Innovation Investment Round

Both the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC) and AgriZeroNZ are working to provide New Zealand farmers with a suite of fit for purpose, practical and cost effective tools to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. During 2025, the NZAGRC and AgriZeroNZ are partnering to run a competitive round to identify and support innovative ideas and opportunities.

2025 Innovation Investment Round Forms

Any enquires on the Innovation Investment Round, please send to fund@nzagrc.org.nz

Guidelines 2025 EOI 2025 FAQ 2025

2025 Innovation Investment Round

Expressions of Interest (EOI) are sought for projects that address the following research topics:

  • Reducing nitrous oxide emissions from ruminant animal deposited urine.
  • Reducing methane emissions from enteric fermentation in grazing ruminants.

We welcome applications that are seeking to develop novel approaches, and/or significantly strengthen or accelerate current approaches that show major promise for bringing practical, farm-level solutions closer to implementation within a timely manner for New Zealand farmers.

Features of the 2025 Investment Round

Up to NZ$4 million is available. The NZAGRC and AgriZeroNZ will each contribute up to NZ$2 million to the round.

Individual projects have a maximum duration of two years and a maximum value of $1M per project.

Applications are invited from both New Zealand and international organisations. Collaborations are encouraged.

Two stage process:

  • Stage 1 – submission of EOIs and short-listing by a Technical Assessment Panel.
  • Stage 2 – NZAGRC /AgriZeroNZ staff work with short-listed applicants to develop contract-ready research applications for Technical Assessment Panel re-assessment and approval by the NZAGRC and AgriZeroNZ Executives will make the final decision on which projects are successful, taking into account the recommendations of the Technical Assessment Panel, the existing funding portfolios and the broader New Zealand funding landscape.

Research projects should be conducted in a manner that ensures the widest possible benefit to New Zealand. IP arrangements will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

2025 Key Dates

Innovation Investment Round opens

31st March

2025 Round closes

2pm, 12th May

Successful stage 1 applicants notified

23rd June

Stage 2 applications submitted

21st July

Successful applicants notified and contract negotiations initiated

18th August

Past Rounds

The competitive Innovation Fund has been awarded to multiple successful researchers throughout funding rounds held in 2020, 2021 and 2024.

Successful applications must develop novel approaches, and/or significantly strengthen current approaches that show major promise for bringing practical, farm-level solutions closer to on-farm implementation.

Four projects were successful in the 2020 round, with funding being awarded to:

  • Targeting methanol formation for methane, led by AgResearch
  • Molecular tools for methane mitigation, led by the University of Auckland
  • Inhibiting ruminal methane using bromoform, led by AgResearch
  • On-farm delivery of methane inhibitors, led by DairyNZ

Five projects were successful in the 2021 round, with funding being awarded to:

  • On-farm solutions: life-long methane reduction, led by DairyNZ
  • Electrocatalytic oxidation of methane, led by Lincoln Agritech
  • Targeted on-farm urine patch management, led by Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research
  • Assessment of risks and requirements for safety of livestock supplemented with bromoform, for methane mitigation, led by Ruminant Biotech
  • Development of proxy methods for estimating methane emissions from ruminants, led by AgResearch

Two projects were succesful in the 2024 round with funding being awarded to:

  • Methane-reducing anti-methanogen peptides and strains (CH4AMPS), led by AgResearch
  • Bacteria as a nitrous oxide mitigation tool, led by Lincoln University

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