News

Otago’s innovation sector is celebrating a landmark summer for R&D Experience Grants, with a record number of students gaining hands-on experience in local innovation businesses. 

Facilitated by Business South, the programme funded internships for 37 undergraduate students across 24 innovation-led businesses 

Business South Innovation Manager, Danny Healy, says the feedback from businesses has been overwhelmingly positive. 

“Every year we hear amazing stories about our interns from accelerating R&D timelines to tackling projects that would otherwise sit on the backburner.” 

Probiotic company BLIS, hosted three interns with the Chief Technical Officer John Hale saying  “their impact is incredible with work, summarised in a final report, often leading to next steps within our R&D and New Product Development processes.” 

Katie Bracewell Education Development Manager of Scientific Instrumentation business AD Instruments was similarly enthusiastic commenting "They bring enthusiasm, energy, and new perspectives to the teams they joined. They also contributed a significant amount of work and embraced learning about the different roles in the business." 

In Oamaru, CEO of young-dairy beef snack business Miti, Daniel Carson, integrated his food science intern into the team as they developed a technically challenging fibre-added beef snack.  This would eventually be presented to a delegation in Wellington. 

Daniel had great satisfaction creating this opportunity commenting "a young food technologist was given a real commercial constraint and when it mattered, he delivered. I'm Proud of what New Zealand science can do when it’s trusted, and love being part of the ecosystem." 

The feeling was reciprocated by his intern, Lucian Petherick, studying food science at the University of Otago: “I finished my internship with a prototype I am very proud of developing.”   

As a follow up Lucian mentioned he’s presenting on his work at the up and coming NZ Institute of Food Science and Technology Conference commenting “I’m excited for this and expect that to open up even more opportunities off the back of my work at Mīti.” 

Danny says this outcome highlights the programme’s dual benefit. 

“It’s wonderful seeing businesses like BLIS, ADInstrument and Miti benefit from the extra capability over summer. The programs ability to build capability and meaningful connections, while helping retain talented graduates within our region is also a huge bonus” 

Applications for this year’s internships open in July 13th. Anyone interested in the grants process can contact Danny.