When Arama Kukutai was a boy growing up in Ngāruawāhia in the 1970s and 80s, his favourite game was Monopoly. He always won when he played against his siblings. He was the one who collected the swanky properties, filling the board with houses and hotels.
Kukutai’s childhood home was simple. Money was scarce but his parents, Karu and Lorraine, filled their house with books, encouraging their children–Arama and his sisters, Tahu and Hine Te Aroha – to read and to get an education. Of Ngāti Tipa, Maniapoto, Te Aupōuri and Parihaka descent, Arama was clever, and he had big dreams of success.
There were early signs that he was going to go on to great things and it is no surprise to many that the 53-year-old is now at the forefront of the automated, indoor farming movement in the United States, and one of New Zealand’s top venture capitalists.
In September, Kukutai won a Kea World Class New Zealander award for his work as an investor, company founder and entrepreneur in the agribusiness sector. Along with his career success, he was recognised for connecting with his Māori roots. He is about to launch a mentorship scheme to get
