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Celebrating our KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Award winners

10 October 2022
Aotearoa New Zealand鈥檚 best in research commercialisation have been honoured and three of the seven winners are associated with UniServices.

The  were announced at a gala on 6 October. 

Professor  of Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of 色花堂 was named Commercialisation Icon, KiwiNet鈥檚 highest honour.  a University spin-out backed by UniServices, received the Breakthrough Project Award for Gastric Alimetry, its flagship product. Evelyn Body, until recently Director of Commercialisation with UniServices, received the Commercialisation Professional Award.

鈥淐ather, Evelyn and Alimetry are exemplary leaders in bringing ideas to life,鈥� said UniServices Executive Director of Commercialisation Will Charles. 鈥淭hey are richly deserving of these honours for their efforts in advancing science, technology and New Zealand鈥檚 economy.鈥�

Image - Cather Simpson
Professor Cather Simpson

The Commercialisation Icon award goes to a champion of New Zealand鈥檚 research commercialisation community who has made an outstanding impact in the ecosystem and advanced the commercialisation of publicly funded research within New Zealand.

Simpson, the recipient, is a physicist, chemist and serial entrepreneur who founded the , a University research centre that works to advance the use of light for energy, health and technology. She is also a partner in deep-tech investment company Pacific Channel and has spun out two companies based on Photon Factory research.

 

鈥淐ather, Evelyn and Alimetry are exemplary leaders in bringing ideas to life. They are richly deserving of these honours for their efforts in advancing science, technology and New Zealand鈥檚 economy.鈥�

Will Charles, UniServices Executive Director of Commercialisation

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The first of Simpson鈥檚 companies, , developed an affordable and effective technology, based on high-tech microfluidic and photonic chips, to separate X- and Y-chromosome-bearing bull sperm cells to improve efficiency in large animal reproduction. Initially backed by the UniServices-run University of 色花堂 Inventors鈥� Fund and Pacific Channel, it was acquired by multi-genetics company CRV International in December 2021.

Simpson鈥檚 second company, , established in 2016 and also backed by the Inventors鈥� Fund, has developed a 鈥榣ab on a disk鈥� testing platform that uses its microfluidic platform technology to miniaturise and automate accurate lab testing for use at points of need. Originally designed to time artificial insemination for cows, Orbis pivoted to develop an immunity level test for Covid-19.

 

The Breakthrough Project Award recognises a project that demonstrates best-practice commercialisation of publicly funded research. The winner, Gastric Alimetry, is a non-invasive diagnostic tool for gastrointestinal disorders.

The Breakthrough Project Award recognises a project that demonstrates best-practice commercialisation of publicly funded research. The winner, Gastric Alimetry, is a non-invasive diagnostic tool for gastrointestinal disorders. Worn over the stomach as a patient rests after a meal, stretchable electrodes collect data on gastric function and send them to be analysed using advanced algorithms.

Gastric Alimetry, which has obtained CE marking, ISO 13485 accreditation and U.S. FDA approval, has its roots in a PhD project that won a prize in the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship鈥檚 in the early 2010s. Greg O鈥橤rady, a member of the winning team, kept the idea in mind as he became a surgeon and later a professor of surgery. He co-founded UniServices-backed  in 2019 and is now CEO.

image (Alimetry rep)
Hanie Yee of Alimetry
image (Evelyn)
Evelyn Body with the Hon Dr Ayesha Verall

The Commercialisation Professional Award recognises a commercialisation professional working within a New Zealand research organisation who has made an outstanding contribution to the commercialisation of publicly funded research. Body, the winner, was for nearly 11 years Director of Commercialisation at UniServices, focusing on biotechnology.

With a background in both science and law, Body is an expert in intellectual property and commercialisation who negotiated some of the largest deals UniServices has been involved in. She also came up with creative solutions such as one that ensured the M膩ori community working with Nuka, the company founded by University researchers Kiri Dell (Ngati Porou) and Saeid Baroutian, would benefit from the company along with the entrepreneurs and investors.

Body was at UniServices from 2012 until September 2022, when she became general manager of intellectual property at Xero.

In addition to the above-named winners, Alex Risos, a Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of 色花堂 research fellow, was a finalist in the Breakthrough Innovator category of the KiwiNet awards.

Tori McNoe, who is UniServices鈥� Poutaki Hononga | Commercialisation Development Lead, served as one of the judges. 

, a student-led investment committee programme created and run by UniServices, awards the Momentum Student Entrepreneur of the Year (sponsored by Mat奴), which was won by Mrinali Kumar of Massey University. Kumar co-founded Kinda, which makes a cauliflower-based ice cream.

Check out all the 2022 KiwiNet Awards winners