NEWSROOM
Bhuvana Kannan: championing sustainability
within New Zealand’s deep-tech sector
9 January 2024
Bhuvana Kannan has held a range of roles within New Zealand’s deep-tech community for over a decade. Her professional journey has included roles in project management and research commercialisation in everything from nanotech to biotech, developing innovations utilising novel materials including fish skins and recombinant bee DNA.
During her time at Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland, she completed a Master’s degree in commercialisation and entrepreneurship, which complemented her PhD in Chemistry.
On completion of her PhD she worked at Technix, developing a sustainable building material derived from oil and gas waste. Next, at Nanolayr, she was one of the primary inventors and contributed to the formulation of DermaLayr—a cutting-edge technology harnessed from the byproduct of fish skin.
Bhuvana says “I gained valuable insights into discerning the nuances between research endeavors and the practicalities of commercialisation. This experience deepened my understanding of market opportunities and equipped me with the strategies to navigate them while safeguarding intellectual property.”
She further put her entrepreneurship skills to work in 2022 as the founder of Venn MinD Health, an online mental health diagnosis platform, which she continues to operate while simultaneously holding the position of Director of Product Development at Humble Bee Bio. It’s an ambitious company with a compelling mission to build novel biomaterials that solve market and environmental problems through utilising the genetic blueprint of a solitary bee.
Bhuvana says “I take pride in being a member of a team that exemplifies exceptional grit and upholds strong values in pursuit of their mission.”
“My diverse experience spans various sectors in New Zealand, yet a common thread ties them together – a commitment to sustainable science and the circular economy. Regardless of the challenges inherent in the start-up landscape, working for companies and projects with a sustainability mission has always anchored me.”
Bhuvana continues to be involved with the University of Auckland Business School’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) as a mentor, speaker and panellist in an effort to give back to the community.
“The companies I’m associated with and those I mentor, all possess significant potential to make a positive global impact. New Zealand, often underestimated in its role in sustainable impact, houses immense talent capable of addressing global sustainability challenges.”
Bhuvana’s career trajectory is proof positive that it’s possible to develop a career that aligns with personal values and contributes meaningfully to endeavours that have a positive impact on a global scale – if you’re able to hold firm in your determination.
She says, “Identifying emerging technologies, understanding their applications, and gaining insights from industry start-ups required considerable patience and endurance. Being part of a start-up environment requires an entrepreneurial mindset. It’s a challenging yet endlessly engaging experience.”
Bhuvana Kannan (middle)
Bhuvana Kannan (middle)
9 January 2024
Bhuvana Kannan has held a range of roles within New Zealand’s deep-tech community for over a decade. Her professional journey has included roles in project management and research commercialisation in everything from nanotech to biotech, developing innovations utilising novel materials including fish skins and recombinant bee DNA.
During her time at Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland, she completed a Master’s degree in commercialisation and entrepreneurship, which complemented her PhD in Chemistry.
On completion of her PhD she worked at Technix, developing a sustainable building material derived from oil and gas waste. Next, at Nanolayr, she was one of the primary inventors and contributed to the formulation of DermaLayr—a cutting-edge technology harnessed from the byproduct of fish skin.
Bhuvana says “I gained valuable insights into discerning the nuances between research endeavors and the practicalities of commercialisation. This experience deepened my understanding of market opportunities and equipped me with the strategies to navigate them while safeguarding intellectual property.”
She further put her entrepreneurship skills to work in 2022 as the founder of Venn MinD Health, an online mental health diagnosis platform, which she continues to operate while simultaneously holding the position of Director of Product Development at Humble Bee Bio. It’s an ambitious company with a compelling mission to build novel biomaterials that solve market and environmental problems through utilising the genetic blueprint of a solitary bee.
Bhuvana says “I take pride in being a member of a team that exemplifies exceptional grit and upholds strong values in pursuit of their mission.”
“My diverse experience spans various sectors in New Zealand, yet a common thread ties them together – a commitment to sustainable science and the circular economy. Regardless of the challenges inherent in the start-up landscape, working for companies and projects with a sustainability mission has always anchored me.”
Bhuvana continues to be involved with the University of Auckland Business School’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) as a mentor, speaker and panellist in an effort to give back to the community.
“The companies I’m associated with and those I mentor, all possess significant potential to make a positive global impact. New Zealand, often underestimated in its role in sustainable impact, houses immense talent capable of addressing global sustainability challenges.”
Bhuvana’s career trajectory is proof positive that it’s possible to develop a career that aligns with personal values and contributes meaningfully to endeavours that have a positive impact on a global scale – if you’re able to hold firm in your determination.
She says, “Identifying emerging technologies, understanding their applications, and gaining insights from industry start-ups required considerable patience and endurance. Being part of a start-up environment requires an entrepreneurial mindset. It’s a challenging yet endlessly engaging experience.”
EMAIL
CIE@AUCKLAND.AC.NZ
POSTAL ADDRESS
THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND BUSINESS SCHOOL
PRIVATE BAG 92019, AUCKLAND
