The KiwiNet Innovation Network (KiwiNet), a consortium of universities and research institutes in New Zealand aimed at promoting research commercialisation, has secured a three-year funding agreement with the country’s Ministry for Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE).
Founded four years ago, KiwiNet has grown to represent 75% of New Zealand’s university science capability. It recently attracted three Crown Research Institutes, represents 15 institutions and 7,000 researchers as a whole.
Bram Smith, General Manager of KiwiNet, said: “It’s fantastic to have the Government getting behind research commercialisation in New Zealand, KiwiNet is about bridging the gap between the Government’s substantial investments into research discovery and business innovation. Our vision is to see kiwi scientists powering business to push the frontiers of high-tech innovation.”
The contract draws from New Zealand’s Commercialisation Partner Network (CPN), a $3m per annum programme run by MBIE. Kjesten Wiig, MBIE’s national manager for commercialisation, said: “The CPN was intended to create an integrated approach to commercialisation, where those involved in all aspects of commercialisation work together to create scale, enhance capability and improve collaboration. The three partners in the CPN: KiwiNet, Return on Science, and CDC Innovation are working together to deliver measurable results in terms of improved and increased commercialisation of publicly funded research.”
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