A $30,000 gift from two former University of Auckland students will support the next generation of entrepreneurs at the New Zealand university.
Alliv Samson and Hengjie Wang first teamed up on a campus group project that went on to become a major international success. Now, as a thanks, they’ve established the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Alumni Fund. It will support the University’s startup program Velocity, and other initiatives, for more students to pursue their startup ambitions at no cost.
From classroom concept to ed-tech success
Samson and Wang’s education technology company, Kami, was first conceived at the uni in 2012. She was studying arts, and Wang, engineering.
Their idea – an all-in-one platform built to save teachers time and improve learning outcomes – was developed through the Velocity $100,000 Challenge and grew into something much bigger.
In 2022,TIME named it one of the world’s most influential companies following rapid growth and widespread classroom adoption. In 2025, Wang and Samson won the EY Entrepreneur of the Year.
Kami now supports over 70 million users across 180 countries.
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Helping other startups
The duo established the CIE Alumni Fund to give back to the system that supported their early success, providing a formal pathway for like-minded alumni to reinvest in the programmes that nurture the next generation of innovators.
Samson and Wang’s family office, Hiraya Ventures, invests in early to growth-stage Kiwi companies with global potential, combining capital with operational experience. The name Hiraya, drawn from Filipino, reflects a focus on enabling ambitious ideas to become reality.
Samson said giving back to the ecosystem that enabled Kami’s growth was one of the key reasons they founded Hiraya.
“As Velocity provided the spark that turned our student project into a global business, supporting the University’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship was a no-brainer,” she said.
“It’s our way of ensuring the next generation of ambitious Kiwi entrepreneurs have the support they need to turn their boldest dreams into reality.”
Ongoing support
In 2025, CIE supported more than 8,000 individuals across its programmes and activities, with demand continuing to grow across faculties and disciplines.
CIE Director Darsel Keane said the $30,000 gift signals a shift in how the University’s innovation ecosystem is supported.
“We are deeply grateful for this contribution, which establishes the foundation for a fund that others can contribute to. It creates a way for those who have benefited from innovation and entrepreneurship at the University to support the next generation coming through,” she said.
“The fund creates a starting point for a more connected alumni network, where experience, capital and mentorship can circulate back into the University.”
The CIE Alumni Fund will begin supporting programs this year.
