MANA UP SHOWCASE ANNOUNCES NEW AND EXPANDED LINE UP IN CELEBRATION OF LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS

October 5, 2023

 

MANA UP SHOWCASE ANNOUNCES NEW AND EXPANDED LINE UP IN CELEBRATION OF LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS

The three-day event series highlights emerging leaders of Hawai’i and returns with its signature marketplace at Bloomingdale’s Ala Moana

 

Honolulu – Mana Up announces its annual Mana Up Showcase, an event series that highlights Hawai‘i's emerging entrepreneurial leaders and musicians. The events will take place over three days with a combination of in person events in Honolulu and a global broadcast slated for November 19. The Mana Up Showcase 2023 is presented by King’s Hawaiian, the Hilo-founded sweet bread company that has since scaled into a global brand over the last 70 years. Additional major sponsors include Hawaiian Airlines, Shopify, Bank of Hawai‘i and Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Water.

 

This year’s signature events are: 

• Mana Up Showcase Celebration and Marketplace, November 9th at 5pm:  the Mana Up Showcase Celebration and Marketplace including features from Mana Up’s most recent graduates of Cohort 8 and alumni. The event will be held at Bloomingdale’s Ala Moana, 3rd Floor in Honolulu and includes a marketplace of over 50 local vendors,craft cocktails by Kō Hana Rum, local food and more. All vendors will be offeringspecial products, new releases and limited-time discounts, perfect for early holiday shopping. 
• Mana Up Showcase Broadcast, November 19th: The award-winning Mana Up Showcase global broadcast is back this year with a fresh batch of entrepreneur storytelling, Artists to Watch performances, live shopping and more. Aired on Hawaii News Now and social streaming platforms. 

Additional, new events include: 

• Mana Up x Pow Wow Pitch, November 8th at 3pm:Mana Up has partnered with Pow Wow Pitch for its first-ever event in Hawai‘i. Pow Wow Pitch is a global organization featuring Native-owned businesses. The event held on November 8th at the Hawaii Convention Center invites Native-owned businesses to pitch their idea to a crowd and judges, with the winner taking home a cash prize and an invitation to pitch at the global competition. 
• Artists to Watch + Anuhea Live Concert, presented by Maui Divers, November 8th at 6pm: in its fourth year featuring young musicians across Hawai‘i as part of the Mana Up Showcase broadcast, Mana Up is now bringing the experience into a live concert at the Hawaii Convention Center. Eventgoers will see the “Artists to Watch” perform their original music and also enjoy a headline performance from Anuhea.  Food and drink will be available.

This year boasts an expanded event schedule for the Mana Up Showcase in the context of its past successes. Over the last three years, more than 700,000 people have watched the Showcase virtually and the past in person events have gathered over 5,000 attendees. Additionally, the Mana Up Showcase broadcast has earned four International Telly awards for best Opener, Virtual Experience, and Storytelling. 

 

“The Mana Up Showcase is our annual opportunity to celebrate Hawai‘i’s incredible talent and invite our community to be part of their success. If you want to feel good about the future of Hawai‘i, you should definitely tune in virtually or join us at an in person event.  These creators inspire us to see how entrepreneurship can solve the many challenges we face today in our islands including economic diversification, community giveback and sustainability,” says Meli James, Mana Up co-founder. 

 

The large production is a collaboration of many organizations committed to a healthy and diversified economy in Hawai‘i, bringing together event partners like King’s Hawaiian, Hawaiian Airlines, Shopify, Bank of Hawai‘i and Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water and accelerator partners including title partner Kamehameha Schools and partners Bank of Hawaii, Altres, Castle & Cooke, and Hawaii Technology Development Corporation.

 

Additional event partners include: Maui Divers as Concert Partner, Hawaiian Electric Industries (HEI) as People’s Choice Partner, Hawaiian Telcom as Connectivity Partner, Knobbe Martens as Legal Partner, VertAccount as local Pow Wow Pitch Partner, Honolulu Magazine and Hawaii Magazine as Media Partners, Hawaiian Host Group and Zippy’s as Ohana Partners, Servco, Spire Hawaii, L&L Hawaiian Barbeque, Better Business Bureau and Ola Brewing as event partners. 

 

In addition to the livestream and broadcast on Hawaii News Now on November 19, Mana Up is providing a dedicated showcase experience for Japanese viewers through a translated show and shopping site supported by Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) to be also hosted on November 18th local Japan time. 

 

Featured Entrepreneurs at the Mana Up 2023 Showcase:Averylily,Brianne & Co., Hawaiian Rainforest Naturals,Hawaiian Soda Co,Hobbs Tea,Liquid Life Hawai’I,Lotus & Lime,Kaka‘ako Kasuals,Maui Chili Chili Oil,Sweet Land Farm, andUBAE. 

 

Artists to Watch Performances Include: Hazel-Rose Kamaka’ona’onaokamalani Nāhi‘ena‘ena, Hezekiah Lagestee (Hezekiah), Imani Colon (Tomboy Mani), Keawe‘iwi Pilayo (‘Iwi), Rocco Olmstead and Tehani Whittington (Tehani).

 

Ticket Information

To reserve your spot for the in-person events or to register our livestream and broadcast shows, visit https://manaupshowcase.com/. 

 

Attendees of the in-person events must purchase a ticket separately from the free livestream event registration. Ticket prices range from $45 to $75. 

 

All registrants will automatically be entered into over 20 prize giveaways; entries will be accepted through November 19 at 4:30 p.m. HST. 

About Mana Up

Mana Up is an accelerator and venture fund for Hawaiʻi-based products growing to markets globally, with the mission to increase economic opportunity and jobs for the people of Hawaiʻi. To date, 85 local companies have participated in the six-month accelerator program that provides expansion opportunities and helps solve business challenges. For more information about the accelerator program, visit www.manauphawaii.com, and to shop House of Mana Up, visit https://houseofmanaup.com.  

Mana Up is supported by Kamehameha Schools, Castle & Cooke Hawai’i, Bank of Hawaii, ALTRES, Hawaiian Airlines, Kaiser Permanente Hawai’i, Hawai’i Technology Development Corporation, Innovate Hawai’i, American Savings Bank, Ulupono Initiative, Young Brothers, UHA Health Insurance, Pineapple Tweed, Shopify, Foodland and Dole.

 

MEDIA CONTACT

Courtney Liu

Communications & Marketing Manager

808.497.5387

courtney@manauphawaii.com