NZ Invests $40.7 Million to Turn Research into Businesses

The initiative will begin with a pilot during the 2026/27 financial year before moving into a full investment round from 1 July 2027.

The New Zealand Government is investing an additional $40.68 million over the next three years to help universities transform research discoveries into successful businesses, while introducing new intellectual property (IP) rules that give researchers greater control over their inventions.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Penny Simmonds said the changes, which take effect from 1 July, are designed to help more publicly funded research reach the market, creating high-value jobs and supporting economic growth. The new national Intellectual Property Management Policy allows researchers to play a leading role in commercialising their work, encouraging them to develop innovations with real-world impact.

Researchers to receive stronger commercial support

The extra funding will be delivered through the Commercialisation Partner Network programme, with universities required to invest alongside the Government to expand research commercialisation efforts. New Commercialisation Engagement Guidelines, developed with the research sector, will also provide practical support for researchers, universities and industry partners as they work together to bring new ideas to market.

The Government said the initiative will help researchers identify commercial opportunities earlier, strengthen business development skills and connect innovators with experienced mentors and investors. Greater collaboration between universities is also expected to make it easier to share expertise and support the strongest projects, regardless of where they originate.

Pilot programme begins this year

The initiative will begin with a pilot during the 2026/27 financial year before moving into a full investment round from 1 July 2027. The funding forms part of a wider strategy to strengthen New Zealand's science, innovation and technology sector by supporting more science-led start-ups and high-growth companies.

Alongside the university investment, the Government will provide an additional $1.4 million each year for four years to expand the Founder and Start-up Support Programme, increasing its annual funding to $4.1 million and adding a dedicated deep-tech incubation programme. A further $1.4 million annually from July 2027 will support the New Zealand Institute of Advanced Technology in expanding its successful HealthTech Activator model into other advanced technology fields, creating more opportunities for innovative research to become globally competitive products and services.