Advanced Technology Platform: Future Magnetic and Materials Technologies
This platform will grow New Zealand’s hi-tech exports by leveraging world-class expertise in cryogenics, superconductors, magnets, and processed materials. It will support innovation-led growth by applying advanced materials and engineering capabilities to sectoral challenges, creating proof-of-concept products and enabling commercialisation pathways.
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I tēnei whārangi
Robinson Research Institute at Victoria University of Wellington will create a Platform Plan. If the Plan is approved, it will deliver the Platform.
This platform is the first major investment aligned with the New Zealand Institute for Advanced Technology (NZIAT).
MBIE funding
Stage 1
The government is investing $2 million (exclusive of GST) in the Robinson Research Institute at Victoria University of Wellington to establish a Platform Plan.
Start date: 1 April 2025. End date: 31 January 2026.
Stage 2
Once the Platform Plan has been approved then a further $69 million (exclusive of GST) will be provided over 7 years to deliver the Platform.
About the research
Led by the Robinson Research Institute, the platform builds on long-term investments in superconducting and cryogenic technologies.
The platform will support an integrated programme of research that advances the development of dynamic and world-class physical science and engineering research capabilities and grows New Zealand innovation and companies taking tech to market.
The platform will be framed around underlying technical expertise applied to sectoral themes where New Zealand can develop a competitive advantage. Key themes include:
- Space and Advanced Aviation: Supporting the Government’s Space and Advanced Aviation Strategy.
- Clean Processing of Critical Minerals: Contributing to the Government’s Minerals Strategy.
- Fusion Technologies: Exploring applications in energy and materials science.
- Emerging Themes: Additional areas will be identified during Platform Plan development, applying science and engineering to drive innovation.
Public statement
For over 40 years, New Zealand has been a global leader in high temperature superconductivity, building strong capability in advanced materials, electromagnetic devices and cryogenics. Through this SSIF establishment grant, we have planned the Future Magnetic and Materials Technologies Platform to extend this legacy and accelerate technologies with high commercial potential. Superconductivity enables major advances wherever energy efficiency or power density are critical, and the Platform will support development of electric motors for zero carbon aviation, superconducting systems for space propulsion and radiation protection, and technologies essential for safe, clean fusion energy. It will also advance clean processing of critical minerals, enabling New Zealand resource owners to produce high value exports and strengthen regional economies.
The Platform brings together leading researchers across New Zealand universities, specialist public sector materials expertise, and international collaborators in Australia, the US, Europe, Korea and Japan. Industry partners here and overseas have contributed to the Platform design through our consultation process.
This initiative strengthens national capability in an area where New Zealand has demonstrated international excellence. It ensures continued development of intellectual property, talent and infrastructure to support an emerging industry cluster in magnetics and cryogenics, while addressing a critical gap in minerals processing knowledge to add value for our minerals sector.
Alongside plan development, we have supported teams with essential expertise and established collaboration agreements with key NZ companies. We have commissioned a new advanced AC loss characterisation facility and developed equipment to test our superconducting turbo generator in an aviation test cell; have trialled monitoring systems within a fusion environment; produced performance enhancing components for our brain MRI system; nearly completed a 5 month test of our superconducting Hēki magnet on the International Space Station, and initiated work on radiation shield technologies. We have advanced hydrogen based processing to produce iron from ironsand and begun scoping clean processing projects with NZ mineral resource owners.
Last updated: 24 March 2026
