Thursday, 23 October 2025
Business Development Manager Barry Cowen, Science Group Leader Samantha Baldwin and Anton Blijlevens from AJ Park, sponsors of the Commercial Impact Award. Credit: Sciencelens
“These awards showcase the impact that is being delivered right across our amazing science system in New Zealand,” says Bioeconomy Science Institute Chief Executive Mark Piper. “Creating impact and driving growth in the bioeconomy through science is a strategic priority for the institute, and the recognition not only of our research but of the expertise of our staff is fantastic to see.”
The AJ Park Commercial Impact Award recognises a project delivering outstanding innovation performance and impact for New Zealand. ‘Crop78’ is a disease-resistant, resilient potato cultivar with excellent cooking quality that consistently delivers high yields with lower inputs and is sought after by French fry processors. ‘Crop78’ is being commercially produced in New Zealand and Australia, with trialling underway in North America, Europe and India, and is being increasingly used by quick service restaurants for its consistency and performance.
The AJ Park Commercial Impact Award recognises a project delivering outstanding innovation performance and impact for New Zealand. ‘Crop78’ is a disease-resistant, resilient potato cultivar with excellent cooking quality that consistently delivers high yields with lower inputs and is sought after by French fry processors. ‘Crop78’ is being commercially produced in New Zealand and Australia, with trialling underway in North America, Europe and India, and is being increasingly used by quick service restaurants for its consistency and performance.
The KCA Commercialisation Professional award celebrates an individual from a New Zealand research organisation who has made an outstanding contribution to the commercialisation of publicly funded research. Sue has been a driving force behind commercialisation with the Plant & Food Research Group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute and its predecessors for more than 40 years. She has helped reshape how the organisation protects and unlocks the value of intellectual property. She is also a longstanding member of the Licensing Executives Society, an international network of innovation and commercialisation professionals, and is a Past President of the Australia/New Zealand chapter.
The Bioeconomy Science Institute’s work in developing Nectaron® in partnership with NZ Hops was also a finalist in the Commercial Impact category, while scientist François-Xavier Collard and innovation manager Amanda Davies were finalists in the Ara Ake Breakthrough Innovator category and Commercialisation Professional categories.
The KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards celebrate science impact through successful research commercialisation within New Zealand’s universities and primary research organisations.