We back early-stage science through PreSeed funding — helping take publicly funded research from the lab to the world.
KiwiNet administers PreSeed investment on behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to support the commercialisation of breakthrough innovations.
What is PreSeed?
The PreSeed Accelerator Fund (PSAF) is a government investment initiative designed to support the early-stage commercialisation of publicly funded research.
It helps bridge the gap between science discoveries emerging from Aotearoa’s research institutions and the commercial market—where they can become the impactful deep tech products and services of tomorrow.
PreSeed is here to:
- Unlock the potential of Kiwi science: maximising the commercial benefits of New Zealand’s publicly funded research.
- Build commercialisation capability: equipping public sector partners with the tools, skills and networks to succeed.
- Link research to the private sector: de-risking innovative ideas and preparing them for private and industry investment.
The KiwiNet Investment Committee
All funding applications are reviewed by the KiwiNet Investment Committee for approval.
More than 1,000 projects have engaged with the committee since inception, benefiting from the collective expertise and collaborative support of the KiwiNet network.
It’s a transparent, inclusive and mutually supportive process with strong governance at its core.
How to access PreSeed
The process for accessing PreSeed depends on what type of contract your organisation has in place.
KiwiNet Consortium Members
If your organisation holds devolved PreSeed funding through KiwiNet, you can log in to the Commercial Portal for more details and to apply.
Members include:
AgResearch, AUT Ventures, Callaghan Innovation, Cawthron Institute, ESR, GNS Science, Health Innovation Hub,
Lincoln Agritech, Lincoln University, Malaghan Institute, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Massey Ventures, NIWA, Plant and
Food Research, University of Canterbury, University of Waikato and Wellington UniVentures.
Other Public Research Organisations
If you’re a publicly funded research organisation that isn’t part of the KiwiNet consortium but you’d like to explore PreSeed funding, see more details here: