Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples says he is looking at ways to start an investment service to help kick start fledgling Maori businesses who don't have the capital to set up shop.
Dr Sharples says some of the feedback he's received from small business owners is that they need help with early finance to get started.
He says it makes sense to help small businesses because they make up a large part of the Maori economy.
Dr Sharples says the investment service would act like a small bank to help businesses start off so they can prepare their business cases and get working to attract support and more finance from banks.
He says small businesses make up $20 billion of the $37 billion Maori economy.
