Find research expertise at the University of Otago using our databases and networks to connect you with expert advisers and skill development opportunities.
Research expertise and publication databases | Pātengi raraunga o te pūkenga rangahau me te tānga pukapuka
Visit Research strengths to find expert research groups.
Resources and support for postgraduate research | He rauemi me he tautoko ki te rangahau tāura
Visit Postgraduate for:
- Postgraduate research opportunities
- Postgraduate subjects
- Postgraduate scholarships
- Further information
Expert advisory for commercial ideas | Tohutohu matatau ki ngā kaupapa arumoni
Research and Enterprise Office
The University of Otago Research and Enterprise Office fosters and encourages research links between commercial entities, funding bodies and researchers. Our Business Development Managers facilitate relationships with innovative companies and identify and protect discoveries with commercial potential.
Business Development Managers and their roles
Otago Innovation
Otago Innovation Limited helps University of Otago Researchers transfer their technology to the world.
Otago Innovation is a University owned company with the purpose of negotiating and agreeing the arrangements for commercialisation of intellectual property owned by the University. Contact us for advice on your idea:
Email enquiries@otagoinnovation.com
Whether your idea is for a diagnostic tool, a new therapy, software, medical device, a new method of teaching people, or something else, Otago Innovation may be able to help you. We have government PreSeed funding to support technology development to the point of investor readiness. Otago Innovation also runs a NZ$100,000 Proof of Concept competition annually.
NZ$100,000 Proof of Concept Grant
Centre for Innovation (CFI)
The Centre for Innovation provides an innovative environment for the rapid development of new products and processes with commercial applications. It is located at 87 St David St, Dunedin (at the intersection with Castle St).
The building houses a cluster of knowledge-based enterprises within a city that has a distinctive reputation for fostering innovators, especially the development of biotechnology and IT companies.
Callaghan Summer internships for students
Research and Development Student Grants (Callaghan Innovation) provide support for New Zealand undergraduate and postgraduate students to gain and develop their technical skills in a commercial research and development environment, while bringing capability into New Zealand businesses.
Health Sciences Translational Research Grant
This grant is valued at $50,000–75,000 and is awarded annually. The aim of the grant is to generate intellectual property and result in a patent application. All academic research staff within the Division of Health Sciences are eligible to apply.
Translational Research Grant details and application
Professor Paul Glue is Associate Dean for Research Commercialisation in the Division of Health Sciences.
Email paul.glue@otago.ac.nz
Medical Research Commercialisation Fund (MRCF)
The MRCF, run by Brandon Capital, is the largest life science investment fund in Australia and New Zealand. They are a unique member-based collaboration between major Australian superannuation funds, the Australian and New Zealand governments, Australian state governments and over 50 leading medical research institutes and research hospitals. Otago Innovation Limited is a member.
The MRCF supports the development and commercialisation of early-stage biomedical discoveries associated with member research organisations, providing both capital and expertise to guide the successful development of new therapies.
Contact Otago Innovation Limited to learn about MRCF opportunities.
Email enquiries@otagoinnovation.com
Otago Business School
Professor Nathan Berg, Department of Economics, holds the Dunedin City Council Chair of Entrepreneurship. His research in the fields of behavioural economics, financial economics, and entrepreneurial behaviour has helped cities attract new businesses and helped businesses make key decisions by utilising their own data to guide innovation, expand their markets and create jobs.
“I encourage everyone to adopt a broad view of what entrepreneurship means. Its meaning should include informal entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship in the non-profit sector, small business, large organisations, and the disruptive innovation that transforms artistic, scientific and technological breakthroughs into new services that add to our quality of life,” he says.
Email nathan.berg@otago.ac.nz
Support for emerging entrepreneurs | Tautoko mō te rakahinonga maea
Audacious: Growing young business
Audacious is for students of all disciplines at the University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic—not just business students. Audacious is about nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit.
You are welcome to attend workshops, speak to our business coaches and use the Startup Space even if you don't enter our Audacious Business Challenge.
Māori Business Boot Camp for secondary students
Nohoaka pakihi - the Māori Business Boot Camp is a four day programme run by academic staff from the University of Otago and Audacious powered by Startup Dunedin. It is an amazing opportunity for year-12 and year-13 Māori students in Aotearoa who are interested in business.
The Boot Camp is free. It's held on campus in Dunedin. There are a number of travel scholarships available for students who live outside Dunedin.
Startup Dunedin
Startup Dunedin provides Dunedin entrepreneurs with the information, networks, advocacy and resources they need to build great companies.
The Distiller (22 Leithbank) is Startup Dunedin's early stage startup co-working space. The Distiller has a number of desks and offices available for startups which are in, or transitioning into Startup Dunedin's programmes.