05/02/2021
Caleb Smith
Rice Speir Solicitors
Level 9, 51 Shortland Street
Auckland 1010
By email:
[email address]
Dear Caleb,
Official information request for information about the Callaghan Innovation IP programme “business
innovation advisors and regional partners”.
I refer to your official information request dated 22 December 2020 for the fol owing information:
1. Please provide an approximate headcount for staff engaged in business innovation advisory roles,
R&D advisory roles or similar roles, if you have the information, in the Regional Partners.
2. Please advise whether any businesses, individuals or other entities were offered a greater
percentage of co-funding from Cal aghan Innovation than was widely advertised for the Innovation
IP voucher scheme. For example, were any businesses offered 100% funding of a workshop under
the Innovation IP programme.
3. Please advise whether Cal aghan Innovation Business Innovation Advisers, R&D advisers or staff in
similar roles in Regional Partners promote the Innovation IP programme.
4. Please advise whether Cal aghan Innovation Business Innovation Advisers, R&D advisers, and
Regional Partner staff acting in similar roles have the discretion to recommend specific Innovation
IP programme service providers or refer businesses to specific Innovation IP programme service
providers for the Innovation IP Programme.
5. Please advise whether Cal aghan Innovation Business Innovation Advisers, R&D advisers, and
Regional Partners acting in similar roles have the discretion to recommend specific IP service
providers for IP services other than workshops carried out under the Innovation IP programme
workshop.
6. Please outline any work by Cal aghan Innovation to survey the Intel ectual Property service
providers operating in New Zealand or the range of services available, including authorised
Innovation IP Programme providers and Intel ectual Property service providers not so authorised.
7. Please indicate the approximate value of vouchers issued under the ‘Booster Voucher Scheme ‘ in
relation to intel ectual property services.
8. Please indicate the proportion of Booster Vouchers issued towards the cost of intel ectual property
services by authorised Innovation IP service providers and please indicate the remaining proportion
that were issued to IP service providers that are not authorised IP service provides.
9. Please share any briefing materials or instructions given to Cal aghan Innovation Regional Partners
in relation to the Innovation IP programme.
10. Please advise whether Cal aghan Innovation’s Regional Partners were instructed to promote the
programme.
11. Please provide any policy, guidelines, training material or similar relating to the role of Cal aghan
Innovation Business Innovation Advisers, R&D advisers or Regional Partners acting in a similar
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capacity in relation to the Innovation IP Programme or intel ectual property services.
The information you have requested is below.
1. Please provide an approximate headcount for staff engaged in business innovation advisory roles,
R&D advisory roles or similar roles, if you have the information, in the Regional Partners.
Response:
External y (across the Regional Business Partner Network) there are approximately 19 FTE of
Growth Advisor - Innovation Specialists, with a head count of approximately 28 people.
Internal y, we have 27 staff who are in either Customer Manager or Business Innovation Advisor
Roles - both act as Primary Relationship managers who engage in business and R&D advisory roles
for our customers.
2. Please advise whether any businesses, individuals or other entities were offered a greater
percentage of co-funding from Cal aghan Innovation than was widely advertised for the Innovation IP
voucher scheme. For example, were any businesses offered 100% funding of a workshop under the
Innovation IP programme.
Response:
Under the pilot phase of the programme, for a period of approximately 5 months, businesses were
offered 100% funding to encourage uptake in the early days of the scheme. Further, nine start-up
ventures under incubation (in one of our approved Technology Incubators) accessed this scheme
ful y funded (Stage 1 only). We no longer offer this.
Recently the only companies to be offered this with higher than advertised co-funding are those who
have won prizes, where the winner received a 100% funded programme (of their choosing). This was
awarded as an innovation prize at SouthMACH & Field Days.
Currently, the co-funding rate of 40% remains fixed and businesses are not offered any additional
funding.
3. Please advise whether Cal aghan Innovation Business Innovation Advisers, R&D advisers or staff
in similar roles in Regional Partners promote the Innovation IP programme.
Response:
The programme can be recommended by Business Advisors and Regional Partners and/or other
primary relationship managers to those customers where they see the right fit, they do not “promote”
in a typical sales fashion.
However, participation in the programme is entirely voluntary, and is up to the customer to decide
whether or not to use the service.
4. Please advise whether Cal aghan Innovation Business Innovation Advisers, R&D advisers, and
Regional Partner staff acting in similar roles have the discretion to recommend specific Innovation IP
programme service providers or refer businesses to specific Innovation IP programme service
providers for the Innovation IP Programme.
Response:
Customer facing staff provide potential customers with a directory list, listing al ten providers. From
here, the customer is encouraged to contact two or three providers to see who is the best fit for them
in terms of experiences and technical expertise. This information is available on the website -
https://www.cal aghaninnovation.govt.nz/innovation-skil s/innovation-ip/ .
As part of this process, the customer may want assistance in narrowing down their options, to ensure
they are getting the right fit. If requested, the customer facing staff would here be able to use their
discretion to assist the customer in helping narrow down their list, based on their knowledge of the
customer’s business needs. However - it is always up to the customer to make the selection.
5. Please advise whether Cal aghan Innovation Business Innovation Advisers, R&D advisers, and
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Regional Partners acting in similar roles have the discretion to recommend specific IP service
providers for IP services other than workshops carried out under the Innovation IP programme
workshop .
Response:
Yes, as appropriate. Part of their role is helping businesses identify and engage with the right
capability (whether this be IP or otherwise). They provide impartial advice to customers based on
their knowledge of the ecosystem and the customer’s needs. Where appropriate, this may include
providing a choice of vendor. However, it is always entirely up to the business to decide who they
decide to work with.
6. Please outline any work by Cal aghan Innovation to survey the Intel ectual Property service
providers operating in New Zealand or the range of services available, including authorised
Innovation IP Programme providers and Intel ectual Property service providers not so authorised.
Response:
No such survey has been conducted.
7. Please indicate the approximate value of vouchers issued under the ‘Booster Voucher Scheme ‘ in
relation to intel ectual property services.
Response:
$490,000.00 GST Exclusive.
8. Please indicate the proportion of Booster Vouchers issued towards the cost of intel ectual property
services by authorised Innovation IP service providers and please indicate the remaining proportion
that were issued to IP service providers that are not authorised IP service provides.
Response:
69% authorised Innovation IP service provider; 31% not authorised Innovation IP service providers. .
9. Please share any briefing materials or instructions given to Cal aghan Innovation Regional
Partners in relation to the Innovation IP programme.
Response:
No formal written briefing material exists specifical y for the Regional Business Partner Network.
Infographics and similar help text was developed for the programme and is publicly available on our
website.
An info video was developed to educate internal staff, as wel as the RBP network, about the different
providers. A link to this video is included below, in the response to question 11.
Occasional y an update email wil be distributed, advising of upcoming sessions, however this is
general info, not instructional.
Training for new customer facing staff is received informal y through sessions with peers and learning
on the job. It is recommended customer managers attend the session with their customer so that they
can familiarise themselves with the programme and what is covered.
10. Please advise whether Cal aghan Innovation’s Regional Partners were instructed to promote the
programme.
Response:
The advisors within the RBP Network are encouraged to promote the programme to their customers
as appropriate.
11. Please provide any policy, guidelines, training material or similar relating to the role of Cal aghan
Innovation Business Innovation Advisers, R&D advisers or Regional Partners acting in a similar
capacity in relation to the Innovation IP Programme or intel ectual property services.
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Response:
As per the response to question 9, no formal written briefing material exists for this purpose.
Infographics and similar help text was developed for the programme and is publicly available on our
website. This is relevant for both customer facing staff and potential customers.
https://www.cal aghaninnovation.govt.nz/innovation-skil s/innovation-ip Additional y, an informative video was produced for internal use, giving an overview of the 10
providers. This has been shared with you via dropbox -
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7b9e8w81fcxhx3a/10%20Innovation%20IP%20Providers%20talk.mp4?dl =0 .
Training for new customer facing staff is received informal y through sessions with peers and learning
on the job. It is recommended customer managers attend the session with their customer so that they
can familiarise themselves with the programme and what is covered.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information
about how to make a complaint is available a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Kind regards,
Stefan Korn
General Manager - Market Engagement and Experience and Sectors
Cal aghan Innovation
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