My official witness statement regarding Manaaki / We Are Indigo : {OIA Government Release}

Morena,

I was one of the material witnesses in a government agencies Due Diligence process for Manaaki / We Are Indigo and it’s Directors Andy Hamilton, Pat MacFie and Monty Betham.?HERE is my statement?: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j49rvbqQ8L0hDiPKM6I6AwhY4TH8BV9E/view?usp=sharing

This statement, alongside multiple statements (and evidence) from other industry witnesses and Founders with direct involvement were requested to be released via an OIA sent to Callaghan Innovation in relation to Manaaki’s (ie. We Are Indigo Limited x Startmate) application to the 2022 Founder and Startup Support Programme RFP. FYI - I was emailed by Ministerial Services regarding the OIA release of this statement back on July 2nd.?

TBH - This is a pretty sad day for our whole ecosystem. We HAVE to be better than this for our Startup and SME community to truly thrive in Aotearoa. Ambitious young kiwi companies can’t safely grow with behavior like this, and it starts with true accountability to what's actually been going on - all the way up the food chain (even to those in power).

Additionally, Andy Hamilton, Pat MacFie, Monty Betham and Rachel Adams were more than happy to mention my name all throughout their 19 Page June Stakeholder Update with quite the defamatory narrative when they tried to assassinate my character and several other innocent Founders / Partners in such a public fashion, so with these OIA’s finally coming to life and more victims/witnesses starting to speak out I feel it’s finally time to address this gong show publicly.?

But Manaaki isn’t alone - there is a LOT that isn’t being talked about right now, and unfortunately this is just the tip of the iceberg.?

Finally, a direct message to all the Kiwi Founders and others in the NZ Start Up ecosystem who have been exploited, harassed and abused in any way by those in ‘power’ along your own journey - DO NOT be bullied, DO NOT be intimidated and DO NOT be silenced.?

Lawyer Up / Stand up / Speak Up?

Much love yo,?

Robett. xoxo.

r. ||?www.linktr.ee/ROBETT?|| r.