Funder · Federal agency

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment — Science & Innovation

Funds New Zealand science, innovation, business growth, and research infrastructure through national programs.

New Zealandwww.mbie.govt.nz

Key stats

Annual funding—

Programs12

Active grants2

Total grants4

About

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is New Zealand's national funder for science and innovation. Through its Labour, Science and Enterprise Group it invests public funds in research programmes that build a high-performing science and innovation system and aim to transform New Zealand into a more diverse, technologically advanced, smart nation.

MBIE runs a portfolio of contestable and negotiated funds covering blue-skies research (Endeavour Fund), strategic long-term capability at Crown Research Institutes (Strategic Science Investment Fund), international collaboration (Catalyst Fund and the Horizon Europe top-up), and community-engaged science. Funded organisations include New Zealand universities, Crown Research Institutes (CRIs), independent research organisations and, in some streams, private-sector partners.

From 2026–2027 MBIE's funding system is being restructured. A new Research Funding New Zealand (RFNZ) board now takes over MBIE Science Board funding decisions, the 2026 Endeavour round runs as a contract-extension only, and a single Transition Research Fund 2027 will replace future Endeavour and Marsden funding rounds.

Programs & grants under this funder

MBIE Endeavour Fund Research Programmes

Funds MBIE Endeavour Fund Research for New Zealand consortia in mission-led work across health, environment, and primary sectors.

MBIE Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry GIDI

Funds MBIE Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry GIDI with infrastructure support for New Zealand firms reducing emissions.

Catalyst Fund — Influence

Funds participation and membership in international scientific fora in New Zealand through Catalyst Influence for global engagement and sector visibility.

Catalyst Fund — Leaders

Offers targeted international fellowships in New Zealand through Catalyst Leaders for researcher mobility and leadership exchange with global partners.

Catalyst Fund — Seeding

Funds early New Zealand international partnerships under Catalyst Seeding through joint travel and workshop support aimed at building later large collaborations.

Catalyst Fund — Strategic

Funds strategic research in New Zealand through Catalyst Strategic, including international pre-research collaborations in priority partnership themes.

2 grants

NZ — China Strategic Research Alliance for Proposals

Opens 2027

NZD 2M pool

NZ — US Global Centers for Proposals

Scheduled

NZD 4.5M pool

Endeavour Fund — Smart Ideas

Funds smaller New Zealand Endeavour Fund projects through a strategic research mechanism for rapid testing of promising ideas with national benefit.

MBIE Horizon Europe Top-up Funding Scheme

Funds New Zealand institutions in Horizon Europe by adding grant top-up overheads for participating projects managed through MBIE support.

2 grants

MBIE Horizon Europe Top-up Funding Scheme

Open

— pool·Rolling submission

MBIE Horizon Europe Top-up Funding

Open

— pool·Rolling submission

Participatory Science Platform

Offers a legacy community-science platform model in New Zealand for region-level collaborative projects in South Auckland, Taranaki, and Otago.

Strategic Science Investment Fund (SSIF)

Funds long-term strategic science investments in New Zealand through SSIF, including research programmes and scientific infrastructure with durable outcomes.

New Zealand MBIE Endeavour Fund Smart Ideas

Supports New Zealand innovation in deep-tech through MBIE grant partnerships.

Transition Research Fund

Funds New Zealand investigator-led research through the Transition Research Fund, using coordinated mechanisms for talent, projects, and larger programmes.

Last verified: 15 May 2026Source: www.mbie.govt.nz