Media release
28 March 2017
Brainstorming for New Zealand’s high-tech future
Some of the country’s leading businesspeople and researchers have today come together to brainstorm ideas for new
technology research projects to help to grow the New Zealand economy.
They’ve taken part in a one-day Industry Inspired Spearheads workshop organised by the Science for Technological Innovation (SfTI) National Science Challenge, which will soon
invest in new multi-million dollar research projects.
The SfTI Challenge is one of 11 National Science Challenges targeting specific goals to bring significant, enduring
benefits for New Zealand.
Its mission is to enhance New Zealand’s capacity to use physical and engineering sciences for economic growth. It
involves more than 100 researchers from New Zealand universities, crown research institutes, an independent research
organisation and two companies.
Challenge Director Professor Sally Davenport says today’s workshop, chaired by Rod Oram, was an important step in
engaging with industry to hear their ideas for challenging research that will help New Zealand to grow a vibrant,
prosperous technology-driven economy, including in the Māori economy.
“We’re looking for truly transformative ideas for science and engineering research that will contribute to the
development of innovative products and services for both local and global markets.
“The starting point for today was canvassing some of the challenges and opportunities for New Zealand businesses, and
potential technological investment areas we can invest in where we already have strengths and competitive advantage and
that are a good fit for both our current and future industries.
“Working closely with Māori enterprises also provides an internationally unique opportunity.
“We need to make sure our research is focused in areas where we can have the most impact. We aren’t talking about
immediate industry problem-solving, but rather research that in five to 10 years can really give New Zealand a
technological boost.
“By bringing together industry and researchers today, we not only wanted to draw out their ideas but also to help to
foster greater connections and understanding of how we can all work together to shape our high-tech economy.”
Today’s ideas will be considered by SfTI Challenge management when deciding on 2-3 new research projects later in the
year.
They will complement the Challenge’s existing multi-year, multi-million-dollar research projects looking at new
agricultural and environmental technologies, in-home medical technology, additive manufacturing from biomaterials, and
the development of new methods of analysing value chains.
Industry and Māori representatives will provide governance over the projects.