Ara Ake

What Ara Ake does

Ara Ake Limited is a New Zealand Crown-funded energy innovation centre established in 2020 and headquartered at 8 Young Street, New Plymouth, Taranaki. The organisation operates as a programme delivery vehicle rather than a product company: it does not develop proprietary technology but instead supports external energy innovators with commercialisation assistance, multi-stakeholder project facilitation, repayable grant co-funding, research and insights, and event-driven knowledge sharing across New Zealand's energy ecosystem. Its mandate is organised around three strategic priority areas — Sustainable Molecules (hydrogen, methanol, ammonia, steel decarbonisation), Flexibility and Distributed Energy Resources (solar, wind, battery storage integration), and Energy Resilience (community-led energy initiatives). Operations are structured around a 14-person team led by Chief Executive Sophie Braggins, with a board chaired by Elena Trout and including directors from Firstgas Group, Methanex New Zealand, and Unison Group. Ara Ake's economic model is grant-based: in July 2023 it secured NZD $70 million from the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to extend its operational mandate for approximately 10 years, and it provides services free of charge to beneficiaries including startups (OpenStar Technologies, Cetogenix, Stralis Aircraft, Aspiring Materials), distribution businesses (CentrePort, solarZero), and community organisations. Distribution channels include direct innovator engagement, event-based access, and a curated global network connecting NZ innovators with NREL, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, ARENA, Hydrogen Council NZ, and Enterprise Europe Network.

Name

Ara Ake

Legal name

Ara Ake Limited

Website

https://araake.co.nz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ara Ake is New Zealand's Crown-funded energy innovation centre, providing commercialisation support, repayable grant funding, multi-stakeholder project facilitation, and global network access to energy startups, industry, and communities advancing the country's energy transition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy Innovation Services

NAICS

Public Administration (92), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities (926130)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADAMAJ

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Trade & Economic Development

Keywords

• Energy innovation support
• Commercialisation assistance
• Clean energy research
• Energy transition services
• Renewable energy funding

Headquarters

HQ city

New Plymouth

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Ara Ake is primarily funded through Crown funding from the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE). In 2023, they received $70 million in additional funding to continue their mandate to accelerate New Zealand's energy transition. The organization provides co-funding support to innovators in the form of repayable grants.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ara Ake is a New Zealand energy innovation centre that supports energy innovators through commercialisation services, multi-stakeholder facilitation, grant funding administration, research and demonstration, and connections to global expertise. Its purpose is to accelerate the country's transition to a clean, resilient energy future by acting as a neutral intermediary between innovators, industry, communities, iwi, and government.

Product overview

Ara Ake is New Zealand's energy innovation centre focused on advancing the energy sector toward a sustainable future. The organisation offers a portfolio of services including commercialisation support, multi-stakeholder facilitation, global expertise connections, grant support (repayable grants), research and insights, and knowledge sharing through events. Ara Ake operates across three strategic priority areas: Sustainable Molecules (hydrogen, methanol, ammonia, decarbonisation), Flexibility and Distributed Energy Resources (integrating solar, wind, battery storage), and Energy Resilience (locally led community energy solutions). The organisation manages various projects such as the Taranaki Geoheat Discovery Challenge, National Flex Discovery Fund, Community Energy Activator, and CentrePort Battery Energy Storage Pilot, while also producing research reports including annual Impact Reports and technical analyses like the Stationary Battery Energy Storage Systems Analysis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Energy innovation commercialisation support A service supporting New Zealand energy innovators to move innovations from concept towards commercial deployment, including access to expertise, networks and demonstration pathways.
• Contestable energy innovation grant funding Crown-funded grant support administered by Ara Ake to back New Zealand-based energy innovators, backed by written confirmation of funding from MBIE Chief Executive Carolyn Tremain.
• Multi-stakeholder facilitation and convening Service bringing together industry, communities, iwi, government and innovators to collaborate on shared energy transition challenges, leveraging Ara Ake's neutral, Crown-funded position.
• Flexviz demand-response visualisation platform (OpenADR-based) A demand-response/flexibility visualisation tool built on the OpenADR standard, used to help industries, communities and stakeholders understand energy flexibility concepts.
• Research and demonstration support Support for energy research and demonstration activity in New Zealand, enabling innovators to validate and showcase energy technologies locally.
• Global expertise connections Service connecting New Zealand energy innovators to international expertise and networks to bring global knowledge into local innovation work.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported installation of solar panels on 630+ homes through Kāinga Ora partnership
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Co-authored the 2026-2027 Geoheat Action Plan to rapidly grow geoheat use throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, supporting delivery of the Government's first-ever geothermal strategy 'From the Ground Up'. The partnership includes goals of five new geoheat projects over 500kW, ten or more workshops/conferences, five site visits, and at least 10 publicly available reports.
• Hydrogen Council (New Zealand)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2026Joint hosting of the Q2 Hydrogen Speaker Series on Energy Security & Resilience in New Plymouth on 12 June 2026. The event brings together leading industry voices to discuss how hydrogen can strengthen New Zealand's energy independence.
• OpenStar TechnologiesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAra Ake supports OpenStar with upgrades to their half-tonne doughnut-shaped magnet named Junior. This represents the first global commercial use of a superconducting power supply (flux pump) in a high-field fusion class magnet, bringing fusion energy closer to reality.
• Stralis Aircraft and FabrumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to enable Australasia's first liquid-hydrogen-powered flight. Ara Ake supports the design, development and testing of liquid-hydrogen storage tanks and fuel system for Stralis aircraft, integrating Fabrum's lightweight composite tanks and dispensing systems.
• Panasonic NZcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnered with CentrePort for supply of battery and inverter packages (1.5MWhr/750kVA) and associated management software for the pilot BESS project.
• Community Energy NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Community Energy Activator programme supporting community organizations to develop energy projects. Partnered with Orion and Ara Ake to deliver the pilot in Canterbury.
• OrioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Community Energy Activator with Ara Ake and Community Energy Network, supporting communities in Canterbury region to develop understanding of designing, building, and managing community-scale energy projects.
• Kāinga OracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Multiple Trading Relationships trial for homes with solar panels in Wellington region, enabling solar energy sharing trial and pioneering new electricity market solutions.
• Caffeine DailycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership to highlight stories from the energy innovation sector through engaging stories, in-depth interviews, and thought-provoking insights about innovators shaping New Zealand's energy future.
• UndauntedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal partnership with UK-based hub for climate innovation, announced May 2025.
• NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal partnership providing access to world-class energy expertise and research capabilities.
• Breakthrough Energy VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal partnership connecting New Zealand innovators with investment networks and expertise.
• ARENA (Australian Renewable Energy Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Australian counterpart to share knowledge and accelerate renewable energy innovation across the Tasman.
• Enterprise Europe NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean network partnership providing access to expertise and market connections across Europe.
• EnergyLab AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian innovation hub partnership for energy collaboration across the region.
• New Zealand Wind Energy AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Offshore Renewable Energy Forum 2025, bringing together global industry leaders, policymakers, researchers, and developers.
• Venture TaranakicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional development agency partnership, co-hosting Offshore Renewable Energy Forum and collaborating on offshore energy development in Taranaki.
• Taranaki Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Offshore Renewable Energy Forum 2025.
• CetogenixcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAra Ake funding Rotorua-based Cetogenix to accelerate scale-up and deployment of its biogas production technology, targeting increased biogas production in New Zealand.
• Aspiring MaterialscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Christchurch cleantech startup turning waste rock into critical minerals and green hydrogen for decarbonization.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EnergyLab Australia: Australia-based clean energy startup accelerator and innovation hub. EnergyLab is an explicit regional partner of Ara Ake and operates a comparable model of supporting early-stage clean energy founders with programs, networks, and capital connections.
• ARENA (Australian Renewable Energy Agency): Australia's flagship government-funded renewable energy innovation and commercialisation agency. ARENA is the most direct functional analogue to Ara Ake, providing grants, knowledge sharing, and project facilitation for clean energy innovation. Ara Ake explicitly partners with ARENA for trans-Tasman knowledge sharing.
• Callaghan Innovation: New Zealand's primary Crown-funded innovation agency, supporting technology commercialisation and R&D across sectors. Callaghan Innovation is one of Ara Ake's named government partners and operates with a similar grant-facilitating model, though with a broader technology mandate.
• Undaunted: UK-based hub for climate innovation focused on backing entrepreneurs tackling climate change. Undaunted is a named global partner of Ara Ake (announced May 2025) and shares the innovation-accelerator and ecosystem-building mandate, though serving UK-based ventures.

Broad incumbents

• NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory): US Department of Energy national laboratory dedicated to renewable energy and energy efficiency research. NREL is an explicit global research partner of Ara Ake and shares the mission of advancing energy innovation, though operating at vastly greater scale with research laboratory infrastructure rather than grant-making.
• EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority): New Zealand Government agency focused on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and reducing emissions. EECA is listed as a key government collaborator with Ara Ake and shares the public-sector energy transition mandate, but is a regulator/fund-manager rather than an innovation-focused commercialisation entity.

Emerging players

• Carbon Trust: International climate and sustainability consultancy working with governments and businesses to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Carbon Trust shares the energy innovation advisory and project facilitation aspects of Ara Ake's mandate, though with a stronger commercial services orientation.
• MaRS Discovery District: Canadian innovation hub supporting science and technology ventures across multiple sectors including clean energy. MaRS shares the model of providing commercialisation support, global network access, and convening functions for innovators, though serving a broader technology mandate and operating as a non-profit with mixed funding.

Regional players

• Venture Taranaki: Taranaki's regional development agency focused on economic development, including energy sector transition. Venture Taranaki is an explicit co-host of the Offshore Renewable Energy Forum with Ara Ake and shares a regional mandate around energy transition, though operating as a general-purpose regional development body.
• Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI): Ireland's national energy authority tasked with promoting and assisting the development of sustainable energy. SEAI is functionally analogous as a state-backed energy transition body, though operating in a different geography with a broader regulatory remit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ara-ake

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Ara Ake