The Innovative Young Minds (IYM) 2026

01 January 2026 - 11 July 2026

Region(s): Nationwide, Wellington

Type(s): experiences

Innovative Young Minds wants to inspire a new generation of female innovators and industry leaders in the STEMM (science, technology, engineering, maths and high-tech manufacturing) sectors.

They offer three options for Year 11–12 girls to explore the STEMM fields. You can begin your inspiration journey by checking out their three programmes Online programme, Residential Programme and IYM Anytime below. Note that Online programme is run in April and Residential Programme is run in July,

Online programme

IYM Online introduces you to the wide range of research and career opportunities available in STEMM through our engaging and interactive programme.

Delivered entirely online via Zoom and Google Classroom, this programme is for year 11 and 12 female students from all over New Zealand and the Pacific. You'll get to know other young women who share your passion for STEMM.

Over four half-day weekday sessions you will see inside a range of STEMM organisations and hear from women who have built careers and businesses in the STEMM sector, all from your own home!

A snapshot of the 2026 IYM Online programme :

• A "DAY in SPACE" with our experts in aerospace. From New Zealand educators and innovators to NASA!

• STEMM communications What does it really mean? Ask your question. Interview skills in STEMM.

• Interested in Health and Medicine? Quiz the amazing medical panel from the University of Otago, Wellington Medical School.

• Living in a "DIGITAL WORLD." Back to basic – hands on coding. Working online, including: cybersecurity, online safety, artificial intelligence

• What's the problem? Team up with your peers to address a real-world STEMM industry problem. The solution is yours!

• Focussed on Research? Find out about amazing New Zealand research from members of the Independent Research Association New Zealand and more...It's all right here!

IYM Online runs from 7–10 April 2026, and applications close 7 March 2026.

For more information: www.iym.org.nz/iymonline/ 

Residential Programme

IYM Residential is a STEMM camp like no other. IYM Residential will take you outside your comfort zone, grow your confidence and introduce you to a bunch of new friends and contacts.

Based at Silverstream Retreat in Upper Hutt, this programme is for Year 11 and 12 female students from schools in the greater Wellington region, Wairarapa, Horowhenua and Manawatū.

Over five days with 40 like-minded young women, experience hands-on science and technology activities and hear from women who have built careers and businesses in the STEMM sector. Each day will include travel to a variety of science and technology businesses, Crown Research Institutes and tertiary education providers in the Wellington region.

In the evenings, you will have an opportunity to hear from inspiring speakers, reflect together on the day's experiences and relax together – aka make lifelong friends who share your passion for STEMM!

Here are some of the amazing things students have done on previous programmes:

• Visited the Wellington Medical School hub for medical and biomedical research including a hands-on exercise to try out suturing techniques.

• Created aspirin from scratch and tested its purity at Gracefield Innovation Quarter's Ferrier Institute.

• Visited the incredible Invertebrate Collection and went on career information ‘speed dates’ with scientists from NIWA.

• A rare peak behind the screens to see how world-leading visual effects are created at Wētā FX's motion capture stage.

• An Innovation Challenge where participants worked in teams led by industry expert mentors.

• Visited Parliament for a networking reception with some of New Zealand’s leading scientists, innovators and politicians.

IYM residential runs 6–11 July 2026, and applications close 1 April 2026 (TBC).

For more information: www.iym.org.nz/iymresidential

IYM Anytime Programme

IYM Anytime can be accessed whenever, wherever, by anyone interested in STEMM. Delivered with IYM sponsor 3M, IYM Anytime allows you to look at different areas of STEMM, free, on-demand.

IYM Anytime content is separated into Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Manufacturing (STEMM) and includes presentations, interviews and recorded sessions from previous IYM Online and IYM Residential programmes.

IYM Anytime can be accessed whenever, wherever, by anyone interested in STEMM.

For more information: https://www.iym.org.nz/iym-anytime