Researchers Join Industry at Innovation Think Tank

Researchers Join Industry at Innovation Think Tank

Innovators, creators, business leaders and academic researchers are joining forces in Wellington next week at a symposium which aims to develop new ideas and opportunities for the advancement of industry specific R&D.

The Symposium - Turning Innovation into Opportunities - provides the platform to consolidate the role of Institutes of Technology & Polytechnics (ITPs) in the delivery of industry-relevant research and development. The Metro Group who is leading this work comprises six of New Zealand’s metropolitan public tertiary education providers: Ara Institute of Canterbury, Manukau Institute of Technology, Otago Polytechnic, Unitec, WelTec, and Wintec.

“The application of research which is developed for businesses and communities and collaboration with government agencies and the private sector will increase the productivity of business, and help New Zealand grow a strong and sustainable commercial innovation sector,” says Chris Gosling WelTec and Whitireia Chief Executive.

“The ITP sector is well positioned to be a principal provider of industry-responsive capability to support business growth and productivity. We have a strong track record of working with small and medium sized industry to develop their ideas. Our staff are industry experts who possess industry-relevant skills and expertise. This ensures that we are specifically equipped to support business to realise their innovation goals,” says Mark Flowers Chair of the Metro Group and Chief Executive of Wintec.

“We look forward to lively participation by all those to whom innovation matters. We will be looking to pick up on recommendations and ideas emerging from this Symposium to embed the ITP sector as a cornerstone participant in growing New Zealand’s economy by enabling industry innovation,” says Mark Flowers.

The programme of presentations and discussion is structured around the “innovation cycle”.

Dynamic speakers from businesses leading innovation will be presenting (Xero, FarmIQ Ltd, IBM, Fraser Engineering); innovation leaders (NZ Innovation Council); regional economic agencies (WREDA, EDANZ); central government (Productivity Commission, MBIE, Statistics NZ); funding bodies (AlphaCrowd, Callaghan Innovation, KiwiNet); technology incubators (Hutt City’s 1St Assembly), and more than 100 applied researchers from ITPs across New Zealand.

ENDS

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