Captivate Technology Business Development Manager Nigel Campbell
This accelerator is a mentorship-based programme pairing innovative startups with PepsiCo executives, designed to help startups in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region develop through business advisory and collaboration. The programme focus is to invest in start-ups that are working to advance the circular economy and sustainable agriculture, and mitigate the impacts of climate change - supporting a more sustainable future for all.
Finalists receive personal one-to-one mentorship to access insights and resources in all aspects of business development. Captivate Technology was selected as one of 10 finalists from 190 entries and they were the only finalist to be selected from Aotearoa New Zealand.
Captivate Technology is a spin-out company from Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, led by founder and inventor, Professor Shane Telfer. The company is entering the carbon capture market and commercialising its novel material, MUF-16, a sponge-like material that captures carbon dioxide from industrial and biogenic sources. The technology is based on years of research at Massey and was established in 2022 by Massey Ventures, the commercialisation arm of the university.
In 2023, Captivate Technology announced raising a $750,000 seed round, led by Matū Karihi, with co-investors Massey Ventures, New Zealand Growth Capital Partners, and the Booster Innovation Fund.
Since formation, the Captivate Technology team has made significant progress, beginning industrial trials, scaling manufacturing, and forming international connections including the PepsiCo Greenhouse Accelerator programme.
Captivate Technology Business Development Manager Nigel Campbell says they are honoured to be selected amongst the cohort of exceptional companies.
“Being part of the programme, we hope to receive advice, guidance, mentorship and opportunities for deployment with PepsiCo. We look forward to the opportunity to fast-forward our carbon capture technology.”
Massey Ventures’ Commercialisation Manager Dr Dan Carlisle says it’s a fantastic opportunity for Captivate Technology to showcase their invention.
“It’s amazing to see innovative start-ups like Captivate Technology representing Massey University and New Zealand on the world stage. The team at Captivate have some amazing technology behind them with the potential to make significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions. We’re looking forward to following their journey through the programme and beyond.”
The Greenhouse Accelerator programme finishes in September when a winner will be announced and awarded $100,000 USD in prize money.
Related news
Dairy-free start-up creams it with $2.7 million ‘seed’ round
A start-up sprung out from research at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University and the Riddet Institute has raised $2.7 million in ‘seed’ funding for its novel technology extracting plant-based milk from seeds.
Massey students and start-ups recognised at the 2022 KiwiNet Awards
Massey innovations including cauliflower ice cream and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance technologies were crowned winners at the 10th annual KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards.
Massey Ventures, Gilles McIndoe and AFT to develop scar treatment
Massey Ventures and the Gillies McIndoe Research Institute have reached an agreement with AFT Pharmaceuticals to develop a topical treatment for keloid and hypertrophic scarring.
