The way we live and work today can be transformed into something far more sustainable – and the ideas we support and invest in now will shape our future. If we want Kiwi ingenuity to lead, we must get behind it now.
Yes, seemingly endless challenges exist. Global events, from the pandemic to energy shocks, storms, floods, growing inequality and supply chain disruptions, remind us of the risks we face. But beneath the numbers, there’s always enormous opportunity. By addressing these sustainability issues head-on, we can create a future that is resilient, prosperous and fair. One in which Kiwi ingenuity, can-do personality, our diversity, leads the world in creating solutions.
It’s time to change the settings. Better yet, it’s time to grab the power back and redesign the entire economic system.
This means shifting from an extractive, degenerative economy to one rooted in regeneration. It’s about creating value through revitalising our landscapes, waterways and oceans – designing products and services that actively restore our communities and natural systems that support us.
Revolutions are a feature of human society. What we’re seeing now is nothing short of the biggest industrial revolution in history. Those at the forefront will define the shape of the next era.
The race is on, and Aotearoa New Zealand has an increasing number of innovations that are actively leading it. Innovators we work with across the country are tackling the big issues with ingenuity, resilience and fresh thinking. The Sustainable Business Network, and our award judges, are privileged to witness this every day through the annual Next list we’ve created.
The scale and diversity of innovation is awe-inspiring. In our first year, we identified 95 key sustainability innovators, which we affectionately called the Next 95; the 2025 list includes 119. When you look closely, you can see progress everywhere. This is where so much of my future hope sits. With this amazing, talented pool of impressive people.
3R Group is collecting and reprocessing over three million tyres a year. ŌKU New Zealand healing creates crafts teas steeped in mātauranga Māori. BioLumic enhances crops, avoiding genetic modification and sprays with clever use of ultraviolet light. The Ōtaki Kids Market is inspiring and growing the next generation of sustainability entrepreneurs.
The Foodprint app now facilitates surplus food sales from more than 600 eateries. Eden Juice has redirected four million kilograms of fruit from landfill into nutritious use. Echo diverted the same volume of e-waste last year. Mugcycle and FillGood have eliminated thousands of single-use cups, while Solid toothpaste removed the need for 150,000 toothpaste tubes.
Whole sectors are transforming. We have 22 Next Listers from the built environment alone, combining tradition and technology – like Hiberna Modular’s prefab straw panels and KiwiKrete’s kina-based concrete. Levela Deconstruction and Trow Group are supporting Māori and Pasifika communities reclaiming valuable resources from unwanted buildings.
The movement is spreading through communities and young people. Schools like the wonderful and passionate Rangi Ruru Girls’ School lead student-driven sustainability projects. Rangatahi are planting native trees and transforming food waste through the Etū Rākau Charitable Trust. Predator Free NZ trains over 100 apprentices, with 98% securing conservation employment.
From tourism influencers Peekaboo Backyard in Kaitaia to Aro Ha Wellness Retreat in Glenorchy, New Zealand is exploring innovative ways to appeal to visitors and deliver food and experiences more sustainably.
Now imagine the impact if more of us purchased, invested and partnered with these ventures. Together, we could reshape our nation – and influence the world.
The Next Wave report, which we produced with the University of Canterbury, shows exactly what these innovators need: profile, support, customers and funds. SBN is bringing these elements together through a range of events and initiatives.
But we need collective momentum. Everyone can contribute to this, helping steer us toward a thriving future for ourselves, our children and generations to come.
It’s a no-brainer. These Kiwi individuals and businesses have some of the best ideas to tackle the challenges we face. Partnering with them makes everything we do smarter, with ideas that multiply across sectors and interconnect to re-build the systems we want to live and flourish in.
Some initiatives are already gaining traction. The impressive team at the East Coast Exchange now links investors with people restoring their regional ecosystems, earning credits that can be reinvested into more good work. The Franklin Energy Sharing Pilot is exploring municipal solar charging for local communities.
The Next List uncovers billions of dollars in potential value and thousands of meaningful, fulfilling jobs that can endure the test of time. The returns on investment are tangible and growing.
These innovators and disruptors aren’t asking New Zealand to imagine a sustainable future – they’re already building it. This is the positive future I know my kids and grandkids want.
The only question is: how soon do you want to start benefiting by being part of it?
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