AUT collaboration with industry wins award
An AUT team working with an industry partner and AUT Enterprises Limited (AUTEL) have won a major award in recognition of their successful commercial relationship.
Associate Professor Lindsay White and his AUT team have collaborated with the Cloudy Bay Group to take out the Supreme People’s Choice Award at KiwiNet’s award ceremony last week.
The Kiwi Innovation Network (KiwiNet) is a consortium of Universities and Crown Research Institutes with an objective of taking a collaborative approach to research commercialisation.
AUT inter-disciplinary collaboration
White and his team have, over the last two years, developed a number of R&D projects with the Cloudy Bay Group involving three different Schools and Departments at AUT.
”We wanted to create a truly inter-disciplinary approach,” says Lindsey.
“The idea was to provide a wrap-around R&D solution for this company, so we have involved food scientists, ecologists, culinary arts and others to work on the 10 different projects to date”.
Last year Cloudy Bay contracted White and his team to do a surf clam survey of the New Zealand coast. After reviewing the resulting report, the Minister of Primary Industries increased the quota by close to 2800 tonnes per annum, which will allow for greater harvesting of the surf clams and a subsequent growth in job creation and export earnings for New Zealand.
Potential $400 million annual export industry
A mature NZ surf clam industry has been estimated at NZ$300-400 million in export earnings. This collaboration’s strategy seeks to contribute to this projected growth, as well as New Zealand aquaculture industry’s growth plan which aims to increase seafood export to $1b per annum by 2025, through market-led product innovation and exports.
AUTEL CEO Kevin Pryor, says the award was recognition of an excellent academic/commercial relationship built on successful R&D projects.
“From these projects the relationship is now moving into the field of IP (Intellectual Property) commercialisation with AUTEL adding additional support. We are very proud to be working together with such a great team,“ he says.
KiwiNet on the collaboration: “Since 2011, the Cloudy Bay Group and AUT (through Assoc. Prof Lindsey White) have developed a strong collaborative relationship to deliver significant growth for the Group, as well as New Zealand’s seafood industry and fisheries sector.”
“AUT has built and continues to build expertise and is gaining a national reputation in aquaculture and fisheries research, innovation and development. The output also includes skilled students, who have gained practical experience, and collaboration between different faculties at AUT.
“Cloudy Bay group benefits by having access to experts to develop new products and processes to allow it to grow its business and compete successfully in international markets.”