MacDiarmid Institute’s Geoff Willmott says productivity chat glosses over distinct ‘deep tech’ possibilities.
When the Productivity Commission this month identified the export of “specialised, distinctive, high-value products” as a key ingredient for improving New Zealand’s productivity (in its final report on Frontier Firms), they could hardly have asked for a better example than the same-week announcement of a $500,000 investment in Astrix Astronautics.
Astrix, a startup led by three undergraduate engineers from the University of Auckland’s Programme for Space Systems, will develop lightweight solar panel arrays, standing on the shoulders of a large, neighbouring firm (and investor) – Rocket Lab. Another investor, Outset Ventures (formerly LevelTwo), has been built around a network
Press Release – Export NZ ExportNZ has welcomed the Productivity Commissions investigation into frontier firms: highly productive companies, usually exporters, that are standard-setters for other firms in their sector. The Frontier Firms investigation has made recommendations …
ExportNZ has welcomed the Productivity Commission’s investigation into frontier firms: highly productive companies, usually exporters, that are standard-setters for other firms in their sector.
The Frontier Firms investigation has made recommendations for Government action to encourage more highly productive firms in NZ, including boosting foreign investment, enabling innovation, improving regulations, supporting health tech and areas of already occurring competitive advantage.
ExportNZ Executive Director Catherine Beard says exporters will be in agreement with many of the Commission’s recommendations, particularly more support for increased R&D.