Te Ara Pōtiki: International Start-Up Experience at ZeaKal

I’m excited to share that I am currently in San Diego, USA with the Te Ara Pōtiki programme! I have been selected in the inaugural 2024 cohort where I will be working at the leading trait science company, ZeaKal, Inc for 3 months. Te Ara Pōtiki aims to support global knowledge and cultural exchange of Māori STEM graduates into international start-ups and growth companies. I want to express my gratitude to the Te Ara Pōtiki team and ZeaKal for believing in the young talent of Aotearoa and curating an exciting and diverse experience to learn: Arama Kukutai , Dean Tilyard , Francene Wineti and Han Chen, CFA .

So who is ZeaKal and what will I be doing for 3 months?

Powered by transformative science and backed by collaborations with leading agriculture companies, ZeaKal pioneers innovation to meet the demand for better food, feed and fuels. ZeaKal’s plant trait technologies have been proven to increase the photosynthetic capacity and efficiency of plants. Additionally, the name ZeaKal comes from the company’s roots spanning New Zealand and California!

In light of upcoming changes to New Zealand’s science and regulatory policies and the growing sustainability demands on NZ farmers, an opportunity exists to accelerate science into commercialisation for New Zealand’s pastoral economy. With my experience at Sprout Agritech as the research engagement lead and my background with Māori engagement at Fonterra my project aims to understand the commercial opportunity for New Zealand, develop an investable business case, and create an aligned value proposition for stakeholders and consumers.

A huge thank you to Sprout Agritech for lending me to the US and ZeaKal for 3 months! I look forward to sharing insights with the team and Sprout community upon my return.

Please reach out if you are in California and interested in learning more about the programme, ZeaKal and/or Sprout Agritech (or just want to talk and have coffee together!)