Hon Dr Wayne Mapp
Minister of Research, Science and Technology

10 December 2010 Media Statement

Backing winners in business R&D

The Government is spending $92 million over three years on business R&D through the new Technology Development Grant programme.

Announcing grants to 26 companies nation-wide in Christchurch today, Research, Science and Technology Minister Wayne Mapp said that lifting high-tech export business is critical to New Zealand’s future.

“Increasing exports is an essential part of the Government’s economic strategy. These grants demonstrate the Government’s commitment to invest in businesses that have the ambition to grow through R&D,” he said

“Today, 26 companies all over New Zealand are reaping the rewards of their ongoing commitment to R&D to grow their business. They are among the most innovative businesses in New Zealand. They have demonstrated their success through year on year increases in revenue.”

The companies span a range of sectors including manufacturing, biotechnology, 3D scanning and modelling, furniture design, digital technologies and software.

“This is about backing winners. These businesses are trailblazers in their commitment to innovation. The TIN100 list contains 19 of the 26 companies who are receiving grants today.

“New Zealand’s leading high-tech companies need to retain their competitive edge in global markets for the benefit of us all. Helping to take some of the risk out of R&D will encourage these firms to stretch for more ambitious goals.

“This is the largest business investment the Government has ever made in helping business innovate. The businesses will have more financial certainty over the next three years. They will be able to accelerate the development of innovative products and services and take them to their clients all over the world,” the Minister said.

The investments start at $490,000 and range up to the maximum level of $7.2 million over three years.

The Technology Development Grant is one of the flagship business assistance funds announced in Budget 2010 to boost business R&D. It is for 20 per cent of a business’s annual R&D spend. Investments are capped at $2.4m per year for three years.

“We are already planning for the 2011 round when, again, we will be investing in businesses who will take their R&D to the next level,” the Minister said.

The Technology Development Grant: first recipients

The following businesses have been awarded a Technology Development Grant from the 2010/11 investment round. The amounts listed are GST exclusive and represent the approved maximum investments over three years. The final amount businesses will receive depends on their actual R&D expenditure over the next three years.

Business name Location Approved maximum investment (GST excl)
Applied Research Associates NZ Ltd: developer of 3D scanning and modelling technology for applications as diverse as moviemaking, geological modelling and medicine Christchurch $1.32m
BankLink: provider of services to accounting professionals focusing on streamlining the compliance accounting processes of small and medium enterprise owners and their accountants Auckland $2.10m
Compac Sorting Equipment Ltd: developer and manufacturer of fruit & vegetable packing technology, machinery, software and electronic solutions around the world Auckland $1.72m
Dynamic Controls Ltd: manufacturer of electronic controls for power wheelchairs and scooters Christchurch $5.28m
Douglas Pharmaceuticals Ltd: one of the fastest growing pharmaceutical companies in Australasia, with considerable investment in product development laboratories Auckland $7.20m
Enatel Ltd: specialists in the design and manufacture of a range of standby power solutions for the telecom, networking, wireless and industrial markets Christchurch $2.46m
Endace Technology Ltd: supplier of high-speed network traffic capture and analysis solutions to large enterprises, telcos, financial firms and government agencies worldwide Auckland $6.70m
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd: designer, manufacturer and marketer of a range of innovative healthcare devices which incorporate unique features to improve patient care Auckland $7.20m
Formway Furniture Ltd: designer of high performance office seating and furniture Wellington $1.22m
Gallagher Group Ltd: provider of power fence and animal performance systems Hamilton $7.20m
Gentrack Ltd: developing, implementing and supporting software solutions for energy, water and airport utilities Auckland $1.44m
Integrated Control Technology: manufacturers of leading edge integrated electronic access control, intrusion protection and building automation solutions Auckland $0.85m
Jade Software Corporation: designs and develops next generation applications and builds high-performance data management technology Christchurch $3.20m
Orchestral Development Ltd/Orion: provider of clinical workflow and integration technology for the healthcare sector Auckland $7.20m
Rakon Ltd: design and manufacture of frequency control solutions particularly crystal oscillators for GPS equipment Auckland $7.08m
Scott Technology Ltd: engineering company that specialises in the design and manufacture of automated production and process machinery in meat and food industry Dunedin $3.78m
Serato Inc Ltd: producer of software products for DJs for time-stretching and pitch-shifting of digital audio files Auckland $0.49m
Simcro Tech Ltd: designer and manufacturer of agricultural and animal health delivery systems Hamilton $0.93m
Sika Technology Ltd: developer and producer of aluminium die cast solutions for the telecommunication and municipal utility sectors Auckland $0.95m
Skope Industries Ltd: designer, manufacturer and supplier of commercial refrigeration, food service and heating products globally Christchurch $3.21m
Tait Electronics Ltd: designing and delivering radio solutions which are the right fit for a variety of industries including public safety agencies, government services, utilities and urban transport providers Christchurch $7.20m
Vista Entertainment Solutions Ltd: ticketing and billing software solutions for the cinema industry worldwide Auckland $1.24m
Weta Digital Ltd: digital artists in all areas of visual effects production, including animation, motion capture, crowd generation, modelling, compositing, and film scanning and recording Wellington $7.20m
Zeacom Ltd: provider of advanced Unified Communications (UC) and contact centre solutions that integrate real-time communication tools such as presence information, contact routing, conferencing, chat and speech recognition with conventional tools such as voicemail, email and fax
Auckland $2.11m
Zelam Ltd: chemical company providing products for niche domestic and international agrichemical and timber markets New Plymouth $0.87m
4RF Communications Ltd: developer and manufacturer of wireless radio equipment for critical infrastructure applications Wellington $1.89m

ENDS

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