23 July 2025
A new innovation conference focusing on biotech opportunities is gaining momentum across New Zealand’s land-based sectors. Bioeconomy Innovations 2025 is a must-attend event for industry leaders working with fibre products who are interested in cutting-edge, value-added solutions—from farm and forest to next-generation export products.
Advances in green chemistry are opening up exciting new uses for natural fibres. From turning kiwifruit into leather to extracting cellulose from seaweed, there’s a wave of innovation happening—both here and abroad. Several local and international speakers will present these developments at the October event.
The event takes place in Rotorua, 21–22 October 2025, alongside Residues2Revenues 2025, which also focuses on the potential of wood residues and sustainable bioproducts. For full details and registration, visit the conference website.
Historically, New Zealand’s food and fibre exports—many owned and managed by Māori enterprises and trusts—have been sold as raw commodities, with export costs limiting their value. But new technologies are shifting that model. Chemical processes now allow high-value extracts to be created from waste streams of these natural materials. Already, test labs around the world are turning products like seaweed and wood pulp into valuable biochemicals.
The NZ Government is backing this shift with the creation of a new Bioeconomy Innovations Research Institute, supporting science-led pathways to higher-value, sustainable exports.
Bioeconomy Innovations 2025 brings together global leaders, researchers and innovators to showcase the latest in sustainable bioproducts and fibre-based materials. The conference will explore eco-friendly alternatives to petrochemicals and highlight opportunities to shape a $30 billion bioeconomy.
A standout case is the partnership between AgriSea and Crown Research Institute Scion, launching the world’s first seaweed bio-refinery near Paeroa. This facility will convert waste seaweed into high-value nanocellulose—a biodegradable, eco-friendly material with global potential. Learn more in the NZ Business article: “New hi-tech seaweed product could make Paeroa world famous.”
More Posts from Issue
04 Aug 2025
A new era of risk – climate, forestry & smart regulation
The recent storm events in the Nelson-Tasman region have shown us we are now living in a climate-changed world. Climate adaptation is no longer optional – it is essential. So too is the need for robust environmental regulation that enables us to ...
Read more
04 Aug 2025
EOI for economic chamber rep for FSC Standards Development Group
FSC Australia and New Zealand is seeking nominations for an economic chamber vacancy on the Standards Development Group (SDG), which is responsible for revising the FSC Forest Stewardship Standard for Australia. This vacancy follows the departure of Simon Cook, who has ...
Read more
04 Aug 2025
FWPA’s transforming challenges into opportunities
Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) is continuing its strong commitment to advancing Australia’s forestry industry, announcing a major investment in new research worth $8.75 million. This latest round of funding marks another milestone in FWPA’s mission to deliver impactful, ...
Read more
04 Aug 2025
Virtual forest simulations show that randomly distributed planting enhances productivity
A new paper published in Nature Communications reveals how the way tree species are arranged in a forest can help optimise ecosystem functioning and productivity. The study was conducted using empirical field data combined with advanced computer models and simulations by researchers ...
Read more
04 Aug 2025
Eyes in the sky: using drones to safeguard our forests
UC researchers are using drones and satellite remote sensing to track the health of eucalyptus trees from above and protect the future of New Zealand’s plantation forests. Originally from Nepal, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) ...
Read more
04 Aug 2025
New burn technology to be tested
Pilot project aims to cut wildfire risk and smoke from slash piles. The Oregon Department of Forestry is teaming up with the owner of 33,000 acres of private timberland west of Bend to test a new technology that reduces the ...
Read more
04 Aug 2025
Launch of the new NZ forestry ACOP
After months of collaboration and input from forest owners, contractors and forest industry leaders, the revised Forestry Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) will be formally launched on Tuesday 26 August in Palmerston North. The new ACOP has been significantly updated from the 2012 ...
Read more
04 Aug 2025
SpaceX: Don’t worry about cutting down trees to get a Starlink signal anymore
SpaceX says a new Starlink upgrade can keep the satellite internet flowing — even if trees partially block your home’s view of the sky. Last week, the company touted its real-time “beam switching” system to maintain satellite internet connectivity even if a Starlink dish ...
Read more
04 Aug 2025
AI is mapping the world’s biomass, tree height & cover with unprecedented accuracy
EarthDaily is proud to announce our release of two open datasets covering aboveground biomass (AGBD), tree height (CH) and cover (CC) for forests globally, as well as a derived forest mask. The benchmark global datasets (2023) are freely available alongside ...
Read more