Science to Startup: Where should NZ’s next global companies come from?
13 October 2026
- Scaling Up
- Investors and enablers
- Innovators
- Early Stage/Growth
Hear from Sir Peter Gluckman on New Zealand’s changing science system, then join a lively debate that looks at the role of universities in building startups, and where the next global companies begin. Put your questions to the speakers, network over morning tea and explore the Newmarket Innovation Precinct with a startup fast pitch or behind-the-scenes tour.
Science to Startup: Where should NZ’s next global companies come from?
Hear from Sir Peter Gluckman on New Zealand’s biggest science system reforms in 30 years, and what they could mean for the future of research, innovation and entrepreneurship.
New Zealand’s science and research system is changing. What will that mean for researchers, universities, founders, spinouts and investors, and for our ambition to build globally successful companies?
Then, we’ll put one part of that question up for debate:
THE DEBATE: Universities should stop building startups.
Should universities get out of the startup business and focus on creating the conditions for others to build companies? Or is building startups an important part of turning great research into globally successful businesses?
Will Charles, UniServices, will argue for the proposition, while Angus Blair, Outset Ventures, will argue against it.
Hear both sides, put your questions to the speakers and join the conversation about who should be building New Zealand’s next generation of companies.
But, wait, there’s more…
Stay on after the debate for morning tea, networking and a chance to explore the Newmarket Innovation Precinct.
Choose between a NIP Community Fast Pitch, featuring quick-fire pitches from startups based at the precinct, or a Newmarket Innovation Precinct Taster Tour, with behind-the-scenes glimpses of research and innovation in action.
Meet founders from ventures including Repsoft, Metrovate, Weather Radar NZ, Alyrt, Geo Vvantage and Capture the Bug, or explore additive manufacturing and plastics recycling research, the large-scale Water Engineering Lab and New Zealand’s oldest Formula SAE team.
Tuesday 13 October | 8.30am arrival for 9am start
Newmarket Collaboration Space, 262 Khyber Pass Road
Free
Speakers
Angus Blair
Managing Partner at Outset Ventures
Angus Blair is Managing Partner at Outset Ventures, New Zealand's most active deep technology investor, based on the Auckland campus that produced Rocket Lab and LanzaTech. He backs founders in energy, aerospace, defence and advanced computing, sits on five company boards, and writes Science to Seed, a column on What Founders Want about getting research out of the lab and onto a cap table. In this debate he argues that universities should keep building startups, a position he expects to hear quoted back at his next term sheet negotiation.
Sir Peter Gluckman
Distinguished Professor Emeritus ONZ KNZM FRSNZ FRS
Sir Peter Gluckman is the president of the International Science Council (ISC) and the director of Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures.
From 2009–2018, he was the first chief science advisor to the Prime Minister of New Zealand. During 2014–2021, he was the inaugural chair of the International Network of Government Science Advice (INGSA). He was also science envoy for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and coordinated the secretariat of the Small Advanced Economies Initiative. He has written and spoken extensively on science-policy and science-diplomacy and science-society interactions.
In 2021, he was appointed chair of the International Advisory Group to give independent advice on the assessment of the UK higher education research performance to the Future Research Assessment Programme (FRAP) via the FRAP Board.
Sir Peter trained as a paediatrician and biomedical scientist and holds a distinguished university professorship at the Liggins Institute of the University of Auckland. He also holds honorary chairs in University College London, University of Southampton and National University of Singapore (where he acts as the chief science advisor to the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences).
Will Charles
Executive Director – Investment at UniServices
Will Charles has been Executive Director Investment with UniServices since 2005. In the last six years UniServices has started, supported and invested in more than 40 technology-based companies that have raised nearly $1b in venture and seed funding. He manages the University of Auckland Inventors Fund, a $40m evergreen fund dedicated to start-ups generated by staff and students at the University of Auckland.
Venue
Newmarket Innovation Precinct
298 Khyber Pass Road
Newmarket
Auckland 1023
The Newmarket Innovation Precinct (NIP) is a R&D hub at the University of Auckland’s Newmarket campus. NIP provides coworking and lab spaces for startups and other companies who need to connect with university researchers and student talent.