The time for talking is over

Hi Readers,

The time for talking is over and the world needs to begin acting now, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday at the United Nations Climate Action Summit 2019.  I couldn’t agree more.

So, what are we doing taxing farmers, offsetting our emissions with carbon credits, going electric and growing a billion tree?  Come on New Zealand, we can do better than that!

Let’s really back the biotech ecosystem. It was exciting to see Callaghan announcing their new C-Prize for climate change tech innovation and investing in this space.  However, in New Zealand we don’t lack for innovation, we lack scale, so this is one of the many funding initiatives required to make a step change. 

Unfortunately, to date we have fewer low-cost options to reduce emissions, plus our unwillingness to use current technology (e.g. CRISPR), let alone new technology that hasn’t been created, is affecting New Zealand’s ability to transition to a lower-carbon future.

MedCan 2020

One sector that is not lacking in interest or funding is the medicinal cannabis sector. Government is investigating what the opportunity is for New Zealand to compete on the global stage. New Zealand’s reputation for high-quality trusted products, coupled with our scientists, new plant genetics, ancillary services and technology around growing cannabis, our tech expertise in big data and analytics, supply chain management, traceability, and clinical trials, gives New Zealand a real opportunity to be global leaders in this sector.

Because of this opportunity that crosses so many of the biotech community, BioTechNZ is running New Zealand’s first medicinal cannabis summit, MedCan 2020, on 19 March 2020 at the SkyCity Convention Centre in Auckland.  We are currently asking people to register their interest.  We will keep you up to date with all of the details of the summit – we will be announcing the speakers soon! 

AusBiotech 2019

At this point, I won’t be attending AusBiotech 2019 and therefore, unfortunately, New Zealand will not be having a stand as I had hoped. However, and I am working with a couple of the Australian industry bodies to have a networking event. I will keep the New Zealanders attending in the loop if something is organised.

We are pleased to be able to offer the opportunity for BioTechNZ members to attend AusBiotech 2019 at their discounted member rate (a saving of $600!) Please email me for the discount code. 

BIOTechNZ Member Profiling

BIOTechNZ has such as strong and diverse membership base, each month I will be profiling a member. This month is Invetus Proprietary Limited. Invetus is the largest Australasian veterinary contract research organisation (CRO) with sites throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Kia Kaha, 

Zahra

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