LIFE SCIENCES SUMMIT
Programme
Explore our three – day conference programme filled with inspiring keynote presentations, engaging panel discussions, and plenty of networking opportunities in the company of biotech leaders from Aotearoa and around the world.
Monday 9 March - Touchdown
As a lead-up to the Life Sciences Summit 2026, we’re holding an exclusive guided tour of Wellington’s most cutting-edge biotech research facilities. This is an exciting opportunity to go behind the scenes and witness firsthand the groundbreaking work shaping the future of biomedical research and synthetic biology in New Zealand.
Tour Schedule:
12:00 PM – Bus Pickup at Tākina Depart from outside Te Papa (directly across from Cable Street entrance to Tākina)
12:30 PM – 2:45 PM – Te Kāuru – Ferrier Research Institute – Synthetic & analytical chemistry and lipid nanoparticle labs at Gracefield & Biotechnologies Group at Callaghan Innovation (Lower Hutt)
Begin at New Zealand’s premier research and innovation hub, where you’ll explore protein science, lipids and natural products NMR suite, process engineering and fermentation facilities. Experience presentations from both organisations showcasing their capabilities in advancing biotechnology innovation. Lunch provided.
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM – Transport to Victoria University
3:30 PM – 4:10 PM – Malaghan Institute of Medical Research (Victoria University)
Visit New Zealand’s world-class independent biomedical research charity, specialising in immunology and immunotherapy. Tour the Hugh Green Technology Centre and CAR-T labs, where pioneering scientists are making CAR T-cell therapy a standard of care for blood cancers in Aotearoa. Learn about their cutting-edge work in cancer immunotherapy and infectious disease research.
4:20 PM – 4:25 PM – Walking transition between campus facilities
4:25 PM – 4:50 PM – Te Kāuru – Ferrier Research Institute – Synthetic and Chemical Biology Lab (Professor Emily Parker)
Conclude at Victoria University’s state-of-the-art synthetic and chemical biology laboratories. Discover research spanning microbial growth, protein purification, and chemical isolation that’s driving biomedical discoveries and biotech innovation.
4:50 PM – 5:05 PM – Transport to Networking Event at Creative HQ
Touchdown Networking Event | Creative HQ, 5-7pm
Kick off Life Sciences
Summit 2026 in style at our Touchdown Networking Event at Creative HQ, brought
to you by BioTechNZ, ASX and WellingtonNZ. This pre-summit gathering is your
chance to connect with fellow biotech enthusiasts, meet our international speakers
and delegates, and get a first look at the innovation shaping Aotearoa’s
bio-future.
Join us for drinks,
platters, and informal networking as we celebrate the energy, talent, and
collaboration that defines New Zealand’s life sciences community. The evening
will feature short welcomes from Zahra Champion, Executive Director of
BioTechNZ, and our sponsor ASX. Limited spaces available.
Tuesday 10 March - Day One
The main plenary day features keynote presentations, panel discussions, and fireside conversations with leaders across government, research, investment, and industry. Topics include advanced technologies, the future of NZ’s bioeconomy, gene tech regulation, quantum biology, and alternative funding models.
8am – Registration and tea/coffee. Morning networking. Expo open.
8.50am – Mihi Whakatau by Peter Jackson
9am – Opening and welcome from MC Victoria Metcalf
9.10am – Welcome from BioTechNZ Executive Director Zahra Champion
9.15am – Government Ministerial Address
Policy Priorities and the Future of New Zealand’s Life Sciences
Join us for a real-time update on government policy directions shaping New Zealand’s life sciences sector. Hear directly about current priorities, upcoming initiatives, and how government investment and regulation will support innovation and growth across the bioeconomy.
9.30am – Opening keynote (international) – to be advised
10am – To be advised
10.10am – MORNING TEA BREAK (Expo open)
10.55am – Keynote speaker: Susan Travis, Economist & former Head of Research at the Tech Council of Australia
Advanced Tech: Transforming Life Sciences
Explore how cutting-edge technologies including AI, quantum computing, synthetic biology, and IoT are revolutionising the life sciences landscape. This keynote examines the convergence of biology with advanced tech, transforming research methodologies, accelerating discovery, and opening new commercialisation pathways across the bioeconomy.
Discover the implications for New Zealand’s research community, startups, and industry leaders as we navigate this rapidly evolving technological landscape.
11.10am – Panel Discussion: Biology meets advanced tech: Cross-sector opportunities for impact
This cross-sector panel brings together leaders from human and animal health, environmental and industrial biotech, and agritech to explore how advanced technologies like AI, IoT, and quantum are transforming their fields. Discover how these innovations are converging, where collaboration can accelerate progress, and what’s needed to scale these breakthroughs across Aotearoa.
Moderator: Susan Travis
Panellists:
Merryn Tawhai, Director, Auckland Bioengineering Institute
11.40am – Keynote speaker: Will Knox, CEO & Executive Director, Tetratherix Limited
From lab to investment: A founders journey
Join Will Knox for an insider’s perspective on navigating the investment landscape in life sciences. Drawing from real-world experience as a New Zealand company that has successfully secured investment, Will will share practical insights on what investors look for, how to position your science for funding, and the realities of building a fundable life sciences business.
Discover strategies for approaching investors, common pitfalls to avoid, and how to align your innovation with market opportunities in the evolving bioeconomy.
11.55am – Panel Discussion: Pathway to raising capital: Alternative funding for pre-clinical innovation
What does it take to fund a breakthrough when traditional VC models don’t fit? Joining Blair Harrison, this panel features investors and ecosystem builders exploring alternative funding pathways. Learn how to position your science for broader capital and how we can build a more diverse funding ecosystem in New Zealand.
Moderator: Blair Harrison, Head of New Zealand Listings, Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)
Panellists:
Michael Baker, CEO & MD, Arovella Therapeutics
Will Knox, CEO & Executive Director, Tetratherix Limited
Kate de Ridder, Investment Director, Bridgewest Ventures
12.25pm – LUNCH BREAK (Expo open)
1.25pm – Panel Discussion: Advanced tech & the bioeconomy: New Zealand’s window of opportunity
This Panel will explore what this means for New Zealand’s economy, workforce, and global competitiveness. Discover how we can turn our strengths in science, sustainability, and policy into a thriving, future-focused bioeconomy.
Moderator: John Robson, CEO, BioOra Limited
Panellists:
John Roche, Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor
Mark Piper, CEO, Bioeconomy
Nicola Gaston, Director of The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology
2.05pm – Keynote speaker: Dr Michael Baker
Beyond the Breakthrough: Scaling Science for Impact
Join Dr Michael Baker for an exploration of the critical pathway from scientific discovery to patient impact. This keynote will examine the key challenges and opportunities in developing life sciences innovation, from translating research into viable products to navigating regulatory requirements and scaling for clinical success.
Discover practical strategies for bridging the gap between laboratory breakthroughs and commercial reality and learn how to position your innovation for sustainable market impact in the bioeconomy.
2.15pm – Panel Discussion: Accelerating impact: Commercialisation strategies for New Zealand
Join leading voices from across New Zealand’s innovation ecosystem as they explore how effective commercialisation can unlock the full potential of our world-class science. This panel will examine the critical role commercialisation plays in transforming research into economic impact, creating jobs, and positioning New Zealand as a global leader in the bioeconomy.
Discover strategies for accelerating the journey from lab to market, overcoming commercialisation barriers, and building the infrastructure needed to supercharge New Zealand’s scientific advantage.
2.50pm – Panel Discussion: Building National Life Sciences Infrastructure: Coordinated Investment for Collective Access
Beyond regulatory reform lies a critical infrastructure challenge: how can New Zealand’s life sciences sector access world-class equipment despite our limited scale? This panel explores coordinated national investment strategies, from collective purchasing power to shared facility models. Panelists will discuss creating a national inventory of critical needs across biotechnology and processing industries, and developing sustainable frameworks for shared access that maximise our resources and transform sector capabilities.
3.20pm – AFTERNOON TEA BREAK
3.50pm – Quickfire Innovation Showcase: New Zealand’s Biotech Companies
Join us for an exciting quickfire showcase of New Zealand’s biotech innovators. This dynamic session features companies spanning the breadth of our biotechnology ecosystem – from therapeutics and medical devices to environmental, industrial, agricultural, and aquaculture applications.
Each company delivers a three minute quickfire talk about their vision and impact, demonstrating the diversity and innovation driving New Zealand’s biotech sector forward. This showcase highlights how biotechnology is transforming multiple industries and creating solutions across healthcare, sustainability, and primary sectors.
This fast-paced session offers a comprehensive snapshot of the cutting-edge work happening across New Zealand’s biotech landscape.
Moderator: Victoria Metcalf (MC)
4.40pm – Closing Karakia by Victoria Metcalf
4.50pm – 5.50pm – Networking
6pm – 10pm – Evening Function & BioTechNZ 2026 Awards presentation
Join us for a formal evening of celebration as we honour the people and organisations shaping Aotearoa’s life sciences future. From groundbreaking biotechnologies to lifetime legends, this event shines a spotlight on innovation, impact, and contribution to the bioeconomy.
Awards include the Biotechnology of the Year Award and the prestigious Hall of Fame Award.
Wednesday 11 March - Day Two
Day two dives deeper with workshop-style sessions across four key streams: Human & Animal, Environmental & Industrial, Agritech, and Marine Biotech. Join practical, hands-on discussions designed to accelerate innovation and collaboration.
8am – Networking and hosted light breakfast
8.50am – Welcome from MC Victoria Metcalf
9am – Keynote speaker: Andrew Pask, Chief Biology Officer, Colossal Biosciences
Bringing back the past to protect the future: Conservation in the age of de-extinction.
Australia and New Zealand have some of the highest rates of animal extinctions for any country in the world. We are also host to some of the most unique species. Our current conservation strategies are necessary but no longer sufficient to fight back against species loss.
The primary objective of our work is to increase our tools in our conservation toolkit to ensure species conservation, preservation and even restoration (including deextinction). I will discuss our recent work on the thylacine deextinction project, wolf conservation and the new Moa project. Together, these studies provide a novel framework for species conservation, preservation and restoration in our rapidly changing world.
9.25am – Keynote speaker: Associate Professor Dr Heather Hendrickson, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury
Evolution in Action – Microbes Shaping Our Future
Dr Heather Hendrickson’s research uses adaptive laboratory evolution to rapidly evolve bacteria and their viruses, revealing how microbial systems adapt in real time. In just days, her team can evolve bacteriophages and, with advanced DNA technologies, pinpoint the genetic changes that drive these adaptations. Discovered over a century ago, bacteriophages are now experiencing a resurgence as sustainable solutions to antibiotic resistance and bee health challenges, bridging historic discoveries with modern biotechnology.
9.50am – MORNING TEA BREAK
10.30am – Masterclasses:
Human & Animal – Clinical Trials
Agriculture, Environment & Industrial – Agriculture
11.10am – Masterclasses:
Human & Animal – Animal Health
Agriculture, Environment & Industrial – Environmental
11.50am – Masterclasses:
Human & Animal – Human Health
Agriculture, Environment & Industrial – Agriculture: Food
12.30pm – LUNCH BREAK
1.30pm – Quick Fire Session: What is Blockchain?
1.50pm – Quick Fire Session: What is Quantum?
2.10pm – Panel Discussion: Topic to be advised.
2.50pm – Closing from MC Victoria Metcalf
Stay tuned for a detailed agenda, speaker announcements, and session abstracts.