Heading into 2024, some of the positive local business stories include entrepreneurship.
Young companies in Hawaiʻi are thriving in sectors ranging from food products to autism care. This week, Pacific Business News took a look at eight start-ups across the Hawaiian islands that seem poised for growth.
While the term “start-up” has become synonymous with apps and tech, we see plenty of activity in real-world products and services.
For example, Maui-based husband-and-wife team Deron and Kit Furukawa have launched Maui Chili Chili Oil. This started as a passion project when both had time on their hands during the COVID-19 shutdowns.
But their chili oils were a hit with friends and family, so they launched as a business in 2021 and now are carried at Mana Foods, Tamura’s and Foodland. By the end of 2023, they increased sales by 300%
On the traditional tech side, there is a company called 40 Hammocks, a local start-up that developed a smartphone app that aims to make group travel easier to coordinate.
Travelers can align their schedules and find accommodations, activities and even discounts. Launched as a pilot project centered on Oʻahu, it is now looking at nationwide destinations.
Then there is the company Motivity. President Rex Jakobovits and his team build software for behavior therapists working with children who have autism.
After five years of research and development, they launched the platform in 2021. It is now used at more than 350 autism treatment clinics nationwide, helping to deliver effective therapies.
