Callaghan Innovation will support seven trailblazing Kiwi businesses with bold ideas to succeed in global markets while forging new pathways for like-minded Kiwi innovators – including two businesses based in Christchurch.
Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology, Judith Collins announced the Ārohia Trailblazer grant recipients at the New Zealand Aerospace Summit on Tuesday in Christchurch.
Callaghan Innovation has allocated $17.5 million in co-funding to Christchurch-based Fabrum Solutions, and Zincovery Process Technologies, and Auckland-based Astrix Astronautics, Basis NZ, Emrod, Toku Eyes, and Zenno Astronautics. The Ārohia Trailblazer Innovation Grant supports businesses that are benefiting the Aotearoa New Zealand innovation ecosystem and have global potential.
“Congratulations to these Kiwi innovators who have developed these impressive, and ambitious innovations with the potential for success here and in global markets,” says Callaghan Innovation Chief Product Officer Brett Calton.
“We look forward to following their success as they inspire and enable other, like-minded ambitious innovators. These trailblazers represent diverse sectors, including HealthTech, CleanTech and aerospace, that are growing and have the potential to make a bigger impact globally.”
The Ārohia Trailblazer Grant supports the very best innovative businesses at the ‘getting ready to go to market’ stage of their innovation journey. Those businesses have done most of the research and development for their creation (the grant does not fund R&D costs) but they need that critical funding to finally bring their new product or service to market.
Ārohia Trailblazer funding can be invested into a broad range of areas, from setting up new infrastructure and production capabilities, and building teams with the right skills, through to building demonstration models and marketing.
About the recipients:
Christchurch
Fabrum Solutions Limited
The fundamental technologies that Fabrum has developed leverage over 20 years of composite and cryogenic discovery. The company has developed a very desirable library of patents and trade secrets, including cryocoolers, refuelling technologies, liquefiers and storage systems for hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and LNG. Fabrum operates around the globe with 80% of its product made in New Zealand and exported globally.
Zincovery Process Technologies Limited
Zincovery is looking to bring the first 100% recycled, low carbon and high purity zinc product to the market. This is enabled by their innovative zinc recycling technology that avoids the use of fossil fuels, reducing emissions by up to 95% and processing costs by 45%.
Auckland
Astrix Astronautics
Astrix Astronautics design unique, reliable high performance power systems for small satellites using a state-of-the art inflatable deployment mechanism that delivers solar power to mega-constellations.
Basis NZ Limited
Basis has developed the world’s first residential Smart Panel, enabling homeowners to reduce their electricity costs, make their homes dramatically safer and lower barriers to adopting electrification technologies (EV, battery & solar).
Emrod Limited
Emrod is pioneering the transition to a wireless, global energy network. Its technology is hardware for wirelessly sending large amounts of power over long distances, safely and efficiently. Just as the internet transformed communication, wireless power will transform the world’s ability to generate and use energy.
Toku Eyes Limited
Toku has developed a product that can identify individuals with elevated chronic kidney disease risk (CKD) using retinal fundus images only. Commercialisation of this AI medical device will remove the need for blood and urine test to identify high-risk CKD individuals, enabling preventative care to avoid costly debilitating kidney failure.
Zenno Astronautics Limited
Zenno is building the future of agile and sustainable operations in space. They have developed a patented technology based on superconducting magnets that enables spacecraft operators to reduce their costs while also increasing their mission value.
