Wellington · Pre-Seed–Growth · 15 people tracked
Find your way into Booster Innovation Fund
221 people in our graph share verified history with the Booster Innovation Fund team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Investment thesis
Booster's specialist investment funds, including the Booster Innovation Fund (NZX: BIF), aim to build the financial resilience of New Zealanders by backing homegrown innovation. The fund invests directly into early-stage Kiwi startups and commercialises breakthrough research from partnerships with universities such as Victoria University of Wellington (Wellington UniVentures) and the University of Otago. Investments span biotech (e.g. Rekover Therapeutics), advanced materials (Inhibit Coatings), and green hydrogen (Bspkl). The approach favours long-term, yield-focused partnering, keeping opportunities, profits and jobs in New Zealand while giving everyday retail investors a chance to share in local companies' success.
Source: firm website, verified Sep 27, 2026.
What founders say
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Team · 15 people
from the firm's websiteWhat they invest in
from 42 of 57 portfolio companiesBiotech ×13Healthtech ×12Deep Tech ×11Cleantech ×10Hardware ×10Medical Devices ×8AI & Machine Learning ×7New Materials ×7
HQs:New Zealand×22Australia×4United States×2United Kingdom×1Ireland×1India×1
Who they back
founder profiles across 24 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×132 founders×93 founders×2
Where their founders studiedfrom 17 founders with education data
Victoria University of Wellington ×4University of Auckland ×2University of Sydney ×2
What their founders studiedfrom 19 founders with field-of-study data
Engineering ×4Life Sciences ×4Physics ×3Finance & Accounting ×2Medicine ×2
Where their founders worked beforefrom 20 founders with career history
Victoria University of Wellington ×2
11 founders hold a PhD · 1 hold an MBA (of 20 with degree data)
Investments · 57 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2023 · 12022 · 12018 · 12017 · 14 dated
Advemto maps complex cell function to genetic sequences at scale without requiring new laboratory instruments.
BiotechDeep Tech
Co-investorsEnterprise AngelsNuance CapitalNZ Growth Capital Partners
Alimetry develops the Gastric Alimetry system, a non-invasive body surface gastric mapping device that provides objective diagnostics for patients with chronic gastrointestinal symptoms.
AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthHealthtechMedical DevicesAuckland, NZ
Greg O'Grady(Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer)inArmen Gharibans(Co-founder & President, US)inKaren O'Regan(CBO)inCraig Shannon(CTO)inChristie Dunwoodie(CFO)inChristopher Andrews(CMO)
Co-investorsCerity Partners VenturesGD1MatūMovacOlympus Innovation VenturesIcehouse Ventures
Allegro Energy develops water-based microemulsion electrolyte technology for grid-scale battery storage and supercapacitors, designed to deliver high-performance energy storage without flammable materials.
CleantechEnergyNew MaterialsThornton, AU
Thomas(Co-founder)Fraser(Co-founder & CTO)Rohan(Co-founder & CSO)
Co-investorsLightbankMelt Ventures
Amaroq Therapeutics develops first-in-class therapies targeting long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) implicated in oncology and other diseases.
Biotech
Co-investorsCure Kids VenturesTenmileBrandon Capital Partners
Aplenty converts wood waste biomass into clean CO2 and heat for commercial greenhouses using its patented Hot Lime technology, helping growers raise crop yields, control heating costs, and reduce fossil fuel use.
AgTechCleantechClimate Tech
Co-investorsOutset Ventures
Avasa develops technology to simplify microsurgical procedures, replacing manual hand sewing with automated microvascular connection methods.
HardwareMedical Devices
Co-investorsBridgewest VenturesCure Kids VenturesMovacNZ Growth Capital PartnersBrisbane AngelsPacific Channel
Banzpay is a payments technology provider serving financial institutions, including credit unions and small-to-medium banks, across New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
FintechSaaSNew Zealand, NZ
Sean Morrison(CEO Banzpay Group, Executive Director)inTony Rae(General Manager Banzpay)inToby Koller(Chief Security and Infrastructure Officer)in
Uses UV light signals to boost seed and seedling genetic potential; domiciled in the USA.
Palmerston North
Jason Wargent(Executive Officer)inSteven Sibulkin(Executive Officer, Director)Mark Brown(Director)Mary Dimou(Director)John Bedbrook(Director)Kirsty Bellringer(Director)
Co-investorsAngel HQArc AngelsAzolla VenturesEnterprise AngelsIcehouse VenturesiSelect Fund+5 more
BioOra develops and manufactures CAR-T cell therapies from New Zealand, targeting patients with cancer who currently lack access to these treatments in their local regions.
BiotechDigital HealthMedical DevicesNew Zealand, NZ
Co-investorsBridgewest VenturesCure Kids Ventures
Bontia Bio is a synthetic biology company that uses proprietary fermentation technology to create natural bioactive compounds for animal health and agriculture, with its first product targeting fleas and ticks in companion animals.
AgTechBiotechHealthtechWellington, NZ
Co-investorsSprout
BSPKL develops catalyst coated membranes (CCM) for electrolyzers and fuel cells with significantly reduced precious metal loading.
Advanced ManufacturingCleantechDeep TechEnergyNew MaterialsNew Zealand, NZ
Christina Houlihan(Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer)inJérôme Leveneur(Co-founder & Chief Technology Officer)
Co-investorsCreative HQ — The IncubatorInvestible Climate Tech FundNZ Growth Capital PartnersWNT Ventures
Cadmus Animal Health develops an immunotherapeutic to treat chronic periodontal disease caused by the bacterium Porphyromonas in companion animals.
BiotechHealthtech
Captivate develops a proprietary Metal-Organic Framework material and Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption process for low-energy, cost-effective carbon dioxide capture and separation in industrial applications including biogas, geothermal, and cement production.
CleantechClimate TechDeep Tech
Co-investorsCreative Destruction Lab (CDL)NZ Growth Capital PartnersWNT Ventures
Cleanery manufactures concentrated cleaning and personal care products designed to eliminate unnecessary packaging and water content compared to traditional formulations.
Circular EconomyCleantechConsumerE-commerceAuckland, NZ
Mark Sorensen(Co-Founder / CEO)inEllie Brade(Co-Founder / Sustainability Lead)in
Co-investorsAngel HQClimate Venture Capital FundCreative HQ — The IncubatorSoul Capital
EdPotential provides student data analytics and insights for schools to identify trends, target interventions, and improve student achievement.
Data & InfrastructureEdTechSaaSAuckland, NZ
Ferronova develops magnetic iron-oxide nanoparticle tracers (FerroTrace) and related imaging and therapy technologies to detect and map lymph nodes and tumours in early-stage cancers, supporting surgeons, oncologists and pathologists in staging and treating cancers such as oral, colorectal, esophageal, prostate and pancreatic.
BiotechHealthtechMedical Devices
Benjamin Thierry(Scientific Advisor/Founder)inStewart Bartlett(CEO)inAnil Shetty(CMO)in
Co-investorsArtesianSouth Australian Venture Capital FundMatūStoic VCUniSeed Pty Ltd.
Goodair makes Nosebuds, a reusable, drug-free nasal device worn inside the nostrils that uses small rotors to generate a vibroacoustic hum, stimulating nasal cilia to clear mucus and allergens and relieve congestion.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerHardwareHealthtechMedical DevicesWellness & FitnessAuckland, NZ
Dr David White(Founder)Kerri McMaster(CEO)in
Co-investorsAlt VenturesWNT Ventures
A platform presenting mutual fund and asset management company options in India, listing established fund houses such as SBI, ICICI Prudential, HDFC, and others with their track records and market data.
Fintech
Jai Goradia(Founder)in
Co-investorsCreative HQ — The IncubatorRainmatterDSG Consumer PartnersRukam CapitalThe Chennai Angels
Inhibit Coatings develops antimicrobial coatings and additives that use silver permanently bound to polymer resin to inhibit bacterial growth without leaching.
CleantechHealthtechNew MaterialsWellington, NZ
Dr Tate(Co-creator of the technology)Prof. Johnston(Co-creator of the technology)
Co-investorsAngel HQArc AngelsEnterprise AngelsIcehouse VenturesMatūNZ Growth Capital Partners
InsituGen develops cell-free bioassay technology for steroid hormone testing, offering a low-cost test to detect androgen and estrogen bioactivity in companion animal diagnostics.
AgTechBiotechDeep TechHealthtech
Heather(Professor (research lead))Alison Heather(Founder)in
Co-investorsEnterprise AngelsNZ Growth Capital PartnersPacific Channel
Kai's Education designs mixed reality coding robots and standards-aligned lesson plans for STEM education in K-10 classrooms.
EdTechHardwareRobotics
Co-investorsAngel HQEnterprise AngelsNZ Growth Capital PartnersSoul CapitalFlying Kiwi Angels
Komodo Wellbeing publishes content on fostering a growth mindset and building resilience in students within the school environment.
EdTechMental HealthWellness & Fitness
Co-investorsCure Kids VenturesFlying Fox VenturesFolklore VenturesTiger Global Management
Commercialises Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for molecule capture and extraction.
Co-investorsNZ Growth Capital Partners
Liquium develops a new catalyst technology for producing clean (zero-carbon) ammonia under milder operating conditions than the traditional Haber-Bosch process, aiming to lower production and operating costs.
CleantechClimate TechNew Materials
Dr Franck Natali(CSO & Co-Founder)Dr Paul Geraghty(CEO & Co-Founder)
Co-investorsClimate Venture Capital FundMatū
MACSO develops technology that makes AI, IoT, and edge computing capabilities more accessible and cost-effective for industries.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechHardwareIoTAuckland, NZ
Saba Samiei(Founder & CEO)in
Co-investorsBridgewest VenturesPacific Channel
Marama Labs develops optical spectroscopy instruments for life-sciences research, leveraging surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and nanoparticle characterization technology.
BiotechDeep TechHardwareHealthtechDublin, IE
Eric Le Ru(Founder)inBrendan Darby(Co-founder & CEO)inMatthias Meyer(Co-founder)in
Co-investorsNZ Growth Capital PartnersNZVCRadar VenturesWNT VenturesIcehouse VenturesQuidnet Ventures+2 more
MARS develops point-of-care photon counting CT imaging systems for community healthcare settings.
Deep TechHealthtechMedical DevicesChristchurch, NZ
Anthony Philip Howard Butler(Executive Officer, Director)Philip Howard Butler(Executive Officer, Director)Colin Ernest Dawson(Director)
Co-investorsCure Kids VenturesEnterprise AngelsPacific Channel
Montoux develops AI, cloud, and automation tools for actuarial modeling, helping actuaries and insurance companies assess and manage risk and modernize traditional actuarial processes.
AI & Machine LearningFintechInsurTech
Klaas Stijnen(Founder)in
Co-investorsNZ Growth Capital PartnersZino Ventures
A nutrition technology company that uses wild-type unicellular aquatic organisms to produce protein- and fiber-rich, non-GMO ingredients (marketed as Marine Whey) for food applications.
BiotechFoodTechImpact & Social Good
Co-investorsAugust OneOutset VenturesSavia Ventures
Opo develops bio-based ingredients and cell lines for cosmetic, medical, and cultivated meat applications using synthetic biology and biomanufacturing.
BiotechDeep TechFoodTechAuckland, NZ
Co-investorsMatūWNT VenturesEpic Angels
Orbis Diagnostics is developing a point-of-care diagnostics platform that produces blood test results from a single fingerstick of blood.
BiotechHealthtechMedical Devices
Co-investorsEven CapitalNZ Growth Capital PartnersPacific ChannelBif
OrbViz is a reporting platform that automates the creation and distribution of recurring reports for customers, executives, and stakeholders using reusable templates and AI.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareSaaSChristchurch, NZ
Vanessa O'Brien(Founder)in
Commercialising soft electronics technology for robotics applications.
Co-investorsMatūNZ Growth Capital PartnersPacific Channel
Scentian Bio combines synthetic biology and AI to develop biosensors based on synthesized insect odorant receptors, creating a digital sense of smell and taste that can detect and measure the concentration of thousands of compounds.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep Tech
Andrew Králíček(Founder & Chief Technology Officer)inJonathan Good(Chief Executive Officer)inColm Carraher(Chief Scientific Officer)inNikki Lorigan(Chief Financial Officer)
Co-investorsDYDX CapitalSproutFinistere VenturesIcehouse VenturesOurCrowdToyota Ventures
StretchSense develops a control platform for managing extended reality (XR) headsets during instructor-led training, enabling real-time monitoring of learner progress, performance analytics, and device management across educational and industrial settings.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechEdTechEnterprise SoftwareGamingHardwareEdinburgh, GB
Co-investorsGD1Global from Day OneScottish Enterprise
TasmanIon develops rechargeable aluminum-ion batteries positioned as a safer and lower-cost alternative for energy storage.
CleantechEnergyHardwareNew Materials
Shalini Divya(Founder)in
Co-investorsCreative HQ — The IncubatorPacific Channel
Tectonus designs and manufactures seismic resilience devices and structural systems that protect buildings from earthquake damage, working directly with structural engineers on projects across education, healthcare, commercial, and transport buildings.
Climate TechConstruction TechHardwareNew MaterialsAuckland, NZ
Co-investorsAngel HQNZ Growth Capital PartnersPacific Channel
Biomarker-based testing for rapid front line diagnosis of heart disease.
Co-investorsEnterprise AngelsNZ Growth Capital PartnersPacific Channel
Wellumio develops axana®, a portable, energy-efficient MRI system based on its Pulsed Gradient Free Mapping (PGFM) technology, designed to detect acute stroke quickly in front-line care settings.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechHealthtechMedical Devices
Shieak Tzeng(Co-founder & Co-CEO)inSergei Obruchkov(Co-founder & Co-CEO)inGyan Barik(Executive Director, Business Operations & Australia)inZiad Rouag(General Manager USA)Harry Marfatia(Head of Finance)in
BoardSia Moussavi(Board Chairman)
Co-investorsCure Kids VenturesEnterprise AngelsNuance CapitalNZ Growth Capital PartnersOutset VenturesPacific Channel+1 more
Woolchemy develops natural wool-based materials for hygiene products like diapers, positioning an alternative to petroleum-based absorbent materials.
Circular EconomyConsumerNew Materials
Derelee Potroz-Smith(CEO & Founder)inAngela Potroz(Director)Alana Cheape(Head of Product & Marketing)in
BoardRichard Cutfield(Board Chair)
Co-investorsCreative HQ — The IncubatorEven CapitalPacific Channel
Wych.io provides open banking infrastructure solutions for banks and fintechs operating in Australia and New Zealand, offering deployable data holder and data recipient systems alongside testing and validation services to enable compliant cross-market operations.
Cloud ComputingData & InfrastructureFintechSaaS
Co-investorsNZVC
ZeroJet builds electric jet propulsion powertrains and "plug and play" jet units for the marine industry, designed for easy integration by small boat and tender manufacturers.
CleantechHardwareMobility & TransportationAuckland, NZ
Co-investorsNZ Growth Capital PartnersImpact Enterprise FundMovac
San Francisco, US
Ryan Sandler(President, Chief Executive Officer, Secretary, and Director)Ethan Winchell(Director)
Co-investorsClimate Venture Capital FundOutset VenturesTransUnion
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
AvaliaCASChitogelCodify Asset SolutionsMEKONOSOpum TechnologiesRekover TherapeuticsSolros TxTamoRxWave Propulsion
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesStretch Sense · finsmes.com · Dec 21, 2025
Ferronova · prnewswire.com · Dec 17, 2025
Avasa · finsmes.com · Aug 27, 2025
Calocurb · calocurb.co.nz · Jul 25, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Booster Innovation Fund made?
- Booster Innovation Fund has 57 tracked investments.
- What stage does Booster Innovation Fund invest at?
- Booster Innovation Fund invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth stages.
- What sectors does Booster Innovation Fund focus on?
- Booster Innovation Fund focuses on AgTech, Biotech, Cleantech, Climate Tech, Deep Tech, Fintech, FoodTech, Healthtech, Medical Devices, New Materials, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is Booster Innovation Fund located?
- Booster Innovation Fund is headquartered in Wellington, NZ.
- Who does Booster Innovation Fund co-invest with?
- Booster Innovation Fund most often shares deals with NZ Growth Capital Partners, Matū, Pacific Channel, among 39 tracked co-investors.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
featuring the teamMelissa Yiannoutsos manages the publicly listed Booster Innovation Fund (BIF)
Robbie Schneider · Melissa Yiannoutsos
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