Smart Seeds celebrates a decade of innovation in Auckland

The Smart Seeds programme has reached a significant milestone: ten years of empowering emerging leaders in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland to tackle complex urban challenges. Since its launch, the programme has brought together diverse, early-career professionals to collaborate, innovate, and shape practical solutions for the future of Aotearoa New Zealand’s cities and communities.

Smart Seeds is a nine-week cross-sector innovation programme designed to grow creative thinking, leadership capability, and collaboration among young professionals. Over the past decade it has provided a platform for participants to address real-world challenges, connect with industry mentors, and present fresh ideas to leaders across government and industry.

The most recent cohort, which concluded in late 2025 with the showcase event, featured 40 participants from 17 organisations - Auckland Council, Auckland Transport, Brian Perry Civil, Brosnan Construction, Buddle Findlay, Downer, Fletcher Construction, Fulton Hogan, GHD, Hawkins, HEB Construction, Housing Foundation, March Cato, Matamo, Precinct Properties, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, Toitū Envirocare - working across five multidisciplinary teams. Each team was tasked with exploring one of the pressing issues facing Auckland and New Zealand:

• Putting nature first
• Housing affordability
• Productivity
• Building resilient communities
• Creating a sense of belonging.

Over two months, participants worked intensively alongside mentors and subject matter specialists to develop solutions that were both innovative and feasible. They engaged directly with affected communities and tested their ideas through research and collaboration with industry stakeholders.

Each team presented their final concept to a judging panel representing local government and industry, including Aisha Daji Punga, CEO Toitū Envirocare, Simon Bridges, CEO Auckland Business Chamber, Phil Wilson, CEO Auckland Council, and Siobhan Hartwell, General Manager NZ Pacific at GHD. The Showcase drew more than 300 industry professionals, mentors, and supporters, all eager to see the next generation of innovators present their ideas.

The Judges’ Award went to Kōwhai Credits, a loyalty scheme encouraging resilience-building behaviours through credits redeemable at local businesses. The People’s Choice went to Taiao Tahi, a secure digital platform that streamlines iwi engagement and integrates environmental frameworks into project workflows.

Other standout solutions included:

• Tāmaki Together - a collective offering micro-grants and support for neighbourhood-led initiatives
• Mahi Tahi - a platform to share quality, affordable housing designs
• Commute+ - a proposal to transform Auckland’s trains into mobile co-working hubs to support more productive commuting 

As Smart Seeds enters its second decade, the programme remains committed to nurturing talent, strengthening cross sector collaboration and supporting the development of resilient, sustainable communities across New Zealand.

About GHD

GHD is a leading professional services company operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Committed to a vision to make water, energy, and communities sustainable for generations to come, GHD delivers advisory, digital, engineering, architecture, environmental and construction solutions to public and private sector clients. Established in 1928 and privately owned by its people, GHD’s network of 12,000+ professionals is connected across 165 offices located on five continents.