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National Science Challenges
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Investment funds
- Commercialisation Partner Network
- Catalyst Fund
- COVID-19 Innovation Acceleration Fund
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Curious Minds
- A Nation of Curious Minds – He Whenua Hihiri i te Mahara
- CREST Awards
- Participatory Science Platform
- Powering Potential programme
- Prime Minister's Science Prizes
- Rutherford Medal
- Science Media Centre
- Science Learning Hub
- Science Teaching Leadership Programme
- Talented School Students Travel Awards
- Unlocking Curious Minds contestable fund
- Endeavour Fund
- Envirolink Scheme
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Capability Fund
- Extreme weather science response
- He whakawhānui i te pāpātanga o Vision Mātauranga – mahere haumi 2023
- Expanding the Impact of Vision Mātauranga – 2023 investment plan
- MBIE Science Whitinga Fellowship
- National Science Challenges
- Partnerships
- PreSeed Accelerator Fund
- Strategic Science Investment Fund
- Regional Research Institutes Initiative
- Who got funded
- Te Tahua Whakakaha o Te Pūnaha Hihiko
- Te Pūnaha Hihiko: Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund
National Science Challenges
The National Science Challenges were established in 2014 and finished in June 2024. The aim of these challenges was to tackle the biggest science-based issues and opportunities facing New Zealand. The Challenges brought together the country’s top scientists to work collaboratively across disciplines, institutions and borders to achieve their objectives.
Final reports for each Challenge covering the term of the contract will be published on these pages by December 2024.
Funding
The Government invested just over $680 million of funding over 10 years in these Challenges.
The 11 Challenges
Ageing Well | Kia eke kairangi ki te taikaumātuatanga
Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities | Ko ngā wā kāinga hei whakamāhorahora
Healthier Lives - He Oranga Hauora
High-Value Nutrition | Ko Ngā Kai Whai Painga
New Zealand's Biological Heritage | Ngā Koiora Tuku Iho
Our Land and Water | Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai
Resilience to Nature's Challenges | Kia manawaroa - Ngā Ākina o Te Ao Tūroa
Science for Technological Innovation | Kia kotahi mai - Te Ao Pūtaiao me Te Ao Hangarau
Sustainable Seas | Ko ngā moana whakauka
The Deep South | Te Kōmata o Te Tonga
Challenge principles
The Challenges represented a new way of funding research, with 5 key principles that make them unique:
- Mission-led
Each Challenge is mission led and focuses research on achieving the Challenge objective and outcomes. Each research plan provides a credible impact pathway of research and related activities to achieve the outcome of the Challenge. - Science Quality
Each Challenge is dynamic and includes mechanisms to bring in new ideas, researchers, and research providers to refresh the Challenge. Each research plan involves identifying and selecting the best science to address the Challenge. Critical research capabilities including Mātauranga knowledge need to remain dynamic and must continue to be built and evolve to maximise outcomes for New Zealand. - Best research team collaboration
Each Challenge involves purposeful collaboration between researchers, across a number of research providers. Each Challenge is clearly linked with international research activity that supports the achievement of the Challenge. - Stakeholder engagement & public participation
Each Challenge involves public outreach and exhibits strong engagement between researchers and intended end users of the research activity, including, in some cases, obtaining investment from end users in the Challenge’s research. - Māori involvement and mātauranga
All Challenge research gives effect to the Vision Mātauranga policy.