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Innovative Kiwi businesses investing in research and development (R&D) will benefit from two new tax measures as part of Budget 2014, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Revenue Minister Todd McClay say.

As a result of Budget changes, loss-making start-up companies will be able to cash out all or part of their tax losses from R&D expenditure, while all businesses will be allowed tax deductibility for R&D “black hole” expenditure that is currently neither deductible nor able to be depreciated.

The Government will increase its investment in contestable science with $56.8 million of operating funding over three years starting from 2015/16 as it continues to grow its science and innovation expenditure as part of the Business Growth Agenda, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce says.

“High-quality scientific research is critical to increasing innovation and economic growth, and therefore to improving the lives of New Zealanders,” he says.

New Research and Development (R&D) Growth Grants worth more than $21 million over three years have been approved by Callaghan Innovation for another 15 high-tech companies, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

The latest Callaghan Innovation R&D Growth Grants have been approved for a wide range of companies from across the high-value manufacturing and services sector (HVMSS) who have shown a strong commitment to research and development conducted in New Zealand.

Entries open today for the 2014 Prime Minister’s Science Prizes, which will award a total of $1 million in prize money to some of New Zealand’s top scientists and researchers.

A total of five prizes are presented each year, with the aim of highlighting how science underpins innovation and helps to build a more competitive and productive economy.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce says the prizes are an important component in the Government’s programme of supporting and motivating New Zealand’s most talented scientists.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye today announced that expressions of interest have been released for a Food Safety Science and Research Centre.

Establishing a New Zealand centre of food safety science and research is one of the 29 recommendations from the Government Inquiry into the Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC) Contamination Incident, released in December last year.

Up to $5 million over two years will be invested in developing the science and innovation potential of Māori people, resources, and knowledge, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples announced today.

The 2014 Te Pūnaha Hihiko - Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund investment round aims to develop people and organisations undertaking research in areas that support the four themes of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Vision Mātauranga policy:

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced the launch of the first National Science Challenge, the High Value Nutrition Challenge, which will receive confirmed funding of up to $30.6 million over five years.

The objective of the High- Value Nutrition Challenge (Ko Ngā Kai Whai Painga) is to develop high value foods with validated health benefits. The High- Value Nutrition Challenge is led by researchers from the University of Auckland, the University of Otago, Massey University, AgResearch, and Plant and Food Research. 

Research & Development Growth Grants worth $59 million over three years have been awarded to 19 more high tech New Zealand businesses by Callaghan Innovation, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

R&D Growth Grants were introduced last year as part of changes to R&D funding designed to encourage more research and development to be undertaken by businesses in New Zealand. They provide up to $5 million co-funding a year to mid-sized and large New Zealand-based companies that are experienced in doing R&D.

The Government today issued a request for proposals for research funding for the second tranche of New Zealand’s National Science Challenges.  The second tranche comprises seven Challenges with total funding of up to $438.6 million over 10 years.

Research areas for the 10 National Science Challenges were announced in May 2013.  The seven Challenges in the second tranche are:

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced a $15 million investment over five years into advances in genetics research that will improve the profitability of New Zealand’s sheep and beef sector.

A new partnership, Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics, will also bring together New Zealand’s existing sheep and beef genetics research by consolidating Sheep Improvement Ltd, the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Central Progeny Test, and Ovita. Total funding for the new project from government and industry sources will be up to $8.8 million per year.

New Research & Development Growth Grants worth more than $140 million over three years have been awarded to 31 high tech New Zealand businesses by Callaghan Innovation, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

R&D Growth Grants were introduced last year as part of changes to R&D funding designed to encourage more research and development to be undertaken by businesses in New Zealand. They provide up to $5 million co-funding a year to mid-sized and large New Zealand-based companies that are experienced in doing R&D.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced the investment of more than $2.4 million to help unlock the science and innovation potential of Māori knowledge, resources, and people.

Eighteen programmes will receive $2,425,772 in funding from the Te Pūnaha Hihiko Vision Mātauranga (VM) Capability Fund, administered by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, with decisions informed by an independent assessment panel of experts.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced funding of up to $804 million over ten years for the second tranche of New Zealand’s National Science Challenges.

The ten National Science Challenges were announced in May, and funding for the first three Challenges was released in October. 

The remaining seven Challenges and their funding levels are:

Two new specialist research institutes are being established at Victoria University of Wellington to take up some of the fundamental science work previously conducted by Callaghan Innovation, as part of Callaghan’s move to focus on more near-to-market research for Kiwi firms.

Minister of Science and Innovation Steven Joyce today released the final Business Case for the development and growth of Callaghan Innovation, New Zealand’s new innovation partner for Kiwi businesses, over the next three years.

Mr Joyce says the Business Case lays out how Callaghan will support New Zealand’s business and science sectors to be more innovative and competitive.

Minister of Science and Innovation Steven Joyce today announced two appointments to the Science Board – the Board responsible for the allocation of funding used predominantly by research organisations for science, technology, research, and related activities.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced a new stakeholder advisory group that will help Callaghan Innovation, the Government’s new high-tech HQ for business, achieve its mission of helping businesses grow through commercialising innovation.

“This nine-member panel will be an important source of independent expert advice for Callaghan Innovation’s Board as it aligns with business needs,” Mr Joyce says.

Chair of the group is Dr Andrew Coy, Chief Executive of Wellington technology company Magritek.

A world-leading project to transform Christchurch into a smart city of the future and create opportunities for New Zealand’s tech sector is to receive support from Callaghan Innovation, the Government’s new High Tech HQ for business.

The Government is providing $10.5 million in additional funding for schools to raise student achievement in maths and science, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata announced today.

“Boosting the skills and achievement of our young people in maths and science are essential for their future careers and for New Zealand’s economic growth and prosperity,” Mr Joyce says.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Education Minister Hekia Parata today announced the Science and Society project, a unique joint education-science sector plan to lift engagement and achievement in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) across New Zealand.

Two New Zealand research groups have secured prominent positions in one of the world’s largest and most ambitious science projects – the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

AUT University and Victoria University of Wellington will lead two work areas in the pre-construction of the SKA. These two areas are in the Central Signal Processor and the Science Data Processor work packages, working alongside other New Zealand experts.

A joint New Zealand-China environmental science project investigating ways to improve water quality has started a series of field trials on a New Zealand owned farm.

New Zealand Minister of Science and Innovation Steven Joyce, who is currently in China, says the joint project is an important step in reducing nutrient discharges into waterways.

Four joint New Zealand-Chinese research projects will receive $1.4 million in funding over the next three years, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today in Beijing, China.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today announced the recipients for this year’s Rutherford Foundation Trust Awards and James Cook Research Fellowships.

The two grant schemes have combined Government funding of more than $1.7 million and are aimed at developing the skills of New Zealand scientists.