Ag/hort projects weren’t mentioned by Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti when he drew attention to 19 projects to secure support from the Endeavor Fund.
“The Endeavour Fund backs bold ideas with the potential to strengthen our economy, drive innovation, and deliver benefits for New Zealanders” Dr Reti said.
He and Shane Jones, Minister of Regional Development, highlighted a project that aims to harness the potential of supercritical geothermal energy.
The DeepHeat project by the New Zealand Institute for Earth Science Limited (formerly GNS) will receive $10 million from the Endeavour Fund. Starting from 1 October, this will enable over 20 leading global geothermal experts to explore the significant energy potential of the Central Taupo Volcanic Zone.
This programme is part of more than $183 million in funding the government was investing in projects that had the potential to shape New Zealand’s future – from space technologies to healthcare, artificial intelligence, and clean energy, Dr Reti said.
He mentioned four other projects funded in the 2025 round:
- New climate technology to monitor the upper atmosphere and improve extreme weather forecasting. (University of Otago)
- AI-powered marine planning to support offshore wind energy. (Earth Sciences New Zealand)
- Rapid, low-cost diagnostics for early detection of diseases like Alzheimer’s. (University of Canterbury)
- Reducing spat losses to grow NZ’s Greenshell mussel sector. (University of Auckland)
Dr Reti said the projects show the power of science to deliver practical solutions.
“Past projects have led to world-first health technologies, advanced clean energy solutions, and innovations that strengthen our primary industries. The programmes announced today will continue that track record – creating new knowledge, growing the economy, and building a more resilient future.
“It’s also great to see many projects with a clear path to commercialisation, which means more ideas making it out of the lab and into the real world.”
The full list of funded Research Programmes is available on the MBIE website: www.mbie.govt.nz/research-programmes-successful-proposals.
It shows the ag/hort sector was not overlooked –
- New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science Limited – formerly AgResearch
Project title: New Zealand precision fermentation: From local bioresources to high value proteins
For more information see:
New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science funded Research Programmes
- New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science Limited – formerly Plant & Food Research
Project title: Super-storing: Using gene technologies to take New Zealand’s perishable fruit crops global
For more information see:
New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science funded Research Programmes
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment received 154 applications for Research Programmes funding in the 2025 round of the Endeavour Fund.
It continues to fund 106 Research Programmes awarded in previous years.
The successful proposals for the 2025 fund were selected by the Science Board, an independent statutory Board, following review by independent experts from New Zealand and overseas in MBIE’s College of Assessors.
Source: Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.
