Dr Ojas Mahapatra and Photonic Innovations

Dr Ojas Mahapatra came to New Zealand from India on a fully funded MacDiarmid Institute doctoral scholarship and studied under Principal Investigator Professor Simon Brown.

When applying for postdoctoral fellowships Prof Brown, recognising Ojas’ business nous, advised him to pursue the world of business rather than sciences.

This move paid off as in 2013, Ojas became the CEO of Photonic Innovations, which creates ultra-sensitive gas detection equipment. Photonic Innovations is a spinout company from the University of Otago and uses laser spectroscopy technology developed by Professor Andrew Wilson.

In 2017, Ojas was awarded the Prime Minister’s Business Scholarship.

I’ve always had this entrepreneurial bug. I was always fascinated by the applications of what we study. If you’re just studying it, there’s no point, you’re just wasting your time and money. It doesn’t make sense unless you can actually convert it into something, and it is beneficial to the society or someone.
Dr Ojas Mahapatra CEO Photonic Innovations