R&D Experience Grants Set To Support Students And Enterprises This Summer

Venture Taranaki, in partnership with Callaghan Innovation, is pleased to announce the return of R&D Experience Grants for 2022.

The R&D Experience Grant is a New Zealand-wide programme run by Callaghan Innovation, and aimed at connecting businesses with students studying technology, science, engineering, or design at a New Zealand tertiary education institute.

As the regional partner for Callaghan Innovation, Venture Taranaki have facilitated the R&D Experience Grants for over 10 years, and in 2021 during the last funding round, enabled the allocation of over $330,000 in funding to Taranaki businesses to support the 10-week R&D-focused internship programme.

"The R&D experience grant is a great opportunity for students to gain valuable workplace experience that relates directly to their studies, while supporting, accelerating, and injecting fresh ideas into local Taranaki enterprises’ R&D programmes," explains Venture Taranaki, Chief Executive, Kelvin Wright.

The grant covers the student intern’s 10-week salary during their summer break, which equates to 400 hours of full-time work per student. Enterprises allocate a mentor who will guide the student through their internship and provide valuable advice.

"There is a huge benefit for both students and local enterprises to get involved with this. It is a win-win situation," said acting Venture Taranaki, GM Enterprise, Natacha Dunn.

The R&D Experience Grant, which opens on the 22 August and closes on 30 September 2022, will be awarded on a first-come-first-served basis for enterprises that meet the criteria.

"We encourage all local enterprises with a research and development (R&D) programme to get in early and apply or contact Venture Taranaki to discuss your R&D related project and whether a student intern could be right for your business," continues Natacha.

The Callaghan Innovation R&D Experience Grants not only give students exposure to important work experience but have also led to offers of permanent employment in Taranaki after the completion of the internship period.

Kinda, a startup creating plant-based ice cream out of cauliflower required extensive R&D to scale up their formula and flavours. Kinda was just one of the local enterprises that benefitted from the Callaghan Innovation R&D Experience Grant in the 2021/22 round.

Kinda co-founder, Jenni Matheson, says, "Before the Callaghan grant, we had been working on the commercialisation formula of our ice cream and had run out of time, money, and resources before the formula was complete. However, once we received the grant, we could scale up formula, with 3-4 flavours ready to go. Our student intern was such a good fit we asked her to stay on."

"Our success with the grant had a snowball effect on our progress and successes to date. We are very grateful for the support of Venture Taranaki and Callaghan Innovation for the opportunity it gave us to succeed," continues Jenni.

The R&D Experience Grant applications open 22 August, closing 30 September if funding is not allocated prior. Enterprises are encouraged to submit applications as soon as possible due to limited funding available.

Enterprises interested in exploring this opportunity should get in touch with Venture Taranaki by emailing business@venture.org.nz, or visit the Venture Taranaki website.

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