Booster's innovation fund grows its pipeline of opportunities

The Booster Innovation Fund (BIF) has added a third university to the group of strategic partnerships it has with universities.

Thursday, December 11th 2025, 6:04AM

The NZX-listed Booster Innovation Fund, or BIF as it's known, has partnerships with universities as a key early-stage venture investor in local science and innovation.

It has signed a partnership with Auckland UniServices, representing the University of Auckland, as a limited partner of NZ Innovation Booster, BIF’s dedicated university partnership fund.

Since 2018, BIF has partnered with Wellington UniVentures Ltd, the technology transfer office of Victoria University of Wellington, providing BIF with investment opportunities in university spin-out businesses at their earliest stages.

Three years later the partnership expanded to include Otago Innovation Ltd, the technology transfer office of University of Otago.More recently, BIF welcomed

As at November 30, 54.7% of the fund's value is anchored to opportunities originating VUW, Otago and Auckland university. Noting that a larger portion is from VUW recognising they were the first to partner with BIF.

The fund has $22 million and has returned 9.1% annually after fees and before tax since inception in late 2021.

Together, these three university partners represent about 60% of total research spending by New Zealand universities, strengthening BIF’s access to high-potential technology and science ventures emerging from the country’s university sector.

NZX-listed BIF already invests in 14 companies spun out of Wellington UniVentures Ltd and Otago Innovation Ltd. It also has direct investments in eight companies spun out of the University of Auckland, with the new partnership providing even earlier access to potential investments.

Booster Innovation Fund manager Melissa Yiannoutsos said "by working closely with these institutions, we accelerate the growth of university spin-outs and ensure that groundbreaking ideas translate into impactful global businesses here in New Zealand."

She says the new partnership with Auckland University cements BIF’s position as New Zealand’s leading investment fund with early access to science coming out of Aotearoa’s universities.

“Booster believes investors gain a significant advantage and access to potential outsized returns by investing in university-derived opportunities due to the long-term value and competitive moats built through rigorous research, innovation ecosystems and talented founders nurtured in academic settings.

BIF currently invests in more than 40 companies, who collectively employ over 400 staff – 300 of them in New Zealand. Together they have attracted over $280 million as they scale their businesses and prove their relevance and reach into global markets.

Tags: BIF Booster