MBIE New to R&D Grant
Callaghan Innovation / MBIE (NZ) · R&D grant
$230K40% co-funding of eligible R&D costs, up to NZ$400,000 (~$230k) over up to 2 years
New Zealand government grant that co-funds a business's first structured in-house R&D project and builds its R&D capability.
Key terms
- Grant covers 40%; you fund the other 60% (not from other NZ public funds)
- Must be new to R&D: under NZ$150,000 R&D spend and under NZ$5,000 government R&D funding in the past 3 years
- NZ-incorporated company, limited partnership or Māori incorporation/trust; sole traders and foreign-incorporated companies not eligible
- At least 5% of costs must go to two or more R&D capability-building activities
- Quarterly claims and reports; talk to Innovation Services before applying
Eligibility
- Where
- New Zealand
- Stages
- pre-seed, seed, series-a, growth
- Needs VC/accelerator backing
- No
- Needs partner referral code
- No
- Must be incorporated
- Yes
- AI focus required
- No
- Students / researchers
- Not eligible
- Nonprofits
- Not eligible
Also required
- Must be able to fund 60% of project costs
- Must be new to R&D
How to apply
Contact the Innovation Services team first, prepare the application template and budget, then submit through the Innovation Services online grants portal.
- Benefit
- cash
- Equity-free
- Yes
- Decision time
- —
- Credit validity
- —
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Status
- Open
Verified 2026-10-30 · source
More: Government grants for startups · Startup programs in New Zealand