The market value of companies started by New Zealand universities grew more than four times between 2003 and last year, to a total of more than $430 million.
The figures, compiled by accounting firm Ernst and Young, show New Zealand universities are matching or outperforming overseas benchmarks.
Per dollar invested,
New Zealand universities produced more than twice as many new companies than the US and more than 50 per cent more than Canada.
New Zealand universities produced patent applications on a par with US performance and 30 per cent more efficiently than Canada.
Dr John Chang, chief executive of Canterprise, the commercial arm of the University of Canterbury, said the gains shown by the results may be only the beginning.
"Most new companies and many licensing ventures are still at an early stage, so in many ways the best is yet to come."
