Biotech in Aotearoa New Zealand
Aotearoa New Zealand’s biotechnology industries have a significant place in the global sector. The country is ranked 4th in the world for innovation potential in biotechnology. What does this mean for our economy employment, and research?
The biotech sector continues to grow
The biotech sector in Aotearoa continues to accelerate – partly due to the growing demand for biotech products and services. Global Market Insights estimates the 2025 global market is worth US$729 billion.
Biotech affects our economy
Biotechnology for a better future, Part 4
New Zealand biotechnology is a developing, world-class industry. Find out more about the exciting work being done, and how they are regulated, in this last of a 4-part series produced by NZBio.
See the other videos in the series, which look at how biotechnology has the potential to create better healthcare, improved foods, better and safer agriculture and cleaner industrial processing.
Research and development in the area of biotechnology has increased employment opportunities and the number of new companies being formed in New Zealand, enabling more efficient and competitive industries. Many would argue that it has also improved our quality of life. In financial terms, biotechnology earns New Zealand $2.7 billion each year.
Who’s doing biotech in New Zealand?
In 2025, Aotearoa had 211 biotech companies and organisations – with 45% of these based in the regions. The sector is supported by universities and university-related institutes (for example, Liggins Institute), Public Research Organisations (PROs), private research institutes (for example, Malaghan Institute of Medical Research) and other collaborations.
New biotechnology companies are sometimes spin-outs, which arise from research being carried out by universities, PROs or other companies. Spin-out companies tend to focus on a new idea or commercialise intellectual property (IP). Examples of a spin-out company product is the ZESPRI biospife – a bioplastic material that incorporates kiwifruit residues.
Find out more about research and development in New Zealand.
What are New Zealand’s biotechnology strengths?
New Zealand's strengths in biotechnology
Why does New Zealand have such a good reputation for producing world-leading science? Representatives from the biotechnology sector provide some answers.
Thousands of people work in various biotech sectors in Aotearoa. They specialise in four main areas of research:
agricultural biotechnology
medical devices, diagnostics and therapies
marine biotechnology
industrial and environmental applications.
Related content
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