Huw Jones

Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Pikiao, Waikato-Tainui, Ngapuhi, Ngāti Hamoa, Ngāti Tonga, me Ngāti Kereti.

Born and raised in the South Waikato town of Tokoroa, Huw is of Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Pikiao, Waikato-Tainui, Ngapuhi, Samoan, Tongan and Celtic descent with whakapapa connections to the ancestral canoes of Te Arawa, Tainui and Ngatokimatawhaura.

With a passion for leading change for good, harnessing technology for impact, and reimagining education for lifelong learning, Huw is a proud husband, twin dad, serial founder, futurist and flow-state nerd with over 20 years experience working at the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, education and marketing.

Huw’s current ventures / startups include Step Into Liquid, a Founder Development Practice with a specific focus on holistic health and wellness, and Kotahi.io, a values-based connection visualisation and culture building platform for teams and organisations seeking enhanced collaboration, communication and community.

At academyEX, Huw is our Kaihautū Moana Māori, leading our mahi to promote and advance Māori and Pasifika innovation, equity and engagement. Huw also advises across our MTF and MCOR programmes, facilitates on our Leading Beyond Sustainability and Entrepreneurship Micro credentials as well as Chairs our Te Ara Kōtihi (teaching, learning and development strategy) Working Group. Huw currently has a Masters degree in Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship (MCE) from the University of Auckland, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Auckland University of Technology, and a Bachelor of Electronic Commerce (BECom) from the University of Waikato. Additionally, Huw is an accredited Flow and Performance Consultant with The Entrepreneurs Institute.