Two of our researchers take home 2025 KiwiNet Research Commercialisation awards

23 October, 2025

Two of our researchers took home KiwiNet awards last night — Dr Ben Mallett won the Ara Ake Breakthrough Innovator Award and Professor Aaron Marshall the BNZ Researcher Entrepreneur Award at the 2025 KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards.

Congratulating Ben, Professor Nicola Gaston said the Institute was incredibly proud.

'Ben is both a MacDiarmid Institute and Industrial Research Ltd alum who was also a colleague of mine at the University of Auckland physics department for a few years (he's a fantastic lecturer by the way). His career has really taken off under the superconducting wings of the Paihau-Robinson Research Institute in recent years. A very worthy winner of the KiwiNet Breakthrough Innovator Award!’

Ben is a catalyst for driving space innovation in New Zealand
KiwiNet judges

Dr Ben Mallett (R) accepting his KiwiNet award from Ara Ake's Daniel Gnoth

Here’s what the KiwiNet judges had to say:

'Ben inspired the judges with the maturity of his journey and the impact he has had on those around him. Ben has balanced both strategic thinking and technical expertise, consistently taking on challenges with clarity and purpose. His ability to inspire others through action has earned him wide respect across the sector, and his efforts have been critical to the growth of JxB. Ben’s forward-looking vision is commendable. He is not only a leader in his own right but also a catalyst for driving space innovation in New Zealand.'

A true star performer, Aaron is not only advancing research but also reshaping how it creates value beyond the lab.
KiwiNet judges

Professor Aaron Marshall accepting his KiwiNet award

Deputy Director Associate Professor Natalie Plank congratulated Aaron on his win, citing him as a true pioneer.

‘With not one but two start-up companies - Zincovery and Ternary Kinetics - Aaron is a true pioneer in the clean-tech industry, driving sustainable innovation and helping position New Zealand as a leader in this space. His achievement reflects how our researchers are translating world-class materials science into commercial success. We’re immensely proud of Aaron, and of the growing number of our people who are launching successful new ventures while our existing start-ups continue to thrive.’

Here's what the KiwiNet judges said about Aaron:

'The judges recognised Aaron as a standout researcher entrepreneur whose commercially focused approach is driving real impact in New Zealand. Known for moving fast and delivering results, Aaron has become a pivotal force for New Zealand cleantech innovation, and in building a culture of commercialisation and entrepreneurship at the University of Canterbury. A true star performer, Aaron is not only advancing research but also reshaping how it creates value beyond the lab.'

Nicola also acknowledged Dr Michel Nieuwoudt, who had also been a finalist for the BNZ Researcher Entrepreneur Award.

'It's a huge achievement even to be shortlisted for one of these awards, and we're very proud of Michel for her breakthroughs in vibrational spectroscopy that are lighting a new path in skin cancer diagnostics through her startup company Luminoma. Michel is a standout researcher-entrepreneur who combines creativity, technical excellence, and strong people skills to solve important problems and deliver real-world impact across multiple industries.

Tags: Towards Zero Waste - Reconfigurable Systems, Towards Zero Carbon - Catalytic Architectures, Towards Low Energy Tech - Hardware for Future Computing