Kiwi innovators from the Bay of Plenty could win a share of $90,000 to develop ideas that benefit conservation, in a new national awards scheme launched yesterday.

The first WWF-New Zealand Conservation Innovation Awards seeks to showcase novel and effective ways to support communities to protect and restore the country's unique biodiversity.

First prize in each of three categories - product, project and research - is a $25,000 grant, with three runner-up grants of $5000 each.