"We believe the Wynyard precinct has the potential to be a unique, international showcase that will attract the very best local and international talent." says Jade's Bob Scurfield.
"Bringing together a range of creative, aspirational companies to create an innovation ecosystem helps increase our collective horsepower."
Endace chief executive Mike Riley notes the Wynyard Precinct is an example of what works. "It is a tried and tested model in Silicon Valley and other places, and is long overdue, in my view, in New Zealand.
"I applaud the vision of MSI and Auckland City in working together and fully support the initiative."
Waterfront Auckland chief executive John Dalzell is delighted with the ready response from the high-growth companies. He believes the precinct will quickly attract young talent like digital games developers, saying it needs to be a place where people can "live, work and play" rather like Microsoft's Silicon Valley campus. Dalzell says this mixed-use focus is critical to achieve wider agglomeration benefits. A PricewaterhouseCooper report forecast that by 2040 the overall waterfront development would contribute $4.29 billion to Auckland.
The initial focus for the new precinct will be at and around the Lysaght building at 120 Halsey St.
The proposed Lysaght incubator has attracted interest from AUT University, The Icehouse and the University of Auckland.
The Wynyard Quarter is already bounded by technology infrastructure. In Victoria St there is the new Telecom HQ, Vodafone, Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft are in Viaduct Harbour, Fanshawe St has Air NZ with its own incubator offshoots and the marine technology precinct is established. Then there is SiloX and the planned ASB Bank.
AUT University's John Raine says as the project takes off, "AUT would very much like to be at the top table to further scope this opportunity".
Raine, who is Pro Vice-Chancellor - Innovation & Enterprise as well as head of AUT's School of Engineering, believes there is great potential to build more and stronger R&D partnerships. He cites industry-linked Masters and PhD projects partnered with Crown Research Institutes for the co-supervision of students.
"IRL is an obvious contender in this space for the high-tech manufacturing and services sector. Such partnerships will also stimulate higher levels of industry R&D investment."
Raine stresses the success of the Wynyard precinct, like developments in other cities, will depend on clustering of some high-tech businesses there and buy-in at some level by research organisations and Economic Development Agencies.
NZ Institute CEO Rick Boven cautions New Zealand has a poor track record for developing clusters.
He says despite much talk and many proposals we are ranked 60th in the world for clusters by the World Economic Forum.
"Most other countries have been systematically encouraging innovation and international businesses for longer than we have and they provide more support to their new ventures than we do."
The Icehouse chief executive Andy Hamilton says is well acknowledged now that for New Zealand to be successful economically "we are going to need to earn more income from our international activities".
More recently we are starting to see an NZ Inc approach to building out the "system" to support a Kiwi attack on the globe," says Hamilton. "The Food Innovation Network with a hub at Auckland Airport, the learning quarter at Auckland and AUT Universities, and now the proposed Wynyard Innovation Precinct are each adding a lot of depth and support to enabling firms to take the leap into global markets."
Hamilton praises the Innovation Precinct as a "big idea" which has some encouraging and important support to give it a chance of success. "Now it requires firms and people to populate it to make it into something that is truly a launch pad."
Wynyard Quarter Innovation Precinct
* Auckland Council (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development and Waterfront Auckland) and the Ministry of Science and Innovation are scoping an Innovation Precinct at Wynyard Quarter at the Auckland Waterfront.
* Within 20 years the Wynyard Quarter Innovation Precinct will be a major Asia-Pacific hub and showcase of innovation in ICT and high-tech industries. It will create, attract and grow world class research, talent and technology-based ventures.
* It will be a launching pad to connect entrepreneurs and businesses to international investors and partners, and a landing pad for overseas investors looking to connect with NZ knowledge intensive companies.
