Arama Kukutai
Arama Kukutai has been recognised for his work as a global leader in the agritech industry. He is of Ngāti Tipa, Maniapoto, Te Aupōuri, Parihaka descent, and started his career in finance at a time when Māori organisations were beginning to actively develop forestry, farming, and fishing assets. He served as executive chairman of PKW farms, and also worked for the Government’s Trade & Investment agency in North America.
Arama is a Co-Founder and Partner at Finistere Ventures, one of the pioneering venture capital firms dedicated to agritech which has supported dozens of Kiwi startups. He has helped connect Kiwi tech entrepreneurs into Silicon Valley and is focused on helping provide Māori with opportunities to pursue careers in agritech. Arama is also the CEO of Plenty, an indoor vertical farming operation, aiming to revolutionise the way food is produced and ensure fresh food is available to all.