Whakauae Research Services

What Whakauae Research Services does

Whakauae Research Services Ltd is a privately held, iwi-owned Māori health research centre headquartered at 19 Ridgway Street, Whanganui, Aotearoa New Zealand. Established in 2005 by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hauiti under founder Dr Heather Gifford, it operates as the only iwi-owned Māori health research centre in New Zealand, with direct governance accountability to a board of elected iwi members. The organisation conducts kaupapa Māori research — a 'by Māori, for Māori, with Māori' methodology grounded in te ao Māori values and indigenous knowledge — across health services, public health, health policy, rongoā Māori, HIV prevention, chronic conditions, dementia, end-of-life care, youth wellbeing, and Indigenous governance.

Its core technology consists of proprietary Indigenous research frameworks rather than software products: the TUI (Translation, Uptake and Impact) dissemination model using the native Tūī bird as metaphor, the Systems Change Framework (He Anga Pūnaha Whakatika), Te Pā Raraunga o Whakauae data sovereignty model, and Te Remu Huia Indigenous leadership and decision-making model. Digital products include the RAPUA publication search tool, the Kia Puāwai programme website, the Te Ao Rauropi project website, and a Rukua ki te rētōtanga o te Wai HIV prevention project using SurveyMonkey for participant data. The organisation has produced 416+ publications and operates five Pou (work streams): Research and Evaluation, Capacity and Capability, Design and Dissemination, Connections and Collaboration, and Change and Transformation.

Whakauae's business model is grant-funded and non-commercial. It does not sell products or services at published prices. Revenue streams include contestable research grants from the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) including Independent Research Organisation Capability funding, commissioned research and evaluations from Ministry of Health, Te Puni Kōkiri, and DHBs, international grants such as those from Australia's NHMRC, and HRC capability/scholarship funding for emerging Māori researchers. Customers are effectively institutional funders and commissioning agencies rather than commercial buyers. Go-to-market is relationship-driven, anchored in the organisation's reputation for kaupapa Māori research, its 20-year track record, and its unique iwi-mandated position. Distribution occurs through academic publishing, government policy channels, wānanga/hui/hīkoi community engagement, and international Indigenous conferences.

Name

Whakauae Research Services

Legal name

Whakauae Research Services Ltd

Website

https://whakauae.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Whakauae Research Services is an iwi-owned Māori health research centre in Whanganui, Aotearoa New Zealand, conducting kaupapa Māori research on hauora (health and wellbeing) for whānau, hapū, iwi, and government agencies, funded primarily through Health Research Council grants and government commissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indigenous Health Research Services

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN)

Keywords

• Kaupapa maori research
• Indigenous health research
• Public health evaluation
• Maori health services
• Health research consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Whanganui

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contestable Research Funding (HRC): Whakauae receives significant funding through competitive grant rounds from the Health Research Council (HRC) of New Zealand, including Independent Research Organisation Capability (IROC) funding. Major multi-year programmes such as the Kia Puāwai five-year research programme are HRC-funded.
2. Government and Agency Commissioned Research: Whakauae is commissioned by government agencies (Ministry of Health, Te Puni Kōkiri, Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment) and District Health Boards to undertake specific research, evaluations, and studies on Māori health and wellbeing.
3. International Research Grants: Funding received from international bodies such as Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for collaborative cross-jurisdictional Indigenous health research.
4. Scholarship and Capability Funding: Health Research Council's Independent Research Organisation Capability Fund awarded to support Māori student development, emerging researchers, and long-term capacity and capability building for Māori research.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Whakauae Research Services conducts kaupapa Māori health research and evaluations for whānau, hapū, iwi and hapori Māori, government agencies and international Indigenous partners. It delivers commissioned research, programme evaluations, and capacity-building scholarship programmes through a by-Māori, for-Māori, with-Māori methodology. The organisation operates across five Pou work streams covering research and evaluation, workforce capability, design and dissemination, partnerships, and systems change-making.

Product overview

Whakauae Research Services operates as a kaupapa Māori health research centre offering a portfolio of research services, scholarship programmes, and dissemination platforms. The core offerings include the RAPUA publication search tool, dedicated programme websites for major research initiatives (Kia Puāwai and Te Ao Rauropi), and collaborative research projects such as the HIV prevention study Rukua ki te Rētōtanga o te Wai. The organisation's work is structured around five Pou (research pillars): Research and Evaluation, Capacity and Capability Building, Design and Dissemination (TUI), Connections and Collaboration, and Change and Transformation. Whakauae also provides scholarship programmes including Māori Summer Studentships, Pae Tawhiti Scholarships, and visiting internships to support emerging Māori researchers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RAPUA Publication Search Tool An online publication search tool that allows users to search and browse Whakauae's catalogue of research publications and documents, filterable by author, year, and publication type. It serves researchers, policymakers, iwi members and the public seeking Whakauae's research outputs.
• Kia Puāwai Research Programme (Te Pae Tukutuku A Kia Puāwai) A five-year Health Research Council of New Zealand-funded research programme generating Māori knowledge to improve health and wellbeing of whānau Māori, delivered through four focused research projects and supported by a dedicated programme website.
• Te Ao Rauropi Research Project (Te Pae Tukutuku A Te Ao Rauropi) A three-year Health Research Council of New Zealand-funded research project exploring the biosphere of Rongoā Māori (traditional Māori healing) and mapping its principles and practices, with a dedicated project website hosting findings and resources.
• Rukua ki te Rētōtanga o te Wai HIV Prevention Research Project A three-year Health Research Council of New Zealand-funded HIV prevention research project using kaupapa Māori approaches to understand barriers and enablers to HIV prevention access for Māori, aiming to develop culturally meaningful prevention strategies in partnership with health providers.
• Māori Summer Studentships Scholarship Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• 416+ publications in the research database
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Seven Directions Indigenous Public Health Institute (University of Washington)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2025Long-standing partnership formalised with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the INIHKD 2025 Conference. Rooted in the Coming Together in Indigenous Praxis project (2021). Partnership focuses on Indigenous-led health equity, mutual respect, and collaborative research. Committed to growing the International Indigenous Gathering Grounds network and advancing Indigenous public health systems globally.
• Pascua Yaqui Tribe (Southern Arizona)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2025The Rapua Te Ara Rangatira research team visited the Pascua Yaqui Tribe's Health Services Division as part of knowledge exchange on Indigenous-led governance and health leadership. Connection facilitated through Seven Directions Indigenous Public Health Institute.
• Te OranganuicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhanganui-based Māori health and social services provider. Whakauae has partnered on multiple projects including evaluations of the Te Kākano Rangatahi Innovation Programme, Tapestry of Truth Rangatahi Wellbeing Programme, and Rangatahi Innovation Evaluation. Deep collaborative relationship across community health research.
• Wai ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch organisation based at Waipareira. Partnered with Whakauae on the Perceptions of Papakāinga study exploring Māori views of 'home' in the Rangitīkei and Tāmaki Makaurau regions. Also a partner in the Rukua ki te rētōtanga o te wai HIV prevention research project.
• Massey UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Pūtōrino e Rua landslide research project. Whakauae and Massey University collaborate through Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa | Massey University on the investigation of social and environmental impacts of the historical Pūtōrino landslide.
• University of AucklandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in He Rapunga Hauora mō te Mate Wareware: A Prevalence Study on dementia affecting kaumātua and their whānau. The University and Te Atawhai o Te Ao are collaborating on this important research project. Also hosted a visit from the Brain Research Centre, University of Auckland.
• Taupua Waiora Māori Research Centre (AUT)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhakauae has been involved in the life of Taupua Waiora since its inception. Long-standing collaborative relationship in Māori health research. Dr Amohia Boulton attended the centre's 20th anniversary celebration in April 2026. Partner on the Kei Roto Tō Tātou Rongoā project.
• Te Atawhai o Te AomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMāori health research organisation in Whanganui. Partnering with the University of Auckland on the He Rapunga Hauora mō te Mate Wareware dementia prevalence study. Also hosts visiting researchers from the University of Auckland's Brain Research Centre.
• University of Melbourne / Australian Research Council Life Course CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearcher Associate Professor Dr Sangeetha Chandrashekeran and Activist Scholar Brendan Kennedy visited Whakauae to explore the rohe of Ngāti Hauiti, strengthening connections across Te Tai-o-Rehua.
• Te Waka Uru Ora (Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the Pūtōrino e Rua project alongside Whakauae Research Services, investigating the social and environmental impacts of the historical landslide in the Rangitīkei River valley.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lowitja Institute: Australia's national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health research institute. Closest international peer in terms of Indigenous-led health research mandate, with comparable funding model (contestable government grants) and Indigenous governance accountability.
• Seven Directions Indigenous Public Health Institute (University of Washington): US-based Indigenous public health institute focused on Indigenous health systems and policy. Whakauae signed an MoU with Seven Directions in 2025 to grow international Indigenous research collaboration. Both centres focus on Indigenous-led research, evaluation, and systems change.
• James Henare Māori Research Centre (University of Auckland): University-based Māori health research centre conducting kaupapa Māori research. Comparable in mission to Whakauae and operates in the same Māori health research ecosystem, though university-hosted rather than iwi-owned.
• Te Atawhai o Te Ao: Māori health research organisation based in Whanganui that partners directly with Whakauae on projects like the dementia prevalence study with the University of Auckland. Both organisations operate kaupapa Māori research methodologies in the same regional Māori health research ecosystem.
• Te Kotahi Research Institute (University of Waikato): Waikato-Tainui affiliated Māori research institute focused on iwi development, Māori health, education, and environmental research. Operates in adjacent thematic areas to Whakauae with similar Indigenous-led research methodologies.
• Te Rōpū Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pōmare (University of Otago Wellington): Māori health research centre within the University of Otago Wellington. One of the longest-established Māori health research units in Aotearoa, conducting research on Māori health inequalities using kaupapa Māori and quantitative epidemiological approaches.
• Taupua Waiora Māori Research Centre (AUT): Autonomous Māori research centre within Auckland University of Technology focused on Māori health and wellbeing research. Whakauae has collaborated with Taupua Waiora since its inception and they share overlapping kaupapa Māori research methodologies and Māori health equity focus.
• Wai Research: Whānau Ora-focused research organisation based at Te Whānau o Waipareira in Auckland. Whakauae has partnered with Wai Research on studies including the Perceptions of Papakāinga and the HIV prevention project Rukua ki te rētōtanga o te wai.

Broad incumbents

• Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga: New Zealand's Centre of Research Excellence hosted by the University of Auckland focused on Māori and Indigenous research advancement. A broader umbrella body that funds and networks Māori research across the sector — Whakauae operates within this wider Māori research ecosystem.

Regional players

• Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority): Statutory Māori Health Authority established in 2022 to partner with Te Whatu Ora in commissioning Māori health services and driving Māori health equity. Operates as a major commissioning counterpart to Whakauae's research outputs, shaping the demand side of the Māori health research ecosystem in Aotearoa.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whakauae-research-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Whakauae Research Services