The Southern Initiative

What The Southern Initiative does

The Southern Initiative (TSI) is an intrapreneurial social innovation team operating inside Auckland Council, established in 2012 as a key priority of the Auckland Plan to regenerate South Auckland. It works alongside whānau, mana whenua, local boards, central government agencies, businesses, and philanthropic partners in South and West Auckland, with primary service populations being Māori and Pacific communities, rangatahi (youth under 25), and whānau with young children. TSI operates a portfolio of programmes rather than a single product: Amotai (a social procurement platform connecting Māori and Pasifika businesses with council and government contracts), MPTT (Māori and Pasifika Trades Training), Buzzly (a youth engagement platform for rangatahi voice), Uptempo (an in-work poverty intervention for Pasifika communities), Youth Economy (economic literacy and workforce transition), Tamariki Wellbeing (first 1,000 days of child development, funded by the Next Foundation), Te Taiwhanga Rangatahi / Youth Lab, and the Auckland Co-Design Lab methodology backbone. The Western Initiative (TWI), launched in 2018, replicates the model in West Auckland.

TSI's underlying methodology is place-based and data-driven, anchored by the Auckland Co-Design Lab and a dedicated Data & Insights Lead. The team's stated differentiation is its intrapreneurial posture inside council: it designs solutions iteratively with communities, tests bold ideas in real time, and seeks to influence citywide policy and systems. TSI does not charge for its services and is funded through Auckland Council allocations, central government contracts (notably a $20 million COVID-19 response contract for Māori and Pasifika businesses in 2020), and philanthropic grants (Next Foundation, Better Public Services Treasury Innovation Fund). It is a government internal team, not a commercial entity, and reports a headcount of approximately 15 staff, with Amotai and other programmes operating dedicated sub-teams.

Name

The Southern Initiative

Legal name

The Southern Initiative

Website

https://tsi.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Southern Initiative is Auckland Council's intrapreneurial social innovation team, operating a portfolio of programmes — including Amotai procurement, MPTT trades training, Buzzly youth engagement, and Tamariki Wellbeing — to tackle systemic inequity for Māori, Pacific, and underserved communities in South and West Auckland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Innovation Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA), Housing Development, Construction & Rehabilitation Programs (BPAIANAB), Community Development & Social Impact Programs (EDAIAGAA), Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL)

Keywords

• Social innovation services
• Community development programs
• Youth employment training
• Social procurement platform
• Place-based initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland, Manukau

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: TSI operates as part of Auckland Council, funded through council budgets and government contracts. Receives central government contracts and investment from philanthropy.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Southern Initiative operates a portfolio of equity-led community programmes addressing employment, skills, youth engagement, procurement, infrastructure, and wellbeing for South and West Auckland. Core named offerings include Amotai (a Māori and Pasifika procurement platform), MPTT (trades training), Buzzly (youth voice platform), Uptempo (in-work poverty response), Youth Economy, Tamariki Wellbeing, and Te Taiwhanga Rangatahi (Youth Lab), delivered through a place-based and data-driven co-design methodology.

Product overview

The Southern Initiative (TSI) is Auckland Council's social innovation team that operates as a portfolio of interconnected community programmes and initiatives rather than a unified software product. The organisation leads and supports innovation across employment, skills, youth engagement, procurement, infrastructure, and wellbeing through initiatives including Amotai (social procurement platform), Buzzly (youth voice platform), Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTT), Youth Connections, Uptempo, and Tamariki Wellbeing. TSI works alongside Western Initiative (TWI), applying data-driven and place-based approaches to address systemic inequity in South and West Auckland communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Amotai: Social procurement platform and registry connecting Māori and Pasifika businesses with procurement opportunities.
• MPTT (Māori & Pasifika Trades Training)
• Buzzly
• Uptempo
• Youth Economy
• Te Taiwhanga Rangatahi (Youth Lab)
• Western Initiative (TWI)

Products and services

• Amotai A procurement platform and supplier registry connecting Māori and Pasifika businesses with procurement opportunities to support equity-led economic development.
• Buzzly A digital platform designed to uplift rangatahi (youth) voice and enable meaningful youth participation in decision-making processes.
• Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTT) A trades training programme that supports Māori and Pasifika individuals into skilled vocational employment pathways.
• Uptempo A programme addressing in-work poverty in Pasifika communities by supporting sustainable employment and economic advancement.
• Youth Economy (formerly Youth Connections) A programme focused on building young people's economic literacy and successful transition into the workforce.
• Tamariki Wellbeing An initiative focusing on the first 1,000 days of a child's life, funded by the Next Foundation.
• Te Taiwhanga Rangatahi (Youth Lab) A youth development facility established following the Manurewa High School prototype, supporting rangatahi through hybrid earn-and-learn models.
• Western Initiative (TWI) A parallel initiative to TSI focused on West Auckland, applying similar methods for local economic development and regeneration.
• Auckland Co-Design Lab A co-design methodology and innovation practice folded into TSI, enabling participatory design of solutions with South and West Auckland communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• COVID-19 response: $20 million in contracts to Māori and Pasifika businesses
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• AmotaicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015TSI advocated for social procurement, leading to the creation of Amotai as a Māori and Pasifika business registry and procurement platform. TSI continues to support and manage Amotai as a flagship initiative for equity-led economic development.
• Auckland Co-Design LabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Co-Design Lab was brought into TSI's fold under Gael Surgenor's leadership with funding from Better Public Services Treasury Innovation Fund. Strengthens partnership between central and local government through collaborative design approaches.
• Māori & Pasifika Trades Training (MPTT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTSI secured central government contract for MPTT from 2013-2014. Initiative supports training and employment pathways for Māori and Pasifika peoples in trades and skilled occupations.
• Western Initiative (TWI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched in 2018, TWI applies TSI's methods for local economic development in West Auckland, expanding the initiative's geographic reach and impact model.
• Manurewa High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established for hybrid earn-and-learn model launched in 2021. Success led to establishment of Te Taiwhanga Rangatahi (Youth Lab) for broader youth development support.
• BuzzlycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth engagement platform developed to uplift rangatahi voice and connect young people with economic opportunities. Part of TSI's portfolio of youth-focused initiatives.
• UptemposecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram launched in 2020 as part of Youth Economy team to address in-work poverty in Pasifika communities.
• Te Taiwhanga Rangatahi (Youth Lab)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in 2022 following success of Manurewa High School prototype. Focuses on youth development and supporting young people's transition to workforce.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Locality: UK national network supporting community-led organizations and place-based community development. Comparable as a larger-scale, broader-mission counterpart focused on community empowerment and local economic development.
• The Behavioral Insights Team: Government-affiliated social innovation and applied behavioral science unit operating internationally. Comparable as a public-sector innovation team applying evidence-based approaches to social policy challenges.
• What Works Cities: US initiative supporting cities to use data and evidence to improve outcomes. Comparable as a city-level innovation and evidence-based decision-making initiative serving municipal governments.
• Nesta: UK innovation foundation focused on social innovation, place-based work, and systems change. Comparable as a mission-aligned organization combining innovation methodology with place-based social and economic programmes.

Emerging players

• Year Up: Workforce development non-profit focused on young adults from under-resourced communities. Comparable as a youth-focused skills, training, and economic mobility organization addressing similar beneficiary outcomes to MPTT and Youth Economy.
• Generation: Global employment program helping people from under-served backgrounds access careers through training and employer connections. Comparable in its employment-skills-training orientation for disadvantaged populations, akin to MPTT and Uptempo.

Direct peers

• Amotai: Wholly-owned TSI subsidiary operating a Māori and Pasifika supplier diversity and procurement platform. Comparable as a social-procurement / supplier-diversity registry serving a similar mission and customer base.
• Auckland Co-Design Lab: Nested within TSI since 2017; uses participatory co-design to address complex public problems. Operationally inseparable from TSI and shares staff, methodology, and outcomes framework.
• Western Initiative (TWI): Sister initiative of TSI launched in 2018 in West Auckland that directly applies TSI's place-based, co-design methodology. Operates as the most direct functional mirror of TSI within the same council.

Regional players

• Supplier Diversity Solutions (e.g., Supply Nation Australia): Australia-based Indigenous business procurement registry analogous to Amotai. Comparable as a regional, mission-aligned supplier-diversity and indigenous business registry serving procurement equity outcomes across the Tasman.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-southern-initiative

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries7 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 The Southern Initiative