PreSeed Acceleration Fund awarded organisations

Contract value: $5,000,000 (excluding GST)
Contract term: 2 years
Funding awarded 1 July 2019

Contract extension value: $10,000,000 (excluding GST)
Contract term: 4 years
Contract start date: 1 July 2021

Contract extension value: $5,000,000 (excluding GST)
Contract term: 2 years
Contract start date: 1 July 2025

Auckland UniServices Limited is the commercial research, knowledge transfer and custom education company of the University of Auckland - dedicated to connecting the University's capabilities to business and investors, Government and the community. It is the manager of the University of Auckland's seed fund, the University of Auckland Inventors' Fund, a $20 million fund dedicated to investing in technology and start-ups developed by the staff and students of the University. It works with private sector companies and investors to turn this IP into new products and services and co-invests in the development of new spin-out companies. It has a significant global reputation and is the largest organisation of its size in Australasia. It creates approximately ten new high-technology companies per annum.

It invests around $3m per year through its University of Auckland Inventors Fund. This application for Pre-Seed Accelerator Funding will enable an acceleration in the development of new high value export products and companies emerging in New Zealand and the creation of new high paying jobs from tax-payer funded research.

Original contract value: $9,944,920 (excluding GST)
Contract term: 2 years
Contract start date: 1 July 2019

Contract extension value: $19,889,840 (excluding GST)
Contract term: 4 years
Contract start date: 1 July 2021

Contract extension value: $9,944,920 (excluding GST)
Contract term: 2 years
Contract start date: 1 July 2025

The Kiwi Innovation Network (KiwiNet) will deliver a new PreSeed Accelerator Fund (PreSeed) programme that will drive a suite of commercial prospects emerging from publicly-funded research to market, to transform NZ's economy from high-volume to high-value. This will drive forward a globally-competitive technology sector in NZ.

KiwiNet is the combined power of 18 of NZ's Universities, Crown Research Institutes and other research organisations who receive public funding, representing a total combined research expenditure of over $800 million and over 80% of NZ's publicly-funded researchers. We are an internationally-renowned commercialisation leader, dedicated to taking a collaborative approach to transforming scientific discoveries into benefit to NZ. We have generated a greater than seven-fold return to NZ on funding invested, to date.

The KiwiNet investment committees are the platforms for KiwiNet's collaborative model. These committees invest a new PreSeed fund into early-stage research discoveries with commercial potential, progressing them to a point where they can be taken on by the private sector, usually in the form of a high-value license deal or the formation of start-up/spin-out company alongside private investment.

This programme will grow our PreSeed project pipeline, increase the number of projects presented to our investment and pipeline committees, enhance participation of NZ's research organisations with KiwiNet and grow the impact of the investments we make to NZ.

By committing to this programme, KiwiNet is committed to a future where all publicly-funded research discoveries in NZ with commercial potential are delivering maximal impact. The avalanche of deep-tech ventures that emerge will drive prosperity, enhance and sustain intergenerational wellbeing, and grow NZ for all.

Contract value: $1,050,000 (excluding GST)
Contract term: 2 years
Funding awarded 1 July 2019

Contract extension value: $2,100,000 (excluding GST)
Contract term: 4 years
Contract start date: 1 July 2021

Contract extension value: $1,050,000 (excluding GST)
Contract term: 2 years
Contract start date: 1 July 2025

It is Scion’s core purpose to drive innovation and growth from New Zealand's forestry, wood products, wood-derived materials and other biomaterial sectors, to create economic value and contribute to beneficial environmental and social outcomes for New Zealand.

In our future view of New Zealand, Scion, with industry, government and Treaty partners, will have grown and transformed forestry and timber-based manufacturing. Regions across New Zealand will be thriving through their expanded and enriched planted forests. High-value construction and appearance timber products will be meeting domestic and international demand. New materials and energy derived from trees will have displaced oil-derived products. New biobased industries that use tree- and wood waste-derived materials will have replaced those that relied on imported chemicals and fuels. Timber will be the norm in multi-level construction, and New Zealand cities will be increasingly sustainable in character and design.

In our strategic plan through to 2030 we have set out our long-term direction and programmes of work to deliver our purpose and achieve great outcomes for New Zealand. It will be critical to do this work in partnership with existing and emerging industry, Māori and central and local government. Scion will play a key role to create a more sustainable way of living in a low-carbon, biobased future. We will help develop distinctive New Zealand products, services and approaches that will enhance our nation’s well-being through social, environmental and economic outcomes while also demanding a value premium around the world. We will enable opportunities for producers to develop new brands that promote a powerful 'biobased' and 'made-from-sustainably grown and managed trees' message.

Contract value: $2,000,000 (excluding GST)
Contract term: 2 years
Funding awarded 1 July 2019

Contract extension value: $4,000,000 (excluding GST)
Contract term: 4 years
Contract start date: 1 July 2021

Contract extension value: $2,000,000 (excluding GST)
Contract term: 2 years
Contract start date: 1 July 2025

Otago Innovation Ltd, a subsidiary company of the University of Otago, has the primary responsibility for maximising the commercial value of the University of Otago’s research outputs. PreSeed Accelerator Funding is a critical early stage resource, essential to progress germinal research findings into investment ready assets. It fills an important and risky part of the innovation ecosystem and drives the translation of new technologies, business opportunities, the creation of new companies and jobs, and delivers better economic and health outcomes for New Zealanders.

From a standing start in 2001 to a functional, efficient and faster moving organisation today, Otago Innovation manages a consistent flow of high quality commercial opportunities underpinned by the University’s international reputation for high quality research. Otago Innovation assisted by PreSeed Accelerator Funding is well positioned to deliver game-changing opportunities and societal impacts on a global scale, deliver financial benefits to New Zealanders and enhancing the reputation of the University of Otago and New Zealand.