The Endeavour Fund is New Zealand’s flagship research funding scheme, managed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). It supports excellent research that addresses significant challenges and opportunities for New Zealand.
Key Features:
Funding Areas:
- Research Programmes – Large-scale, multi-year research projects (typically 3-5 years)
- Smart Ideas – Early-stage research with potential for significant impact
- Research Programme Platforms – Supporting research infrastructure and capability
Focus:
The fund prioritizes research that:
- Tackles important challenges for New Zealand
- Builds on research excellence
- Involves collaboration between researchers and end-users
- Has clear pathways to impact
Investment:
The Endeavour Fund invests approximately NZ$150+ million annually across various research projects in areas like:
- Environmental sustainability
- Health and wellbeing
- Primary industries
- Advanced technologies
- Māori knowledge and development
Application Process:
- Annual funding rounds with specific opening dates
- Competitive peer-review process
- Applications require clear demonstration of research quality and potential impact