Waka Kotahi received more than 110 applications for the initial round of funding.
24 applications have been approved to receive a total of $4.2 million in the first funding round, which asked applicants to respond to three key challenges:
| Applicant | Funding | Innovation summary |
| WSP New Zealand Ltd | $145,000 | Trial of the feasibility of using lignin as a partial or 100% replacement for bitumen in New Zealand and to identify potential barriers to the implementation of such technology. |
| WSP New Zealand Ltd | $141,000 | Development of a sustainable recycling process for chipseal surfacing in which the bitumen and aggregate are separated and can be re-used in road surfacing |
| UsedFULLY Ltd | $182,238 | Trials to determine the feasibility of using recycled textile fibres in different types of asphalt, to understand why the application of polycotton fibre into chipseal has yielded such promising results, and to optimise the processing parameters to produce a reliable product at scale. |
| The University of Auckland | $88,435 | Trial of several concrete mixes using various locally sourced waste materials and natural volcanic materials (pozzolana) to reduce the use of virgin aggregates and cement. |
| Neocrete Ltd | $240,000 | Design of ‘High Performing, Low-carbon Concrete’ mixes to meet specifications, followed by two rounds of laboratory tests and scaled trials. |
| Higgins Contractors Ltd | $88,400 | ‘Blue-sky’ research to perform a laboratory study that evaluates candidate materials from non-petroleum sources for use as a bitumen replacement. |
| Auckland University of Technology | $80,420 | Utilisation of local glass waste in an environmentally friendly, sustainable method for stabilisation of soft volcanic soil (eg pumiceous soils) in road construction. |
| Applicant | Funding | Innovation summary |
| The University of Auckland | $508,051.73 | Pilot of a small micromobility hub at Glen Eden Station. |
| Reureu Kotahitanga Ltd | $250,000 | Digital twining of an existing railway track combined with real time data from crossing sensors to build a 3D virtual model of an autonomous commuter service. |
| Jacobs New Zealand Ltd | $299,800 | A “Concept of Operations” for a mobility hub trial via a planning and investigation study. |
| Mahu City Express | $41,000 | Trial of the provision of e-scooters for rental by coach passengers and the conversion of existing zero-emissions commuting coaches to include e-scooter charging capability as a first and last mile zero-emissions solution. |
| Ohmio Automotion Ltd | $151,111 | Develop of performance-based requirements for testing and trialling an autonomous on-demand first-last mile solution in New Zealand to inform regulators and ready infrastructure and systems required. |
| Somar Digital | $155,700 | Development of a prototype of a logic-based system that presents users with information about their travel choices in regard to the costs of private vehicle vs public transport use. |
| Abley Ltd | $183,375 | Test and trial of an MVP of OurCommute, an employee focused, commuter management tool that incorporates behaviour change elements through incentives and rewards. |
| Shutl | $297,000 | Test and trial of Shutl’s e-bike subscription service in Christchurch, allowing commuters to have an e-bike to call their own for or a simple weekly fee. |
| Applicant | Funding | Innovation summary |
| Big Street Bikers | $98,384 | Development of a low-cost e-bike subscription service model for underserved communities. |
| Mackie Research and Consulting | $60,000 | Development and testing of an incentive scheme to achieve permanent e-bike use in South Auckland. |
| Eastern Bay Accessible Transport Charitable Trust | $100,000 | Trial of a community-led accessible transport scheme aimed at seniors and people with disabilities within the Whakatāne district. |
| MADE Group Ltd | $368,000 | Development of an activation program and campaign for change, to enable a new urban community to develop sustainable travel patterns from establishment, so that an entire community can demonstrate reduced reliance on private vehicle. |
| Liftango | $164,000 | Development of an ‘on demand’ transport service to be designed and trialled with iwi. |
| The Wednesday Challenge | $126,200 | Pilot of a 16-week engagement in Tairāwhiti of The Wednesday Challenge (TWC), a challenge for school children to use any mode other than a single occupancy car on Wednesdays. |
| Bike Auckland | $27,258 | Showcase of inclusive cycling options, enabling disabled people to try a cycle and identify current issues with accessibility to bike path networks. |
| Rebicycle Charitable Trust | $105,247 | Trial removing barriers to low carbon transport options such as e-bikes or e-bike conversions to people from underserved communities through a ‘ride to own’ scheme. |
