Impact Snapshot

June 2024

In this Impact Snapshot, read about EHF Fellows in action creating economic, environmental and social impact, plus recent recognitions and awards they’ve received during June 2024.

Fellows in action 🎬

Peter Thompson, Bernadette Casey, and Deborah Crowe (co-founders of UsedFULLY) are leading a pivotal moment for Aotearoa NZ's circular economy with their plans to scale production of new materials from textile waste. They announced the launch of a $3 million capital raise, on an $8 million company valuation, to enable them to construct a manufacturing plant capable of processing up to 1,500 tonnes of waste textiles annually and to expand into international markets. 

This initiative demonstrates how low emissions and economic prosperity can coexist, offering high-value, high-performing recycled products to industries such as roading and construction.

Peter, Bernadette, and Deborah's efforts have garnered strong investor confidence, reflecting the viability and importance of UsedFULLY's innovative approach to addressing textile waste. This development is a significant step forward in contributing to a circular economy, enhancing sustainability, and reducing environmental impacts in Aotearoa NZ.

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Aaron McDonald’s Futureverse has featured in the 2024 Alibaba Group Annual Report. Futureverse’s partnership with Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group marks a significant collaboration aimed at advancing high-performance AI infrastructure and security standards.

Futureverse, an innovative company in AI and metaverse technologies, has developed the JEN Music AI platform, leading the field in AI music generation. Through their collaboration with Alibaba Cloud, Futureverse has achieved technology breakthroughs that enhance the impact of AI on the music and entertainment industry. This partnership combines Futureverse's expertise in AI music solutions with Alibaba Cloud's scalable cloud computing capabilities, setting new benchmarks for high-performance AI infrastructure and security.

Owen Gaffney is co-leading a significant collaboration with The Nobel Prize and BBC News, producing a podcast series titled ‘Whose Truth’. 

The series features Nobel Laureates discussing misinformation, disinformation, critical thinking, and their personal experiences with these issues. 

The first episode, featuring Katalin Kariko (mRNA COVID vaccine), highlights timely topics relevant to current global events. 

Owen's work emphasises the importance of credible information and critical thinking, and is contributing to a more informed and discerning public.

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Elizabeth McNaughton, who co-founded Hummingly with fellow EHF Fellow Jolie Wills, has restructured the organisation to enable a strategic pivot towards addressing the escalating impact of climate-related disasters. The two Hummingly entities, based in the US and Aotearoa NZ, were separated last year, with Elizabeth rebranding the NZ entity as Disastrous

Disastrous supports frontline disaster workers in Aotearoa NZ and Australia, using innovative approaches to build community resilience, focusing on practical tools and real-world applications to make a tangible difference in disaster preparedness and response. 

Elizabeth has also been collaborating with EHF Fellow Bart de Vries, who has supported the launch of new initiatives, including the podcast series ‘Disrupting Disasters’. The series offers valuable insights and support to disaster management professionals, as a platform to share vital information and experiences in the effort to create a community of practice among disaster responders.

Disastrous recently designed and conducted the ‘Leadership and Wellbeing’ workshop in Central Hawke’s Bay, to ‘support the supporters’. This workshop is part of a broader movement of powerful community initiatives aimed at fostering recovery, resilience, and wellbeing.

In addition, Disastrous also co-designed and facilitated a successful Australian Government Crisis Exercising Forum at the National Emergency Management Agency. The event brought together various Australian Government agencies to share knowledge, ideas, and strengthen their relationships and capabilities, creating a more robust and collaborative approach to disaster response.

Justin Milano and Kat Lintott recently featured as speakers at Electrify Aotearoa 2024, the sold-out event attended by 600 entrepreneurs, founders and investors. The annual event aims to support women in the startup ecosystem, help them find role models and build their community.

Justin, founder of Abroad, supported women founders with his talk, ‘You're The Leader You've Been Waiting For’, offering guidance and advice on unlocking leadership potential. Kat, co-founder of Wrestler, provided insights as part of a panel discussion on ‘Growing Alongside Your Business’, guiding founders on sustainable growth.

Their involvement in this event highlights the role EHF Fellows play in nurturing and inspiring the NZ startup ecosystem, supporting the success of women entrepreneurs.

Dina Buchbinder Auron has been honoured with the prestigious National Geographic Wayfinder Award 2024, recognising her as an emerging leader and innovator. 

This accolade celebrates her work in advocating for learning through play and shaping global citizens ready to tackle contemporary challenges. The award is given to 15 individuals worldwide each year, celebrating emerging leaders, communicators, and innovators whose critical work inspires people to care for the world.

Dina's recognition highlights the impact of her efforts with Educación para Compartir/Education for Sharing, inspiring continued collaboration and exploration to address global issues.

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Kaye Maree Dunn (Making Everything Achievable) has partnered with Community Research to present the podcast series ‘Te Tiriti 2024 and Beyond’, to share diverse and practical perspectives on Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The series serves as a valuable resource for those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of te Tiriti (the Treaty) and its relevance today.

The podcast features engaging discussions and candid conversations with influential thought leaders, including Fellow Faumuina Felolini Maria Tafuna’i, who share personal journeys and insights into the ongoing significance of Aotearoa NZ’s founding documents. These discussions highlight the impacts of colonisation, advocate for education and historical understanding, and emphasise the potential for a more just and inclusive future for all New Zealanders.

In creating the podcast series, Kaye Maree is contributing to awareness, fostering dialogue, and empowering rangatahi (youth) leadership, ultimately aiming to create positive societal change grounded in Te Tiriti principles.

Rio Hemopo-Hunuki, founder and creative director of Koi Digital Ltd, participated in an engaging online panel discussion hosted by AcademyEX. 

The session featured conversations about AI, digital spaces, and gaming, bringing together leading creative tech innovators, providing a valuable platform for sharing insights and exploring the cutting-edge world of game creation and storytelling.

Rio's contribution to the panel discussion  helps highlight Aotearoa NZ as a hub for cutting-edge technological advancements.

Steven Moe was highly commended for his contributions to ethical and impact investing at the Mindful Money Awards. His recognition in the category of Best Media Reporting on Ethical and/or Impact Investment celebrates his efforts in raising awareness and promoting responsible investment practices. 

This acknowledgment highlights Steven’s contributions in advancing the field of ethical investing, reflecting the growing movement to align financial investments with sustainability and social wellbeing goals, to create a more responsible and impactful investment landscape in Aotearoa NZ.

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Sasha Lockley and Money Sweetspot have achieved significant recognition by becoming Aotearoa NZ’s sole finalist for the second consecutive year in the esteemed Financial Wellbeing Impact Awards 2024. They have been shortlisted in the ‘Biggest Impact on Financial Health’ category, a testament to their efforts in supporting New Zealanders facing financial challenges.

This recognition places Money Sweetspot alongside global leaders in financial services, highlighting their impactful contributions to improving financial wellbeing. Sasha and her team are committed to providing essential support to New Zealanders, offering tools for financial reset and incentives for maintaining financial stability through enhanced financial knowledge and management skills.

Cam Smith, founder of Take2, an organisation dedicated to providing transformative opportunities through skill development, recently hosted the Chief Executive of the Department of Corrections NZ at the Take2 community training space in Auckland, for a day of inspiring conversations and meaningful connections.

The event celebrated collaborations that have been pivotal to Take2's mission, recognising the contributions of employment partners who have played a crucial role in creating opportunities for apprentices and transforming lives through their support. The event was also an opportunity to hear from Take2 graduates, who shared their personal journeys and achievements, illustrating how they have turned challenges into opportunities and built new futures through the skill development offered by Take2.

Take2 was also included in the lineup of Australia's top innovators in this year's Parliamentary Innovative Tech Showcase, hosted by the Tech Council of Australia, at Australian Parliament House. This prestigious event highlighted innovative approaches to transforming lives through technology and skill development.

Jordan Osmond and Antoinette Wilson (co-founders of Happen Films) released a teaser for their upcoming feature film, ‘The New Peasants’, featured on Documentary Australia. The film offers an intimate look into the lives of Meg, Patrick, and their son Woody, a family transitioning away from modern industrial culture towards a radically simple and sustainable way of life.

Building on the success of their previous short films with this family, ‘Creatures of Place’ and ‘From Weedy Forests’, the new feature dives deeper into their story. Motivated by concerns about the industrial food system and environmental crises, the family has spent 20 years living intentionally below the poverty line, meeting 80% of their needs without money, and finding wealth in community connections, and homesteading skills. 

The film offers a vision of transformative change starting at home and in communities, raising awareness about sustainable living in the hope to inspire viewers to consider alternative lifestyles, creating a cultural shift towards self-sufficiency and environmental responsibility.

*Images have been provided by Fellows or sourced from the Internet. EHF does not claim to own the images.