Innovations need both technical and commercial focus for success
I work as a Navigator based in Auckland collaborating with inventors, scientists and engineers helping them to progress their ideas through to successful commercialisation. In my work I have a strong desire to improve the economic wellbeing of all New Zealanders, in particular to create better jobs. As a result of my work, some of the companies I've helped now employ between 20 and 50 people in well-paid jobs.
I’m proud to have achieved $10 million Research & Development funding during 2020 for over 80 ventures. This was matched-funded by the businesses so in total $20m was spent on R&D that year.
Climate innovator Professor Shaun Hendy, at Toha, is an inspirational leader who shows the importance to Aotearoa of commercialising research. Yet research is only part of the story behind success. An interesting fact about Research and Development is that during the process of innovation, technical issues are usually resolved more easily than commercial ones. For an innovation to thrive requires shifting focus from the technical to the commercial.