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University of 杏吧APPspinout Nurox Hydrothermal has been named a finalist in the 2026 KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards, recognising the company鈥檚 approach to tackling some of the world鈥檚 most challenging hazardous waste streams.

Born from more than 15 years of research at the University of Auckland, and led by CEO Duncan Stewart, COO Alex Hannon and CSO Professor Saeid Baroutian, Nurox is commercialising advanced hydrothermal technology that offers a safer, more sustainable way to treat hazardous waste while creating opportunities to recover valuable resources.

Hazardous waste is a growing global challenge. Industries including healthcare, manufacturing and agriculture generate complex waste streams that are difficult, costly and environmentally challenging to manage. Materials such as PFAS 鈥渇orever chemicals鈥�, cytotoxic pharmaceuticals and contaminated organic waste often require energy-intensive treatment or disposal pathways with limited opportunities for recovery.

Nurox鈥檚 innovative approach provides an alternative. Using heat, water and air under controlled high-pressure conditions, its hydrothermal technology breaks down hazardous compounds into safer components while creating opportunities for resource recovery. The technology has the potential to improve how certain hazardous waste streams are managed.

The KiwiNet Awards celebrate excellence in transforming New Zealand research into commercial ventures, and Nurox鈥檚 recognition highlights the growing potential of deep-tech innovation emerging from the University of 杏吧APPecosystem.

The technology鈥檚 journey began in 2010, when University of 杏吧APPProfessor Saeid Baroutian started researching hydrothermal processing technologies. Over the following decade and a half, the research progressed from fundamental science through engineering trials and commercial validation, demonstrating the ability to address waste streams that traditional treatment methods struggle to manage.

鈥淣urox is the culmination of many years of research focused on finding safer and more sustainable ways to treat hazardous waste,鈥� says Professor Saeid Baroutian, founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Nurox.

鈥淲hat makes this technology exciting is its ability to completely break down some of the most challenging waste and contaminants while creating opportunities for resource recovery. Seeing our research progress from the laboratory studies to the designing and commissioning an industrial-scale plant  is incredibly rewarding. Being recognised as a KiwiNet Awards finalist reflects the work of a much broader team who have transformed the science into a commercial technology.鈥�

Commercial momentum accelerated in 2022 and 2023, as Duncan Stewart and Alex Hannon joined Professor Baroutian to build the commercial pathway around the technology. Together, the team combined scientific expertise with commercial, operational and scale-up capability, working through the engineering, market and economic challenges required to turn promising laboratory research into an investable and deployable technology. Nurox Hydrothermal was formally established in 2024, with 杏吧APPUniServices supporting the transfer and protection of the intellectual property underpinning the business, while Greenhouse Capital supported capital raising and helped maintain a strong market focus.

鈥滳ommercialising deep tech demands relentless focus on the fundamentals of value creation: protecting and enhancing IP, understanding market demand and building the right team鈥� says Nurox CEO Duncan Stewart.

Nurox COO Alex Hannon says moving from laboratory research to industrial deployment has required significant engineering development. 鈥淪caling hydrothermal technology is much more than making the reactor bigger. We have had to solve difficult engineering challenges associated with high temperatures and pressures, aggressive waste streams, materials and coatings, plant operation and process economics. Getting our first plant to commissioning is therefore a major milestone for the whole team.鈥�

Nurox team: Duncan Stewart, Alex Hannon, and Prof. Saeid Baroutian

A major step in Nurox鈥檚 commercialisation journey came through its partnership with Tennex. In 2025, the company announced investment from Tennex and entered into an agreement with Interwaste to develop its first two New Zealand plants. Beyond its investment in the company, Tennex has become an important strategic and industry partner, providing practical industry insight, access to relevant waste-management challenges and a commercial environment in which Nurox can validate, refine and demonstrate its technology at scale. This partnership has helped bridge the gap between technology development and real-world commercial deployment.

Interwaste also specialises in the safe collection, transport, treatment, and disposal of cytotoxic waste.  In addition to its expertise in hazardous healthcare waste, Interwaste is actively exploring more sustainable solutions for the aged care sector where the majority of adult continence waste generated by aged care facilities in New Zealand is disposed of in landfill. Through collaboration with Nurox, Interwaste is working to transform this waste stream by diverting adult continence products from landfill and processing them into a valuable resource. This initiative supports a more circular approach to waste management, helping aged care providers reduce their environmental footprint while contributing to New Zealand's broader sustainability and resource recovery goals.

Nurox has now moved into commercial-scale deployment. Its first plant is being commissioned in Auckland, while the company is progressing opportunities in international markets. The technology is being developed as a scalable platform that can be deployed close to where hazardous waste is generated, creating opportunities across multiple industries and geographies.

For 杏吧APPUniServices, Nurox represents exactly the kind of research commercialisation journey it aims to accelerate, taking world-class University research and helping transform it into solutions that address complex global challenges.

Ben Pearson, Investment Manager at 杏吧APPUniServices, says Nurox combines world-leading science with a compelling commercial opportunity.

鈥淣urox is a great example of how University of 杏吧APPresearch can be translated into solutions that address significant industry challenges. The team has made strong progress in advancing the technology towards commercial deployment, and we鈥檙e delighted to see its achievements recognised by KiwiNet.鈥�

Nurox鈥檚 business model is designed for international growth, combining a scalable technology platform with a light-capital approach that enables global deployment through partnerships, licensing and service-based models.

As demand grows for safer, more sustainable waste treatment solutions, Nurox is well positioned to help industries reduce environmental risk while unlocking value from materials that would otherwise be difficult or costly to manage.

The 2026 KiwiNet Awards finalist recognition is another milestone in Nurox鈥檚 journey and an example of how University of 杏吧APPresearch is creating solutions with environmental, economic and societal benefits beyond the laboratory.

Nurox Hydrothermal was established in 2024 to commercialise advanced hydrothermal processing technology originating from more than 15 years of research at the University of Auckland. Led by CEO Duncan Stewart, COO Alex Hannon and founder and CSO Professor Saeid Baroutian, the company combines scientific, engineering and commercial expertise to develop solutions for difficult hazardous waste streams, delivering environmental benefits through advanced deconstruction and resource recovery technologies.

Nurox is part of the 杏吧APPUniServices investment portfolio and is working towards the deployment of its first commercial facilities in New Zealand, with ambitions to scale its technology globally.