PURPLE
PRIZE
A program of the Purple Maiʻa Foundation, Purple Prize is an initiative for community-driven, place-based design & innovation in Hawaiʻi. Rooted in ancestral knowledge and place-based design methodologies, our program cultivates modern tech for people and ʻāina, informed by people and ʻāina.
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Our Hana
Started in 2016, Purple Prize has hosted 5 tech accelerator cohorts focused on generating Hawaiʻi-grown technologies inspired by the concepts of aloha ʻāina and ʻike kūpuna – a reciprocal care of the land and ancestral knowledge.Today, our program stewards an innovation incubator called Hulihia Lab, and a Design & Innovation Awards event where the public can nominate existing, early-stage, Hawaiʻi-grown and based technologies for impact awards.
Stories of our Hana
Over the years, our work has been covered by local storytellers, press, and community partners. These highlights reflect the impact of our collective hana and the innovation unfolding across Hawaiʻi.
Hawaiʻi Business Magazine
University of Hawaiʻi News
Medium.com
Ka Wai Ola
Hawaiʻi Bulletin
Bytemarks Café
Coming Soon!
The first annual "Purple Prize" Design & Innovation Awards are aimed to be held in Fall 2025. Check back for more information and nomination forms opening this summer.
Hulihia Lab 2025
The next iteration of "Purple Prize" is here! Hulihia Lab is the new name for our place-based innovation incubator. From late May to September, participants will design, validate, and prototype technology solutions for Hawaiʻi’s most pressing challenges.Grounded in place-based methodologies of design, we support projects that serve people and ʻāina, rigorously informed by people and ʻāina. Join us to design technologies centered on relationships, circular thinking, and long-term impact. Together, we can cultivate futures of abundance, resilience, and everlasting aloha ʻāina.More information is detailed on the application form. Participants are accepted on a rolling basis, so apply today!
Our Alumni Hui
FEATURED COMPANIES
Democratizing access to real-time water level and flood monitoring, Hohonu empowers communities with affordable, NOAA-grade data to enhance climate resilience and preparedness.
Native Stories is an audio platform that offers self-guided walking tours and podcasts, sharing indigenous voices to deepen connections to land, culture, and place throughout Hawaiʻi.
Ka Mahina Project offers daily moon phase insights and guided moʻolelo workshops, helping individuals reconnect with ancestral rhythms and deepen their understanding of the mahina (moon).
2024 COHORT
Coral Collective
An app and identification system harnessing advanced imaging and AI to revolutionize coral reef monitoring and conservation efforts. By enabling any diver to upload images, this initiative empowers anyone to make a difference for the health of our reefs.
ʻĀina Quest
A physical and digital card game dedicated to revitalizing the relationship between people and plants. The objective of gameplay is to collect native plants and avoid or have the least amount of invasive cards as possible.
Mahiʻai Archive
A digital archive of multimedia content from farmers. This platform gathers interviews, stories and more to showcase local agriculture and promote food sovereignty. Farmers can choose to create a public databse for learning, or a private catalogue of their own media for internal purposes.
Maoli Mākeke
An online platform designed to centralize and highlight Kanaka-owned businesses in Hawaiʻi. This tool also serves as an information hub during emergencies, facilitating fundraising and donations to communities in need during times of disaster.
Letters to the Queen
An educational app and interactive exhibit designed to educate and inspire dialogue about the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. Combining both a projection and audience submissions, this initiative aims to unite and empower the next generation of cultural stewards.
Hōʻaumākua Māiki
A community-focused initiative for the Kewalo Native Hawaiian Resource Center. This app leverages traditional Hawaiian agricultural practices and modern technology to foster sustainable ecosystems while supporting educational outreach.
2020 COHORT
Ka Mahina Project
An app and website promoting wellbeing through alignment with Hawaiian moon phases, offering insights, journaling, and a searchable moon calendar.
Exchange Avenue
A mobile app designed for highly-organized, self-sufficient social exchange.
Kanu Offset
Originally an app that allowed visitors to easily offset carbon emissions from their travel via sponsoring food trees for Hawaiʻiʻs farms. The project has since successfully turned into a food-tree sponsorship program of Hawaiʻi Farm Trails.
Vegetation Continuum
A board game and future digital game that serves as an educational resource for ʻāina-based practices, restoration, and stewardship.
ʻŌiwi Online
An app and website promoting access to Hawaiian Cultural Learning, acting as a hub for kanaka to find existing programs, schools, and other learning opportunities.
MAG Hugs Connect
A secure "gold star" system for schools that allows teachers to send recognition to students beyond when grading papers and report cards.
BoxFarm Labs
An adaptable hydroponics system for the expansion of specialty crop varieties in tropical greenhouse climates.
Polū Energy
A renewable energy company utilizing recycled shipping containers placed upon beaches to convert ocean water to electricity.
2016 - 2019 Features coming soon
Our Team
Pōhai Panoke
Managing Director
Purple Prize
Keaʻa Davis,
Program Manager,
Ka Maka ʻĪnana
Our Moʻokūʻauhau - Past Speakers, Mentors, Advisors
Hiʻilani Shibata
Ka Mahina Project
Lehia Apana
Polipoli Farms
ʻIkaika Bishop
Hohonu
Alex Petrescu
Meta Engineer
Dr. Kiana Frank
Lab Hui O Frank
James Pakele
Kanaka Technologies
Pono Shim
Enterprise Honolulu
(In Remembrance)
Tiana Henderson
Indi-Genius Minds
Keoni DeFranco
Lua Technologies,
Purple Maiʻa
Kevin Chang
Kua ʻĀina Ulu ʻAuamo
Burt Lum
Bytemarks Cafe
Celeste Connors
Hawaiʻi Green Growth
Alec Wagner
Purple Prize Director
2016-2020
Kamuela Enos
UHM Office of
Indigenous Knowledge
Keoni Lee
Hawaiʻi Investment
Ready
Matt Lynch
Hawaiʻi Green Growth,
Mauka Marketplace
Kelsey Amos
Co-CEO,
Purple Maiʻa
Donavan Kealoha
CEO,
Purple Maiʻa
Our Innovation Anchors
Kilo before creation. Pilina before product.
We observe first. Validate needs. And co-design with community.
Seek waiwai fit over market fit.
We have a kuleana to find our fit in a system of true waiwai. This means valuing what empowers and sustains an ahupuaʻa-like system, not what extracts from it.
Root at the speed of what's right.
We don't have to move at the speed of light. We choose intentional innovation over fast failure, knowing that the strongest lāʻau have the sturdiest roots.
Cultivate circular strength, not siloed success.
Every solution has the opportunity to feed another, where competition gives way to collaboration that empowers abundance for all.
Mahalo!
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