2026 KiwiNet Awards Winners
Turning world-class research into new opportunities for New Zealand - from an ‘insect nose on a chip’ to cleantech and space technology
Hamilton, New Zealand - 8 October 2026
From an 'insect nose on a chip' and space technology to breakthrough cleantech and agri-innovation, the winners of the 2026 KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards showcase extraordinary science-led New Zealand innovations being transformed into new industries, businesses, skilled jobs and global opportunities.
Unveiled at a gala evening in Auckland, this year's winners are turning cutting-edge research from New Zealand's universities, Crown Research Institutes and research organisations into impactful outcomes that challenge established approaches and tackle major global issues - ultimately driving economic and societal benefit for Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.
The 2026 KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards winners are:
Momentum Student Entrepreneur Award
- Zac Hemmings - Cluttr/ Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury: Turning household clutter into a business opportunity
NZ Product Accelerator Breakthrough Innovator Award
- Dr Dominic Moseley – Paihau-Robinson Research Institute: Supercharging the commercialisation of superconductivity
BNZ Researcher Entrepreneur Award
- Prof Matthew Watson – Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury: Driving new industries for a lower-emissions future
KCA Commercialisation Rising Star Award
- Dr Dan Carlisle – Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University and Massey Ventures: A committed champion for early commercialisation professionals
PwC Breakthrough Project Award
- Scentian Bio – Bioeconomy Science Institute Maiangi Taiao: The future of sensing technology
Cytiva Commercialisation Impact Award
- C-Dax Pasture Meter – Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University: Decades of agri-innovation and international impact
KiwiNet Commercialisation Icon Award, sponsored by Sprout Agritech
- Dr Gavin Ross – Commercialisation Leader - Horticulture and Food: Advancing New Zealand biotechnology, venture building and commercialisation
The KiwiNet Commercialisation Icon is awarded as KiwiNet's highest honour to a champion of New Zealand's research commercialisation community who has made an outstanding impact in the ecosystem and advanced the commercialisation of publicly funded research within New Zealand.
KiwiNet CEO Dr James Hutchinson says, "The calibre of this year's winners shows that New Zealand research commercialisation is shifting into a new gear. More than 20 years of deliberately building skills, capability and connections is paying off: the ecosystem has matured, the pipeline is deepening, and the flywheel is starting to spin. Across our universities and research organisations, these are the people and projects to watch – creating new companies and industries, opening global markets, and tackling challenges that matter. Our scale and our uniquely collaborative approach give New Zealand a genuine advantage. If we keep investing, connecting and pushing together, we have a real opportunity to become the best place in the world for turning public research into innovations that make a difference."
KiwiNet Awards judge Bridgit Hawkins says, "The judges were impressed by the global competitiveness we're achieving in areas of deep tech, and by the entrepreneurial spirit driving it - researchers determined to take their work beyond the lab and through to customers, products and spin-out companies. Less visible, but just as important, is the commercialisation infrastructure underpinning that journey. One advantage of being a small country is how connected we are, and it's exciting to see those connections strengthening into a real ecosystem - one that's helping take New Zealand science to commercial outcomes and global markets."
The 2026 KiwiNet Awards judging panel comprises Melissa Yiannoutsos - Innovation Fund Manager, Booster NZ; Aaron Marshall - Co-founder, Zethos and Ternary; Bridgit Hawkins - CEO, Humble Bee Bio; Hanie Yee - Health-tech commercialisation leader; and Thomas Bryan - Momentum & Return on Science Committee Member.
Anna Clark, Deputy Secretary Labour, Science, and Enterprise at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, says, "The KiwiNet Awards winners demonstrate what's possible when great research is connected with industry. Their achievements showcase the impact of commercialisation in turning innovative ideas into successful products, services and solutions that drive economic growth and prosperity, creating benefits for New Zealand. Congratulations to all this year's winners."
The Kiwi Innovation Network (KiwiNet ) unites 14 universities and public research institutes – representing 80% of Aotearoa's publicly funded researchers – in an internationally recognised and unique collaborative model established to fast-track scientific breakthroughs to market. By helping to transform scientific discoveries into new products and services, KiwiNet and its shareholders are driving world-changing innovation and economic returns for New Zealand.
The 2026 KiwiNet Awards are supported by MBIE, PwC NZ, Sprout Agritech, BNZ, KCA, AJ Park, Cytiva, and NZ Product Accelerator as well as Return On Science, Momentum, and the sponsors of the Momentum Student Entrepreneur of the Year award CueGo, Gravity Events, The Lighthouse, and UniServices.
For further information please contact:
Sandra Lukey
Shine Group (PR for KiwiNet)
Phone: +64 21 2262 858
Email: sandra@shinegroup.co.nz