Gisborne to be pilot for Crown entity

GISBORNE-BASED: Callaghan Innovation customer advisor Phil Anderson. Picture by Paul Rickard

A pilot programme aimed to help Gisborne businesses get new products to market faster, could be used as a blueprint for national business success if a trial period proves successful.

As part of a four-month trial, Callaghan Innovation customer advisor Phil Anderson will be based in Gisborne to work in conjunction with their East Coast Business Partner Activate Tairawhiti.

“In the regions Activate Tairawhiti do the good work of Callaghan Innovation and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. We are piloting working more closely in the regions where we are trialling being physically located.”

He would be working closely with Steve Breen and Jo Emerre from Activate Tairawhiti, as well as a number of Gisborne start-ups through to the more established businesses who performed regular research and development, to give them a cutting edge, he said.

Mr Anderson would be based in Gisborne but would also service other companies throughout New Zealand.

Passionate about Gisborne“I’m passionate about Gisborne, and I think I can work for both Auckland and Hamilton companies while working predominantly from Gisborne. I want to help Activate Tairawhiti keep Gisborne closely connected to the New Zealand innovation ecosystem and, as a result, help businesses commercialise their products quicker.

“There are some amazing businesses in Gisborne, I’ve been really impressed with the quality but there is so much more that can be done to encourage investment in innovation.”

Mr Anderson started in Gisborne last week and said the Gisborne model might end up being a “blueprint” for how Callaghan Innovation could operate in all regions going into the future.

Callaghan Innovation is a Research and Development-focused Crown entity that provides a number of products and services including research and development grants, access to technology and product development, innovation skills and business collaborations as key drivers of innovation, business success and economic growth.

Mr Anderson’s arrival comes a month after the Tairawhiti Regional Business Partner programme, jointly run by NZ Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and Callaghan Innovation, doubled its presence here with the arrival of a second RBP business advisor.