NZ | Technology + Innovation + Agriculture

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NZ research offers chance to break into $1.6b seaweed industry

New Zealand may have a chance to break into the $1.6 billion seaweed industry thanks to research that could help make the sushi ingredient more productive to farm. A breakthrough in 15 years of research by New Zealand scientists has unlocked new information about the most well-known red seaweed in the world, known as nori in Japanese and karengo in Maori. The seaweed and other closely related species, which are used to make sushi, are highly prized worldwide. They are harvested from the wild and are also farmed. A result of the New Zealand research was that the seaweeds had been reclassified and the discovery was important for breeding programmes, NIWA principal scientist Dr Wendy Nelson said. Dr Nelson and an international team of experts, including fellow New Zealander Dr Judy Sutherland, had been looking closely at related red algae, using genetic sequencing to get new insights. "We described four new genera, Dione, Minerva, Clymene and Lysithea," she said ... MORE

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Kiwi innovators launch an online ‘world of good’

Ex Trade Me exec and renowned social marketers have joined forces to launch PlanetGoodness.com – a website to “bring about a world of good through what people buy”. Planet Goodness creates a virtuous cycle; connecting kiwi charities with special eco and ethical product offers. “We are offering charities a smart way to raise money, and we can provide affordable exposure and positive regard for our best local ‘eco & ethical’ products,” says Executive Director, Lara Charles. Planet Goodness launches nationwide on Tuesday 6th November. Lara Charles said Planet Goodness is giving people the opportunity to try ethical products by removing the barriers of uncertainty around green-washing and access. “Ultimately, our goal is to create mainstream markets for these products by showcasing ‘planet-positive’ products and offering incentives for the consumer to try them,” Lara continued. “Our vision is to even the playing field for our local sustainable businesses, by connecting them with a massive community of receptive conasumers.” Planet Goodness has developed an integrity check process to maintain high standards for the products it sells, which includes the formation of an independent product panel who vet and approve all products. The panel is made up of industry leaders such as Rachel Brown (Sustainable Business Network), Kath Dewar (Goodsense Marketing) and Ben Gleisner (Conscious Consumers) ... MORE

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New Zealander to head world dairy organisation

Dr Jeremy Hill, Director Research Science Technology & Development at Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd, is President-Elect of the International Dairy Federation (IDF); the first New Zealander elected to that role in its 109-year history. “This is truly a major moment for New Zealand on the world stage,” says Willy Leferink, Federated Farmers Dairy chairperson speaking from the IDF summit in Cape Town. “Dr Hill will serve a four year term effective from this Friday and is, I believe, the first time a New Zealander has ever headed the world body for the dairy industry. As one of the Kiwis at the IDF we are very, very proud. The International Dairy Federation has issued the following release I wish to pass on: “Dr. Jeremy Hill, Director Research, Science, Technology and Development, Fonterra Cooperative Group, has been involved in the work of the Federation for over two decades. Jeremy has significant experience in the management of large infrastructure and organisations and in the management of international dispersed teams. “In his first address, Dr. Jeremy Hill outlined upcoming challenges for our Federation. He recognised that maintaining the membership and global representation is key. Challenges within the dairy sector such as globalisation of our industry and cross border trade, consolidation, major changes in global demand and volatility will also have to be tackled. He also stressed other general challenges such as nutrition, food safety, food security, and analytical methods ... MORE

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Silicon Valley geeks heading this way

Local start-ups will get the opportunity to pitch their business plans to 15 high-profile Silicon Valley investors, entrepreneurs and executives when they arrive in New Zealand next month as part of the "Geeks on a Plane" tour. Organised by US investor and business accelerator 500 Startups, Geeks on a Plane is an invitation-only tour that travels to the world's up-and-coming innovation destinations. It is currently travelling through the Middle East, visiting Turkey, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. In association with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise the tour will visit this country from December 10 to 14. The 15 geeks will include Dave McClure, a founding partner of 500 Startups, as well as representatives of Google Ventures - the venture capital investment arm of the search engine operator, Khosla Ventures, GE, TechCrunch and LivingSocial. Andy Hamilton, chief executive of Parnell-based business growth centre The Icehouse, which is hosting a barbecue and pitch competition with the geeks on December 11, said the tour was a big opportunity to promote New Zealand's innovation "eco-system" ... MORE

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Kiwi Wi-Fi gadget rolls out in Oz rental cars

A kiwi-developed Wi-Fi gadget offering cheap mobile internet access is getting a run in rental cars across the ditch. New Zealand company iDataRoam has struck a deal with global car rental brand Hertz which will see its portable 3G-based devices made available at major Australian airports. Hertz earlier this year started offering the units to customers renting vehicles from airport locations around New Zealand. The units can now also be rented from Hertz's airport locations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin and Cairns. The rechargeable palm-sized, battery-powered devices allow up to five hours of mobile usage and a daily data limit of 150mb per day. Although created by Chinese company Huawei, Idataroam is the first in New Zealand to target the products at international travellers in the rental car market. iDataRoam managing director Justin De Lille said the partnership is a landmark opportunity for his company in Australia. "Breaking into Australia has been a goal for us, and to do so with a partner such as Hertz is extremely pleasing, continuing on from the success of the product in New Zealand." He said the product could save travellers money as hotel Wi-Fi rates and mobile roaming costs remain "extremely high". The devices connect to the internet via mobile phone and can be recharged from a standard power outlet or in a car while travelling. Users are able to connect up to five devices simultaneously, allowing shared access between passengers. In Australia, the units cost from AUD$12.00 (NZD$15) per day plus tax. There is one package available in New Zealand, at a cost of NZD$12.95 + GST per day. Idataroam is a 100 per cent NZ-owned company, backed and partially owned by interests associated with Stephen Tindall's K1W1 fund.

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Auckland Uni Scientists make autism breakthrough

Scientists at Auckland University's Centre for Brain Research say they have gained new understandings of the causes of autism, opening up new avenues for possible treatment. The ground-breaking research, done in collaboration with Stanford University, looked at brain cell communication and genetic mutations in people with autism. The team discovered autism was caused by mutated brain proteins, called Shank3, weakening communication between brain cells. Head researcher Jo Montgomery said the discovery was exciting because it meant treatments could be investigated. ''Brain cells are incredibly sociable cells in the brain and they talk to each other all the time,'' she said. ''There are about 10 trillion brain cells connected by about 10 billion synapses which gives you an idea of how much chatter is going on in your brain at one time, and all that chatter underlies how you see things, how you move, how you learn and how you remember things. ''What we showed is that when you have these autism-associated mutations, this changes how synapses in the brain function.'' Montgomery said there was reason to get excited about the possibilities for a cure to autism, at some stage in the future. ''This is becoming an increasingly prevalent disorder - the latest numbers are 1 in 82 children,'' she said. ''We're not entirely sure why that is and this is becoming a major issue, we need to find out what's going on and try to help some of those people who are severely affected by it.'' Montgomery said the Shank3 protein would normally provide a foundation for receiving information and help the synapse ''talk back''. However, mutated Shank3 proteins, found in people with autism, didn't work ... MORE

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Aurecon Wins International Award at IChemE 2012

Aurecon has won the Food and Drink Award in the annual IChemE awards 2012 at the ceremony held in Manchester, England on Thursday 1 November 2012. The award recognises innovation to optimise manufacturing operations, and contribute to safe, nutritious and affordable food to an international market. The Dominion Salt Vacuum Plant Upgrade Project was to cost effectively increase production capacity for the manufacture of both pharmaceutical and food grade salt by 50 per cent. The new facility, designed by Aurecon, has increased plant capacity by 63 per cent and significantly improved pharmaceutical grade production capability enabling Dominion Salt to meet growing export demand. A major challenge was to minimise capital cost while significantly improving plant-operating efficiency in the Vacuum Plant on the Mount Maunganui factory site in New Zealand. Aurecon met the challenge by expanding the existing three effect evaporator into a new five effect evaporator. This was a more cost effective option than installing a second evaporator, and resulted in improved plant efficiency by utilising the plant’s existing steam generation capacity. Shane Dufaur, CEO of Dominion Salt, stated: “We are delighted with how Aurecon was able to recognise the opportunity to apply known evaporation plant technology to significantly expand the Vacuum Plant capacity in a cost effective and energy efficient manner with a configuration that provides for the simultaneous production of both pharmaceutical and food grade salt. The energy efficient design and expanded volume have allowed us to continue our rapid export growth strategy without compromising existing customer demand.” ... MORE

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Yealands Wine Estate completes ‘three in a row’ honours

For the third year running Yealands Estate has taken home the award for Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices at the prestigious Great Wine Capitals Awards. The Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism Awards celebrate innovation and excellence in wine tourism throughout the nine greatest wine regions in the world. Yealands Estate founder, Peter Yealands, says the recognition reflects the passion the Yealands team has for sharing their sustainability story. “We are passionate about our sustainability practices and enjoy the opportunity to share what makes us different with the visitors who come to our winery. At our cellar door we aim to create a unique experience, which showcases our dedication to making quality wine in an innovative way.” The panel of judges commended Yealands Estate for leading from the front and demonstrating their commitment to sustainability, rather than just talking about it. “Thinking outside the vineyard and more about the future, Yealands lead the way, from plastic wine bottles to making their own charcoal from the canes in the vineyard. Wine is not just about grapes and Yealands proves once again that while sustainability is an easy word to say, the proof is in the pudding,” says Judge Chris Fortune. The Yealands Estate cellar door experience includes an educational sustainability winery tour. Visitors also have the opportunity learn first-hand about the sustainable initiatives via a complimentary interactive self-guided vineyard tour. A selection of picnic foods are available to match with Yealands Estate wines to complete the wine tasting experience. “We are continually working towards our goal to become a global leader in sustainable wine production. To receive this sustainable wine tourism award three years in a row indicates that we’re on the right track,” says Peter Yealands. The Great Wine Capitals is a Network of nine major global cities in both the northern and southern hemispheres, which share a key economic and cultural asset; their internationally renowned wine regions.

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Taiwan venture uses local technology

Technology developed by New Zealand's LanzaTech will lie at the heart of a joint venture being established by two Taiwanese corporations that aims to produce commercial quantities of fuel ethanol and other valuable chemicals from steel mill waste gases. The biotech company, which has its scientific base in Parnell, has licensed its technology to a partnership between China Steel, one of Taiwan's biggest steel manufacturers, and Taipei-based chemical firm LCY. More than $6 million will be invested into the partnership that will establish a plant at one of the companies' factories in Taiwan that will convert industrial waste gases into valuable products using LanzaTech's gas fermentation technology. LanzaTech's Chicago-based chief executive, Jennifer Holmgren, said the establishment of the Taiwanese joint venture was gratifying. "The only reason [China Steel and LCY] agreed to work together is because they feel they are going to be able to better exploit our technology," Holmgren said. She said that the Taiwanese plant would be a demonstration facility at first, but within 18 to 24 months it would be ramped up to commercial scale and licensing would then begin generating US$10 million ($12.3 million) a year for LanzaTech ... MORE

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Prince Charles admires Kiwi innovation, economic success

Prince Charles has experienced some of New Zealand's most innovative technological research during a visit to University of Auckland's Owen G Glenn building this afternoon. He saw five of the university's developments and their commercial applications, which were set up separately in the style of a school science fair. He first met with Dr Mark Sagar who has created a 'live' computer-generated baby. Prince Charles was impressed by Dr Sagar's baby simulation, which can laugh, cry, and respond to those around it. Dr Sagar - who has also won an Academy Award for his work with Weta Digital on the film Avatar - has developed a laboratory at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute where visitors can experience software models which enable people to see the inner workings of the brain. He is working with the centre for brain research to model the neural systems involved in diseases such as Huntington's Disease ... MORE

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Sustainable wines hit record level at Air NZ awards

More than 1300 wines from 222 wineries entered the Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2012, with the biggest percentage ever being sustainable. Philip Manson, general manager sustainability at New Zealand Winegrowers, says a record 92% of this year’s entries have been sustainably accredited. In 2011 it was 75%. The increase shows a continuing focus on the environmental integrity of New Zealand wines, he says. “It is encouraging to see our winemakers embracing sustainability. We are world leaders in this area and with increasing numbers of sustainable wines accredited each year we are set to continue on this path.” For the New Zealand wine industry, sustainability means delivering excellent wine to consumers in a way that enables the natural environment, the businesses and the communities involved to thrive. Sustainable wines are produced from grapes that have been accredited or certified through an independently audited sustainability programme. The winemaking and packaging facilities used must also have been accredited or certified. The 25 judges, including several from Britain, Canada and Australia under the chairmanship of Michael Brajkovich, spent three days last week tasting a total of 1367 wines in 17 classes. “Sauvignon blanc is very strong. Pinot noir’s always a standout. Chardonnay is extraordinary,” Mt Brajkovich says. Growers are experimenting more with different styles. While new varieties such as temparino, grenache and alberino are small in quantity “the quality is getting better and better”, he says. The medal winning wines will be announced on November 14, with elite medal and trophy winners announced at the awards dinner on November 24 in Wellington.

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Ultrafast Fibre welcomes CallPlus

Local fibre company, Ultrafast Fibre Ltd, has welcomed the announcement by telecommunications provider, CallPlus, that it is now selling ultra-fast broadband to businesses in five of its centres: Hamilton, Tauranga, New Plymouth, Wanganui and Hawera. Ultrafast Fibre CEO, Maxine Elliot, said, “It’s great to see CallPlus launching into several of our major centres and offering a competitive ultra-fast broadband package with unlimited usage. “As more and more retailers begin selling connections to our network, businesses and residents will benefit as they have more choice and can pick the package that suits their exact needs.” Ultrafast Fibre is constructing a local fibre network in eight city centres, including Hamilton, Tauranga, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Tokoroa and Hawera. Businesses in Hamilton and Tauranga, where the Ultrafast Fibre network has passed, started connecting to the network in April 2012. The first business connections in Wanganui and New Plymouth occurred this month. For a list of Ultrafast Fibre Ltd retail partners, visit: www.ultrafastfibre.co.nz

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Kiwi research finds new way to fight leukaemia

New Zealand researchers have found a new way to fight chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, a blood cancer that affects one in 400 Kiwis over the age of 70. Haematologist Robert Weinkove of the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research said bone marrow transplantation was currently the only curative treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and involved replacing the immune system of patients with that of a matched donor. Such transplants can be problematic: not all patients find a donor; patients are prone to infections for months or even years afterwards; and the treatment can be so toxic that it is not suitable for many. Dr Weinkove said that to identify lower-risk immune therapies, researches focused on a rare type of immune cell called "invariant natural killer T" (iNKT). "Previous research at the Malaghan Institute and overseas has shown that iNKT cells can be activated by a compound called alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer), which was first found in a Japanese marine sponge. "This leads to significantly enhanced tumour-specific immune responses." Dr Weinkove collected blood samples from 40 patients with CLL and from 30 healthy volunteers of a similar age, from the greater Wellington region ... MORE

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Keen US Interest in Revolutionary NZ Rocket Test

A new rocket fuel and propulsion system developed in Auckland and tested on Great Mercury Island early today has attracted keen interest from the United States. Auckland-based Rocket Lab has developed and successfully tested a new rocket fuel and propulsion system that launched a small rocket 10 kilometres into the atmosphere of the Hauraki Gulf around 07:30am this morning. An influential audience including Trade Minister Mr Tim Groser, international space and rocket propulsion research agencies and US and Australian propulsion and space experts including the US Navy Office of Naval Research, Global, and Lockheed viewed the test launch. Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck said the test was aimed at proving the efficiency of the rocket propulsion system and the ability to modify the thrust levels to optimise the range and accuracy of the rocket and increase the overall performance over the current state of the art systems. “We weren’t aiming for a great height, just proof that the quite revolutionary fuel and propulsion systems we’ve developed have the capability and capacity to carry small payloads into space in a much more efficient manner,” says Mr Beck. “The data and telemetry we captured today prove the success of the project. and the performance of the new propulsion system . We have achieved a major advancement in rocket propulsion today using our novel Viscous Liquid Monopropellant system. “There are a number of applications for this - including launching telecommunications satellites - and increasing demand. The beauty of small rockets is they can carry these single payloads much cheaper and we can schedule launches much quicker than is possible in the US and Europe.” The Office of Naval Research has been involved in funding the project for more than two years and London-based Associate Director Global, David Neyland said the test had generated great interest. “It was a beautiful launch, said Mr Neyland. “The magic of what is going on here is the propulsion and fuel technology being explored is something that hasn’t been looked at for the past 50 or 60 years. “The flexibility to carry out this kind of research in New Zealand is magic and what gives the leverage to this project.” The Trade Minister Mr Tim Groser, said this kind of hi-tech research was just the type of project New Zealand needed more of in US trade relationships. “Peter Beck and his small team of just six people have attracted the attention of some of the United States’ leading aerospace industry players with leading edge research work produced in a small downtown Auckland laboratory.” Mr Beck says the rocket was recovered from the range area off Great Mercury Island shortly after launch.

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NZ placed to reap rewards in an eco-conscious world

Mandatory emissions standards for new vehicles, an electrical "smart grid" and a stocktake of our clean green image are among a raft of ways New Zealand could benefit itself and tap into a global green economy projected to top $3.6 trillion by 2050. A report released today by the University of Auckland Business School and consultancy Vivid Economics proposes an ambitious blueprint for "green growth", with homegrown export potential ranging from sustainable agricultural products and geothermal energy to second-generation biofuels. It has found New Zealand could benefit from green investment in two main ways - exporting to countries investing in green assets and technology and importing new technology and ideas to boost world-leading policies here. It makes recommendations for our major industry sectors, including tourism, agriculture and forestry and envisages an energy-efficient electricity network and eco-friendly buildings. The report backs improving standards and infrastructure to meet an influx of electric cars, urges investment in public transport and second-generation biofuels, and proposes mandatory light vehicle emission standards for new vehicles ... MORE

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Project honours great Kiwi scientist

One of the Government's key initiatives for driving economic growth has been formally named Callaghan Innovation - after the late New Zealand physicist Sir Paul Callaghan. Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce said the project previously known as the Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) would be named after Callaghan "in recognition of his passion for commercialising scientific research". "Sir Paul was one of New Zealand's greatest scientists," Joyce said. "He believed that science was not only about great ideas but about getting value from those ideas through innovation and commercialisation. "His views reflect the ambition of the ATI and we are grateful to the Callaghan family for allowing us to name the new institute in his honour." Callaghan, regarded as a world leader in his field, died in March this year after a long struggle with bowel cancer. The project will be based in Auckland, Lower Hutt and Canterbury and aims to bring science and business closer together. "Callaghan Innovation will be a one-stop shop for business innovation support whether it be in science, engineering, design or technology. It will be a high-tech HQ for New Zealand businesses," Joyce said. It has yet to be announced where Callaghan Innovation will have its headquarters and the Herald understands there is concern among some in Auckland that the project will be hamstrung by bureaucracy if run out of Wellington. Joyce said yesterday that the initiative, which was flagged before the last election, was preparing for a February 1 launch. But some business commentators said this week that details about how the initiative would work were scant. Technology Innovation Network (Tin) managing director Greg Shanahan said companies wanted clarity on how it would operate ... MORE

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NZ's key green growth areas outlined

Promoters of green growth in New Zealand have mapped out seven areas where this country has an international advantage but say there remain barriers to capitalising on them. The Government's decision not sign up for fresh commitments under the Kyoto Protocol was also a setback to how the country was perceived, they say Click here for a look at the full Green Growth Opportunities for New Zealand report. A major report out today reviews New Zealand's green growth opportunities and outlines how the Government and the private sector can best complement each other in helping New Zealand get ahead in the "green race". The report's "Green Growth Opportunities for New Zealand" was done by Vivid Economics in London in conjunction with the University of Auckland Business School. It finds New Zealand could benefit from global green investment patterns in two main ways: by exporting to nations investing in green goods and services and by importing new technology and ideas to create efficiencies at home. The potential economic opportunities are significant - the International Energy Agency estimates that global investments in low carbon energy alone could reach more than US$3 trillion ($3.67 trillion) per year by 2050, if the world shifts to an ambitious green growth track. Pure Advantage commissioned the report and says it is not driven by environmental idealism or fear of climate change, but had some active steps that were already in train ... MORE

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NZ developer-ments

New Zealand has produced some stellar successes in app development, with interesting and rewarding (for the developers, a well as for users) apps emerging from those who have done courses such as those offered by the department of Computer Science and Software Engineering at the University of Canterbury, courses from places like Natcoll and the Media Design School, the Auckland University of Technology's Creative Technologies Interdisciplinary courses and other places, but no one institution has a singular focus on the field of developing apps, whether Apple or Android. But initiatives across the country are changing the picture. Auckland's Unitec is the largest Institute of Technology in New Zealand, with 23,000 students enrolled across 165 courses. A closer working relationship between Industrial Research Ltd and Unitec aims to deliver more and better work-ready high-tech workers to New Zealand industry. IRL and Unitec Institute of Technology has signed a memorandum of understanding that will see the two organisations collaborating to link New Zealand industry with a greater level of training, and give students skill-sets for project work. IRL has been undertaking a range of initiatives aimed at ensuring the effective deployment and growth of Research and Development services ... MORE

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Cross-post from NZ economy thread ...

NZ best country in world for business - Forbes

New Zealand has outshone the world's major economies to top a Forbes list of the best countries for business. After placing second last year, New Zealand leapt into first place thanks to its "transparent and stable business climate that encourages entrepreneurship". American business magazine Forbes ranks 141 countries in its annual list by measuring them according to 11 metrics. Although New Zealand was the smallest economy in its top 10, at $162 billion, it came first in four of the metrics, including personal freedom, investor protection, lack of red tape, and lack of corruption. "New Zealand's economy is closely tied to Australia's, and both held up better than most during the global financial crisis," Forbes said. "The downside to the resilience of its economy is that the New Zealand dollar has appreciated, making the country's agricultural exports more expensive." It also noted that kiwi unemployment was at it the highest level since 1999. Other factors in New Zealand's high ranking were its corporate tax rate cut last year and the NZX 50's 24 per cent rise in the past year. Denmark's second-place ranking was down to its technology, trade freedom and property rights. After Denmark was Hong Kong (3rd), Singapore (4th), and Canada (5th). The US dropped two places to 12th, just behind Australia in 11th.

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Personalised time/place knowledge goal of ThunderMaps

Location-based intelligence is one of the up-and-coming applications of all things mobile. Wellington-based startup ThunderMaps reckons it has a solution to a problem – individuals and organisations having geo-knowledge that is valuable to others, but having no practical way of sharing their information. ThunderMaps co-founder Clint Van Marrewijk says the five person team’s goal, is to reduce the barriers to the adoption and use of spatial information by the public. “There is so much valuable data going to waste. We take data available from separate organisations, and data inputted from the public, and give users, usually smart-phone owners, the ability to filter that for themselves,” he says. Click to read the rest of this story
http://sticknz.net/2012/11/16/person...f-thundermaps/