When the Rudd Government announced the creation of Commercialisation Australia to replace a wide-range of government innovation funding programs, a lot of people were wondering what type of projects would get funding from the new program.
Well they should wonder no more.
Round 1 recipients have been announced and its a wide range of startups (full list below), from anti-cancer drugs, to ways to get fresher avocados to market to balloon tourism taking people to the edge of space.
Most notable from a web startup perspective is the approx. $1M in funding allhomes.com.au received to commercialise their website throughout Australia and the world.That grant amount means they applied for the Early Stage Commercialisation fund (a repayable grant), which also means that, in accordance with the requirements, they must have secured matching funding from another source.
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I’ve only had a quick with the site a lot, but $2M seems like a lot of money to pump into that business.
You might say that the current site is only a prototype and the new site will bring something new and amazing to a very mature and highly competitive market, but their application says that they’re live and have already “changed the dynamics of the real estate industry in the ACT”. In other words, what you see is what they’re selling. Hmmm.
In any case, below is a full list of recipients, the funding amounts they received and a description of their business.
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1. NeuClone $748,655
NeuClone is establishing a platform technology for the commercial production of protein therapeutics. The project will contribute to the company’s proprietary processes and technology leading to the generation of industrial organisms producing biopharmaceuticals. The company is building on its international and domestic networks with potential partnering opportunities likely to emerge with other Australian companies and academic institutions all in the support of a flourishing national biopharmaceutical industry. As a global exporter of high-tech products and services, NeuClone is contributing to the country’s trade balance in high- tech, non-resource exports.
2. Highlight Ventures $40,000
Highlight Ventures is creating a world first tourism experience, taking passengers to the edge of space using high altitude helium balloons. Launches will occur in remote areas of central Australia and will use an Australian designed and built pressurised capsule for passenger safety and comfort during the flight.
3. EnGeneIC $1,488,181
The development of cGMP-compliant manufacturing of EDV-based anti-cancer therapeutics for commercial licensing. Potential commercial partners need assurance that EDV manufacturing can be scaled-up to cGMP standards, and are cost-effective, prior to agreeing licensing deals. Successful completion of the project will provide benefits to Australia nationally through the establishment of a globally unique manufacturing capability in a novel pharmaceutical delivery technology.
3. Wolf Industrial Innovation $81,000
Development of commercial or pre-commercial prototypes and establishment of a reference site for the Wolf Innovation Coating Control System. The system comprises three main components – a dynamic wet paint application thickness monitor, a paint volume solids instrument, and a dynamic dry paint thickness monitor and control system.
5. Immune System Therapeutics $1,858,349
IST is undertaking a multi-dose phase 2 clinical trial to demonstrate efficacy of its monoclonal antibody therapy in treating multiple myeloma. A successful antibody therapy for this incurable cancer would save hundreds of thousands of lives and generate substantial off-shore income for Australia. The trial is being held at one of Australia’s leading blood cancer hospitals – The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne.
6. Global Detection Systems $60,000
Toothed Whale (mainly Dolphin) alert system for the long line tuna fishing industry. Acoustic detection of toothed whales for the Tuna long-line fishing industry.
7. University of Technology Sydney $50,000
Aviator – Single Channel Control System using Electroencephalography (EEG) Signals.
8. NewSouth Innovations $44,000
Photonic device self assembly is a revolutionary manufacturing process with applications in semiconductors, photonics, solid state lighting and photovoltaics. Using a US based (Silicon Valley) consultant, the project will gather market information, identify early-adopter markets, develop a business plan, and forge partnerships with industry players: potential technology licensees.
9. Newcastle Innovation $205,677
This project will determine the commercial viability of a new diagnostic test to predict when a pregnant woman will commence labour. Upon successful completion of the project, the technology will be ready to be licensed to a leading diagnostic company to take the necessary steps to launch the new product on the market.
10. Sienna Cancer Diagnostics $200,000
The project will see the hiring of experienced executive who will accelerate the development of Sienna’s novel telomerase technology for the diagnosis and monitoring of cancer (bladder cancer) and expand the technology for use in prostate cancer, while assisting in negotiating licensing agreements with global partners.
11. Lockbox $410,000
Validate the concept (both locally and in Asia) of a new embeddable security product based on Lockbox’s proven technology platform that enables large, reputable and trusted organisations (banks, postal services) to provide a mass consumer-oriented electronic safety deposit box service which is easy to integrate, deliver, manage and scale.
12. Southern Innovation Trading $300,000
Southern Innovation, through its Commercialisation Australia proof-of-concept project, will develop innovative new detection technology for high resolution semiconductor radiation detectors. In collaboration with our international project partners we will design, simulate, implement and test, advanced signal processing algorithms capable of dramatically improving the performance of high resolution semiconductor based radiation detectors.
13. Ofidium $1,543,742
Ofidium is developing 100 Gbit/s optical transceiver modules, based on unique and patented optical orthogonal frequency-division-multiplexing (oOFDM) technology, for sale to telecommunications equipment manufacturers. This project involves the development, field testing and customer validation of the design for product prototype. On completion, Ofidium will have a prototype design ready for manufacture and sale.
14. TenasiTech $186,559
TenasiTech is a novel materials science company commercialising stronger but flexible thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs). TenasiTech will collaborate with a mining equipment supplier and a golf ball manufacturer to improve the manufacturing cost and performance of each company’s products. The additive allows products with improved durability and flexibility.
15. Pressure Fresh Australia $346,480
Pressure Fresh Australia plans to commercialise an exciting and innovative range of value added avocado products to meet consumer demand for fresh, convenient and ready to eat avocado. The range of products will encompass innovative packaging delivery technologies combined with the innovative technology of High Pressure Processing to cold pasteurise the products to give consumers the ultimate taste experience.
16. Faulkner Lab $81,257
Atapa™ is a new predictive media planning tool to help agencies and advertisers forecast the return on investment of their communications campaigns. We are developing a final prototype of this tool that successfully responds to the feedback and interest of the world’s largest media groups. Project activities include proof of concept prototype development and server scalability for a global rollout.
17. Zachary Goss $50,000
Snowboard brake (the brake) and security device. The intended steps to commercialisation are market research, undertaking a risk analysis, establishing an IP strategy, developing a business plan and (potentially) establishing a linkage/partnership with a snowboard manufacturer.
18. Simmersion Holdings $750,000
Commercialisation of Mycosm – a 3D visual Simulation Platform. This project will enable the initial commercial deployment of Mycosm, a unique, real-time, 3D visualisation and simulation (VizSim) platform. The initial focus, on application and solution developers, will enable Simmersion Holdings to generate broad global demand from its key target markets: E-Learning, Sales & Marketing, Decision Support and Entertainment.
19. All Homes $1,060,798
Commercialisation of allhomes.com.au in national and overseas markets. Allhomes is an innovative and information rich portal focused at the wider real estate community. This portal has changed the dynamics of the real estate industry in the ACT. Allhomes has developed a novel data processing system that brings together rich data sets and allows advanced data cross matching to occur, independent of size and complexities. Allhomes pre-generates answers to complex web page requests in real-time, and provides new insights into market trends due to its dense ecosystem of data. Allhomes will be rolling out its technology platform and its supporting business to new markets.
20. Healthy Business Tasmania $65,000
Unlocking life: health and human change online support system. The development of a comprehensive on-line business and client management system that supports the applicant’s core business of providing improved health and well-being services to the corporate sector. The Unlocking Life web system will also enable health program members to have increased relational interaction with the program and achieve sustainable healthy change through a wide range of resources, training challenges and rewards.
21. Vision Instruments $103,980
The purpose of this project is to complete the development of portable retinal camera pre-production prototypes, and to test them in aboriginal health services and a university based clinical research program. The project will also undertake the development of documentation for manufacture, assembly and testing. The project will include the development and testing of processes and facilities for use in manufacturing of the final product.
For those interested in a little more info, the official PDF from Commercialisation Australia can be found HERE
Also, thanks to the Government Grant Guru for the heads up.
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