Nifty footwork at Massey

By ELLEN READ

Massey University is poised to take a step backwards in order to move forwards.

Its Albany campus e-centre is gearing up to launch the country's first campus-based pre-incubator.

The StartUp project aims to turn ideas into viable businesses.

"We are taking the whole process of identifying and nurturing talent into enterprise a step further, by taking one step backwards - where the good ideas often founder for lack of support," e-centre manager Steve Corbett said.

The StartUp project will nurture ideas from students, researchers and associated partners such as the Tindall Foundation's ideas.org by evaluating them to see if they are suitable to enter the e-centre.

Corbett said the knowledge base at the Albany campus could create new businesses in areas such as information and communication technology, mechatronics, robotics, biotechnology and food technology.

The university's Institute of Technology and Engineering and Business College would carry out both technology and market assessments for ideas that passed the initial screening test for commercial potential.

"Smart people and smart ideas - they are the raw ingredients of an enterprise economy," Corbett said.

Massey's director of research and innovation, Chris Kirk, said the pre-incubator would fast-track the best proposals into embryonic business ventures.

"This pre-incubator will fast-track the best proposals into embryonic business ventures," said Chris Kirk, Massey's director of research and innovation, and an e-centre director, said.