Pictured above: Professor Aaron Marshall.
New Zealand’s brightest research minds are turning bold ideas into real-world impact, with 18 finalists named for the 2025 KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards.
The KiwiNet Awards shine a spotlight on New Zealand’s deep tech talent – research entrepreneurs, innovators, and commercialisation professionals. And this year there’s no shortage of bold thinker turning ideas into real-world breakthroughs. From sustainable haircare tablets and stroke-detection devices to deep-space technology and CAR-T cancer therapies, 18 finalists are showing how Kiwi science can solve global challenges while boosting the local economy.
“These finalists represent the cutting edge of innovation, turning world-class science into high-value, high-growth ventures with real impact for New Zealand,” says KiwiNet CEO Dr James Hutchinson.
Student innovators like Emmalee Abbott Joe (FROTH, University of Canterbury) and Josiah Bugden (CourseSpy, University of Otago) are tackling sustainable products and education transparency, while breakthrough projects from Dr François-Xavier Collard (biofuels), Dr Patricia Rubio-Reyes (cell therapy), and Dr Ben Mallett (space tech) are pushing Kiwi research onto the world stage.
The 2025 KiwiNet Awards judging panel comprises Greg Sitters, Managing Partner at Matū Group; Melissa Yiannoutsos, Innovation Fund Manager, Booster NZ; Nadine Williams, CE & Founder, Instinct Lab NZ; David Beard, Partner at Movac; and, Adiraj Gupta, Entrepreneur & Founder, Sendd.
“These finalists show a sharper commercial focus and growing awareness of how their science can tackle global challenges while delivering tangible benefits for New Zealand,” says Greg Sitters a KiwiNet judge.
Nic Blakeley, Deputy Secretary Labour, Science, and Enterprise at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, says: “The KiwiNet Awards finalists are a powerful reminder of how research commercialisation drives real-world impact. Their success highlights the critical role of science-industry partnerships in growing our economy.”
Finalists
Momentum Student Entrepreneur Award
- Emmalee Abbott Joe – FROTH/ Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury: Making travel more sustainable, one haircare tablet at a time
- Josiah Bugden – CourseSpy/ University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka: Creating transparency in higher education
- Jade Luxton – Steerineedle/ Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury: The holster revolutionising livestock vaccinations
Breakthrough Innovator Award
- Dr François-Xavier Collard – Scion, a group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute: Pioneering biofuel for a greener maritime future
- Dr Patricia Rubio-Reyes – Malaghan Institute of Medical Research: Improving cell therapy control to fight cancer
- Dr Ben Mallett – The MacDiarmid Institute, Wellington UniVentures, Paihau Robinson Research Institute: Propelling New Zealand to the frontiers of deep space
BNZ Researcher Entrepreneur Award
- Professor Paul Glue – University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka: Pioneering impact for mental health
- Dr Michel Nieuwoudt – Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland/ Luminoma Ltd: Making light work of hard problems
- Professor Aaron Marshall – Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury/ MacDiarmid Institute: An inspiring visionary in clean-tech innovation
KCA Commercialisation Professional Award
- Sue Muggleston – Plant & Food Research, a group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute: A legacy of IP excellence and growing future leaders
- Arron Judson – Symply/ New Zealand College of Chiropractic: Building capability, not just companies
- Amanda Davies: Scion, a group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute: Forging pathways to turn science into impact
PwC Breakthrough Project Award
- Wellumio – Wellington UniVentures: Lifesaving stroke imaging when every second counts
- CAR-T Therapy – Malaghan Institute of Medical Research: Engineering the future of cancer care in New Zealand
- Ocean Intelligence – Cawthron Institute: Forecasting the future of marine farming
AJ Park Commercialisation Impact Award
- Zincovery and Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury: Leading the future of clean metal refining
- Potato Innovation ‘Crop 78’ – Plant & Food Research, a group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute: A sustainable French fry future
- Nectaron® and Plant & Food Research, a group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute: Next-generation flavours brewing global success
The awards, supported by MBIE, PwC NZ, BNZ and other sponsors, will be presented on 22 October alongside Auckland Startup Week, celebrating those turning scientific discoveries into high-value innovations with global reach.
The Kiwi Innovation Network (KiwiNet) is a consortium of universities, Crown Research Institutes, an Independent Research Organisation and a Crown Entity established to boost commercial outcomes from publicly funded research by helping to transform scientific discoveries into new products and services.
Since 2003, KiwiNet’s PreSeed Accelerator Funding has helped launch 88 start-ups, generate or sustain 788 jobs, and deliver over $646 million in revenue.
