New institute signals a shift in how New Zealand approaches advanced technology

The New Zealand Institute for Advanced Technology (NZIAT) marks a change in how New Zealand is choosing to invest in its most advanced areas of science and innovation. Established as a new public research organisation, NZIAT is designed to bring researchers, industry and investors closer together, with a clear focus on translating cutting-edge science into real-world impact.

As NZIAT takes shape, there are strong connections to the University of Auckland’s innovation ecosystem. Two members of its board are prominent professors and former participants of programmes delivered by the University’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), bringing experience that spans research, entrepreneurship and governance.

Professor Greg O’Grady is a surgeon and biomedical engineer who has founded and led multiple start-ups and raised venture capital for deep technology ventures. He is also a principal investigator in the Department of Surgery in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences.

Cather Simpson is a Professor of Physics in the Faculty of Science and chief executive of a diagnostics company, with extensive experience across research leadership, industry boards and international scientific organisations. Both are former participants of CIE’s Velocity entrepreneurship development programme.

Their appointments point to a broader shift in expectations of research leadership, where the ability to move between academia, industry and commercialisation is increasingly important.

CIE Director Darsel Keane says it is encouraging to see members of the University of Auckland community contributing at this level.

“It’s a real privilege to see people from within our innovation ecosystem helping to lead nationally significant work that will influence New Zealand’s future. This work is important to enable our country to be competitive and build long-term capability.”

The announcement of NZIAT’s establishment was accompanied by a significant financial commitment, signalling a long-term approach rather than a short-term initiative. Funding of $231 million has been allocated to develop NZIAT, alongside $71 million for an advanced technology platform aimed at growing New Zealand’s high-tech exports and a further $70 million to support innovative artificial intelligence research and applications.

Taken together, the investment reflects a deliberate shift in how New Zealand builds capability in areas where global competition is accelerating. Rather than relying on fragmented efforts or isolated centres of excellence, NZIAT is being designed to provide a coordinated way to focus expertise, resources and ambition at scale.

At a time when rapid technological change is reshaping economies and industries worldwide, NZIAT is intended to act as a national platform. Its role is to align research strengths across the country, reduce duplication and accelerate pathways from discovery to application in technologies that will shape future industries.

Its initial focus reflects where advanced technologies are converging most rapidly. Future magnetic and materials technologies, artificial intelligence and quantum technologies sit at the intersection of research and application, with implications for sectors ranging from healthcare and energy to transport, manufacturing and space industries.

The Institute will operate from a central hub in Auckland, supported by a network of research investments across the country. This distributed model is designed to strengthen collaboration between universities, research institutes and industry, while improving the conditions for research to move more effectively into use.