The 7 Eligible Categories
Requirement: Complete activities in at least 2 categories with minimum 5% of eligible costs (~$49,000).
1. Intellectual Property Capability
Building capability to protect and commercialise innovations
What it covers
- IP strategy development
- Patent landscape analysis
- Trade secret frameworks
- Freedom-to-operate assessments
- IP protection planning
Example activities
- Engaging an IP attorney to develop an AI/healthcare IP strategy
- Patent searching and prior art analysis
- Developing internal IP management processes
Why it matters for R&D
Ensures innovations developed through R&D are properly protected and commercialised.
2. Regulatory & Compliance Capability
Understanding and meeting sector-specific regulatory requirements
What it covers
- Understanding regulatory requirements for your sector
- Compliance framework development
- Data governance and privacy frameworks
- Industry-specific compliance training
Example activities
- Healthcare compliance advisory (NZ Privacy Act, Health Information Privacy Code)
- AI governance framework development
- Data sovereignty architecture consulting
Why it matters for R&D
Healthcare AI products must comply with strict regulations. Building this capability early prevents costly rework.
3. Project Management Capability
Systematic approaches to managing R&D projects
What it covers
- R&D project management methodologies
- Agile/Lean approaches for research projects
- Resource planning and tracking systems
- Risk management frameworks
Example activities
- Training in R&D-specific project management
- Implementing project tracking tools configured for R&D workflows
- External PM coaching for technical teams
Why it matters for R&D
Systematic project management improves R&D efficiency and helps demonstrate progress to funders.
4. Lean R&D Best Practice
Systematic experimentation and validation methodologies
What it covers
- Systematic experimentation methodologies
- Hypothesis-driven development
- Rapid prototyping approaches
- Build-measure-learn cycles
Example activities
- Lean Startup/Lean R&D training
- Design of experiments (DoE) methodology training
- Innovation process consulting
Why it matters for R&D
Reduces waste in R&D by validating assumptions early and failing fast on unproductive paths.
5. R&D Information Management Capability
Systems and practices for capturing and managing R&D knowledge
What it covers
- Knowledge management systems
- Research documentation practices
- Technical documentation tools
- R&D data management
Example activities
- Implementing a knowledge management system
- Setting up research documentation workflows
- Technical writing training for R&D staff
Why it matters for R&D
Captures institutional knowledge, supports compliance reporting, and enables team scaling.
6. People Development
External training to build R&D team technical skills
What it covers
- Technical skills training (externally delivered)
- R&D-related certifications
- Conference attendance for capability building
- Specialist workshops
Example activities
- Machine learning / AI training courses
- Cloud architecture certification
- Healthcare informatics training
Why it matters for R&D
Directly builds technical capability of the R&D team to execute current and future projects.
7. Technical Advisory Services
External specialist expertise to accelerate R&D
What it covers
- External technical expertise
- Specialist consulting
- Architecture reviews
- Technology selection guidance
Example activities
- ML deployment consulting
- Cloud architecture advisory
- Security/penetration testing advisory
- Data sovereignty technical consulting
Why it matters for R&D
Accelerates R&D by bringing in expertise the team doesn't have, reducing trial-and-error.
Eligibility Quick Reference
Eligible
- Yes External consultants and advisors
- Yes Training courses (externally delivered)
- Yes System setup and configuration (external)
- Yes Professional services
NOT Eligible
- No Internal staff time / labour
- No Self-directed learning
- No Software licenses alone
- No Hardware purchases