Innovation Timeline

Innovation Timeline

2017
SapVax
UniServices and the University of Auckland partner with an American drug development company to launch SapVax, a biotech start-up which develops novel cancer vaccines

2016
Top Ranked University
The University of Auckland is ranked #1 in New Zealand and Australia and #27 out of 75 in the inaugural Reuters Top 75: Asia's Most Innovative Universities rankings

2016
Soul Machines
Artificial Intelligence start-up company Soul Machines attracts US$ 7.5 million from Hong Kong based VC firm Horizon Ventures

2016
Innovation Institute of China
The University of Auckland Innovation Institute China is established

2016
Engender Technologies
Spin-out company Engender Technologies commercialises technology to improve sorting of sperm by sex for the dairy industry

2015
Joint Centre for Biomedicine
Maurice Wilkins Centre, hosted by the University of Auckland, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health sign a research commercialisation agreement and form a Joint Centre for Biomedicine

2014
Top 5 "emerging leaders in entrepreneurship"
MIT Skoltech Initiative University Innovation Ecosystem Benchmark Report identifies the University of Auckland as one of the world's top five "emerging leaders in entrepreneurship" expected to become a major international innovation powerhouse in the decades ahead

2014
UniServices collaborate with Yashili
Research collaboration agreement is signed between UniServices and food company Yashili to conduct strategic industry research

2014
Asia IP Exchange (AsiaIPEX)
Return On Science is announced as the latest strategic partner for the Asia IP Exchange (AsiaIPEX), the region's largest free online platform for international intellectual property trading

2013
SPARX wins international award
SPARX, a computer programme for adolescent depression, wins an international digital award form UNESCO's Netexplo in Paris

2013
Samsung invests in PowerbyProxi
Samsung invests in wireless charging start-up PowerbyProxi

2012
IPT electric car trial with Qualcomm
IPT, the technology which allows electric cars to be charged wirelessly, hits the streets of London as part of an electric car trial

2012
PR610 goes to clinical trial
ACSRC cancer drug PR610 goes to clinical trial in the United States and New Zealand

2012
Baby X
Interactive simulations including a 'live' computer-generated baby driven by neurobehavioural models are developed at Dr. Sagar's new Laboratory for Animate Technologies

2012
Artificial muscles
Auckland Bioengineering Institute develops electronic solution for artificial muscles made of stretchy rubber that can be made into sensors, power generators and actuators

2011
HaloIPT sold to Qualcomm Inc.
HaloIPT, a start-up company focused on IPT technology for electric vehicles is sold to Qualcomm Inc.

2010
Trial of healthcare robots
A world first clinical trial of 35 healthcare robots together with a Korean university commences

2009
Pathway Therapeutic raises AU$10 million
Spin-out company Pathway Therapeutic raises AU$10 million of venture capital funding

2008
DMXAA
Anti-cancer drug DMXAA enters Phase III clinical trials and is licensed to Novartis for NZ$890 million

2006
EpiGen is launched
The international consortium (UK, Singapore, NZ) EpiGen is launched, applying the science of neonatal nutrition to infant food development

2006
Proacta raises more than NZ$52 million
Spin-out company Proacta raises more than NZ$52 million to develop unique anti-cancer technology

2004
Neuren Pharmaceuticals
Spin-out company Neuren Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical which develops therapies for brain injury and neurodegeneration, is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange

2002
Liggins Institute
The Liggins Institute, a world leading centre for translational research on fetal and child health, is officially opened by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth

2002
Light Metals Research Centre
A world leading Light Metals Research Centre is launched

2001
The Auckland Bioengineering Institute
The Auckland Bioengineering Institute, a cross-faculty research centre focusing on the application of mathematical and engineering sciences to biology and human physiology, is launched

2001
NZ$30 million global clinical stroke trial
UniServices delivers a NZ$30 million global clinical stroke trial for the World Health Organisation, Servier and International Society of Hypertension

1990
Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre
Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre (ACSRC) enters two multimillion dollar contracts with the US National Cancer Institute

1989
Daifuku
Wireless charging technology is licensed to Daifuku for applications in clean room factory automation

1986
Professors pioneer IPT
Professors John Boys and Grant Covic pioneer wireless inductive power transfer technology (IPT). They are the first in the world to make power jump efficiently across air from one object to another by intersecting two magnetic fields

1883
Auckland University College is opened
Auckland University College is opened in May