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National | Digital project

Māori encouraged into the digital world to benefit Māori economy

The digital world is changing the traditional business landscape, but now it's enticing Māori innovators.  "DigMyIdea" is a contest that encourages Māori entrepreneur to share their digital ideas to benefit Māori.

Work by Ian Taylor (America's Cup 2013) and Rhonda Kite (Kiwa Digital) are some of the world's leading technology, and they were all created by Māori.  Now a new initiative called DigMyIdea is hoping to get more of them.

Spokesperson for Auckland Tourism, Event and Economic Development Charmaine Ngarimu told Te Kāea, ”We hope to see from DigMyIdea is new ideas that rangatahi and people are coming up with and capture those ideas and help people turn those ideas into a reality.”

If you have an idea for an APP or digital technology Charmaine Ngārimu wants to hear about it. There are two categories 15 years - 18 years and 19 years and up.  Ngarimu says, “It's open to anyone but the ideas have to produce an economic outcome for Māori, so it's quite unique in that way.”

The idea was created because of the success Māori already has in the digital world.

“Guys like Ian Taylor, who's been out there doing cool stuff for years, so you will see if stuff for things like the America's Cup or Rhonda Kite and the stuff that she does, that’s some really cool top level stuff that you see Māori do now,” says Charmaine.

There are six days left to get your entry and application in before being put before a panel of judges, check out their website here.