Research to Innovation Hatchery
Create social and economic value from your research
Applications will close on Sunday 16 March 2025
About the Programme:
Unlock the potential of your research and discover a world of opportunity.
The Research to Innovation Hatchery is a free, twelve-week programme designed to help you turn research into real-world impact through innovation and entrepreneurship. You’ll learn to identify, test, and validate pathways for innovation, bridging the gap between academic research and practical application.
In this programme, you’ll gain essential skills for bringing your ideas to life through commercialisation or social entrepreneurship. We’ll guide you in assessing how your research can create tangible benefits and positive change.
We welcome applications from researchers of all faculties at the University of Auckland, from academic staff to research master’s students and doctoral candidates.
Who Can Apply:
Researchers from all faculties of the University of Auckland, including academic staff, research master’s, and doctoral candidates.
Your Opportunity:
- Learn to identify, test, and validate pathways to create value through your research.
- Be connected with like-minded people to learn, share, and grow, connecting with other researchers from all faculties.
- Gain access to world-class educational resources to help you develop an innovative and entrepreneurial mindset.
Learning Outcome:
- Learn and practise market validation: Ensure your idea for an innovative application of your research addresses a critical need.
- Practical skills for impact: Learn how to mobilise knowledge and take your research beyond academia, harnessing opportunities for social and commercial impact.
- Real-world application: See your research come to life and make a positive difference in the world.
- Prepare for investment success: Develop your research to attract potential venture investment.
Timing and Commitment:
The Research to Innovation Hatchery runs for twelve weeks, part-time, with an average weekly commitment of 8 hours per week.
Participants must be able to commit to the following in-person sessions:
- 2-3 April – Two-day kick-off workshop (10am – 4pm)
- 9 May – Midway workshop (10am – 4pm)
- 26 June – Final presentations (10am – 2pm)
- Weekly one-hour group sessions and 30-minute online individual mentoring.
Facilitators and Mentors:
We will have a range of mentors and industry experts joining us for sessions throughout the programme.
Guy Bate
Guy is currently a Lecturer in Technology Commercialisation & Strategy at Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland. Prior to entering academia, he worked for nearly 20 years in the pharmaceutical, health technology, and biotechnology industries, leading strategy, new product planning, business transformation, and commercial operations. We are thrilled to have Guy on board as Academic Programme Director this year.
Anna St George
Anna has worked across sectors, from Spark and Les Mills International to start-ups and her own ventures. She specialises in simplifying complex data and insights to drive growth, with experience in SaaS, primary industries, and impact-focused companies. Her work spans industries like bedding and health, covering B2B models, brand building, and deals with Google. Anna has led commercialisation projects with a consumer, communications, and purpose-driven lens. A future thinker with creativity and problem-solving skills, she thrives on tackling challenges for the greater good of people, planet, and prosperity. We’re thrilled to have her as one of our Hatchery managers this year.
Duncan Ledwith
Since moving to New Zealand from Scotland in 2005, Duncan Ledwith has been a driving force in the local start-up ecosystem through mentorship, education, investment, and more. He is widely recognised as a leading expert in market validation and has been involved in the Icehouse and CIE from the very start. His areas of expertise include early-stage and technology investing, international market entry, large-scale strategic partnerships, building international sales revenue, and science commercialisation. He has founded several successful start-ups and held senior leadership positions at Microsoft from 1990 to 2005. In 2022, Duncan was honoured as one of the Business School’s Star Volunteers for his unwavering support of Velocity and CIE programmes. We are thrilled to have Duncan on board as one of our Hatchery managers this year.
Craig Squire
Born in South Africa, Craig grew up in Hawkes Bay and graduated from Victoria University with a BA/LLB. After starting as a finance lawyer, he moved into investment banking during a decade in the UK. Upon returning to NZ, he balanced being a full-time dad with property development, start-up investments, and founding two companies focused on solar and sustainable property development. Active in Auckland’s tech start-up community since 2011, Craig completed a Master’s in Innovation and Commercialisation at the University of Auckland in 2016. He has since worked with Crown Research Institutes and Kiwinet, specialising in market discovery and validating complex technologies. With extensive experience in engaging with science, customers, and investors, Craig helps founders and investors identify clear paths to market and move forward with confidence.
How to Apply
Applications close on Sunday 16 March.
Please ensure that you are able to commit to the listed sessions before applying.
If you have questions about the programme, please contact
cie_programmes@auckland.ac.nz.
Reviews
“Participating in the Researcher Hatchery programme was an opportunity for me to learn the skills necessary to actively push our research towards commercialisation. I learned so much. The programme has taught me the importance of early engagement with potential customers. What we thought was an ‘important research need’ was only our assumption/hypothesis as researchers and could be very different to what customers view as important. The programme has given us a practical skill set to engage potential customers to test our hypothesis.”
Haruna Suzuki-Kerr
Research Fellow – Medical and Health Sciences
About the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship:
The Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship provides a world of opportunity to participants so that they can stand out and create value through innovative careers and start-up creation.
CIE is New Zealand’s leading University entrepreneurship centre, winning 12 international awards since 2020.
EMAIL
CIE@AUCKLAND.AC.NZ
POSTAL ADDRESS
THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND BUSINESS SCHOOL
PRIVATE BAG 92019, AUCKLAND
