This is for you if:

• Your idea is in the early start-up stages and you want the business structure to bring it into clarity. 

• You want to feel confident about your sales and financials. 

• You want to do deeply meaningful work that creates value for Hawaiʻi and beyond. 

• You have a skill, have cultural knowledge, or create art that you want to share with more people while increasing your income. 

• You have skills in Hawaiian culture, arts, or botanical conservation and want to explore business ideas that support Waimea Valley’s mission & operations. 

Testimonials 

Waimea Valley's Business Incubator program was an outstanding resource to build alongside a beautiful community of entrepreneurs. The workshops helped me better understand what areas I need to focus more attention on while giving me the tools and knowledge to execute. Overall, the experience gave me the confidence to push my farm and food business to the next level. I look forward to seeing the progress of everyone in our cohort as we all grow and flourish together.

Ray Trinh, SoulSum Hawaii 

Joining this cohort has been instrumental to growth and happiness in my business and life. The network of support that I have received has been the most valuable thing. Our mentors are very knowledgeable and supportive of our individual needs. I am truly inspired by everyone in our cohort as well as the guest speakers we had the privilege of meeting.

Kaya Waldman, Keālia Media

Program Requirements 

1. Must be a Hawai’i resident and based on O’ahu.

2. Desire to start a business within six months.

3. Committed to participating in the full program, plus working on your business in your free time. Minimum 10 hours a week. 

There is no cost to join. We require all participants to attend all 12 workshops, four quarterly networking events, three technical assistance 1:1 sessions, complete workshop surveys, and share your quarterly business gross revenue (kept confidential) for grant tracking and reporting purposes. 

How to join

1. We're receiving applications on a rolling basis until Cohort 3 is filled.

2. We'll email you if you've been invited to the next round for an interview. Interviews will take place October to December 2024

3. Cohort 3 will be notified by email late December 2024

4. Cohort 3 begins January 2025 to September 2025

What our clients are saying

Everyone has been super supportive of our business goals. Getting to meet like-minded individuals who want to create or expand their pono businesses has been such a joy. Despite hardships, everyone involved in the program has been kind and helpful. I'm so grateful for this opportunity and I look forward to building stronger relationships with my mentors and teammates. - Cohort 1 Participant 

I am feeling confident making the changes in my business I need to thrive and better support my community. - Cohort 1 Participant 

This cohort has been incredible, from the resources, education, network, business and finance literacy, and support of the mentors and team. - Cohort 1 Participant

Program topics 

The program includes weekly gatherings designed to easily create a strong foundation for your business, taking your inspired ideas into action. In-person Workshops will be on Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (January to June 2024), and Zoom calls on Wednesdays twice a month from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Workshop topics include: 

• Validate your profitable business idea 

• Create thriving business structures and financial processes 

• Register your GET license 

• Map your road to profitability: Money mindset, basic concepts of accounting, understanding financial statements & business cash flow 

• Self-awareness around your personal net worth and budget

• Craft your brand style guide & messaging

• Create your sales deck and elevator pitch 

• Hawaiian cultural workshops 

• Build healthy business admin habits: record-keeping and self-accountability  

• Guest speakers: Talk-story with local business leaders and entrepreneurs 

• Test the market and get your first sales 

• Design your waiwai life through your business 

FAQs

Kūkulu I Ka Waiwai is loosely translated to mean ‘Building Businesses.’  But literally, it means to build wealth.  The word ‘wai’ means water, and because water is so valuable, the word for wealth is to say water twice:  waiwai.  But wealth in the Hawaiian worldview is not just about money or material items.  It means to be “rich” in many ways – to have good health, to have a strong ‘ohana (family), to have good relationships, to have a connection with the ‘āina (land), to be well-grounded in one’s culture and values, and to have enough food. To have lawa (enough) is considered to have plenty, to have abundance, or waiwai, (wealth).