The Lighthouse: illuminating New Zealand’s innovation pathways

New Zealand has never lacked ideas. What it has struggled with is helping those ideas move from minds and labs into the world to be validated, developed and turned into impact. And for most ideas, that means a multitude of things: funding, investment, guidance, advice and connections. It takes time, trial and error, money and collaboration to bring ideas to life.

The Lighthouse exists to provide just that. It is a national portfolio that brings together long-standing programmes Return On Science, Momentum, and newcomer Te Kōara. For more than a decade, these programmes quietly support innovators across Aotearoa to test ideas, heighten evaluation, and make informed decisions about what comes next.

“We are incredibly fortunate to be supported by government and academia,” says Tori McNoe, Head of The Lighthouse, “both environments understand risk and the gift of time in tracking reward.”

The Lighthouse’s programmes have supported more than 1,850 projects and invested over $40 million in 288 ventures. Some of the country’s most promising start-ups have had support from the Lighthouse programmes to accelerate their ideas. These include Alimetry, OpenStar and legaltech firm VXT – which recently raised $2.5 million at a $45 million valuation.

This an outcome of the work, and a very real part of the KPI’s The Lighthouse is mandated to achieve; but the real gold lies in the people behind the numbers. Many participants have gone on to become leaders, investors, and advisors across the wider innovation ecosystem, carrying forward a culture of reciprocity and service.

“At its heart, The Lighthouse is about service,” says McNoe. “Our role is to support people to articulate where they are heading, what they are really trying to achieve, and how they might get there.”

The Lighthouse creates safe, well-governed spaces where ideas can be tested in front of experienced, skilled, independent investment committees. These committees do not just support the allocation of capital. More importantly, they offer insight, challenge assumptions, and help innovators clarify their next steps, whether that is progressing, pivoting, or stopping altogether.

Each programme within The Lighthouse plays a distinct role. Return On Science focusses on exploring the commercialisation of scientific, academic research held in tertiary and research institutions. The five Return on Science Committees are divided into scientific and research domains such as Agritech and Foodtech; Biotech and Pharma; Digital Technologies; Medtech and Surgery and Physical Sciences.

Momentum began as a way for experienced professionals to support student-led ideas and has since grown into a powerful entry point for young entrepreneurs. Momentum Committees are situated regionally in Auckland, Manawatū, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago.

Te Kōara asks a deeper question: what would a Māori commercialisation journey look like if it were designed from the ground up, grounded in mana motuhake (the right to self-government) and long-term value creation?

Nationalisation has evolved from an outcome of service rather than efficiency.

“We have found that in-person contact and connection is what improves trust and therefore our service. And that is what we are about.”

“There is a great Māori whakataukī that lends itself to how we measure impact,” McNoe explains, “Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi. With your food basket and my food basket, the people will thrive. If the ecosystem is doing well, we are doing well.”

Looking ahead, it should come as little surprise that The Lighthouse remains focussed on service; as New Zealand rethinks how its research and innovation system should work, the need for trusted intermediaries who can connect people, insight, and opportunity is only growing.

The University of Auckland, through UniServices, founded the investment committee model that underpins The Lighthouse and, like other partners, now accesses The Lighthouse as part of a nationally available portfolio serving innovators across Aotearoa.

The Lighthouse is a beacon to help guide innovators who are struggling to find their way. The programmes offer different paths in getting there.