Armed with a belief that commercial dive solutions could be more holistic, Tua Karalus founded Deep Dive Division in 2018.
The business is owned and led by husband-and-wife team, Tua and Courtney Karalus.
Tua is the managing director, managing the operational team and general day-to-day running of the business.
Courtney is the commercial director, focusing on commercial strategies, partnerships, iwi relationships, sales and marketing.
As the only Maaori and Pacific commercial and scientific dive company in Aotearoa New Zealand, Deep Dive Division embrace a Te Ao Maaori and Pacific view and approach to their work.
“This means we provide our clients with the opportunity to experience truly sustainable outcomes while maintaining the cultural integrity of our environment,” says co-owner and director of Deep Dive Division, Courtney Karalus.
The Hamilton based business offer commercial, scientific and environmental dive services which covers marine construction, bio security, salvage operations, environmental monitoring, underwater welding, environmental DNA testing and robotics.
Their core business is commercial and scientific diving across water infrastructure and assets, marine construction, biosecurity and robotics.
The majority of Deep Dive Division’s work is located within the central North Island, but their specialist services mean they often work throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
A highlight for the team is working on a large salvage project for the Waikato River Authority, removing vehicles and hazardous debris from the riverbed. The project, Beyond the Surface, is a collaboration between Deep Dive Division, Mcleods Cranes, Lodge Real Estate, Globox, First Credit Union, Fonterra and the Waikato Regional Council.
“What started as observation has turned into kaitiakitanga where the team use their specialist skills to help activate council and iwi strategies to clean the awa. There are over 100 vehicles in the Waikato River, and so far we’ve pulled out 20 vehicles as well as 33 tonnes of debris including fridges and lime scooters,” says Courtney.
Keen to lead the way, Deep Dive Division was one of the first commercial dive operations in Aotearoa New Zealand to utilise robotic technology. The robot can provide 4K (ultra-high definition) imagery and create a digital document library of underwater assets.
“It’s made the invisible visible for our clients which is something Tua has always wanted to do.”
Deep Dive Division received Regional Business Partner funding in 2023 to work with Doug Wilson from Deloitte to help them create a 10-year strategy. Tua and Courtney attended a two-day workshop with Doug and his team, working on business analysis, forecasting and planning.
“This is our first time owning a business and we’ve worked out that it’s really important to have the right team of people around you,” explains Courtney.
“We applied for the funding because we needed help with financial forecasting and modelling. We have big growth strategies so realised we needed expertise to invest in the right people to help us. We wanted to have the road map to help us get to where we want to go.
“The Deloitte training helped us with decision making, to anchor our thoughts and put a game plan in place for where we wanted to go as a business. It really helped uplift our own capability as business owners.”
Deep Dive Division received additional Regional Business Partner funding recently to work with Deloitte again to commercialise a restorative reef system that Tua has designed and manufactured.
The infrastructure will regenerate natural reef systems and habitats which have been damaged by pollution, mud, sand and silt. Once installed, the system will grow seaweed and shellfish whilst providing refuge for native species. With pilot programmes starting soon in Tauranga and the East Coast, Deep Dive Division plan to bring the concept to market in 2025.
As for the best part of being a business owner, Courtney says: “I love connecting with people and the relationship side of being a business owner. What we do as a business is really valuable and being able to solve problems to improve environmental, social and commercial outcomes is rewarding.”
Learn more about Deep Dive Division.
Find out if your business is eligible for Regional Business Partner funding.