6 | RURAL PEOPLE » Callaghan Innovation Turning innovative ideas into high-tech products Richard Loader Established as a Crown entity in 2013, Callaghan Innovation is at the heart of helping Kiwi businesses grow faster for a better New Zealand by activating innovation. Callaghan Innovation takes its name from Sir Paul Callaghan (1947 – 2012), one of New Zealand’s greatest scientists. A highly-respected and inspirational leader and teacher, Sir Paul championed science and business as being crucial to New Zealand’s economic growth. His wish was for New Zealanders to get more value and return from their ingenuity by combining science, innovation and commercialisation. Callaghan Innovation’s role as New Zealand’s innovation agency is to support science and technology-based innovation and its commercialisation by businesses to improve their growth, competitiveness and productivity. Partnering with ambitious businesses of all sizes, Callaghan Innovation delivers a range of innovation and research and development (R&D) services to suit each stage of a business’s growth. “Callaghan Innovation works with businesses to invest in R&D, translating innovative ideas into hightech products and services that will bring value to New Zealand,” says Simon Yarrow, Agritech Lead. “We work with New Zealand start-ups, innovators, iwi, businesses, entrepreneurs and other government agencies and operate across a variety of sectors including CleanTech, agritech, Industry 4.0, advanced manufacturing, and healthtech among others.” Callaghan Innovation also enhances the ef cacy of New Zealand’s innovation ecosystem by connecting talent, opportunities and technology based innovation across organisational boundaries working closely with MBIE (Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment), NZTE (New Zealand Trade and Enterprise), NZVIF (NZ Venture Investment Fund), CRIs (Crown Research Institutes), and other organisations that help increase business investment in R&D and innovation. Simon explains that Callaghan Innovation’s services are broadly split into three areas: Innovation and expertise, innovation funding and innovation skills, and connecting the innovation ecosystem. “From an innovation expertise perspective the agency provides businesses with access to more than 200 of New Zealand’s leading scientists and engineers to assist with technology based innovation and deep-tech problem solving to overcome technical challenges. Through innovation funding and innovation skill the agency enables its customers to innovate with funding for R&D activities as well as access to world-class training and development programmes to grow innovation skills and capability. “By connecting the innovation ecosystem we actively connect New Zealand’s innovation talent with opportunities and research. We run industry events where innovators get inspired, connect and upskill, including Southern SaaS and Matariki X. “We also help New Zealand businesses understand major trends and opportunities, inspiring them to get involved. We challenge businesses to step up and seize those opportunities through technology, innovation and commercialisation.” Operating from three main sites and a regional partner network across New Zealand, Callaghan Innovation’s team empower innovators by connecting people, opportunities and networks, providing tailored technical solutions, skills and capability development programmes, and R&D funding. Callaghan Innovation is currently working with AgritechNZ as part of the Agritech Industry Transformation Plan (ITP) to supercharge global growth for New Zealand’s agritech sector. A service that Callaghan Innovation has partnered with AgritechNZ to develop is the Agritech Support Explorer, a new website which helps businesses navigate the rapidly evolving funding and support landscape with easy-to-access information tailored to speci c needs. Callaghan Innovation’s role is to support science and technology-based innovation and its commercialisation by businesses to improve their growth, competitiveness and productivity. Inset: Simon Weir, Callaghan Innovation agritech group manager. • Uni ed voice page 8 Callaghan Innovation’s role as New Zealand’s innovation agency is to support science and technology-based innovation and its commercialisation by businesses.
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