Our greatest assets are ideas. When our scientists come up with commercially sound ideas and proved concepts, the Commercial group works with those scientists to get the ideas to market.

It’s a partnership. A sound science idea, that is amenable to commercialisation, needs skill, insight and experience to make it a reality. It can be a tough and challenging journey and there’s always the risk of failure. We take that risk in order to ensure our country receives the benefits of our scientists’ discoveries and inventions. The Commercial group works with scientists to transform their ideas into commercial products or services – almost always by also working with knowledgeable industry players who have market knowledge and product development capabilities.

Essentially, it’s all about partnering – partnering with our scientists and with industry market players – to turn great science ideas into innovative products and services that benefit New Zealand. At the same time, it must be recognised that AgResearch contributes great value to New Zealand in ways additional to the development of commercial products. Large amounts of our research apply to such things as sustainability, biological control, animal welfare and rural sociology. Such research may not have the attributes that allow it to be commercialised, but is still extremely important for New Zealand.

The Commercial group has three dedicated commercial teams, each working particularly closely with one of our four specific science groups.

Meet our Commercial Team Leaders:

Dr Gavin Sheath - Commercial Team Leader Agriculture & Environment Group

Dr Richard Curtis - Commercial Team Leader Applied Biotechnologies Group

Margot Buick - Commercial Team Leader Food & Health Group

Dr Ian Boddy - General Manager Commercial