2026 Awards categories and criteria
Entries for the 2026 KiwiNet Awards are now open!
Deadline for entries is 17th April. Don't miss the chance to have your progress, passion, and innovation celebrated across the sector.
* Please note for 2026: 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
The Awards celebrate the remarkable individuals and teams whose commercialisation mahi is shaping New Zealand's future. We recognise excellence across the following categories:
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 2026.
- The researcher’s work does not need to have received PreSeed Accelerator Funding.
Breakthrough Project Award
Awarded to a breakout project that demonstrates best-practice commercialisation of publicly funded research and has recently launched to success.
The Breakthrough Project Award celebrates a breakout project that exemplifies a stand-out commercialisation journey from idea to market. It showcases excellence in core research commercialisation practices which have accelerated research to market and positioned it to deliver impact for New Zealand. The project must have recently made a significant leap towards real-world impact—such as achieving spin-out, a license deal or major capital raise.
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 five years prior to June 2026.
- 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 Rising Star Award
Awarded to a developing commercialisation professional who is making valuable contributions to the creation of excellent commercialisation outcomes.
This award recognises an entrepreneurial early-mid career commercialisation professional working within a New Zealand research organisation who is actively supporting research innovations to generate significant real-world impact.
Eligibility:
- Entry is open to research commercialisation professionals across the board, who are in the early-mid stages of their career (less than ~6 years’ experience).
- Applicants can be working across any area of commercialisation, from commercialisation advisors/specialists to IP professionals, business development, programme managers, portfolios and partnerships, project engineers etc. working within a New Zealand research organisation to commercialise research produced by New Zealand’s public research organisations.
- The research underpinning the entry does not need to have received PreSeed Accelerator funding.
Commercialisation Impact Award
Presented to a project that has been successfully commercialised and can demonstrate strong momentum towards impact.
This award celebrates outstanding commercialisation innovations and their clear realised or potential impact for New Zealand. This may be through revenue growth, market traction, job creation direct/indirect impact on export earnings, productivity gains, or meaningful environmental, social or cultural outcomes.
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 2026. .
- 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. Visit the Momentum website for details.