Knowledge & technology transfer
Goals: Landcare Research is at the leading edge of technology and knowledge delivery to users. Landcare Research adds value to the New Zealand economy through commercially viable products and services, their transfer to partners in the private sector, and overseas licensing, where appropriate.
Technology and knowledge transfer are core activities that support development of effective government policy, improve the environmental and economic performance of government agencies, business and industry, and engage the community. Effective transfer requires engagement across many levels of stakeholder organisations and at all stages of a project. Where appropriate, we second our staff to regional councils, AHB/TBfree New Zealand and government agencies specifically to assist with the uptake and implementation of research.
Our Toxicology, EcoGene, Environmental Chemistry and Soils laboratories offer a range of fee-based specialist services to a range of clients (mostly New Zealand-based) in addition to supporting our own research needs.
New technologies with potential commercial application are developed to investor-readiness with the commercialisation expertise of both Auckland UniServices and KiwiNet. This year, we signed a licensing agreement with a New Zealand company for the worldwide commercialisation of our precision irrigation positioning technology.
Through our subsidiary company carboNZero Holdings and our Enviro-Mark programme, we provide a range of environmental certification services, which are strongly aligned to our Core Purpose and the Development within Environmental Limits Outcome in particular, to clients in New Zealand and overseas. We regularly review commercial business ownership, value and related risk issues. On 1 July 2013, we merged all these certification services into one company.
We continued the range of information-sharing initiatives that include print and e-newsletters tailored to the interests of stakeholder groups, video clips, workshops, hui and seminars. Our Wellington lunchtime briefings to government stakeholders on topical research issues attract good audiences and constructive debate among our stakeholders.