Hello, I'm Alliv!

About Me

Hi, I’m Alliv Samson, a mum, proud Filipino-New Zealander, frustrated developer, and accidental tech founder turned startup investor.
 

I co-founded Kami, an edtech company that started as a university project and became a global classroom tool used by over 50 million students and teachers around the world. We bootstrapped it from Auckland into landing on TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential Companies and Fast Company’s Brands That Matter, and topping Deloitte’s Fast 50, to name a few.

Now, I’m also on the other side of the table — mentoring and backing the next generation of bold, big-hearted builders. I mentor through Ministry of Awesome, the University of Auckland’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and a few organisations that remind me of where I started. And through my family office, Hiraya Ventures, I invest in early-stage startups with global ambition and New Zealand roots. "Hiraya" is a Filipino word that means "may your dreams come true", which pretty much sums up how I want every founder to feel.
 

I’m here for the women who want to make a difference (especially the super mums), the underdogs, and the ones Googling how to build a company at 2 am. If that’s you, welcome, I see you.