Sir Ian is founder and managing director of Animation Research Ltd, a world leading computer graphics company whose Virtual Eye  technology provides real time sports graphics for online streaming services, television and large-screen broadcast, including live to air golf coverage, Major League Baseball, cricket, motorsport and sailing.

Sir Ian has a distinguished list of honours including being appointed Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to television and business in the 2012 New Year Honours, and promotion to Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2021 New Year Honours. Sir Ian was named Outstanding Maori Business Leader of the Year in 2013, awarded a prestigious Sports Emmy in 2014 for development of an innovative mobile application for the 34th America’s Cup, and named Innovator of the Year at the 2019 New Zealander of the Year Awards.

Michael is the Managing Director of ALTITUDE Aircraft Interiors.

He joined AirNZ in 1989 and later worked for Boeing in Seattle before returning to New Zealand and subsequently leading the formation of Altitude Aerospace Interiors in 2008 after being manager of the AirNZ Auckland Design team for five years.  In 2014 Altitude was bought and merged with AIM Aviation to form AIM Altitude, with Michael becoming the Managing Director of the NZ arm of the group.  Altitude provides comprehensive services for the interior reconfiguration of Jet Airliners. The key to all their programmes is its design and engineering analysis capability particularly in composite technology.  AIM Altitude is experienced in all aspects of aerospace supply chain management, as well as the very complex aerospace certification process.

Steve is a Company Director and shareholder of a number of technical companies, including Talbot Technologies Ltd, (where he is an Executive Director) Holmes Solutions, and Solar Bright. He is a shareholder and Director of Powerhouse Ventures Ltd and an Advisory Board member for Cortexo, Design Energy, and the Mechanical Engineering Department of University of Canterbury.

He previously had 33 years’ experience as CEO of a number of private and public manufacturing exporters, including Donaghys Industries, Arthur Ellis, Viscount Plastics and LWR Hosiery and Underwear. He was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to manufacturing and is a Fellow of the N.Z. Institute of Management and a Life member of Plastics New Zealand.

Mark is an experienced CEO and Director with a track record in building successful NZ technology businesses. Mark is currently CEO and Director of Aeroqual Ltd, an growth stage company that sells outdoor air quality monitoring equipment in a range of international markets. He has previously held CEO positions at: Inro Technologies (robotic automation of forklifts); Actronic Technologies (mobile loading productivity solutions for materials handling); ESR Ltd – as foundation CEO on formation of the Crown Research Institutes

Craig is Director – Customers at New Zealand Trade & Enterprise. He has global executive experience with Lion Nathan, Cadbury Schweppes, Hunterskil Howard, CPLG, National Foods and HJ Heinz. He is also trying to make a success of growing and commercialising edible oils from tree crops.

Mark is an Associate Professor in Chemical & Materials Engineering at the University of Auckland and has 20 years of research experience with an industrial focus, including 6 years as a member of a large national ceramics project in Japan. Mark has published extensively and holds patents in the areas of materials development and performance. He is a Professional Engineer with chartered status and is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining, UK (IOM3).

Professor Mark Taylor has spent 30 years in technology development and line management in heavy industry, primarily aluminum production, and related businesses. During this time he worked at the interface between research and production, innovating to create high-value products, reduce energy and materials consumption, and manage major engineering and construction projects such as the $500m expansion of the Tiwai Point smelter. Mark has served as Director of the Materials Accelerator and then the NZProduct Accelerator programs from 2009-2020.

Brian has over 40 years of commercial experience in NZ & the UK in production, distribution, sales, business development, marketing & general management with Ford Motor Company, BOC Gases, APV, & Burkert Fluid Controls. He has been involved with the forerunner of the Product Accelerator, The Materials Accelerator since its inception.

Karnika has her PhD from University of Aston, UK. Her background is in Polymers and she has interests in sustainable polymer composites and coatings. She contributes to NZPA as the Senior Industry Materials Specialist and a Project Lead and engaged in industry projects involving multidisciplinary technologies. Karnika has won numerous awards including Commonwealth scholarship and funding from NSF, NSERC, CIDA, UNIDO, CFC and the Malaysian government to work on assignments overseas. She has industry and academic experience and before migrating she was the Deputy Director Research (Technology) at the RRISL

Jack got his PhD degree in material process engineering from Kyushu University in Japan, where he specialized in the ironmaking process. His research explored innovative methods for sustainable industrial practices. After completing his doctorate, Jack joined a high-tech semiconductor industry as a process integration engineer in the R&D department. In this role, he played a key part in translate complex research into industrial and cost-effective solutions.

After a spell as a section engineer in mining, Anthony held technical and general management positions in the South African domestic and commercial refrigeration manufacturing industries for 25 years, including start-up ventures. Anthony’s engineering brief includes a wide range of materials manufacturing and design skills. On arrival in New Zealand, he became involved in project management in the asphalt plant industry and is currently a manufacturing engineer in the NZ Product Accelerator programme.

Jingjing is a postdoc research fellow in University of Auckland after obtaining her PhD from the department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, UoA. She has a background in materials and metallurgy, research experience in molten electrolytes and aluminium electrolysis/refining. She is also a Project Lead in NZ Product Accelerator to and aim to develop industrial technologies for New Zealand businesses. At present Jingjing is engaged in research in Aluminium Smelting and Sustainable Energy Storage.

James’ research is mainly on cold-formed steel structures, with a special focus on its application to portal frames. James is the New Zealand representative on Au/NZ 4600. Since arriving in New Zealand in 2014, his research has been supported by industry either through direct sponsorship of PhD students or Callaghan Innovation Research and Development Fellowships. Students are engaged in laboratory testing, finite element analysis and formulation of design recommendations. James has authored / co-authored around 120 journal papers and supervised twelve PhD students to completion.

Professor Jim Johnston is a founding Principal Investigator in the NZ Product Accelerator. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Jim’s research is at the university-industry interface where he is recognised nationally and internationally for his contributions in materials science and new chemical technology and product development. He leads a team of 12 MSc, PhD and Research Fellows, has written 200 research papers, made 180 at international conferences presentations, is an inventor on 19 Patents, and has received numerous awards.

Johan Potgieter is a professor of Robotics within the Massey Agritech Partnership (MAP) Research Centre. His current research interests are mainly in areas of Additive Manufacturing and advanced mechatronics/robotics with applications in medicine and automotive related areas. He has a well established reputation for his work in educational robotics and have been inducted into the World Robotics Education and Competition (REC) Foundation Hall of Fame. Johan has created a hub for some of the most outstanding innovation, robotics, IOT (Internet of Things) and 3D printing.

John has 20 years’ experience in research and development of advanced materials for manufacturing industries. He is leading the projects in energy materials, electronic and magnetic devices sectors. Originator of several technologies under US and EU patents (sensors and coatings). John leads the GNS Science SSIF programme of Materials for Low carbon Future.

Khalid Arif received the B.E. degree (Hons.) in mechanical engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, in 2000, the master’s degree in engineering from The University of Tokyo, in 2004, and the Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA, in 2011. He is currently a Senior Lecturer (Range 2) in mechatronics and robotics in the Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, SF&AT, Massey University, Auckland. He heads Sensors and Smart Systems Laboratory and his research interests include sensors/biosensors, the IoT, robotics, and additive manufacturing.

Expertise includes research, teaching and consultation on fibres/textiles and products manufactured from these – their structure, function, and performance, as well as physical and physiological effects on humans. Active on AS/NZS committees on PPE, The Textile Institute Council (International), and Journal of The Textile Institute (subject editor).

Simon has over 35 years’ experience in practice-based design research in industry and academia, through a variety of roles such as Assistant Design Director at the Porsche Design Studio, Head of School and Associate Dean of Research & Innovation at the VUW School of Design and affiliations with the NZ Product Accelerator, MedTech CoRE and the NSC Science for Technological Innovation.

Tim is affliated to Ahuora – Centre for Smart Energy Systems, School of Engineering, University of Waikato. His expertise is Industrial energy decarbonisation; Process integration, modelling and optimisation; Heat pumps and refrigeration.