Pacific Innovation Hub
The Pacific Innovation Hub supports Pacific and New Zealand businesses that want to create sustainable impact in the Pacific Islands. It facilitates connections into the Ministry’s development network and catalyses innovative ideas.
The Pacific Innovation Hub is part of New Zealand’s International Development Cooperation (IDC). The IDC programme delivers New Zealand’s official support for developing countries with a particular focus on the Pacific Islands Region.
WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE
We want to work with New Zealand and Pacific businesses and entrepreneurs who are committed to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) outcomes in the Pacific Islands to:
- enhance economic resilience in the Pacific by increasing innovation and diversity in the Private Sector.
- catalyse innovative, commercially sustainable approaches to delivering Sustainable Development Goal solutions.
WHY WE VALUE WORKING WITH INNOVATIVE BUSINESSES
- Innovation offers new ways of approaching SDG challenges
- Commercially sustainable initiatives are not reliant on government funding for their long term success.
- Business initiatives have the potential to scale overtime to deliver broader benefits to the Pacific, beyond our initial support
- Working with local businesses supports initiatives that are embedded in local communities and tailored to local needs values and resources.
THE PACIFIC INNOVATION HUB OFFERS
Team of Engagement Managers – to connect you into MFAT’s programmes, networks and insights.
Ideas Lab - brings together New Zealand and Pacific stakeholders and communities to explore the feasibility and implementation of early-stage innovative initiatives. MFAT will provide a design thinking consultant to lead this process.
Viability Gap Fund – small amounts of co-funding for businesses and entrepreneurs to prove concepts and overcome barriers, where alternate funding is not available.
NEXT ROUND CLOSES 31 JANUARY 2025
OUR PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
MFAT funds a number of different initiatives to support businesses in the Pacific. Our navigation tool that outlines our key activities is under construction.
USEFUL INFORMATION
International Development Cooperation
- Pacific Innovation Hub Application Guide
- Information about the New Zealand IDC Programme’s work and priorities
- DevData provides activity-level information on New Zealand’s IDC programme
- Pacific Community’s (SPC) Pacific Data Hub - a comprehensive collection of data and information about the Pacific including datasets, tools and dashboards.
- Research commissioned by MFAT
- Tender opportunities with the New Zealand IDC programme
Trade
- Market intelligence reports for New Zealand companies wanting to trade with the Pacific
- Pacific Trade and Invest market reports for Pacific companies looking to trade with New Zealand Reports | Pacific Trade Invest
- Trade helpdesk
- Tariff Finder
NZ Inc.
- NZTE’s website and their myNZTE provides a range of insights and tools available to support New Zealand exporters.
- Callaghan Innovation – services to help innovative New Zealand businesses
- Ministry for Primary Industries – information on export and import processes and requirements.
"We want to help businesses transform innovative ideas into meaningful initiatives by bringing together communities and key stakeholders to validate challenges and refine solutions."
- Jen Anderson
THE HUB TEAM
The Hub team help businesses navigate New Zealand’s International Development Cooperation as they explore innovative ideas with SDG outcomes. They also run the Ideas Lab and Viability Gap Fund.
Jen Anderson
Programme and Engagement Manager
Jen Anderson loves nothing more than bringing people together to turn ambitious ideas into real world outcomes. She has built her career on pioneering unique government initiatives that leverage innovation in New Zealand to support global challenges. This includes leading the co-design and implementation of the Global Impact Visa (with the Edmund Hillary Fellowship), MFAT’s Pacific Private Sector Projects Fund pilot and driving the creation of the University of Auckland’s Energy Research Consortium. Jen is driven by making a genuine difference through bringing the voices of Government, business and community together to create meaningful change. She has spent six years in roles related to development in the Pacific.
John Faitala
Engagement Manager
John Faitala was born and raised in Niue. He has over thirty years of work experience in foreign affairs, economic development, community development and business strategy; including extensive senior leadership experience in the private sector and across central and local government agencies in Niue, Australia, and New Zealand. These lived experiences frame John’s approach when working in strategy design and community development. John has completed a MBA from the University of Auckland where his research thesis focused on the relationship and touchpoints of “Entrepreneurship in the Pacific cultural context”, unpacking the tension and synergies between Pacific culture and business.