Following the pandemic and the devastating fires of 2023, Maui’s businesses and residents have shown remarkable strength and perseverance. In the face of unimaginable challenges, local communities have proven invaluable coming together to heal and rebuild the island.
For years, the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce has played a pivotal role in connecting Native Hawaiian and local business owners, fostering mentorships and opportunities that weave Hawaiian values into business practices.
“I think for a lot of younger generations, the idea of a chamber of commerce is a strange concept,” says Kainoa Horcajo, president of the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce. “In the early 1900s, through the Industrial Revolution, there was strength in numbers. These organizations formed to encourage business and move a larger population forward.”
“What’s really interesting,” Horcajo adds, “is there’s a whole subsect of chambers of commerce that are native—not just in Hawaiʻi, but across America and around the world. These chambers exist to support and empower Native businesses.”
Each Hawaiian Island has its own chamber of commerce dedicated to uplifting Native Hawaiian entrepreneurs. Horcajo explains that when the Maui branch formed 20 years ago, its mission was to champion and advocate for Native Hawaiian businesses while also ensuring it wasn’t exclusionary.
“From the very beginning, the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce was about helping our Native Hawaiian community,” says Horcajo, “but also sharing and spreading Hawaiian values to the broader community—to create more allies and deeper connections.”
Horcajo, who took the helm of the chamber earlier this year, says, “What excites me about being the president is to continue that tradition that was set down by the original founding members of the chamber and perpetuate the belief that Hawaiian values are central to businesses, no matter who are you, no matter where your business is and no matter what your business is.”
Now, in a transformative era for Maui’s business community, the chamber is reviving its signature summit, Holomua 2025, on Friday, Nov. 14, at the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort. The two-part event—the Holomua Business Fest and the Koʻi Awards Gala—celebrates leadership, culture and creativity. Embodying the values of resilience, progress and aloha, Holomua 2025 will bring together Hawaiʻi’s top thinkers, innovators and artists. It’s the first event since the pandemic more than five years ago.
“Together we can envision, imagine and determine our own future, but in a very uniquely Hawaiʻi and Hawaiian way,” Horcajo says.
The day begins with the Holomua Business Fest, a gathering designed to inspire collaboration and community growth. Maui-born actor Moses Goods, known for his role as Keʻeaumoku in “Chief of War,” will open the festival with a keynote on identity and resilience—powerful themes rooted in both the Islands’ history and Maui’s ongoing journey of renewal.
Throughout the day, attendees can hear from some of Hawaiʻi’s most dynamic voices discussing critical issues and creative solutions shaping Maui’s future. More than 20 panels and workshops will cover topics from business development to marketing. Horcajo describes it as “a think tank of what’s possible.”
“We’ll have government officials, state and county leaders sitting side by side with high school and college students and young entrepreneurs,” he adds.
Alongside the conference, the Maui Mākeke will showcase more than 70 local artisans and businesses, highlighting handcrafted jewelry, artwork, apparel, and cultural treasures from both emerging and established creators.
As evening falls, the spotlight turns to the Koʻi Awards Gala, a red-carpet celebration honoring Maui’s most inspiring leaders. “Because it’s been so long, we want to honor the people who’ve done so much for our community in various aspects of business, culture, and cultural advising. This is our opportunity to honor them in a big way.
The gala will feature culinary experiences from a dozen of Maui’s top chefs, each presenting dishes inspired by the island’s bounty, history and culture. The evening’s entertainment will include performances by internationally acclaimed slack-key guitarist Makana, as well as Lopaka Colón and Lono Kaumeheiwa.
Ultimately, Holomua 2025 is more than an event—it’s a movement. It unites business, culture and creativity with the shared goal of advancing Maui and celebrates the people leading the island toward a brighter, more sustainable future.
More information and tickets are available at holomua2025.org.
