From the Pacific to Bangkok: Two Young Innovators Changing the Game”
Jesse Gibson - Founder Pocket Bro
Jessica Vandermeer - Founder Waste2Walls
A story of Pacific Youth Leading Forward
Pacific youth are not waiting for the future — they are leading it.
Across Aotearoa and the wider Pacific region, young Pacific innovators are stepping boldly into global spaces, carrying their culture, creativity, and courage with them. Through the Pacific Cooperation Foundation’s strategic partnership with The Hacker Exchange (HEX), we are opening pathways for Pacific youth to lead — to influence, create, and shape what comes next.
In 2025, PCF supported two exceptional young leaders to join the HEX Global Innovation Programme in Bangkok. Over two transformative weeks, Jesse Gibson and Benika Vandermeer immersed themselves in one of Asia’s most dynamic innovation ecosystems — proving what we already know: when Pacific youth are given global exposure and the right support, they don’t just rise.
They lead.
This is the future PCF is investing in.
This is Pacific excellence in motion.
Jesse Gibson — Founder of Pocket Bro
Leading forward with courage, connection, and cultural responsibility
For Jesse Gibson, innovation begins with community. As the founder of Pocket Bro, Jesse is building a peer‑support platform designed to strengthen emotional wellbeing among Māori and Pacific men — a group carrying the weight of generational trauma, social expectations, and silent struggles.
Pocket Bro is designed to intervene before crisis. It’s a digital space where men can build emotional skills, strengthen friendships, and support one another through life’s challenges. Jesse’s vision is grounded in cultural truth: connection saves lives.
In Bangkok, Jesse didn’t just learn — he led forward.
He brought the realities of Māori and Pacific men into global conversations about mental health, digital wellness, and community care. He refined his concept, explored international markets, and gained the confidence to take Pocket Bro from idea to impact.
“Definitely a life‑changing experience… I’ve gained a newfound confidence and a better understanding of global markets.”
Jesse estimates that 300,000 men in Aotearoa are open to digital wellness support. His goal is to reach 5,000 men in year one, then scale exponentially.
“• A technical co‑founder (CTO)
• Partners passionate about men’s mental health
• Contributors who want to help build a movement that saves lives
Pocket Bro is more than a venture — it’s a cultural shift. And Jesse is ready to lead it.”
Benika Vandermeer — Founder of Waste2Walls
Leading forward with sustainability, innovation, and community empowerment
When Benika Vandermeer joined the HEX programme, she brought with her a bold, future‑focused idea: transform plastic waste into durable building materials for Pacific communities. Her venture, Waste2Walls, tackles a challenge that affects the entire region — poor waste management, low recycling awareness, and pollution that harms both people and the planet.
Her solution blends innovation with cultural responsibility. Waste2Walls aims to educate Pacific communities on recycling plastic waste and converting it into construction materials for shelters and homes. It’s circular innovation with a Pacific heart.
In Bangkok, Benika led forward by bringing Pacific environmental challenges into global sustainability discussions. She refined her pitch, strengthened her leadership voice, and returned home with the confidence to turn Waste2Walls into a movement.
“Dare I say… life changing?! I feel so much more confident within myself. Little me would never believe this.”
“• Government grants for school‑based recycling education
• Connections to recycling experts and circular economy mentors
• A partnership with a recycling facility to pilot material conversion”
Waste2Walls is a powerful example of Pacific-led innovation — practical, sustainable, and community-driven.
Pacific Youth Leading Forward: Why These Stories Matter
Jesse and Benika are not outliers — they are examples of the brilliance already present in our communities. Their journeys show what happens when Pacific youth are trusted, supported, and given access to global networks.
They remind us that Pacific innovation is not emerging — it is already here.
And PCF’s role is to ensure it has the platforms, partnerships, and pathways to thrive.
Our strategic partnership with HEX is part of a wider commitment to Pacific Youth Leading Forward — through global mobility, entrepreneurship pathways, alumni networks, and regional collaboration.
This is not about helping Pacific youth “catch up.”
It’s about ensuring they have the opportunities to lead.
A Call to Pacific Youth: Your Turn Is Coming
If you’re a young Pacific person with a dream — big or small — this programme is for you.
If you’re curious, creative, passionate about your community, or ready to explore the world, we want you to see yourself in Jesse and Benika’s stories.
You don’t need to have everything figured out.
You just need the courage to start.
PCF is committed to opening more global doors for Pacific youth — and with the right support, we can send more young innovators across the region and the world.