The aim of the study tour is to increase the understanding of the greater Chinese market among upcoming tech and business leaders in New Zealand, and to support those developing their skills for whom foreign opportunities are usually out of reach.
For Parkes, the opportunities to guide her iwi, whānau and wider community into entrepreneurial spaces run like the river - infinitely.
“I will be heading on my first international business engagement. This is a rare opportunity to learn, so I want to bring back as much knowledge as I can for our people,” Parkes said.
The tour will provide opportunities for potential collaboration.
Parkes has founded multiple business ventures while being a full-time student studying commerce and arts at the University Of Auckland.
Ūkaipō, which she has led for two and a half years, is a venture inspired by her mother that provides biodegradable, sustainable placenta packaging products that allow mothers to bury their child’s whenua [placenta/afterbirth]; an important custom of many different iwi.
Parkes and the Ūkaipō team came second place in the $100k Challenge, a competition run by Velocity, turning students’ ideas into business ventures.
“If there’s a gap in the market that you think you can fill and have a plan moving forward, you can do it. You can compete and create a viable business,” Parkes said.
From Hong Kong to Southern China, a group of 10, including Parkes, will visit a number of companies, including Huawei, Xpeng, Datatech and more.
Also included in the tour is a visit to the Asia Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Fair, Digital Display Expo, and the Amusement and Attraction Expo in Guangzhou.
The study tour will take place from May 6 - 13.
This report was produced under the Public Interest Journalism initiative, funded by NZ on Air.
