Waikato Māori DigiTech Networking Event

Lee Timutimu

Founder Takiaho Movement

Tribal Affiliations: Ngāti Awa, Ngai Te Rangi, Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou

Pronouns: He/Him/Ia

Lee has worked in the IT industry for over 20 years, primarily in the IT support services space. He has deep networks and relationships into the Māori digitech (digital and technology) ecosystem and public and private sectors in Aotearoa New Zealand. He’s the Co-Founder of Ko Māui Hangarau and Te Hapori Matihiko, and Founder of Te Matarau - the Māori Tech Association and Takiaho Movement.

Lee was born and raised in Whakatāne, but now lives with his wife and whānau (family) in Kirikiriroa (Hamilton).

In recent years, Lee has founded two separate advocacy communities that seek to represent and support Māori working in digitech. He founded Te Matarau in 2021, and helped to lead and grow the membership to 370+ individual members by the end of 2023. In 2022, he co-founded Te Hapori Matihiko, which now enjoys a membership of 950+ members. Before the founding of Te Matarau and Te Hapori Matihiko, there were no advocacy or support communities that Māori digitech practitioners could subscribe to or be a part of.

Lee is on a mission to help increase both the representation and participation of Māori in digitech. A lot of the mahi (work) he does sees him leading and advocating in this space.

"Visibility and representation of Māori in digitech is vital, because it plays an important part in inspiring the next generation of Rangatahi Māori (Māori youth) onto pathways into digital and tech. I believe any opportunity where we can come together to connect and represent our Māori communities in digitech is an important opportunity."

His latest journey saw him file a treaty claim with the Waitangi Tribunal on 19 January 2023, in order to highlight the digital inequities that currently impact Māori. #Wai 3311

“I have had the privilege of working in our communities these past few years, which has allowed me to see and experience first-hand many of the inequities that affect Māori today in the digitech realm” says Timutimu. “Whether it be the lack of digital pathways into sector for Rangatahi Māori, or the streaming of Māori youth away from STEM subjects in high school, or the digital divide that disproportionately effects Whānau Māori, the impacts of digital inequity prevent us from effectively participating in a world that is increasingly reliant on digitech tools and systems and digital literacy.”

Lee was a 2024 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Semi-Finalist, which recognised his work as an advocate and leader in the Māori digitech community.