Saveun Man

Saveun Man's story begins long before Carpoolin. His parents fled Cambodia in the 1960s and 70s, finding refuge in New Zealand, where Saveun was born and grew up in Upper Hutt. That background - of displacement, resilience, and starting over - quietly underpins everything he builds. Years later, after being part of Grinding Gear Games from its early days as a small startup through to becoming one of New Zealand's biggest gaming success stories, Saveun found himself drawn toward something different. Something that would, as he puts it, move the needle around people and society.

The moment that crystallised it came three years ago, commuting to work. "It was the moment I realised if you owned a car, it was a free-for-all on our roads and no one was going to save us." That realisation sent him down a research rabbit hole that led to the creation of Carpoolin - a platform built on the belief that Aotearoa's overabundance of cars could become a tool for reconnection rather than congestion, reducing emissions and transport costs while tackling social isolation along the way.

Saveun is candid about where Carpoolin sits right now - early, still building awareness, and focused on organisations already engaged with ESG where value alignment makes conversations easier. He's not short on enthusiasm. Anyone who has met him, he says, will know how quickly he gets going on the subject. What fuels him most is community - meeting like-minded people and leaders building toward a better tomorrow. "That stuff is super infectious," he says, "and I try to overdose on that every chance I get."

His guiding philosophy is straightforward: keep on keepin on. His advice to aspiring change-makers is to set goals and think deeply about problems, because the best ideas take time to fully reveal themselves.

The whakataukī he returns to is He waka eke noa - we're all in this together. For Saveun, that's not just a saying. It's the entire premise of what carpooling can be.

If Carpoolin could plant one seed, it would be exactly what it already is - a starting point for something much bigger around community resilience, shared transport, and reimagining how Kiwis move through their cities together.

Read Saveun's answers to Blooming Sustainability to explore how one commute, a leap of faith, and a deep belief in community are driving a new approach to sustainable transport in Aotearoa.

BLOOMING  Sustainability Questionnaire

Name: Saveun Man

Company & Title: Carpoolin // Founder

Website & LinkedIn Profile: www.carpoolin.co // https://www.linkedin.com/in/saveun/ 

* Guiding Values | Kaupapa

If sustainability were a flower blooming in your life, what would it look like? What nurtures it?

Sustainability to me is balance, I’d like to think I’m doing what I think is correct for my situation. This is forever changing, so I do have good and bad days.

What does it look like? You know we’re in such a beautiful country – that I think we see it in many places.
As for what nurtures it, I get really jazzed when I meet like-minded people, community leaders and people who are building towards a better tomorrow.

That stuff is super infectious, and I try to overdose on that every chance I get!

A quote, personal motto or whakataukī that reflects your vision:  
Keep on keepin on, is a goodem.

If you could mentor a rising change-maker in Aotearoa, what advice would you share?  
Ask me this again in 5 years :D
If there are inspired, motivated people reading this, I’d encourage them to set goals. And really think deeply about problems, ideas are everywhere, but I think the best ones require time to be revealed fully.

* Leading Change | Arataki

A key moment in your journey that shaped your path:  

Commuting to work 3 years ago was pivotal. It was the moment I realised if you owned a car, it was a free-for-all on our roads and no one was going to save us.

This started me on the research that would lead to the creation of Carpoolin.

What’s the main challenge you face in driving sustainability within your sector?  
Because we’re still quite early, I think it's not obvious to the public our point of difference, and I think over time this will work itself out.

An area you need more support with:  
Maybe getting the word out? Sydney please help! XD

Everything is tracking well. And thanks to Trump for reminding countries like ours that energy supply lines are fragile and we really need to pull our socks up.

An Indigenous perspective you admire and want people to be mindful of:  
I believe this to be universal and recently learned it in Te Reo Maori; He waka eke noa, that which means we’re all in this together.

Your best approach for engaging stakeholders in meaningful dialogue about ESG:  
Right now, I’m prioritising conversations with organisations that are already at the ESG table. This helps a bunch; value alignment is important.

What do you think is Aotearoa’s superpower in creating a sustainable future?  
In the niche Carpoolin operates in, I think our overabundance of cars can be OUR way of reconnecting Kiwis, to mitigate congestion, emissions, reduce transport costs, combat social isolation and help with mental health.. You know -- fulfilling the promise of what carpooling can be.

 * Surfing the Green Wave | Kakariki

Books, podcasts, courses or other resources that profoundly shaped your approach to sustainability:

Oh there is so much great information out there, you know looking back. I think everything contributed to my perspective.

I’m often surprised by listening to a talk that is unrelated to what I’m doing but somehow find it can directly be applied in some way to a challenge I might be facing.

One local outlet I enjoy checking in with is interest.co.nz

Events in Aotearoa or globally that you think are must-attend:

Two come to mind, Tāmaki Makaurau Community Climate Action Network is such a great one that happens here in Auckland.

And if you happen to be in Waiheke, or want to make a trip out, every Friday Kai Conscious is a thing at Waiheke Resource Trust, I’ve had such an amazing time there that I’m hoping to start something similar here in West Auckland. *Fingers Crossed*

A sustainable initiative or project in Aotearoa that deserves more attention:  
Anything in the conservation space is at the top of my list. Shout out to Annie Dignan of Pest Free Kaipatiki and the amazing team at Kaipatiki Project.

If your work could plant one seed of change for the future, what would it be?  
Carpoolin is this seed, this might be my stubbornness, but I feel that if we can deliver on this, we can start to do some really exciting things around community.. Watch this space!

The leader(s) you endorse for a future edition of Blooming Sustainability: 

Oh there are so many champions out of the limelight. Some of those who have helped me would be;

• Annie Dignan of Pest Free Kaipatiki

• Amanda Robinson of Lightfoot

• Sterling Ruwhiu of Beautification Trust

• Tim Adriaansen of All Aboard to name a few.

 * One actionable takeaway for our readers to make a change today for a brighter tomorrow:
I’m really big on community and community resilience right now. If you aren’t already, ask/talk about transport.

See how others get around, I think it's all really fascinating, and hey if your place is interested in optimising staff commutes I know a guy. 😀

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