"Having access to all of Te Papa, its people and research will be invaluable for Southland’s arts and heritage scene."

Te Papa’s Mahuki innovation accelerator has welcomed 10 teams to this year’s residency programme that will run over the next four months.

Now in its third year, Mahuki has a strong reputation for developing leading digital businesses for the culture and heritage sector.

Melissa Firth’s team established Mahuki, the first business accelerator programme in the world focused on opportunities in the culture sector.

“We found the volunteering process cumbersome, so we decided to design an easy solution to find opportunities that line up with your skills."

The nine teams are commencing the four-month Mahuki programme which is based at Te Papa.

"This support validates the success and direction of the Mahuki programme, and recognises the significant opportunities Te Papa can generate."

Mahuki is focusing the development of innovative tools to help cultural institutions tell their stories of sporting identity.