Applications for Cohort 9 have closed! Stay tuned to meet our newest cohort in may.
Big Island Now
“We’re also thrilled to continue our partnership with Hawaiian Airlines to support flights for Neighbor Island companies, making their participation in Mana Up possible,” said James. “The companies come to O‘ahu weekly and Neighbor Island companies in Cohorts 1 and 2 benefitted immensely from the opportunity to expand their network during the program.”
Hawaii Business Magazine
Mana Up's third cohort of 10 local companies includes seven led by women and five based on Hawaii Island. The businesses offer a mix of consumer goods - including food, fashion and home goods - aimed at locals, tourists and the worldwide market.
Hawaii Business Magazine
Visitors are more willing than ever to venture outside of Waikiki, said Meli James, co-founder of Mana Up and president of the Hawaii Venture Capital Association. Visitors “want to learn and they actually respect the culture and this melting pot of many cultures that make up Hawaii,” James said. They know the difference between an authentic experience and a tourist trap, so tell these customers the story of your brand and why it is uniquely Hawaiian.
Hawaii News Now
HI Now host Kanoe Gibson is in the kitchen with Chef Adam Tabura, “Cutthroat Kitchen” contestant and winner of the Food Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race” with Aloha Plate. Chef Tabura is a chef based in Hawaii and has been the executive chef for some of Hawaii’s top resorts and restaurants.
Beautifully Be. Equipped
Meet Meli James. She’s the cofounder of Mana Up, a Hawai’i-based initiative designed to build the state’s next generation of CEOs in the retail and food product industry.
Mana Up’s accelerator program supports local entrepreneurs by helping them shift their thinking about business, to go beyond being a mom-and-pop operation to become global market influencers.
Entrepreneur Meli James, co-founder of Mana Up, was recently named to the National Small Business Association (NSBA) Leadership Council. NSBA is the nation’s oldest small-business advocacy organization and operates on a staunchly nonpartisan basis. James, a recognized leader in the small business community, joins the NSBA Leadership Council along with other small business advocates from across the country to promote the interests of small business to policymakers in Washington, D.C.
American Spa
Mana Artisan Botanics, a Hawaiian-based wellness brand, is expanding its product portfolio with a new CBD-inspired spa line. The line debuted at the Mana Up Holiday Showcase in November to more than 1,5000 attendees.
“The spa industry is a new market we have pursued with great success,” says Steve Sakala, cofounder and CEO of Mana Artisan Botanics. “Our Hawaiian roots, synergistic formulations, and how our products are handcrafted in small batches with local ingredients have really resonated with the wellness focus of the spa industry. Mana means ‘life force energy’ in Hawaiian, and our mission is to promote wellness by having our customers infuse themselves with nature’s mana.”
Pacific Business News
DFS Hawaii is partnering with Hawaii product accelerator Mana Up to feature products from companies that have participated in the biannual 12-week program.
The luxury travel retailer said the partnership also includes tastings and promotional events at its Waikiki location.
DFS Group, the world’s leading luxury travel retailer, and Hawaiʻi business accelerator Mana Up are excited to announce the launch of a creative, new and innovative partnership to support the growth of authentic Hawaiʻi products’ appeal to a global audience. DFS Hawaiʻi and Mana Up endeavor to assist local companies by connecting businesses to their customers locally as well as providing access to markets worldwide.
KITV4 Island News
Meli James, co-founder of Mana Up branches out to assist other local entrepreneurs. Mana Up is an economic development initiative to build Hawai'i's next 100 product companies earning $1million or more in annual revenue. They launched their second 12-week accelerator program in August. Helping enable Hawai'i product entrepreneurs to scale their businesses.
Join the excitement next Friday November 2, as Mana Up hosts its Holiday Showcase at T Galleria, by DFS Hawaii. Eleven local product businesses will present to a large audience, explaining how they are growing global businesses from right here in Hawaii.
Whether you are an investor, buyer, a potential customer, or simply interested in what it takes to grow a business globally, watch, listen, and learn as these ten dynamic businesses give their best pitch to a diverse crowd of industry experts and insiders.
Bytemarks Cafe
First, we hear from Meli James about the next Mana Up Showcase happening at T Galleria by DFS Hawaii in Waikiki. Then, we hear from Ruby Menon from JamBios and BJ Fogg from Stanford University about the Behavior Design Lab and Tiny Habits Workshops.