Engineering Biology Working Group

“Engineering Biology sits at the intersection of biological science and engineering. By applying engineering principles, design, standardisation, and systematic iteration, to living systems, it could be as impactful as the digital revolution”.

The Opportunity

Global demand for bio-based products, therapeutics, and sustainable materials is forecast to exceed USD $300 billion by 2027. Engineering Biology is set to transform multiple sectors, reshaping the products, chemicals, and medicines we rely on today while creating entirely new high-value industries. New Zealand is positioned to capture a meaningful share of that global opportunity. It can manufacture therapeutics and diagnostics onshore, cut agricultural emissions and input costs with next-generation biopesticides and biofertilisers, protect the reach of our horticultural exports, and turn biomass and industrial by-products into high-value materials. Together, these applications could unlock over $5 billion a year in new revenue as our primary-sector and research strengths convert into a globally competitive advanced-technology industry.

New Zealand’s position

Engineering Biology draws on deep expertise in the design, redesign, and reimagining of living systems to solve real-world problems. In New Zealand, our historically cautious regulatory environment has, paradoxically, cultivated genuine strength. Working within tight constraints, we have built deep expertise in gene technologies, proven systems, and a trusted track record. And this effort is now realising genuine commercial opportunities.

Those same rules, however, now risk holding us back. The framework governing gene technology has not kept pace with a field advancing rapidly overseas, and until it is modernised, our researchers and innovators face constraints that their international peers do not, limiting our ability to move from discovery to real-world impact. Reform has proven slow, and the timeline remains uncertain.

That makes our task clear. The expertise we have developed is real and hard-won, and it does not wait on legislation. We will keep innovating, keep advocating for a regulatory environment fit for the science of today, and ensure New Zealand remains at the cutting edge, ready to translate our discoveries in areas we can already exploit. The opportunity is significant, from more resilient primary industries and novel therapeutics to sustainable manufacturing and environmental restoration.

Why we formed

BioTechNZ established the Engineering Biology Working Group to lift the profile of this sector in New Zealand. We want to showcase our expertise in designing, redesigning, and reimagining living systems, and to provide a coordinated voice for an emerging field that spans research institutions, industry, and government.

The working group brings together subject matter experts from across Aotearoa New Zealand to provide insights and guidance to organisations and government.

Why is BioTechNZ using Bioengineering Biology and not Synthetic Biology

It is a more accurate and globally recognised term that reflects how the field is increasingly described by leading research organisations, funders, and governments worldwide.
Engineering Biology encompasses not just the design and construction of biological systems, but the engineering scale-up required to bring them to commercial reality.
It captures the design–build–test ethos that cuts across genetic engineering, synthetic biology, and adjacent disciplines without anchoring the field to any single area.
It removes the stigma around the word “synthetic,” which can imply something artificial or lab-manufactured to a general audience.

Our focus in 2026

Position and showcase Engineering Biology in New Zealand’s innovation and investment landscape
Build an ecosystem of companies, people, and infrastructure in Engineering Biology across New Zealand
Coordinate across organisations to avoid duplication of effort
Provide a unified voice for this emerging sector

Do you want to get involved

We meet regularly, working together to agree on our approach and progress actions. If you are interested in getting involved please get in touch here.

If you are not a member and would like to join, you can become a member here.