AUT Innovation Fund – Celebrating A Year of Impact

We’re taking a moment to reflect on the past 12 months and be inspired by the sheer scale of what has been achieved by working closely with AUT researchers to bring their ideas to life.

We’re taking a moment to reflect on the past 12 months and be inspired by the sheer scale of what has been achieved by working closely with AUT researchers to bring their ideas to life.

In May 2025, AUT launched the Innovation Fund with a $5 million commitment. The goal was clear: to grow innovative research that has impactful outcomes, to foster a vibrant culture of commercialisation, and to connect AUT’s entrepreneurial researchers and postgraduate students with industry.

Managed by AUT Ventures, the Fund has been put to use and is already creating incredible value. We are delighted by the wave of new research and technologies emerging from the AUT community; projects we are now proud to back not just financially, but with the wrap-around support, strategic coaching, and industry connections needed to help them thrive.

“Seeing the breadth of projects supported this past year, from construction AI to sustainable ingredients, demonstrates the depth of talent within our university,” says Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Research Mark Orams.  “The AUT Innovation Fund is successfully bridging the gap between academic discovery and commercial application, and this is only the beginning.”

The AUT Innovation Fund drives two core initiatives: the  Tīmatanga | Initiate Grant and the  Pito Mata | Potential Grant.

Tīmatanga | Initiate Grants

Over $200,000 in Grants have been awarded to AUT academics working alongside a committed industry partner to turn a research project into a tangible commercial outcome. Projects include:

• Head of Department of Computer Science and Software, Professor Minh Nguyen is working with modern living specialists, MJ Home, to develop AI software specifically tailored to adapt humanoid and dog robots for real-world deployment in retail environments across the  motu (country).
• Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Michael Gschwendtner has been collaborating with Compact Motorsport to develop a user-friendly software application that represents a significant advancement in gear design technology (see full story).
• Associate Professor Sira Yongchareon is developing the ManuTech app alongside Scott Rice of Quantum Events for the Z Manu World Champs (see full story).
• Food Science  Professor Daniel Granato is partnering with Eden Orchards and NZ Soap and Skincare, to transform New Zealand cherry waste into a high-value, sustainable ingredient for food and cosmetics (see full story).
• Associate Professor Farhaan Mirza in AUT’s Data Science Research Centre is collaborating with construction-tech company, Soterra, to build a smart platform that turns project data into private, company-specific intelligence.
• Associate Head of School - Research, Art and Design, Dr Gregory Bennett is partnering with CONICAL (founded by AUT alum Alejandro Davila), to develop a portable, AI-enhanced virtual production workflow using Unreal Engine.
• Associate Professor Daniel O’Brien, Head of Postgraduate – Physiotherapy will test the feasibility and safety of a progressively dosed, eight-week eccentric cycling programme for people with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.

Pito Mata | Potential Grants

Through these grants, we’ve successfully paired three  AUT MBA students with academics to develop robust business cases examining the real-world viability of their research. This collaboration gives outstanding students the chance to apply their learning to real commercial challenges, while giving researchers invaluable market insights.

Investing in Real-World Solutions

Beyond grants, the AUT Innovation Fund has actively invested in several promising ventures that were ready to launch but needed a strategic boost to navigate the road to market:

• $100,000 invested in Dot® Ingredients, a revolutionary startup creating critical ingredients for everyday products (like soaps and cosmetics) using wood pulp instead of petrochemicals and palm oil. Dot is currently in their Seed round, expecting to raise $3M.
• $110,000 invested in CONICAL to provide a longer runway as they continue developing their fast-paced, story-driven role-playing digital game, Faeborne.
• $70,000 invested in My Better Breathing to support the launch of their Goodair® Nosebuds, a drug-free solution to nasal congestion. This spin-out marks AUT’s most successful hardware release to date, with their first two production runs completely selling out!

It’s important to note that none of these milestones would have been possible without the dedication of the AUT Ventures team, more specifically Venture Programme Manager Cindy Luo, who has championed many of these investments from day one.

Even more importantly, we want to thank the AUT research community. Your ambition, your ideas, and your willingness to step into the world of innovation and commercialisation by submitting applications to the AUT Ventures Investment Committee are what make this ecosystem thrive.

Here’s to another great year of transforming research into extraordinary real-world impact!