We live in a small country where we all know someone, who knows someone, who knows someone else.
This has become really apparent over the past few days following a post I read from someone I know, Robett Hollis, about someone else I know, Andy Hamilton, and a companyhe is a partner in called Manaaki/WeAreIndigo.
I responded to Robett’s post because it claimed that a due diligence report commissioned by former Callaghan Innovation CEO, Vic Crone, who I also know, had been subsequently withheld by Callaghan Innovation, the Board of which is chaired by Pete Hodgson, who I also know.
The world suddenly got smaller because, within 24 hours of commenting on Robett’s post I had received copies of two due diligence reports where several witnesses had gone on record outlining ways they believed Manaaki/WeAreIndigo had adversely impacted them.
The evidence was such that Callaghan denied funding to Manaaki/WeAreIndigo for its new founder and start-up programme.
The reports contained the names of other people in the tech sector who I knew and respected.
But what stood out for me were the names I did not recognise. The names of the new founders that had next to no access to the decision-makers and influencers who we all know are part of any business ecosystem.
What became clearer, as some of those witnesses contacted me with their stories, was that there were those among them who were fearful of the consequences of speaking out because of the apparent imbalance of power and resources.
In Māori, Manaaki means to cherish, protect, look after and, as an industry, we need to ensure the system we put in place lives up to that kaupapa.
It appears, from what I read in comments around Robett’s post, that this kaupapa of caring may not have been met by Manaaki/WeAreIndigo.
But there lay the conundrum.
Callaghan Innovation, on legal advice, had declined to release the reports even though they had seen enough in them to decline Manaaki/WeAreIndigo’s application for significant funding to help young company founders make their way in these challenging times.
What I read was disturbing. It included the names of witnesses, their statements regarding their dealings with Manaaki/WeAreIndigo, together with what appeared to be evidence to support those claims.
Missing from the reports however was any indication that Manaaki/WeAreIndigo had been consulted as to the contents of the reports prior to them having their application declined.
I have now seen press releases from Manaaki/WeAreIndigo and have spoken with two of the partners.
When I put all of what I have learned together, I believe the only way forward is for a fully independent inquiry to be held, so that all parties feel safe to give their evidence, fully in the knowledge they will be protected.
This of course includes Manaaki/WeAreIndigo, which disputes the decisions reached in the due diligence reports.
Sir Ian Taylor says politicians should step away and let an independent inquiry examine the Manaaki/WeAreIndigo and Callaghan Innovation issue.
My fear is that now politicians have got involved, their first reaction will be to find out who leaked the reports and look for ulterior motives for those of us speaking out.
Minister Ayesha Verrall has made that clear in her view, expressed to someone she spoke to once being made aware of my involvement in this, that I was “not in the Government’s good books” and that this was me being anti-Government.
I assume that was because of the role I took trying to convince them there was a different way to deal with Covid, focused on saving both lives and livelihoods, using clever Kiwi solutions to deliver on that vision.
I have now seen and read enough to know that all of this began with the best of intentions on all sides, but things have gone terribly wrong, and the impact on all involved is real.
Now that this has escalated up to politicians, the best step they can take is to step aside and bring in that independent inquiry.
The inquiry’s brief should not only include sorting through all of the conflicting information currently doing the rounds in this case, but also to examine the ecosystem we work in to ensure we can build structures that protect our young innovators as they make their way in the world.
At least one of the founders is now faced with legal bills in the thousands of dollars. That does not align with the concept of Manaaki.
