Increasing business innovation and export strength

Quick facts Regional Metro Project to transform Auckland's economy Significant projects now underway Sector acceleration projects in; hybrid plastics, digital content, marine, health and food & beverage

Innovative Auckland

Auckland is growing even stronger as national, regional and local government and industry work together to increase innovation within the region, transforming its economy. This work is guided by the Metro Project and the Metro Innovation Project Leadership Group Vision (refer below).

• Metro Innovation Project Leadership Group Vision (152.7 KB PDF )

The Metro Innovation Project, specifically developed to increase Auckland’s business innovation and export strength, is making a real difference.

We’re now two years down the track of implementing the Plan and have seen a number of important achievements and major developments towards this vision in this first phase.

Over the coming years, Auckland will benefit from several significant initiatives developed by the Metro Project working groups. Funded by public and private sectors, millions of dollars are currently being invested in:

New Zealand Innovation Centre

• Establishing a major centre housing 50-100 of the most-promising high-technology, knowledge-based companies in New Zealand by 2015
• Supporting research and development intensive companies and improving product development capabilities
• $25m funding secured, and 10ha of land

Sector targeted acceleration projects in:

• Hybrid plastics - research and development funding
• Digital content - industry development programme
• Marine - industry development programme
• Health - an innovation hub and training and commercialisation centre
• Food and beverage - research and development funding to establish a centre

Improving the innovation system

• Targeted improvements and policy development will roll out following a review of Auckland’s existing innovation activities, working with the region’s advantages and addressing its constraints, the results are due in 2009

From innovation to wealth

In the last year or so Auckland has benefited from:

• Improved access to early stage capital with the launch of the New Zealand Angel Association
• More options available to entrepreneurial small to medium enterprises to improve their business capabilities with the launch of the PLATO pilot an international business mentoring and peer support programme
• Encouragement to access government’s research and development 15 per cent tax credits
• A business innovation roadmap, offering accessible advice to businesses to make the most of, and actually creating opportunities
• Better access to Auckland’s internationally regarded research providers and connecting businesses to the future.
  

Looking ahead

The outlook for Auckland’s economic future is bright - it is growing fast and becoming increasingly connected locally, nationally and globally as public and private sectors continue to work together.

Innovation is increasing and, as it does so, a dynamic, responsive and thriving internationally competitive city is establishing itself as a global player of the future.

Read more in the report below:

Who’s involved?

A leadership group, with representatives from public and private sector, engage with many different industry organisations to guide the project’s direction and make it successful.

Progress to date

Phase 1 of the project is now complete. Find out more>>

Find out more>>

• Innovative Auckland fact sheet (247.3 KB PDF )