Investment Committees
Return On Science
Return On Science is a foundation partner in the government’s Commercialisation Partner Network, a programme designed to increase commercial outcomes from publicly funded research.
Return On Science provides facilitated access to best-in-class resources, networks and expertise to increase the quantity and quality of the commercial opportunities arising from New Zealand research efforts.
Return on Science runs five investment committees that meet monthly or bimonthly to consider presentations and pitches from entrepreneurial researchers and early-stage start-ups.
Made up of academic and industry experts alongside commercial and investment experts, the committees can provide tailored recommendations on market viability, research and product development direction, and connections to relevant individuals and companies.
In addition to valuable advice, the investment committees provide access to capital needed to progress a project. This can be through approving investment from the devolved PreSeed Accelerator Fund, through recommendations to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for approval of non-devolved PreSeed Accelerator Fund spending, or through connections to investors and investor groups Return On Science is engaged with.
Return On Science Investment Committees
- Agriculture and Food Tech: Animal, food and beverage technologies
- Biotech and Pharma: Drug development and clinical therapies
- Digital Technologies: Information technology, extended reality, creative technologies
- Med Tech and Surgery: Medical and surgical devices
- Physical Sciences: Materials science and engineering
Momentum
Momentum is a national student-led investment committee programme. A sister programme to Return on Science, it provides access to world-class advice, connections and investment opportunities to students and start-ups across New Zealand.
Momentum committees include students collaborating with an experienced chair, investors and experienced entrepreneurs.This model not only offers students extracurricular learning opportunities in governance, investment analysis and capital allocation, but also gives them the agency to have a say in the future that is being invested in.
Investment committee members come from highly diverse backgrounds, academic fields and perspectives that allow them to provide advice and support to a wide range of start-up technologies.
Momentum is a partner in the government's Commercialisation Partner Network, a programme designed to increase commercial outcomes from publicly funded research. The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has accredited the Momentum Programme investment committees to make formal investment decisions for MBIE’s PreSeed Accelerator Fund.
Investment committee members come from highly diverse backgrounds, academic fields and perspectives that allow them to provide advice and support to a wide range of start-up technologies.
Momentum is a partner in the government's Commercialisation Partner Network, a programme designed to increase commercial outcomes from publicly funded research. The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has accredited the Momentum Programme investment committees to make formal investment decisions for MBIE’s PreSeed Accelerator Fund.
Momentum investment committees
Momentum investment committees operate geographically rather than by sector. All include experienced investors and entrepreneurs as well as students from local universities.
Researchers
Researchers and academics from all research organisations in New Zealand can freely present and discuss their research with independent experts who will discuss the merits of the project without institutional considerations. The result is unbiased recommendations on the commercial viability, directions and steps needed for the researcher’s project.
Researchers
Researchers and academics from all research organisations in New Zealand can freely present and discuss their research with independent experts who will discuss the merits of the project without institutional considerations. The result is unbiased recommendations on the commercial viability, directions and steps needed for the researcher’s project.
Investors
Return On Science provides investors with an early look at the deep pipeline of technologies being developed in research organisations throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. Access to investment committee meetings enables investors to gain an understanding of the technology and its potential applications.
Investors
Return On Science provides investors with an early look at the deep pipeline of technologies being developed in research organisations throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. Access to investment committee meetings enables investors to gain an understanding of the technology and its potential applications.
Start-ups
Start-ups often have a strong technical focus, but chances of success are raised with an early focus on investment. Return On Science can assist entrepreneurs and start-up companies in navigating the commercial pathway through expert advice and possibly access to funds.
Start-ups
Start-ups often have a strong technical focus, but chances of success are raised with an early focus on investment. Return On Science can assist entrepreneurs and start-up companies in navigating the commercial pathway through expert advice and possibly access to funds.
Students
Students with research-based entrepreneurial ideas can present to investment committees and gain valuable advice, connections and possibly funding. Joining committees as members helps students develop knowledge and connections while sharing their expertise and perspectives.
Students
Students with research-based entrepreneurial ideas can present to investment committees and gain valuable advice, connections and possibly funding. Joining committees as members helps students develop knowledge and connections while sharing their expertise and perspectives.
Established businesses
Private industry in New Zealand has huge potential for new research output but often doesn’t have access to external and domain-specific advice. With this in mind, Return On Science makes its services available to businesses as well as researchers.
Established businesses
Private industry in New Zealand has huge potential for new research output but often doesn’t have access to external and domain-specific advice. With this in mind, Return On Science makes its services available to businesses as well as researchers.
Tech transfer offices
By bringing early-stage projects to investment committees for advice on the technology and potential market, tech transfer offices can reduce the risks of progressing projects. Investment managers with projects at any stage will benefit from the advice, direction and connections the committees can give as well as PreSeed Accelerator funding approvals and follow-on investment connections.
Tech transfer offices
By bringing early-stage projects to investment committees for advice on the technology and potential market, tech transfer offices can reduce the risks of progressing projects. Investment managers with projects at any stage will benefit from the advice, direction and connections the committees can give as well as PreSeed Accelerator funding approvals and follow-on investment connections.