The Government has approved 24 applications for the first round of its $15 million Hoe ki angitū innovation fund.

The fund, launched in June 2022, is designed to help accelerate the development of solutions to challenges facing the land transport system.

“The Government is upgrading New Zealand’s transport system to make it safer, greener, and more efficient for now and future generations to come,” said Transport Minister Michael Wood.

“However we know we can’t solve some of the challenges we face alone, that’s why we went looking for Kiwi ingenuity to help find solutions to some of our global transport challenges.”

Waka Kotahi received more than 110 applications for the initial round of funding.

After a thorough evaluation process, 24 applications were approved to receive a total of $4.2 million in the first funding round, which asked applicants to respond to three key challenges, including accelerating the use of recycled materials and sustainable practices, Integrating low emission first and last-mile travel solutions, and providing under-served communities with greater access to transport options.

“New Zealand is a country full of creative, innovative people and to help us successfully meet the problems facing the transport sector we need to tap into that creativity by jointly accelerating solutions,” Wood said.

“Kiwi innovators from the private sector, research institutions, communities, iwi and universities have stepped up to these challenges, with an exciting range of new ideas.”

Successful applications include the use recycled textile fibres in different types of asphalt, the pilot of a small micromobility hub at Auckland’s Panmure Station with a network of mini hubs in the surrounding neighbourhood, and a ‘lease to buy’ e-bike trial, offering low-cost e-bikes or e-bike conversions to people who are underserved.

“The fund is part of the Government’s comprehensive approach to responding to the climate emergency. Innovation is one of the pillars of our Emissions Reduction Plan to drive forward new and quicker ways to respond to the challenges we are facing in the land transport sector,” Wood said.

“Looking at the quality of applications approved for funding gives me confidence that by working together and being open to new ideas Aotearoa can rise to the challenge of addressing even our biggest transport challenges, to deliver a better-connected, cleaner, and safer transport system for New Zealand.”