$15 million of additional funding will be available over the next four years to assist commercialisation of new technologies developed by New Zealand scientists and entrepreneurs. Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced the decision at Lightning Lab XX yesterday.
In addition, funding for the development of new accelerator programmes will also be extended, and will include new investment of $3 million during the four year period. This comes after seeing positive results shown from Lightning Lab and other accelerator programmes over the last three years.
Creative HQ welcomes the decision and would like to see more collaboration in the science community to better commercialize IP through entrepreneurial methodologies.
Lightning Lab XX, focused on fast-tracking women-led companies, is one of the many accelerators available, and is currently running in Wellington. The diverse set of teams include Liangma from China, Sipreme who promises to (literally) feed your passion and GeoAR, a geospatial augmented reality game that was coincidentally highlighted on TV3 last night.
If you would like to learn more about these innovative teams, sign up here to RSVP for tickets to our Demo Day, happening on the 16th June 2016.
