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Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce has launched the Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge, confirming initial funding of $32.92 million.

The Challenge is the seventh of New Zealand’s 11 National Science Challenges to be launched, and it aims to develop new and innovative technologies to create commercially successful breakthrough products.

Hosted by Callaghan Innovation, it will involve three Crown research institutes and eight universities, all collaborating with businesses.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce has today welcomed the first opportunity for businesses, researchers, private investors and Government to collaborate on establishing new Regional Research Institutes, with a series of workshops beginning this week.

Mr Joyce says the new institutes are proposed in order to stimulate leading edge, commercially focused, and industry relevant research in regional New Zealand. This would help grow innovation and competitiveness by making the most of local industry, technology, and economic development opportunities.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce has today announced funding for 48 new science research programmes, for a total investment of $96.5 million over the next four years.

The funding has been allocated through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) 2015 science investment round.

Mr Joyce says the new programmes reflect the high quality of research across the country, which helps boost New Zealand’s productivity and competitiveness.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce has today welcomed the commencement of the 2015 Queenstown Research Week.

The event is New Zealand’s largest annual scientific gathering, bringing together over a thousand researchers for meetings and presentations covering a range of areas, with a focus on biological and medical sciences.

More than 200 future Kiwi innovators and 126 hi-tech companies will be able to benefit from research and development student grants announced today by Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced the appointment of Alan (Al) Monro to the Callaghan Innovation Board.

Callaghan Innovation was established in 2013 to support science and technology-based innovation and its commercialisation by businesses, in order to improve their growth and competitiveness.

Mr Monro is an experienced director, CEO and executive in the ICT and technology sectors. He has experience in start-ups through to multinationals, and in New Zealand and international markets.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today welcomed a successful first year for innovative start-ups receiving repayable grants from the new technology incubators funded through Callaghan Innovation.

The Technology Incubator Programme has so far approved funding of $7.8 million for 18 hi-tech companies through the repayable loan scheme, with each receiving up to $450,000 over two years.

The technologies invested in cover the ICT, sensing and automation, food and beverage technology, advanced material, design and manufacturing, and biotech industries.

The Government will invest $7.3 million over five years in an agricultural research partnership to improve pasture grasses and lift the performance of livestock farming, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy announced today.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce has launched the Resilience to Nature’s Challenges National Science Challenge, confirming initial funding of $19.6 million.

The Kia manawaroa – Ngā Ākina o Te Ao Tūroa Challenge is the sixth to be launched, and aims to enhance New Zealand’s resilience to natural disasters.

Hosted by GNS Science, it involves a collaboration of three Crown research institutes, six universities and four independent research organisations.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced a number of board appointments and reappointments.

Research and Education Advanced Network New Zealand Ltd (REANNZ) deputy chair Jim Donovan will take over as the new Chair from 1 July. REANNZ is the Crown-owned company that owns and operates New Zealand's high-capacity, high-performance IT advanced network.

Ross Peat has been newly appointed as deputy chair, and Simon Hall has been appointed as director.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced a number of appointments and reappointments to the boards of the seven Crown Research Institutes (CRIs), which carry out scientific research for the benefit of New Zealand.

Three of the CRIs will have a new Chair from 1 July. Denise Church will chair the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR), Nicki Crauford will chair the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GNS), and Jane Taylor will take over as Chair of Landcare Research. 

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced $3.2 million in funding for 13 new research projects under the Natural Hazards Research Platform.

The Research Platform was created in September 2009 by the Government to provide secure, long-term funding for natural hazard research, and to help research providers and end-users work more closely together.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce has today opened an innovation hub to support new and emerging businesses in Christchurch’s Innovation Precinct.

A joint partnership between Canterbury Development Corporation and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, the GreenHouse hub will support early-stage entrepreneurs by providing the necessary technological and social infrastructure required by such firms to grow.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today welcomed the first seven innovative start-ups receiving repayable grants from the new technology incubators funded through Callaghan Innovation.

The seven Hi-tech start-ups are on their way to commercialising valuable new intellectual property (IP) after each receiving repayable grants of up to $450,000 over two years administered by the three technology incubators - Powerhouse Ventures, Astrolab and WNT Ventures. 

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced the successful applicants for the $1 million Unlocking Curious Minds Contestable fund.

“The Unlocking Curious Minds pilot fund is an important step towards engaging more New Zealanders to learn about science, particularly our young people"

The fund offers two levels of grants: up to $20,000 for local projects, and up to $150,000 for regional or national projects. 

Budget 2015 allows for up to $25 million over three years to support the establishment of new privately led Regional Research Institutes, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce says.

The Government will work with regional stakeholders to identify where the best opportunities are to develop new institutes, and has allocated funding from 2016/17 to support best case proposals.

The Government will invest $5 million over seven years in a research partnership to increase the competitiveness of the forestry sector, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

“Forestry is New Zealand's third largest export earner – behind dairy and meat, contributing around $5 billion to our exports. This investment aims to strengthen the ties between research organisations and the industry to produce excellent research driven by industry needs,” says Mr Joyce.

Entries have opened for the 2015 Prime Minister’s Science Prizes, which will award a total of $1 million to New Zealand’s top scientists and researchers.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce says the prizes celebrate scientific achievement, highlight the impact science has on New Zealanders’ lives, and aim to attract more young people into science careers.  2015 is the seventh year the prizes will be presented.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today opened the fourth New Zealand/China Joint Commission Meeting on Science and Technology Co-operation in Wellington by announcing three new joint research projects between the two countries.

Sixty delegates have travelled to Wellington for the meeting, which is held every three years and is hosted alternately by New Zealand and China.

“China is an important and growing science and innovation partner for New Zealand,” Mr Joyce says.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell today announced the third annual investment in the Vision Mātauranga Science Fund, which was established to grow skills and capacity in science and innovation and support outcomes that benefit Māori and New Zealand.

“A total of $1.9 million will be invested in 17 new programmes over the next two years,” Mr Joyce says. “This is in addition to the $2.4 million invested in 2013 and $1.8 million in 2014.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced the latest companies that meet eligibility criteria for research and development (R&D) Growth Grants administered by Callaghan Innovation.

Fourteen new companies will be able to increase their investment in R&D through Growth Grants worth up to $15.8 million over three years. Callaghan Innovation’s R&D grants programme is aimed at bringing New Zealand’s levels of private R&D investment and innovation closer to those of our major trading partners.

Innovative Kiwi businesses investing in research and development (R&D) will benefit from a boost in funding for Callaghan Innovation as part of Budget 2015, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

The Government will invest another $80 million over four years in R&D growth grants, administered by Callaghan, to encourage more private sector research and development and grow New Zealand’s R&D ecosystem.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce has welcomed Statistics New Zealand data released today that shows businesses in New Zealand continue to invest more in research and development to fuel their growth.

Business expenditure on research and development (BERD) has increased by $53 million since the last survey in 2012, reaching $1,246 million in 2014.

"This continues a strong run of growth in business research and development by New Zealand companies since the worst days of the Global Financial Crisis,” Mr Joyce says.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Health Minister Jonathan Coleman say the Government is keen to optimise the role of the Health Research Council (HRC).

“The HRC is an important component of New Zealand’s science and innovation system. It plays a valued role in supporting our high performing health research sector,” says Mr Joyce. 

“A review is needed to identify how we can optimise the valuable contribution of the HRC. We want to ensure the HRC continues to deliver the right outcomes for New Zealanders,” says Dr Coleman.