The University of 色花堂 Inventors鈥� Fund, which is managed by UniServices, the University鈥檚 research application and commercialisation company, is now $40 million.
The increased commitment is built upon the success of the open-ended and evergreen Inventors鈥� Fund, which aims to be the first investor into University spin-outs. Since its launch in 2016 as a $20 million fund, the Fund has invested in 43 start-ups with a collective market capitalisation of around $1 billion.
Companies in its portfolio include Soul Machines, Alimetry, Orbis Diagnostics and Rain Therapeutics, the last of which is listed on the Nasdaq.
鈥淲e are delighted to have more resources to drive an entrepreneurial ecosystem on campus and accelerate the commercialisation of research and ideas from the University,鈥� said UniServices Executive Director of Commercialisation Will Charles. 鈥淲e鈥檙e already an important driver of the tech ecosystem in Aotearoa New Zealand and now we can double our impact.鈥�
The expansion of the fund will also support the development of Te Ao M膩ori entrepreneurship and commercialisation and support for M膩ori inventors, students and m膩tauranga M膩ori.
鈥淲e seek to collaborate with our M膩ori stakeholders to co-design a decision-making process for long-term capability building within the research commercialisation sector. This is necessary to authentically deliver on Te Tiriti outcomes that Vision M膩tauranga seeks to achieve,鈥� says UniServices Kai膩rahi Tui Kaumoana.
