Meet the newest 10 local companies joining mana up's cohort 9!
Hawaiʻi Magazine
It sounds like the dream Hawaiʻi life: Buying an old farm in Puna on Hawaiʻi Island off an ad on Craiglist to start growing coffee. You wake up to the quiet of a farm, living minutes from the ocean, basking in the Island sunshine. Oh, and you’ve got your own coffee, too.
Part of that is true for Kelleigh Stewart and Brandon Von Damitz, the husband-and-wife duo behind Big Island Coffee Roasters.
Aloha, We're starting monthly newsletters for our Mana Up community - mahalo for being a part of it! We will share updates from our local entrepreneurs and the latest in the world of Mana Up. We hope their stories inspire you as they do us, and that they illustrate how important it is to support local companies.
Hawaiʻi Magazine
The team at HAWAIʻI Magazine decided to highlight Hawaiʻi-based businesses in a new blog series called “Shop With Aloha,” to encourage you to support them in whatever way you can.
To kick if off, we’re partnering with Mana Up Hawaiʻi, a Honolulu-based accelerator for consumer packaged goods with an e-commerce store that sells curated Hawaiʻi-based goods, from reef-safe sunscreen to chocolate bars made from locally grown cacao.
Honolulu Magazine
On Maui, there is a food resource that is literally running wild: deer. As food banks see a 30% increase in need, a number that is only rising, “we can’t ask farmers to grow lettuce quicker, ranchers to overharvest cows, but we can harvest more deer,” says Jacob Muise of Maui Nui Venison.
Hawaiʻi Magazine
On this week’s “Have Aloha Will Travel” podcast, Kevin and Cat talk story with Mana Up Hawaiʻi co-founder, Meli James, from much more than six feet away.
In this episode, Meli speaks to the “Have Aloha Will Travel” crew about Mana Up’s mission, which is to provide mentoring opportunities to local small businesses as well as sell and highlight Hawaiʻi-made products on its website and storefront (2201 Kalākaua Ave., Space A110, Honolulu), which is now temporarily closed due to COVID-19.
Pacific Business News
Much like other sectors in business, COVID-19 is having an impact on local startups as they gear up and plan for upcoming spring and summer 2020 cohorts.
"This crisis also demonstrates the critical importance of local companies," Meli James, cofounder of Mana Up told PBN. "Many are rising to the challenge and pulling up their sleeves to solve some of the state’s problems."
Hawaii Business Magazine
"Locally owned small businesses in Hawai‘i are being hit especially hard. A silver lining we found is our Mana Up ‘ohana and founders supporting each other. Now is the time to be creative and come together," says Meli James, Cofounder & President, Mana Up, and President, Hawaii Venture Capital Association.
Pacific Business News
Passed down to local entrepreneur Kenji Lee by his older brother Taisei, and a recipe from his Uncle Martin before that, Swiss Inn Dressing is one of Hawaii's tastiest family secrets.
Hawaii Business Magazine
Profiles of the 25 winners and finalists of the 2020 Hawaii Venture Capital Association’s Awards.
Pacific Business News
Carbon Lighthouse, Fused Hawaii, Mohala Eyewear, TurnoverBnB and others recognized for their contribution in the tech and start-up scenes by the Hawaii Venture Capital Association's 20th annual Awards Gala.
Hawaii Business Magazine
In less than four years in Hawai‘i, Brittany Heyd has made an indelible mark on the entrepreneurial landscape. The co-founder and partner with Meli James in the accelerator called Mana Up has helped supercharge four cohorts of Hawai‘i startups. She says they have provided 41 companies with mentorship, new connections, venture capital and other support so their products can thrive nationally and internationally.
Pacific Business News
By trade Kehaulani Nielson has been a flight attendant for more than 20 years, but in between the demands of her day job, Nielson runs her apparel business Kahulalea in Ala Moana Center.
Kahulalea began in 2013 as a simple side business, turning upcycled hula costumes into handbags. In 2016, Nielson switched gears and added clothing product lines.