Massey’s vision for North Shore innovation hub
massey-university
Thu May 02 2013 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Massey’s vision for North Shore innovation hub
Thursday, 2 May 2013, 1:54 pm
Press Release: Massey University
May 2, 2013
Massey’s vision for North Shore innovation hub
Massey University’s Auckland Knowledge Exchange (AKE) Hub hosted more than 70 local business people and key partners last night at an event that introduced its vision for a North Shore innovation hub.
The AKE Hub aims to develop strong research partnerships between the university and the Auckland business community, including those on the North Shore.
In his introduction to the networking event, AKE Hub board member Dr Jeffrey Stangl said Massey was a key part of the North Shore community, resource rich and a valuable asset for businesses to tap into.
“We want you to tell us, as your local uni, how we can help your business grow. What we envisage starting tonight is a “hub club” that can be part of a community of like-minded individuals interested in working together collectively to grow the local economy.”
Under the umbrella of the AKE Hub Massey University joined with ATEED, Callaghan Innovation and the ecentre to host a contingent of Auckland firms and Massey business students. Former Massey Distinguished Young Alumni Professor Shaun Hendy gave the keynote address and shared his research on New Zealand innovation networks.
Professor Hendy, from the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology at Victoria University, spoke about the innovation ecosystem in New Zealand with Auckland at the centre and the importance of knowledge hubs.
“New Zealand must open up the exchange of information and ideas within its innovation sector and become an exporter of knowledge, rather than nature,” he said.
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“When you look at places that can sustain innovation there is always a university connection. I hope that the AKE Hub will be here in ten years’ time because these initiatives are important in building interaction between businesses and universities.”
The event also marked the signing of a partnership agreement between the AKE Hub and Toyota Financial Services. Under the agreement Massey will become the financial services company’s preferred research partner and the two organisations will seek to collaborate on future projects. The partnership will also connect Toyota Financial Services with Massey’s best business students for internship and employment opportunities.
“This latest agreement with Toyota Financial Services is fantastic for the Auckland Knowledge Exchange Hub because it reflects our close engagement and collaboration with another major company,” said AKE Hub director Professor Christoph Schumacher.
“These sorts of partnerships are what tonight’s event is all about. We want the hub initiative to bring the academic and corporate worlds closer together so Massey is better serving the needs of our local business community through our research and the future employees we produce.”
Toyota Financial Services chief executive Brent Knight said: “Toyota Financial Services is excited to be expanding its involvement with Massey University by joining the AKE Hub. Not only does this development strengthen our relationship with the university, but it also provides our organisation with access to a wide range of first-class business and research resources that I believe will be enormously valuable to our efforts in driving continuous improvement and innovation.”
ENDS
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