After Building Global Startup, Two Founders Who Met at Uni Are Backing a New Generation of Kiwi Students

Why It Matters

The contribution creates a sustainable pipeline of capital and expertise for New Zealand’s next wave of entrepreneurs, strengthening the university’s innovation ecosystem and amplifying its global impact.

Key Takeaways

• Kami serves 70 million users in 180 countries.
• Founders donate ~US$18,000 to University of Auckland’s CIE fund.
• Fund targets Velocity program, supporting 8,000+ students annually.
• Hiraya Ventures backs early‑stage Kiwi startups with global potential.
• Alumni fund aims to create a connected mentorship network.

Pulse Analysis

Kami’s rise from a classroom prototype to a worldwide ed‑tech platform underscores the power of university incubators. Launched in 2012 through the Velocity $100,000 Challenge, the platform now streamlines lesson planning for teachers and reaches millions of learners across continents. Its rapid adoption earned TIME’s 2022 list of most influential companies and culminated in the founders winning EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2025, positioning New Zealand as a fertile ground for scalable tech ventures.

The newly created CIE Alumni Fund, seeded with roughly US$18,000, is designed to institutionalize alumni support for the university’s entrepreneurship pipeline. By channeling resources into Velocity and related programs, the fund lowers financial barriers for students, enabling them to prototype, test, and launch ideas without upfront cost. The initiative also serves as a catalyst for a broader alumni network, encouraging seasoned founders and investors to contribute capital, mentorship, and operational expertise, thereby creating a virtuous cycle of knowledge transfer and funding.

For the wider Kiwi startup ecosystem, this model signals a shift toward more collaborative, university‑centric financing. Hiraya Ventures, the founders’ family office, already backs early‑stage companies with global aspirations, illustrating how private capital can complement academic resources. As more alumni follow suit, the University of Auckland could become a hub that consistently produces high‑growth companies, attracting talent and investment to New Zealand’s tech landscape. This approach may inspire other institutions worldwide to formalize alumni‑driven funds, reinforcing the role of higher education in economic development.