Callaghan Innovation will work across the whole innovation system to help businesses be more innovative and derive greater returns on that innovation.

As a start-up organisation, part of our early focus will be to refine the services and support we will provide and build a strong, effective and focused organisation to deliver these. In doing so we will start to engage the business and science, engineering and technology sectors in the first half of 2013 to ensure we deliver additional value over and above what is already being provided.

At the same time, we’re continuing to deliver business as usual in the functions that transferred into Callaghan Innovation on February 1, 2013. 

Our three key areas of focus are to deliver products and services that: 

Motivate
Connect
Deliver

Motivate

We’ll amplify returns from innovation in New Zealand – influencing businesses and individuals to innovate by providing inspirational information, training, advice and funding.

Over time, our work and services in this area will include:

• System development and scene setting. We will invest in and support events, forums, networks, awards, webinars, podcasts and publishing to build the appetite and appreciation for innovation in New Zealand.  We will also support education through programmes, internships and scholarships
• Self-service support. Our 0800 number (0800 4 CALLAGHAN ) helps businesses to identify innovation potential and to navigate and connect with the science, engineering and technology sector. Further down the track, we will also develop  self-support web services where businesses can tap into innovation information, advice, diagnostics and expertise.
• Innovation skills and business services. We will develop and promote programmes to strengthen innovation capability and potential across businesses, the science, engineering and technology sector and innovation workers. This includes exchanges of staff and students between the sector and businesses, and (from July 2013) the Better by Lean service (formerly run by NZTE) which helps companies improve performance, eliminate inefficient processes and activities, be more competitive, and increase customer satisfaction.

We invest in businesses and platforms that have the potential to transform our economy and the aspiration and ability to be globally competitive through R&D.  We work with businesses regardless of size to find out what they need and provide access to advice, services and funding. 

Find out more about the funding grants and programmes we provide.

Connect

No New Zealand organisation has existed before with the whole-of-system view that we bring to business innovation through science, engineering and technology.

We will make it our business to know the New Zealand innovation sector and the latest on global business and technology trends, to have strong research and development networks, and to connect businesses with this knowledge and expertise, along with new ideas, opportunities and solutions. We will do this in three distinct ways:

• We will build a team of innovation agents to work with selected businesses to help them realise their innovation potential 
• We will work in areas of New Zealand’s strengths, and get the right people working together, be they business people, scientists, or investors, to develop innovation platforms
• We will target large scale customers to identify business opportunities and make them happen– from bringing together the right consortium and providing project management through to sale and delivery of new products and services. Projects may span many years, combining New Zealand businesses and innovation capability.

Deliver

The equipment, facilities and expertise often required by businesses to develop sophisticated products and processes are usually beyond the scope of any one organisation to provide. 

We will help businesses access the most appropriate capability for them. We will also have in-house facilities and capability focused on meeting the needs of businesses, filling current gaps in the sector and anticipating long-term opportunities. This will include:

• Initiating, connecting and project managing innovation projects, linking business with science, engineering and technology providers across the system
• Science, engineering and technology (SET) expertise and services through our extensive facilities, complementing the capability in other research organisations. We employ researchers, applied engineers, technologists, designers and scientists
• Related expertise in intellectual property, business and finance.

Businesses can expect us to be responsive, commercially-focused, and committed to helping them succeed.