Our Business Growth team supports local businesses in their growth and innovation and fosters a stronger, more connected regional business community.

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Our team operates across the entire Tairāwhiti region and assists businesses in connecting with the right people, advice, and resources they need to grow.

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Latest News

  • STR 7990 Edit

    Alex Hyland Plumbing

    • Business development
    • /Business growth and innovation
    • Fri 22 Aug 2025

    When Kelly and Alex Hyland took over Steve Wolter Plumbing to establish Alex Hyland Plumbing, they inherited a solid customer base, skilled kaimahi, and a well-respected business. Like many new…

  • STR 1820Low res 2

    Student grants AgFirst

    • Business development
    • /Business growth and innovation
    • Fri 15 Aug 2025

    AgFirst Gisborne is helping shape the future of agriculture in Tairāwhiti with support from the Callaghan Innovation Research and Development (R&D) Experience Grant.

    As the regional delivery partner…

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    Economic impact assessment of SH2 resilience initiatives

    • Business development
    • /Business growth and innovation
    • Tue 3 Dec 2024

    Trust Tairāwhiti is partnering with Hawke’s Bay Regional Economic Development Agency HBREDA) to commission an assessment of the potential economic benefits of improving resilience on State Highway 2…

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    Tairāwhiti is open for aerospace

    • Business development
    • /Business growth and innovation
    • Wed 4 Sep 2024

    Trust Tairāwhiti has invested in exploring the establishment of an aerospace sector in the region with the intention of unlocking significant economic, social, environmental, and cultural…

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    Tairāwhiti film office in the works

    • Business development
    • /Business growth and innovation
    • Fri 23 Aug 2024

    The Trust has approved $54,500 in feasibility funding to support establishing a Regional Film Office (RFO) in Tairāwhiti, with the aim of attracting film industry opportunities and sector growth…

  • Low Res 20240702 STR 9838

    Mātai Medical Research Institute

    • Business development
    • /Business growth and innovation
    • Thu 1 Aug 2024

    When Dr Samantha Holdsworth presented her vision for the Mātai Medical Research Institute to Trust Tairāwhiti in early 2019, the Trust could see that the concept had transformative potential.

  • 20230521 STR 6195 copy2

    StardustME — Rocketed into outer space

    • Business development
    • /Business growth and innovation
    • Mon 21 Aug 2023

    A Gisborne business built around a surprising synergy of the technology, space and funeral sectors has rocketed from start-up into outer space. StardustME provides space memorial flights to celebrate…

  • Digital Boost

    Strong uptake of Digital Boost platform

    • Business development
    • /Business growth and innovation
    • Mon 14 Nov 2022

    Trust Tairāwhiti has been partnering with the Ministry of Businesses, Innovation and Employment and local organisations, Ask Alice, Tai Tech and Tolaga Bay Innovation to provide digital skills…

  • Gill Higgins 1008 720 org

    Youthtown takes over Licence to Work Programme

    • Business development
    • /Business growth and innovation
    • Mon 14 Feb 2022

    As the Licence to Work (LTW) youth employability programme enters its sixth year in Tairāwhiti, not-for-profit organisation Youthtown will take over the programme from Trust Tairāwhiti.

  • Climate Action Series Partners Tairawhiti 4NOV

    Free Climate Action Workshop for Tairāwhiti businesses

    • Business development
    • /Business growth and innovation
    • Wed 27 Oct 2021

    Local businesses looking to reduce their climate footprint are invited to attend a free online Climate Action Workshop next week.

  • game of life

    Game of Life

    • Business development
    • /Business growth and innovation
    • Tue 11 May 2021

    Trust Tairāwhiti was one of the key players in the successful launch of a new careers event connecting local employers with students.

  • Matai image 4

    Mātai

    • Business development
    • /Distributions
    • /Business growth and innovation
    • Mon 7 Dec 2020

    Mātai is a not-for-profit research centre based in Tairāwhiti Gisborne, focused on enhancing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

  • RBP Team

    Business support - Regional Business Partners

    • Business development
    • /Business growth and innovation
    • Tue 1 Dec 2020

    2020 has been a challenging time for many of our local businesses. However, Trust Tairāwhiti and the local Regional Business Partners (RBP) team are enormously proud of how small and medium…

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