New Zealand’s largest contestable science fund is investing in 72 new projects to address challenges, develop new technology and support communities
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins, announcing the funding decisions, said the latest Endeavour Fund round had been focused on economic growth and commercial outputs.
“It involves funding of more than $236 million for a range of ambitious ideas and research programmes during the next five years,” she said.
“It is crucial that this investment is targeted to deliver value for New Zealand and that is why this investment round focuses on economic outcomes,”
Scientists in New Zealand were doing “exciting research,” Ms Collins said.
“They are coming up with new ways of approaching and combatting problems in areas of critical need for New Zealand such as making technology more efficient, improving our resilience, and responding to global weather changes.”
The Minister gave two examples of projects funded in this Endeavour Fund round:
- A team led by Victoria University of Wellington working on making supercomputers and quantum computers more energy efficient.
- Combatting the invasion of the pest gold clam, which can clog water-based infrastructure and compete with our native species for food and space. A NIWA-led team is researching these small, rapidly reproducing clams.
“Core science like this, which delivers for New Zealand and New Zealanders, is what I want to see our science funding go to and I plan to refocus science funding and investment plans on growing the economy and productivity to reflect this,” Ms Collins says.
“Congratulations to the successful projects. I look forward to seeing the impacts of this excellent science and its benefits for New Zealand.”
Ms Collins did not mention ag/hort projects. But AgResearch issued a media statement to announce three of its projects will receive funding of about $3million which feature research using technology known as RNAi to control fungal diseases threatening plants and animals, nanofertilisers to reduce pollution from nitrogen loss, and development of new generation biomaterials from protein.
AgResearch chief scientist Axel Heiser says it is always exciting to see the bright ideas of scientists getting the support to test them out.
“I think we all recognise now that given the challenges our primary industries are facing, a business-as-usual approach isn’t going to be enough. Investing into research that explores new approaches to long-running problems is critical, and the pay-off over time can be significant.”
A full list of recipients can be found on the MBIE website:
- Currently Funded Smart Ideas https://www.mbie.govt.nz/science-and-technology/science-and-innovation/funding-information-and-opportunities/investment-funds/endeavour-fund/currently-funded-smart-ideas
- Currently Funded Research Programmes https://www.mbie.govt.nz/science-and-technology/science-and-innovation/funding-information-and-opportunities/investment-funds/endeavour-fund/currently-funded-research-programmes.
Sources: Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology and AgResearch.
