Our story

For generations, people crossed vast distances to reach these shores — aboard waka and ships — guided by courage, ingenuity, knowledge, and ambition.

Navigated by the stars, they adapted to new environments and solved problems with creativity and determination.

That spirit of exploration continues today.

The New Zealand Institute for Advanced Technology was established to help carry that story into the future, connecting frontier research with frontier firms and helping New Zealand compete in the advanced technologies shaping the global economy.

NZIAT was announced in 2025 as New Zealand’s fourth Public Research Organisation as part of one of the largest reforms of the country’s science system in decades.

Developed initially within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and later established as a Crown entity company, the Institute was created to strengthen New Zealand’s advanced technology capability and accelerate the journey from scientific discovery to commercial impact.

Its role is to connect research, industry, and investment so that world-leading science creates new products, services, industries, and high-value jobs here in New Zealand.

Rather than undertaking most research directly, NZIAT operates as a nationally connected platform model, investing in partnerships with universities, research institutes, industry, and innovators across the country.