Challenge Research Essentials

A Different Way of Doing Science

The traditional science funding model, which takes the form of applying for competitive grants, is known to create research silos. Under these conditions, researchers and knowledge holders protect their ideas instead of sharing them, which leads to poor communication and duplication of work. Silo behaviour wastes time, effort and funding.

At BioHeritage we use a collective approach – building on the strengths of many people and organisations – to creating long-term impact and benefit for Aotearoa, across natural and production landscapes.

Our strategy was to use our investments to change the competitive nature of science funding to a more collaborative approach, and foster broad connections across organisations, communities and stakeholders to effectively and holistically protect our biological heritage.

We wanted to reduce competition and connect people so they can work together.

Funding by negotiation: Based on expressions of interest, we conduct extensive research and select high impact, previously underfunded investments.

Impact-oriented: To protect and manage Aotearoa New Zealand’s biological heritage, we prioritise impact, not just how many papers can be published from the results.

Encourage collaboration: We focus on making broad connections, not reinforcing silos in the sciences. We require collaboration in all our investments and prioritise transdisciplinary research.

Partnerships with Māori; supporting communities: Our processes are designed to support partnership with tangata whenua and communities to ensure that the hierarchy often present in the sciences is dissolved.

Data and Resources

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Dataset metadata created 27 April 2025, last updated 27 April 2025