IRL helps boost business R&D

More than 30 companies from industries as diverse as seafood, electronics, engineering and recycling have been accepted into the six-month programme, which provides them with a hands-on, no-cost and face-to-face interaction with IRL.

Paul Gray of start-up company Aqua Sinka Ltd, said he was delighted by the opportunity to work with IRL.

“I'm sure my time spent at IRL will help me a lot in developing my new product. It has raised some more questions I need to work on, but should result in a well-researched product."

Garth Sutherland of Nexus6 Ltd, which develops solutions for monitoring and improving adherence to therapies, also valued his SFAD experience.

"IRL provided some excellent advice and ideas that will help us speed up our development process,” he said

IRL General Manager Industry Engagement Gavin Mitchell says the programme is encouraging companies to think about what R&D can do for them, and whether their R&D is focussed in the right areas. 

"Several international studies have established a link between a company's R&D spend and a whole range of benefits including improved sales growth, productivity and market value,” he says.

“By taking part in Scientist for a Day, companies are becoming much more aware of the difference that tangible scientific support can make to the value of their business."

Mitchell says the visits are focussing on a variety of subjects: an existing problem, analysing and improving a product or process, developing an opportunity, evaluating the potential for innovation, or any other specific, well-defined idea.

They are taking place either at company premises or at an IRL laboratory and are followed up with a business potential for innovation report from IRL.

“We are heartened by the level of uptake of this programme as it demonstrates the desire for New Zealand companies to innovate.”

The SFAD programme is just one of a range of IRL activities aimed at boosting the level of private sector R&D in New Zealand. These include IRL's What's Your Problem New Zealand? competition, its Co-Investment Programme and its part in the government's Technology Transfer Voucher scheme.