New Zealand Institute for Advanced Technology board

The New Zealand Institute for Advanced Technology board, comprised of research, technology and industry experts, is responsible for:

• providing advice on opportunities for investment in advanced technologies to the Government
• implementing the Government’s priorities on advanced technologies through the funding of advanced technology research platforms
• monitoring and evaluating the performance and impact of research platform investments
• supporting the growth of the advanced technology sector by facilitating sector collaboration, providing sector insights and navigation of commercialisation support.

Cabinet agreed to appoint the board members on 8 December 2025 and they will start their terms of appointment when the Institute is incorporated in early 2026. The board brings a wealth of experience in governance, research and commercialisation.

Steve O’Connor, Establishment Chair

Mr O’Connor has experience in innovation, venture incubation and acceleration and capital markets. He is currently director and deputy chair of New Zealand Growth Capital Partners (NZGCP).

He was Founder, director, and chief executive officer of Flick Energy Limited and Lightning Lab, as well as CEO of Creative HQ Limited, a start-up hub and entrepreneurship centre. Previously he held strategy management roles at Meridian Energy Limited.

Mr O’Connor brings significant value through his wealth of knowledge and experience in the technology and innovation space.

Professor Greg O’Grady

Professor O'Grady is a researcher, entrepreneur, and commercial specialist. He has founded and led successful startups and has considerable experience raising venture capital.

He is currently a professor and principal investigator in surgery and biomedical engineering at the University of Auckland.

He brings deep tech entrepreneurship knowledge and commercialisation experience to the board.

Professor Cather Simpson

Professor Simpson is the Professor of Physics and Chemical Sciences at The University of Auckland and chief executive officer of Orbis Diagnostics.

She is on the boards of Fisher and Paykel Healthcare and the Dodd-Walls Centre, as well as several startup companies. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi and serves on the Academy Executive. She is the Vice President of SPIE – the International Society for Optics and Photonics, and Vice-Chair of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics Laser Physics and Photonics Commission.

Professor Simpson has a deep understanding of and is well connected to the industry, where she is highly regarded both nationally and internationally for her work in photonics.

Arama Kukutai

Arama Kukutai is an investor, entrepreneur and thought leader in the Agritech and Food sectors, having founded and invested in some of the leading startup companies in the space, including at Plenty Inc, where he served as CEO and Director. He is also the co-founder of Finistere Ventures, one of the pioneering venture firms dedicated to Agrifood investment.

Arama has whakapapa connection to Waikato-Tainui, Maniapoto and Te Aupōuri iwi and has been active in governance in Māori economic development including Te Ara Pōtiki, a non-profit established to advance Māori STEM graduate career experience through fellowships at US startups. Arama is also a Managing Director at Pūtaiao Partners, an advisory firm dedicated to enabling investment and global connections in the Māori economy.

Arama holds law and business degrees from the Victoria University of Wellington where he was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni in 2023 and was also honored with a World Class New Zealander award in 2022.