2025 Awards categories and criteria
Are you or your team creating world-leading science impact? Get started on your entry now! Don’t miss the deadline of 17th April for final entries.
* Please note for 2025: Entries must be submitted via email using the forms below.
Please complete the entry form and when you are ready to submit, email to: admin@kiwinet.org.nz
Breakthrough Innovator Award
Awarded to an emerging researcher who is seizing opportunities to commercialise their research.
The Breakthrough Innovator Award recognises an up-and-coming entrepreneurial researcher who is making outstanding contributions to research commercialisation in New Zealand. Through technology licencing, start-up creation or commercial partnerships, their work is leading to the creation of new products and/or services from publicly funded research.
Eligibility:
- Entry is open to New Zealand-based researchers of any age who are in the early stages of their research commercialisation journey (typically within 10 years of completing their PhD or entering the science arena professionally).
- The researcher must have collaborated effectively (with their tech transfer/commercialisation office and/or industry) to commercialise research in the five years prior to June 2025.
- The researcher’s work does not need to have received PreSeed Accelerator Funding.
Breakthrough Project Award
Recognising a breakout project that has recently launched to success and demonstrates best-practice commercialisation of publicly funded research.
The Breakthrough Project Award celebrates a project that has recently made a significant leap towards real-world impact—such as achieving spin-out, a license deal or major capital raise. The project must demonstrate excellence in core research commercialisation practices which have accelerated research to market and positioned it to deliver impact for New Zealand—whether environmental, social, cultural or economic.
Eligibility:
- Entry for this award is open to research organisations collaborating with a third party (e.g. the private sector or the public sector in the case of health, education, social or environmental issues) to commercialise research produced by New Zealand’s publicly funded research organisations in the five years prior to June 2025.
- The research at the centre of the partnership does not need to have received PreSeed Accelerator Funding.
Researcher Entrepreneur Award
Celebrating an experienced researcher who consistently delivers real-world impact from their research.
The Researcher Entrepreneur Award honours an experienced entrepreneurial researcher whose outstanding contributions to research commercialisation have driven meaningful impact in New Zealand. Through technology licencing, start-up creation or commercial partnerships their work has led to the creation of new products and/or services from publicly funded research.
Eligibility:
- Entry is open to mid-to-later career New Zealand-based scientists and researchers who actively work to commercialise research from public research organisations.
- The researcher’s work does not need to have received PreSeed Accelerator Funding.
Commercialisation Professional Award
Presented to a commercialisation professional making a significant impact in the commercialisation of publicly funded research.
The Commercialisation Professional Award recognises an outstanding commercialisation professional working within a New Zealand research organisation who has played a pivotal role in transforming publicly funded research into commercial success.
Eligibility:
- Entry is open to experienced research commercialisation professionals across the board —whether Commercialisation Managers, IP Professionals, Business Development Managers, Contracts Managers, Portfolio Managers, Partnerships Managers, Project Engineers or Programme Managers etc.—working within a New Zealand research organisation to commercialise publicly funded research.
- The research underpinning the entry does not need to have received PreSeed Accelerator funding.
Commercialisation Impact Award
Awarded to a project that has been successfully commercialised and is now delivering real-world impact.
This award celebrates excellence in research commercialisation and is presented to a project that is delivering outstanding innovation performance and generating significant impact for New Zealand. This may be through financial, environmental, social or cultural outcomes, job creation, or direct/indirect impact on export earnings.
Eligibility:
- Entry for this award is open to research organisations collaborating with the private sector to commercialise New Zealand’s publicly funded research in the eight years prior to June 2025. .
- The research at the centre of the partnership does not need to have received PreSeed Accelerator Funding.
Commercialisation Icon Award
KiwiNet’s highest honour, given to a quintessential champion of New Zealand’s research commercialisation community.
The Commercialisation Icon Award is bestowed by the KiwiNet team and past Commercialisation Icon winners to an exceptional champion of research commercialisation in New Zealand. This individual has a high level of aspiration for research commercialisation as a catalyst to deliver prosperity for all. This is demonstrated through their unwavering commitment to substantially advancing the cause and activity of commercialisation of publicly funded research within New Zealand. Their body of work has made an outstanding impact on the research commercialisation ecosystem.
This year, we’re opening nominations to you! If you know someone who deserves this honour, click below to submit your nomination. The winner will be chosen by KiwiNet and previous recipients of the Commercialisation Icon Award.
Momentum Student Entrepreneur Award
Recognising a university student with the vision and drive to turn their ideas into impact.
The Momentum Student Entrepreneur Award celebrates a highly motivated university student who looks beyond the science to see the prize: how their idea can change the world. This student is making outstanding contributions to business innovation in New Zealand—whether by creating a start-up, licensing their technology or applying their expertise to support business innovation.
* Entries for this award are managed and judged by Momentum & Return on Science. Further details, including eligibility, will be released by Momentum at a later date.