Mana Tupu Capital · Our Team & Approach
Built for the work.
Not the brochure.
Three principals. A global operating team. An independent Investment Committee. And a governance architecture designed to meet the expectations of the world's most sophisticated investors — from day one.
Our Foundation
Experience across
every dimension
of the mandate.
Mana Tupu Capital was built by operators, not theorists. Our principals have collectively founded and scaled businesses across FinTech, capital markets, and enterprise software — in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and across Asia.
That operating background shapes everything: how we source deals, how we evaluate founders, how we structure investments, and how we support portfolio companies through the hard work of building to exit. It is the difference between a fund manager and a fund partner.
Speak With Our Team →The Principals
The team behind
the investment.
Each principal leads a distinct domain within the platform. There is no generalism here — venture origination, capital raising, and banking and income strategy are each led by someone who has spent a career doing exactly that work.
FinTech entrepreneur, investor, and digital banking strategist with over 20 years of experience across banking, payments, and financial technology. Founder and CEO of Moroku, a FinTech company leveraging mobile, cloud, and behavioural science to create game-based financial experiences for banks and financial institutions globally.
Colin leads Venture Fund I origination and portfolio management, bringing deep operational experience in building and scaling FinTech businesses across Australia and internationally.
Serial entrepreneur and seasoned investor with a 25+ year career across technology, management consulting, and investment management in 12 countries across 4 continents. Has advised or worked with 35 of the Global Fortune 50, as well as numerous startups. Today sits on company boards across Australia, USA, Greater China, and ASEAN.
Founder and Managing Director of Sapien Group and its related entities, operating across Silicon Valley, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Greater China.
C-Suite executive with a proven track record of scaling businesses from startups to global enterprises across SaaS, financial services, capital markets, and risk-based business. Has delivered transformative outcomes for customers ranging from SMEs to multinational banks.
David leads the development of the PE/SME Buyout Fund, bringing expertise in structured credit, banking relationships, and operational leadership in high-performance environments.
CPA-qualified finance and operations leader with a track record spanning insurance, investment management, consulting, public sector, health, and technology startups. Has managed over $250 million in organisational budgets and overseen risk and compliance frameworks across highly regulated industries. As Group Head of Operations, leads the scaling of business operations across venture capital, private equity, and FinTech investments.
Over two decades of financial management and strategic leadership across Asia-Pacific, with senior roles at Booz & Company, Proudfoot Consulting, and SPL WorldGroup. Overseeing financial operations across Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, Manila, and Singapore. Extensive experience in financial governance, performance management, and supporting business growth across multiple jurisdictions.
Investment Committee
Governance that
cannot be overridden.
Every investment decision is made by a committee — not an individual. That structure is not a formality. It is the mechanism through which investor capital is protected.
The Investment Committee operates under a formal IC Charter governed under New Zealand law. Final decision-making authority, fiduciary oversight, and IC proceedings are all NZ-based. International partners provide strategic expertise and networks — control and accountability remain with MTCL in New Zealand.
Full committee with diverse expertise across venture capital, private equity, technology, sustainability, financial markets, and risk management.
At least three independent members at all times. Quorum requires two independents. No single principal controls outcomes under any circumstance.
Every direct investment requires IC majority approval following a comprehensive due diligence report, detailed risk assessment, scenario modelling, and defined exit pathways.
Decisions above defined materiality thresholds require unanimous approval. Conflict of interest protocols include mandatory disclosure and recusal requirements.
The IC maintains documentation consistent with Immigration New Zealand and Invest NZ requirements, oversees ESG frameworks, and ensures every investment meets AIP acceptable investment criteria.
Investment Process
Rigorous by design.
Every time.
Our origination-to-exit process is systematic, not opportunistic. Every investment travels the same path — from sourcing through IC approval to active portfolio management and exit planning. There are no exceptions.
Product-market fit, customer traction, competitive positioning, addressable market, scalability
Revenue assumptions, margin trajectory, capital requirements, valuation sensitivity, IRR modelling
IP defensibility, technical feasibility, product claims validation, export potential
Corporate structure, shareholder agreements, IP protection, regulatory compliance, AIP eligibility
Exclusion-list screening, employment law, AML/KYC, environmental obligations, UN SDG alignment
Active Value Creation
We don't just write
the cheque.
The Investment Manager maintains hands-on oversight throughout the investment lifecycle. We take board or observer rights, maintain structured reporting cadence, and hold performance covenants that ensure alignment with founders.
Global Network
NZ control.
Global reach.
Through our partnership with Sapien Group, Mana Tupu Capital has direct access to venture capital networks, board relationships, institutional partners, and investor ecosystems across more than 20 countries and regions.
All final investment decision-making authority, fiduciary oversight, and Investment Committee proceedings remain in New Zealand. Our international network provides origination, intelligence, and capital — not control.
Connect With Our Team →Per annum on Invested Capital for the first two years; thereafter on Total Asset Value. An upfront equivalent of 4% may be applied on allotment, covering the first two years.
Carried interest on realised profits from exit events only. Our incentives are fully aligned with yours — we only benefit when you do, and only on realised gains.
Wholesale investors only as defined under the FMCA. AIP Visa investors must meet requirements as listed by Immigration New Zealand. Fund target size NZD 50M.
Ready to review
the Information Memorandum?
Qualified wholesale investors can request the full Venture Fund I Information Memorandum and Subscription Agreement. Our team will respond within one business day.