A business with a difficult technical problem does not always need to begin with a blank sheet. Someone may already be investigating a related question, but finding that work can be a project in itself.
The New Zealand Research Information System went live on 23 September. MBIE says the platform brings together research funding and activity information, initially drawing on data from MBIE, the Royal Society Te Apārangi and the Health Research Council. More providers are expected to contribute over time, so the launch should not be treated as a complete record of every research activity.
Start with the problem
For a business exploring a new material, production process or service, a useful search begins with the issue to solve. A clear description of the constraint is often more valuable than arriving with a favoured technology already selected.
That might be a product that loses quality in storage, a task that consumes too much staff time or a process that creates avoidable waste. Existing research can help clarify what is already understood and where a commercial trial might add something useful.
Finding a project is only the beginning. The next conversation should establish whether the work is relevant, whether collaboration is possible and what information can be shared.
From introduction to agreement
A research partnership needs expectations as well as enthusiasm. Scope, timing, confidentiality and ownership of results should be discussed before a business assumes that a promising idea can move straight into production.
It is also worth distinguishing research funding from funding available to the company itself. A database entry is information about activity, not an invitation to apply for a grant or an endorsement of a supplier.
The platform's immediate value is reducing the effort needed to see part of New Zealand's research landscape. For businesses prepared to describe their needs clearly, that could make the search for relevant expertise more focused—and the first meeting more productive.
