"It matters less where ideas are coming from," Hikurangi Foundation chief executive Alex Hannant said.
"What we're really looking for are transformational ideas that are going to create social or environmental change."
The trust will hold workshops around the country for interested participants in mid 2014. The top ten participants will be invited to take part in the accelerator programme, which is expected to start in late 2014.
Teams will not be required to move to a specific location to take part. "We believe that because social enterprises are often deeply connected to the community they're serving, that kind of approach isn't appropriate," Hannant said.
Instead, the teams will come together at specific times during the programme.
Contact Energy's staff will be involved in the regional workshops and, alongside Hikurangi's other corporate and professional partners, will mentor participants.
"We're not wedded to a particular type of innovation involving energy or the home," Contact Energy corporate communications manager Shaun Jones said.
"It's more about the size of the impact and addressing issues important for Kiwis."
The Hikurangi Foundation's other plans include an expanded focus to social as well as environmental issues. "People are starting to realise that these aren't separate issues and that they can't solve them successfully in silos," Hannant said.
"It's just self-evident to us that you're not going to get sustainable environmental outcomes unless you have a well-educated population, people with jobs, and communities that are functional."
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