Dr Michelle Dickinson, also known as Nanogirl, has thanked her followers and supporters after Nanogirl Labs’ liquidation.
Dickinson and partner Joe Davis founded the global education design company in 2016. It promoted science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects to children.
Nanogirl Labs has been placed into liquidation, with Digby Noyce appointed as liquidator.
Noyce has confirmed the first liquidator’s report is expected to be released on Monday, December 2.
On the business’ website, Dickinson wrote: “For eight remarkable years, social enterprise Nanogirl Labs has dedicated itself to inspiring curiosity, creativity, and a love for STEM among young people across New Zealand and the world.”
She said the business had directly engaged with more than one million young people through live events in theatres, workshops, birthday parties, schools and online programmes.
“The ripple effects of our mission – through enduring programs built with partners worldwide, millions of online engagements, and transformative publications – extend far beyond what we can count."
Dickinson said the business was always designed to be “purpose-driven”, saying for every copy of her book The Kitchen Science Cookbook that was sold, another was gifted to families and schools in need.
“This journey has been shared with so many – partner businesses, supporters, friends, and the talented team members who brought our vision to life,” she added.
“To each of you, we offer our deepest gratitude. Your belief in us made this extraordinary journey possible.”
Dickinson created the character of Nanogirl as part of her push to increase confidence around science, engage more public interaction with the subject and promote diverse role models in science and engineering.
She has a PhD in Biomedical and Materials Engineering, with a focus on nanotechnology, lending to her name.
Dickinson has won numerous awards and titles over her career, including an appointment to the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2015.
BusinessDesk reported that the business was put into liquidation as funding for science education dried up.
In July it was announced that more than 350 science jobs had been cut, with losses likely to increase, impacting the sector deeply.
That figure came from a new report by the Save Science Coalition, representing two dozen sector bodies, which found that between 349 and 359 specialist science roles had so far been lost or were proposed to go, with that figure likely to climb.
A large chunk of funding, representing about $64 million a year, was drying up with the end of the National Science Challenges.
That programme brought together thousands of scientists for mission-led science in areas ranging from climate change to high-value food and always had time-bound funding, but the current coalition Government scrapped a sector reform proposed to follow it.
Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business and retail.
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