News & Updates

The Best Of Startup Paradise

The Best Of Startup Paradise

March 04, 2018

Hawaii Business Magazine

The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and flourishing in Hawaii, aka Startup Paradise. A total of 27 companies and individuals were honored at the Hawaii Venture Capital Association’s annual awards dinner on March 1 at the Waialae Country Club. The honorees are young and older and cover a lot of industries, from ag and food to tech and tourism. 

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Feature: Mana Up

Feature: Mana Up

February 05, 2018

Pacific Edge Magazine

It’s time to welcome a new initiative to grow the bustling landscape of business and innovation in the state of Hawai‘i. Headquartered in the historic Dole Cannery, product accelerator Mana Up aims to help local companies scale for global expansion and compete in the world marketplace by leveraging Hawai‘i’s unique assets and powerful brand.

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Lawai Is Jammin'

Lawai Is Jammin'

January 15, 2018

The Garden Island

LAWAI — Monkeypod Jam is one of 10 businesses selected as Mana Up’s first cohort selling market- tested, value-added products that are authentic representatives of the Hawaii brand.

The announcement was made last week in Honolulu. Monkeypod Jam is the only firm honored from Kauai.

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Mana Up Champions Authentic Hawai'i Brands, Aims To Grow Market International

Mana Up Champions Authentic Hawai'i Brands, Aims To Grow Market International

January 11, 2018

Pacific Business Magazine

Mana Up selected 10 local companies, all sourcing from Hawaii’s agriculture, to be the first participantes in a Hawaii-based product accelerator, the first of its kind in the state.

The program, the latest venture from Hawaii Venture Capital Association President Meli James, 1776 General Counsel Brittany Heyd and e-commerce strategist Michael Cheski, seeks to invest in Hawaii companies earning $100,000 or more in annual revenue, by emphasizing the strength of the Hawaii brand.

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Mana Up Aims To Turn Small Local Companies Into Global Brands

Mana Up Aims To Turn Small Local Companies Into Global Brands

January 10, 2018

Hawaii Business Magazine

Enter Mana Up, a new accelerator aimed at promoting homegrown Hawaii products and transforming them into million-dollar companies and brands. The new initiative launched an intensive 12-week accelerator session in January for its first cohort of 10 companies, chosen from a pool of 85 applicants. The locally based companies get help with marketing, pricing, distribution, scaling and other strategies to support their rapid growth beyond the state.

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Episode 489: Mana Up Hawai'i

Episode 489: Mana Up Hawai'i

January 10, 2018

Bytemarks Cafe

First up we have Tarek Shraibati from the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation here to tell us about the upcoming VEX Robotics Competition. Also Chris Thalinger from Twitter is here to tell us about the LavaOne Conference. Then we talk with Mele Kalama-Kingma from Mamalani and Jan Hori from Hawaiian Pie Company, two companies from the first Mana Up cohort.

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Hawaiian Vanilla Company Selected For Mana Up Program

Hawaiian Vanilla Company Selected For Mana Up Program

January 09, 2018

Big Island Now

Selected as Mana Up’s first cohort, 10 businesses are already selling market-tested, value-added products and can state unequivocally that they are authentic representatives of the Hawai‘i brand.

Mana Up, a Hawai‘i product accelerator, scales Hawaiʻi-based retail and value-added food products for the global market.

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E-Commerce To Boost Hawai'i Products

E-Commerce To Boost Hawai'i Products

October 27, 2017

Pacific Business News

A trio of entrepreneurs are launching a new initiative focused on growing Hawaii’s retail and consumer products.

Mana Up, a new product accelerator and e-commerce platform for Hawaii companies, is the latest project from Hawaii Venture Capital Association President Meli James, e-commerce strategist Michael Cheski and startup veteran Brittany Heyd.

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