The founder of a multi million dollar Dunedin business is reflecting on the small beginnings of his company after being recognised with a Queen's Birthday Honour.

Michael Macknight is now a Companion of the Order of Merit for his service to science, for his work as the founder of ADI Instruments.

He set up the company 27 years ago.

ADI Instruments supplies data recording systems to medical researchers and educators, its product is used by every one of the top 100 universities around the world.

Michael MacKnight says, ADI has come along way in the last quarter of a century.

"We've come from very small beginnings to employing over 200 people having shipped about almost 50,000 of our products all around the world and our products being used in the top 100 universities."