion of peer-led approaches into new settings including crisis services, emergency departments, and retail environments.
• Drive Consumer NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDrive Consumer Network partnered with Ember Korowai Takitini and Te Whatu Ora to establish Te Piringa Ahuru, a new peer support hub offering immediate, non-clinical mental health and addiction support in a retail setting.
• Ashton Mitchell LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAshton Mitchell is Ember's architectural partner for community housing developments. They designed Rongo Te Ata in Pukekohe (14 new homes), drawing inspiration from the Manaia concept — a guardian representing balance and protection — symbolising the connection between people and environment contributing to wellbeing (hauora). The project was shortlisted for the 2026 Auckland Architecture Awards.
• LEP ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLEP Construction served as the construction partner for the Rongo Te Ata residential development in Pukekohe, which includes 14 new homes with shared outdoor spaces. The site was blessed by Kaumātua and Kuia from Ngāti Tamaoho during the opening ceremony.
• Mana Whenua (Ngāti Tamaoho and others)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmber engages with Mana Whenua, including Ngāti Tamaoho, for cultural guidance in housing developments. The opening of Rongo Te Ata was led by Kaumātua and Kuia from Ngāti Tamaoho. Te Ahi Kaa rōpū provides ongoing engagement with Mana Whenua to guide how Ember honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi in practice.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pathways Health: New Zealand provider of mental health, addiction, and disability support services, with significant peer-support and community rehabilitation offerings. Comparable in target population, government-funded model, and lived-experience workforce.
• Auckland City Mission: Auckland-based social services organisation providing housing, food, addiction, and mental health support to people experiencing disadvantage. Comparable in Auckland focus, integrated social services model, and community housing operations.
• Odyssey House: New Zealand/Australian addiction recovery provider operating residential and community-based treatment programs. Comparable to Ember's addiction recovery and peer-support offerings, and to the residential component of Kāinga Haumaru's housing model.
• Emerge Aotearoa: A large New Zealand mental health and disability support provider delivering community-based services, rehabilitation, and housing support across the country. Highly comparable to Ember in target population, peer-led service model, and reliance on government commissioning through Te Whatu Ora.
• Richmond Fellowship New Zealand (Together): Mental health service provider supporting people with mental illness and addiction across NZ, operating community houses and supported accommodation. Comparable to Ember's wraparound mental health and supported housing approach.
• LinkPeople (formerly Linkage): New Zealand provider of community mental health, intellectual disability, and social rehabilitation services. Comparable in mission, target population, peer-support emphasis, and government-contract-funded operating model.
• Lifewise: New Zealand disability and mental health services organisation providing community support, housing, and social services. Comparable to Ember in mission-driven, lived-experience-led service delivery and focus on supported housing for vulnerable populations.

Regional players

• Mind Australia: Major Australian mental health and community-managed mental health services provider delivering peer support, accommodation, and community programs across Australia. Comparable in peer-led, community-based mental health and supported housing, but operates in Australia rather than NZ.

Broad incumbents

• Community Housing Aotearoa: The peak national body for community housing providers in New Zealand. Comparable as the umbrella organisation representing many of the same housing-related mission, though operating as an industry association rather than a direct provider of housing services.
• Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand: National NZ charity working across the mental health sector via advocacy, research, and public education. Comparable in NZ mental health mission, sector advocacy, and population-level reach via media platforms similar to Ember's Horizon.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/emberkorowaitakitin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ember-korowai-takitini

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Ember Korowai Takitini