Featured Founder: Joe Patuki
This month’s Matariki celebrations invited Aotearoa to honour the past, celebrate the present, and look towards the future.
In that spirit, we're proud to spotlight our latest Featured Founder, Joe Patuki (Tainui, Ngāpuhi), whose venture is helping the next generation strengthen their connection to Te Ao Māori (Māori worldview).
Meet Poi+, a workshop programme that incorporates poi and te reo Māori to create a welcoming space where tamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people) can explore culture through active movement.
Finding a Better Way
The idea for Poi+ first took shape while Joe was completing a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation, majoring in Sport Management at AUT. Alongside his studies, he worked as a youth sports coach across football, tag, and rugby.
Although he loved seeing young people develop through sport, he recognised that traditional sporting environments didn't work for everyone.
"Poi+ really started as an idea while I was at AUT, just me thinking there had to be a better way to reach young people through movement," he says.
That belief became the foundation of Poi+. Guided by the holistic Māori model of Te Whare Tapa Whā, which recognises the interconnectedness of taha tinana (physical), taha hinengaro (mental), taha whānau (social), and taha wairua (spiritual) wellbeing, the programme uses poi to help tamariki and rangatahi build confidence, strengthen their sense of identity, and deepen their connection to Te Ao Māori.
More Than a Workshop
Led by Joe himself, every Poi+ workshop begins and ends with karakia (prayer or blessing), creating a welcoming environment where participants explore the history and cultural significance of poi through movement and shared experiences.
By weaving together poi movements, te reo Māori, and Māori values, each workshop encourages tamariki and rangatahi to connect with culture while developing confidence and a stronger sense of self.
For rangatahi and adult groups, workshops can also include making and taking home their own poi, giving participants a meaningful taonga to continue their journey beyond the workshop.
Turning an Idea into Impact
To bring his idea to life, Joe partnered with AUT Ventures to explore its commercial potential. Through the Student-Led Project Fund (SLPF), made possible by KiwiNet, he became the first student founder to receive commercialisation funding, helping transform Poi+ from an idea into a growing venture.
The funding enabled him to pilot Poi+ in schools across Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), refine the programme, and lay the foundations for its long-term impact.
"Joe's journey is exactly why the SLPF exists," says Chris Hill, Venture Director at AUT Ventures. "Students often have incredible ideas and lived experiences that allow them to see problems differently. Our role is to help them take those ideas beyond the university and give them the resources to create meaningful impact in their communities."
Growing Through Connection
Much like Matariki, Joe's journey reminds us that by honouring the past, we help shape the future. Through Poi+, cultural traditions continue to be carried forward in new ways, creating lasting impact in communities across Aotearoa.
For Joe, that's always been the heart of Poi+:
"My goal with Poi+ is to see our tamariki moving with confidence while feeling connected to the culture of Aotearoa and to each other. When they leave proud, grounded, and stronger in who they are, that's when I know the real work is happening."
To learn more about Poi+, visit https://www.poiplus.com/.
Kia tupu, kia hua, kia puāwai.
To grow. To flourish. To prosper.