The Bay of Plenty’s innovation sector is celebrating the success of a record-breaking summer of R&D Experience Grants, with local businesses reporting “game-changing” results and new hires following the completion of summer’s internships.
Facilitated by Tauranga Business Chamber, the programme funded internships for 73 undergraduate students across 32 innovation-led businesses, to support local research and development projects.
Chamber Growth & Innovation Manager, Roz Irwin, says the feedback from businesses has been overwhelmingly positive.
“We’ve seen incredible outcomes from this year’s internships, both in terms of project delivery and talent development.
“Every business I’ve spoken to has highlighted the value these students brought to their teams, from accelerating R&D timelines to tackling projects that would otherwise sit on the backburner.”
Aerospace company SYOS, the Tauranga Business of the Year 2026, hosted five interns across mechanical, mechatronics and software engineering disciplines.
SYOS Team Lead, Jake Tisdale, says the impact of the internships was significant.
“Our interns were incredibly driven and proactive, and it was game changing for SYOS.
“They contributed to critical design and assembly work, while also helping us clear a backlog of lower-priority tasks we simply didn’t have the capacity to get to.”
SYOS offered two graduating interns full-time jobs, and has asked interns with another year of study to contact them once they’ve graduated, says Jake.
Roz says this outcome highlights the programme’s dual benefit.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see businesses like SYOS not only benefit from the extra capability over summer, but also convert that into employment opportunities.
“That’s exactly what this programme is designed to do – build connections, grow capability, and keep talented graduates in our region.”
Climate tech company Cetogenix highlighted both the immediate impact on their work and the long-term outcomes for students.
“This experience enables us, as a startup, to accelerate our progress, build capability, and identify future talent, which is incredibly valuable,” says Chief Operations Officer, Alex Stuthridge.
“All of our students have gone on to secure strong roles in the industry, and some have chosen to continue their studies as a result, which is fantastic.”
Irwin says the wider impact extends beyond individual businesses.
“Programmes like this strengthen our entire innovation ecosystem. They give students meaningful, real-world experience, while helping our businesses grow, innovate, and create jobs.”
Applications for this year’s internships open in July. Anyone interested in the grants process can contact Roz at roz@tauranga.org.nz
