Te Runanga o Ngati Awa

What Te Runanga o Ngati Awa does

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa is a post-settlement tribal governance entity (iwi authority) established under the Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa Act 2005 following the Ngāti Awa Claims Settlement Act 2005, which resolved long-standing Treaty of Waitangi claims with a ~NZ$42 million redress package. It is the Crown-recognised mandated representative body of Ngāti Awa, representing 22 hapū (including 16 enduring since the 1864–1865 Raupatu land confiscations, three revived, and three new diaspora hapū) and 19 marae across the Whakatāne, Ōhope, Ōhiwa, and Rangitāiki rohe of the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. The organisation delivers cultural, environmental, social, and economic services to registered iwi members (uri).

Operations are structured around two principal arms: Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Limited (NAGHL), the commercial entity managing agriculture (Ngāti Awa Farms, Ōmataroa Orchard — an 8-hectare Ruby Red kiwifruit block targeting its first commercial crop in 2025), fisheries, forestry, equities, and property; and Ngāti Awa Community Development Trust, the social arm. Functional departments include the Taiao Department (environmental kaitiakitanga and resource consent assessment at NZ$250/hour + NZ$150 admin + NZ$1.17/km), Culture/Research/Archives (operating the online Ngāti Awa Research and Archives Catalogue at ngatiawa-iwi.recollect.co.nz), Communications and IT, and the Executive Office. Strategic initiatives include Korehāhā Whakahau, the first iwi-led Predator Free 2050 project (an 18-person team targeting possum eradication across 4,700 ha without toxins by 2025), tertiary grants and scholarships administered in partnership with MET Māori Education Trust, and the Pakihi business directory showcasing Ngāti Awa-owned enterprises.

The revenue model is not product- or SaaS-based. Operating income is derived from a blend of commercial investment returns via NAGHL's diversified portfolio, cost-recovery fees for environmental consent assessment, post-settlement asset returns (Crown Forestry Land, Ōhope Beach Holiday Park, leaseback properties), Treaty settlement capital, and co-governance partnership arrangements (Te Tapatoru a Toi with DoC; Predator Free 2050 Limited; Whakatāne Kiwi Trust with regional councils). The Rūnanga is not a technology company; its technology footprint is limited to the Squarespace website, the Recollect archival platform, and standard IT infrastructure supporting member services. Headcount is approximately 20–30 staff across all functions.

Name

Te Runanga o Ngati Awa

Legal name

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa

Website

https://ngatiawa.iwi.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa is the Crown-recognised mandated iwi authority for Ngāti Awa, delivering cultural, environmental, social, and commercial services to 22 hapū and 19 marae in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, funded by Treaty settlement assets, commercial returns via NAGHL, and cost-recovery fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Whakatane

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Commercial Investment Returns (NAGHL): Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Limited (NAGHL), the commercial arm of the Rūnanga, generates returns from a diversified portfolio spanning agriculture (Ngāti Awa Farms, Ōmataroa Orchard), fisheries, forestry, equities, and property. These commercial returns fund the Rūnanga's service delivery to iwi members.
2. Environmental and Consent Services: The Taiao Department charges for resource consent assessments ($250/hour + $150 admin fee + $1.17/km mileage) and statutory planning input. These cost-recovery fees fund environmental management services.
3. Post-Settlement Assets: Following the 2005 Treaty Settlement (~NZ$42 million package), the Rūnanga receives ongoing returns from transferred assets including Crown forestry land, the Ohope Beach Holiday Park, and leaseback properties. Revenue supports both commercial reinvestment and community service delivery.
4. Tertiary Education Grants Administration: Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, in partnership with MET Māori Education Trust, administers tertiary education grants and scholarships for registered Ngāti Awa members studying in fields including Law, Commerce, Health Science, Applied Science, Mātauranga Māori, Environmental Studies, and Agriculture.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa is a post-settlement iwi governance authority delivering services to registered Ngāti Awa members across 22 hapū and 19 marae. Core services include iwi registration and whakapapa verification, tertiary education grants and scholarships (in partnership with MET Māori Education Trust), environmental consent assessments and statutory planning input via the Taiao Department ($250/hour), cultural heritage preservation through research and archives, and Treaty of Waitangi representation. The Rūnanga also manages a diversified commercial portfolio through Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Limited spanning agriculture, fisheries, forestry, equities, and property.

Product overview

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa operates as a tribal governance organization providing services to its iwi members rather than a commercial product company. Its core offerings include: Iwi Registration for membership management, Tertiary Grants and Scholarships for education support, Taiao Department environmental management services, Research and Archives for tribal history preservation, a Pakihi Business Directory showcasing member businesses, and the Korehāhā Whakahau predator-free conservation project. The organization also maintains cultural resources including Ngā Waiata collections and publications. These services are delivered through its website portal without a unified platform-plus-modules architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Korehāhā Whakahau: First Iwi-led Predator Free 2050 project seeking possum eradication from 4,700ha of land within the Ngāti Awa rohe without toxins, targeting 2025 completion.
• Taiao Department
• Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Limited
• Ngāti Awa Community Development Trust
• Ngā Waiata Book

Products and services

• Iwi Registration Services Online registration system enabling Ngāti Awa descendants to register on the tribal membership roll, including whakapapa verification and membership management for registered members.
• Tertiary Grants and Scholarships Education funding program offering grants and scholarships for registered Ngāti Awa uri pursuing higher education, administered in partnership with MET Māori Education Trust across six categories: Law, Commerce, Health Science, Applied Science, Mātauranga Māori, Environmental Studies, and Agriculture.
• Taiao Environmental Consent Assessment Services
• Research and Archives Access
• Pakihi Business Directory
• Korehāhā Whakahau Predator Eradication Project First Iwi-led Predator Free 2050 initiative operating across 4,700 hectares of Ngāti Awa land in Whakatāne, Ōhope, and Ōhiwa, employing 18 staff including 10 Kaimahi field workers, with the goal of complete possum eradication using non-toxic methods by 2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• Kiwi population grew from 8 birds (1999) to over 300 in the Whakatāne area through the Whakatāne Kiwi Project.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MET Māori Education TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa partnered with MET Māori Education Trust to offer Tertiary Education Grants and Scholarships for registered Ngāti Awa uri. Applications are processed through the MET portal, with Ngāti Awa-specific grants and scholarships available across six categories (Law, Commerce, Health Science, Applied Science, Mātauranga Māori, Environmental Studies, Agriculture).
• University of Auckland (Architectural Department)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa and Ngāti Awa Group Holdings are exploring a relationship with the University of Auckland's Architectural Department, facilitated by Te Patuwai architect Anthony Hoete. Master's students may assist with property portfolio planning for the iwi. A pōhiri was held at Te Mānuka Tūtahi Marae to initiate the relationship.
• Predator Free 2050 LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Korehāhā Whakahau is administered by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa in partnership with Predator Free 2050 Limited and Te Papa Atawhai (Department of Conservation). This is the first iwi-led Predator Free 2050 project, seeking to eradicate possums from 4,700 ha of Ngāti Awa land by 2025 without using toxins. Predator Free 2050 Limited provides funding, strategic support, and national coordination for the initiative.
• Te Papa Atawhai (Department of Conservation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Te Papa Atawhai (DoC) is a core partner in the Korehāhā Whakahau project, providing regulatory alignment, technical expertise, and operational support alongside Predator Free 2050 Limited and the Rūnanga. DoC also participates in the Te Tapatoru a Toi co-governance arrangement for Moutohorā, Ōhope Scenic Reserve, and Tauwhare Pā.
• Te Rōpū Pounanao o Ngāti AwacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Te Rōpū Pounanao o Ngāti Awa is a dedicated group of Ngāti Awa specialists responsible for leading the annual Kuia (Grey-Faced Petrel) harvest on Moutōhora Island. The group emerged from the 2012 revitalization of the traditional harvesting practice, working with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa to preserve cultural knowledge.
• Te Tapatoru a Toi (Co-Governance Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Te Tapatoru a Toi is a co-governance group established following the 2005 Ngāti Awa Treaty settlement to jointly manage Moutōhora Wildlife Management Reserve, Ōhope Scenic Reserve, and Tauwhare Pā. The group comprises equal representation from Ngāti Awa and the Department of Conservation, overseeing environmental protection and cultural preservation.
• Whakatāne Kiwi TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa is a founding partner in the Whakatāne Kiwi Project alongside Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Department of Conservation, and Whakatāne District Council. The project has grown the local kiwi population from 8 birds in 1999 to over 300 today. The Whakatāne Kiwi Trust manages operations with Ngāti Awa providing cultural guidance and karakia.
• Bay of Plenty Regional CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999Bay of Plenty Regional Council (formerly Environment Bay of Plenty) partnered with the Rūnanga, DoC, and Whakatāne District Council in the Whakatāne Kiwi Project from its inception in 1999. The Council provides environmental management support and regulatory oversight.
• Whakatāne District CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999Whakatāne District Council is a partner in the Whakatāne Kiwi Project and holds ongoing consent obligations for the old Whakatāne dumpsite, with cultural engagement requirements with Ngāti Awa. The Council supports kiwi protection initiatives and community engagement.
• Mai Ngā Kuri a Wharei ki Tihirau Fisheries ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Mai Ngā Kuri a Wharei ki Tihirau Fisheries Forum is a customary fisheries forum established by iwi and hapū of the Bay of Plenty coast (Waihi Beach to Cape Runaway), representing tangata whenua from Mataatua, Te Arawa, Horouta, Tainui, and Tākitimu waka. Ngāti Awa is represented by Charles Bluett. The forum operates under a Memorandum of Understanding with Fisheries New Zealand / Ministry for Primary Industries to promote collaborative management of regional fisheries.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves1 record

Direct peers

• Te Whānau-ā-Apanui: Neighbouring Eastern Bay of Plenty iwi authority with a comparable post-settlement governance structure, fisheries forum participation, and cultural kaitiakitanga mandate. Operates in an adjacent rohe with similar Treaty settlement and environmental management functions.
• Ngāti Tūwharetoa: Major iwi authority managing a large commercial portfolio (Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board) and Te Papa o Tūwharetoa environmental programmes. Comparable in scale, treaty settlement scope, and combined governance/commercial mandate.
• Te Kotahi a Tūhoe: Tūhoe post-settlement governance entity with a Te Urewera co-governance arrangement analogous to Te Tapatoru a Toi. Holds a major Treaty settlement and operates a mix of cultural, environmental, and community services similar to Ngāti Awa.
• Ngāti Porou: East Coast iwi authority with a comparable post-settlement governance structure, fisheries forum participation, and a diversified commercial portfolio (Ngāti Porou Holding Company). Operates with similar Treaty settlement mandates and environmental programmes.
• Ngāti Manawa: Bay of Plenty / Te Urewera iwi authority with a comparable governance mandate, hapū structure, and engagement in the Mai Ngā Kuri a Wharei ki Tihirau Fisheries Forum alongside Ngāti Awa.

Broad incumbents

• Te Runanga o Ngāi Tahu: Largest iwi authority in New Zealand and the most prominent iwi commercial operator (Ngāi Tahu Holdings). Comparable in statutory recognition and Treaty settlement scope, though materially larger in scale and asset base.

Others

• Federation of Māori Authorities (FOMA): Industry body representing Māori authorities and iwi commercial arms. Acts as a sector peer and counterpart for collective policy advocacy, with overlapping interests in environmental, fisheries, and Treaty settlement issues.
• Predator Free 2050 Limited: Crown-funded entity that co-funds and co-delivers Korehāhā Whakahau. Functions as a strategic partner and ecosystem counterpart for iwi-led conservation models.
• Te Puni Kōkiri: Government ministry responsible for Māori development policy and Crown-iwi relations. Acts as a regulator and policy counterpart, advising on and funding iwi capacity and Treaty settlement implementation.
• Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga: Crown body that granted Wāhi Tūpuna status to Mataatua Wharenui. Acts as a regulatory and grant-making counterpart for the iwi's cultural heritage work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TeRunangaoNgatiAwa
• Xx.com/NgatiAwa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Te Runanga o Ngati Awa