OPINION

The resilience of Taitōkerau Northland’s businesses is well known across our region and country, as our business community has risen time and time again from the challenges of the past few years. Lesser known, however, is Northland’s burgeoning innovation and research and development sectors, quietly developing in SME (small and medium-sized) businesses across the region.

At the invitation of Callaghan Innovation, the Government’s innovation agency, a group of 20 pakihi Māori (Māori businesses), most from Taitōkerau, and a few from Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), recently travelled to Wellington for a full-day tour of the Gracefield Innovation Quarter, Callaghan’s home in the capital.

The site is home to world-class facilities, labs, equipment, and expertise for research and development — much of which has not been readily available to businesses located in Northand, but which Callaghan is striving to connect the dots to enable our regional businesses to access. Part of my role at Northland Inc is assisting our regional businesses to connect with Callaghan Innovation services, helping our businesses not just survive, but flourish through innovation and research and development.

The recent trip to Wellington was a chance for the group to explore what is possible, right here in New Zealand, for businesses looking to commercialise innovation and research and development.

Beginning with a whakatau (welcome) from the Māori Economy Team in Te Whare ā Maui and time for whakawhanaungatanga (introductions), the welcome was well received in the Innovation Quarter. In the group there was wide industry representation from throughout Taitōkerau Northland, with pakihi (businesses) in food and beverage, primary industries, health tech, cosmeceutical, aquaculture, digital and industrial sectors among others.

The diversity of expertise across the Northland representation was testament to the depth of innovation and research and development that has been ticking away across the region.

A core focus of the day was exposing and educating Taitōkerau representatives on just what is possible in research and development, and what Callaghan Innovation can aid our businesses in accessing. The group experienced an informative introduction to Hylink, a hydrogen power system being used on site, with excellent potential for remote and off-grid use in future — creating immediate synergies through potential application across the Northland region.

The group toured the advanced materials and biotechnology facilities, and made the most of the chance to ask the scientists and engineers burning questions. The scientists and technical experts at Gracefield Innovation Quarter are leaders in their fields, and are uniquely equipped to support businesses with research and development, and commercialising their innovation.

A highlight throughout the day was how many pakihi realised they were already innovating, and doing research and development. It emphasised a key piece of rationale behind this Callaghan Innovation regional invitation — Taitōkerau has so much talent and research and development potential, but our pakihi have been underrepresented in this space. Through demystifying research and development, and growing regional understanding and awareness of what Callaghan Innovation is, we create the platform to enable our businesses to innovate and grow.

This outreach from Callaghan Innovation is a testament to the investment and support it is able to provide our Taitōkerau pakihi, and to break down the barrier to entry into innovation and research and development. It was also an acknowledgment that it hasn’t always hit the mark in the past with pakihi Māori, but that it is motivated, and taking action to change that.

The day concluded with an update and Q&A session about the rapid progression in artificial intelligence, and a brief about the potential benefits that Callaghan Innovation can provide Taitōkerau businesses. From expert advice and research and development services, co-funding grants, and connections, to networks and opportunities and, importantly, how to access them.

Callaghan Innovation support is available through regional customer navigators, facilitated by the Regional Business Partner Network. As the Taitōkerau navigator with Northland Inc, my role is a local point of contact to help navigate businesses to the right Callaghan Innovation products at the right time.

The pakihi who came on this trip have made valuable connections with other innovative pakihi from their region, and are part of a group that will continue to connect over the next year to continue the momentum the visit catalysed. Importantly, they also bring home the knowledge they have gained to share with businesses across the region — inspiring others to strive towards research and innovation to help their businesses thrive.

This trip was made possible with inter-agency collaborations, largely through the Regional Business Partner network, Callaghan Innovation, Northland Inc, Poutama, Whāriki and Amotai.

Andrea Primrose-Netzler is Northland Inc’s Callaghan Innovation customer navigator