kiaora@standtall.nz
Kia ora everybody, it's Manaia Peina here the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua/Taupo Regional Coordinator for YES!
What an amazing year 2025 has been for all our enterprise students.
We started the year off in February with our annual Spark tank event, which 210 students attended. This event aimed to gather all the participating schools in the Bay of Plenty to introduce and inspire them about entrepreneurship, ideas, building business and why the Young Enterprise Scheme is a great opportunity for them to give it a go.
Midway through the year in June, we hosted the Mid Year pitch event at Basestation. We were and still are beyond proud of the 45 teams who pitched in front of our amazing judges. With four rooms running consecutively at Basestation and 12 judges from our community giving a whole morning of their time, we sure could not have given our young entrepreneurs the same amazing opportunity without their support.
Some of you may be thinking “Did they sell their products?” Well yes, they did! They planned, created, and sold in a few different ways such as online, via social media, and in markets. On the 7th of August Stand Tall with the help of Sue Boyne allowed the students to set up a stall and sell at the yearly Canvas careers expo. In 2024 we had 15 yes businesses set up a market stall at the Canvas careers expo this year we had a massive 21 YES business! Here are some cool pics of our students selling platforms.
A highlight for me was hearing that Sunlive Bay News had reached out to Otumoetai College Cook & Collaborate wanting to publish an article on the girls recipe platform. Click here to have a read-along.
And another highlight was to see Manafit from Whakatāne High School featured on @_pukaea_ (click on the image to watch!)
Finally, in September the businesses had the rather large task of completing and submitting their annual review. The annual review is a 10-page business summary that needs to meet the chartered accounts marking criteria. The criteria include Executive Summary, Innovation, Production, Marketing, Sales, Finance, Sustainability. 34 of the businesses submitted their Annual review. They did the mahi and now they get the treat!
In October we hosted our end-of-year YES Regional Finals/Awards evening at the beautiful Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club. All 34 businesses who submitted their annual review as well as mentors, teachers, funders and whanau were invited to join us on this very special night. As well as handing out 34 certificates to the business that completed their annual review we also welcomed our 7 finalist teams from WBop and Rotorua/Taupo to pitch live in front of everyone, to be marked by our 4 judges: Melanie Short, Hannah Wynn, Hoani Matenga and Rangimarie Taueki. (With Buddy Meyer, Tauranga City Council, and Pascale Hyboud-Peron Stand Tall on the photo.)
First up to pitch for the night was Taupo nui a Tia Colleges, GoAble. Go Able is a new mapping and review platform that lets wheelchair users share reliable, real-world accessibility information, making it easier to plan routes and find accessible destinations. The platform, born from a student's personal challenge, not only empowers users but also encourages businesses to become more inclusive by featuring an accountability leaderboard.
Second to pitch was Rotorua Boys High Schools, Mana Kakara. Mana kakara create uniquely Aotearoa fragrances that reflect Māori values and native botanicals, while delivering the same quality and elegance as luxury brands at a price that is affordable for everyone.
Third we had Otumoetai College Wandering Kiwi. Wandering kiwi is a reusable road trip bingo game. Specifically created to offer parents a tech-free alternative to entertaining children on long car rides, addressing the challenge of screen time on family journeys. Not only does the game encourage kids to engage with the surrounding landscape, but it also adds an educational element by including Te Reo Māori translations for all the icons.
Fourth to Pitch was Aquinas College, Kawacalm Recovery. KawaCalm Recovery is a natural, sustainable magnesium and Kawakawa-based muscle recovery balm designed to relieve muscle pain and cramps for athletes without leaving behind a strong smell or a sticky residue on your skin.
Fifth to Pitch was Otumoetai College, Nourish & Flourish .Nourish & Flourish is a hair care brand started by four Otumoetai College students who were frustrated by expensive, chemical-laden products on the market. They created a single, powerful hair oil combining five organic, palm-free oils designed to tackle numerous hair health issues and help customers feel confident about their hair.
Sixth up was Aquinas College Buzz’n Buff. Buzz’n Buff has created a premium, all-natural shoe polish designed specifically for New Zealand cadets, affordable, safe, and built to meet uniform standards.
Last but no least we had Whakatane High Schools ManaFit. Manafit is a company specializing in high-quality compression wear featuring unique Māori-inspired designs. Their first product, the Whenua Sleeve, is an arm-sleeve created to support joint health and aid in recovery, all while being designed for anyone from any culture to wear safely.
Everyone put on a captivating pitch and in the end, after much discussion by the judges they came to the conclusion that from the Rotorua/Taupo region GoAble took 1st place.
In the Western Bay of Plenty Buzz’n Buff took our 1st place also.
Both teams will go and represent the regions at the YES National Finals on Dec 4th 2025 in Wellington.
We had 7 other awards for both teams and single entrepreneurs voted by their pairs and teachers.
Best Product Presentation was awarded to: Nourish & Flourish, Otumoetai College
Best Financial management was awarded to: Wandering Kiwi, Otumoetai College
Best Teamwork was awarded to: Plenty Good, Te Puke High School
BOP Most innovative was awarded to: Buzz’n Buff, Aquinas College
Taupo/Rotorua Most innovative was awarded to: GoAble, Taupo nui a Tia College
BOP Community Benefit was awarded to: Kiwi Haven, Te Puke High School
Taupo/Rotorua Community Benefit was awarded to: GoAble, Taupo nui a Tia College
Greatest Contributor overall was awarded to: Nutric+, Otumoetai College
BOP Regional Young Entrepreneur of the Year was awarded to: Loralei Feist, Otumoetai College
Rotorua/Taupo Regional Young Entrepreneur of the Year was awarded to: Basi Remaldora, Rotorua Boys High School
On behalf of the Stand Tall team, Young Enterprise Trust, and our fav programme YES thank you all so much for an amazing, fun-filled year.
See you in 2026!
Written with ❤ by a proud regional coordinator,
Ngā mihi, Manaia
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