Endeavour Fund 2025: Announcing Smart Ideas research projects

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has confirmed funding for 46 research projects through the 2025 Endeavour Fund – Smart Ideas investment round, with a total investment of around $46 million.

The selected projects span a wide range of disciplines and sectors, including MedTech, quantum computing, climate resilience, sustainable agriculture and advanced manufacturing. Each project has been selected for its potential to deliver significant scientific, environmental and economic benefits for Aotearoa New Zealand.

The Smart Ideas investment mechanism supports early-stage research with high potential to address national challenges and create new opportunities. This year’s funding round includes initiatives focused on developing point-of-care cardiac diagnostics, scalable quantum computing components and innovative approaches to environmental monitoring and climate adaptation.

The Endeavour Fund is New Zealand’s largest contestable research fund and is designed to support excellent research with the potential to positively transform New Zealand’s economy, society and environment. The Smart Ideas stream specifically targets bold, high-risk research that can lead to new knowledge, technologies and capabilities.

The 2025 funding round reflects the Government’s ongoing commitment to science-led innovation and long-term economic growth through research and development.

More information and a full list of funded projects:

Smart Ideas successful proposals

Read the Minister's announcement:

Backing bold science with Endeavour funding(external link) — Beehive.govt.nz