Almost $10m in funding has been allocated to more than 60 Queensland businesses and precincts focussed on innovation.
Thirteen innovation precincts and places will share in more than $4 million to drive growth in the state’s innovation sector through the Queensland Innovation Precincts and Places Fund.
Among the recipients is the Underwood Innovation Precinct, which will receive funding to develop a South East Queensland-based National Drone Centre of Excellence.
The centre will help drive high value jobs in drone-related businesses, including defence, aerospace manufacturing, aviation management, and transport and logistics.
Cairns-based Launch Y(E)P will receive almost $1.3 million for two projects, including an upgrade of its facilities with state-of-the-art digital infrastructure to provide an enhanced space for collaboration among Far North Queensland innovators.
The state’s network of innovation precincts and places aims to bring together business, industry and researchers to identify and develop new ideas, create new technologies and then look to commercialise them.
Through the separate Ignite Ideas Fund and Ignite Sparks Program, 56 businesses will share in more than $5.5 million to bring new and innovative products and services to the market.
More than 25 of those businesses have accessed grants of up to $200,000 in the latest round pf the Ignite Ideas Funds, while 30 businesses have secured grants of up to $75,000 in the inaugural round of the Ignite Spark program.
More information can be fund at Advance Queensland.
Queensland Innovation Precincts and Places Fund inaugural funding round successful applicants:
- AATLIS Innovation Precinct, South West Qld, $119,908: The AgTech and Logistics Hub has rapidly evolved from a precinct that supports AgTech ecosystem development to a trusted regional advisor for agribusiness and innovation. This project will amplify this impact by plugging skills gaps across Queensland’s regional workforce by providing an action plan to develop a National Future Skills Academy at the AATLIS innovation precinct.
- Boggo Road Innovation Precinct, South East Qld, $300,000: The project aims to deliver an action plan that includes a mix of research translation capabilities with involvement from industry, entrepreneurs and technology companies.
- Far North Queensland Health and Innovation Precinct, Dugurrdja Precinct, Far North Qld, $280,000: This project will focus on strategic advice and an action plan to position FNQHIP as a global innovation hub, enhancing research translation, commercialisation, and regional economic growth.
- Frontier CQ, Central Qld, $258,680: Frontier CQ’s project will enable the innovation precinct to bring in the expertise needed to position Frontier CQ as an economic growth hub for the Central Highlands region.
- Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, South East Qld, $295,000: For this project, the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct (and its partners) seek to develop a step-change sophisticated investment attraction strategy, leveraging existing expert advice identifying key opportunities.
- Herston Health Precinct, South East Qld, $299,924: This project will enhance the development of the Herston Health precinct by creating optimal conditions for growth, collaboration, and by leveraging and complementing initiatives across the breadth of the Knowledge Corridor.
- Launch Y(E)P, Far North Queensland, $290,000: The project will engage world-leading consultants to develop strategies that can be implemented by Launch Y(E)P to grow and sustain the TNQ innovation ecosystem.
- Split Spaces, Central Qld, $77,500: This project will map the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday regional innovation ecosystem to determine how to work more cohesively with regional stakeholders to improve overall innovation outcomes. The project will seek input from key regional stakeholders to find gaps in innovation outcomes.
- Springfield’s Knowledge Precinct: South East Qld, $271,000: This project will be a transformative catalyst, accelerating the development and effectiveness of the Knowledge Precinct. It will enable the Precinct to leverage investments, foster critical mass, optimise resource allocation, and make informed decisions.
- The Mill at Moreton Bay, South East Qld, $291,293: This project will obtain expert strategic advice and activities to inform their actions plans as part of the consultation of best-practice governance framework, investment attraction strategy, and operational assessment strategy.
- TropiQ – Townsville Tropical Intelligence and Health Precinct, North Queensland, $280,000: This project will expedite the TropiQ precinct’s growth and impact, fostering collaboration, advancing healthcare, technology, agriculture, aquaculture, and attracting vital cross-industry co-contributions.
- Underwood Innovation Precinct, South East Qld, $252,560: The project involves the development of a SEQ based Australian/National Drone Centre of Excellence (DCoE) to grow the Queensland and Australian drone ecosystem with benefits including the accelerated development of high value jobs in drone related verticals including defence, aerospace manufacturing, aviation management and transport and logistics. •
- Launch Y(E)P, Far North Queensland, $1,000,000: The project will enable Launch Y(E)P to modify their premises to become a fit-for-purpose modern innovation precinct to activate the Tropical North Queensland ecosystem, provide a place for collaboration and partnerships and support start-ups, founders and ecosystem enablers with space to start, do and grow their businesses, to run events and to collaborate with our Southern colleagues and regional and remote founders through the use of state of the art digital infrastructure.
Ignite Ideas Fund round 11 funding recipients:
- Turntohealth Pty Ltd: Commercialising Turnto to Accelerate Health Breakthroughs, Treatments, Research, more globally, Wynnum, $100,000.
- The Trustee for Poynter Family Trust: The Eazy Stay an Innovative Fence Strainer Post Hodgson Vale, $98,864.
- The Split Australia Pty Ltd: You After X App for Separated Women, Chermside West, $100,000.
- TeleMARS Pty Ltd: AI-Powered Analytics Platform, Ashgrove, $100,000.
- Sole App Pty Ltd: Sole App – Accessible Financial Software to Support Small Business, Wakerley, $96,900.
- Reforest Australia Pty Ltd: Regenerative Tourism Platform for Tourism Destinations, South Brisbane, $100,000.
- Rain Harvesting Pty Ltd: Rain Harvesting Connect Ecosystem Milton, $100,000.
- People Tech Revolution Pty Ltd: Immersive VR Library Cannonvale, $95,000.
- Mibowork Pty Ltd: Commercialisation Mibo Psychosocial Risk Minimisation and Well-being Solution Indooroopilly, $98,600.
- Chatstat Pty Ltd, AI-Driven Social Media Monitoring for Schools, Southport, $100,000.
- JSK IMPEX Pty Ltd: Homegrown AI Enabled Drone Platform for Automation of Infrastructure Inspection, Maudsland, $98,770.
- Investment Markets Holdings Pty Ltd: Australian Investment Product & Education Platform for Self-Directed Investors, Brisbane City, $100,000.
- iHot Pty Ltd: iHot Solar Hot Water Converter, Wynnum, $100,000.
- Handle my Complaint Pty Ltd: Solution-Driven Platform Advocating for and Empowering Consumer Rights, Mansfield, $100,000.
- Greeniverse Pty Ltd: Greendow Vertical Gardens: An Automated, Self-contained Hydroponic Vertical Window Garden, Brisbane City, $100,000.
- Engineroom Infrastructure Consulting Pty Ltd: Promotion of ElectroClear Technology in Mining Markets , Kedron (project location), $100,000.
- Automatic Capital Operations Pty Ltd: AI Software for Request for Proposals (RFPs), Fortitude Valley, $100,000.
- Arteh Pty Ltd: Digital Climate Action Reporting for Small and Medium-Sized Organisations, Everton Park, $100,000.
- Tandm International Pty Ltd: Automated Fire Sprinkler Systems Design Software Brisbane City, $144,500.
- SAVI Systems Pty Ltd: Propel: Making Healthcare Data Accessible & Actionable with AI, Brisbane City, $200,000.
- Klean Technologies Pty Ltd: AI Powered Social Impact at Ecommerce Checkout, Fortitude Valley, $200,000.
- GaardTech Pty Ltd: Jaeger-C Combat robot, Luscombe, $200,000
- Future Maintenance Technologies Pty Ltd: Automated Rail Infrastructure Inspection System (ARIIS), Ashgrove, $200,000.
- Feasly Pty Ltd: Cloud Platform for Property Development Feasibility & Financial Modelling, Paradise Point, $200,000.
- Defendable Technologies Pty Ltd: Stargate (R) Cross Domain Solution (CDS), Wilston, $194,900.
- AutoGuru Australia Pty Ltd: White-label Booking Button Technology for Automotive Mechanical Workshops, Broadbeach, $200,000.
Ignite Spark Program inaugural funding round recipients:
- 15 Times Better, Igniting And Scaling First Nations’ Engagement, Brinsmead, $75,000.
- Aamber Software Pty Ltd: Academic Electronic Medical Record and Simulation Platform for Health Education, Brookfield, $74,800.
- AirBridge Networks Pty Ltd: ARNI-Emergency Communications Infrastructure Benefitting Australians in Remote Locations, Smithfield, $75,000.
- Carbonaught Pty Ltd: A Platform to Carbon Neutralise QLD Agriculture, Brisbane City, $74,800.
- Convergence Medical Pty Ltd: The World’s First Arthroscopic Surgical Robot, Newstead, $55,100.
- D3 Genetics Pty Ltd: Precision Management for Agriculture using D3 Genetics Platform, Oxley (Recipient HQ), St Lucia (project location), $75,000.
- DefenceX Pty Ltd: AI Enabled Edge Data Recorder (Military, Ground Applications), Fortitude Valley, $75,000.
- Defining Future Solutions Pty Ltd: Integrated Smart Downlight and Smoke Alarm System with App Connectivity, Parkwood: $75,000.
- Everlast Networks Pty Ltd: Single-Use Encrypted Connections for Trusted and Heavily Secured Communications, Noosa Heads, $75,000.
- Finn Biogas Pty Ltd: Small-Scale FOGO Composting System For Remote and Regional Communities, Sumner, $75,000.
- G S Sturman and M Sturman: Carbon Dioxide to Ethylene Electrochemical Device for Producing Carbon-Neutral Fuels, East Barron, $75,000.
- Genics Pty Ltd: Genics Shrimptracker – Advancing Shrimp Health and Breeding Program Management, St Lucia, $75,000.
- Integrated PRIVATE Pty Ltd: Cloud Platform for Project And Retention Trusts, Fortitude Valley, $75,000.
- Intelligent Software Design Pty Ltd: Hazview, Caloundra West, $73,950.
- Legacy Habitats Pty Ltd: Cost-Effective Artificial Reef Modules for Ecosystem Enhancement and Coastal Protection, Burleigh Heads, $72,500.
- Mirragin Project Isidore Pty Ltd: Airborne Cellular Repeater for Emergency and Temporary Communications Infrastructure, Brisbane City, $75,000.
- New Building Solutions Pty Ltd: Innovative Wall Construction for Single and Multi-Residential Buildings, Noosa, $74,938.
- Pathmaster Pty Ltd: Above-Ground, Modular Travelator: the Future of Sustainable Urban Movement, Hope Island (Recipient HQ), Northgate (project location) $75,000.
- Rain Harvesting Pty Ltd: Modular, Variable Rainwater Filter for any Rainwater Collection System Globally, Milton, $75,000.
- Rainstick Pty Ltd: Rainstick Mimics Lightning to Germinate Seeds and Increase Food Production, Smithfield, $75,000.
- Repurpose Recycling Pty Ltd: Textile Recycling Plant – Microniser, Luscombe, $75,000.
- Resilience Design & Build Pty Ltd: EVGLE: Autonomous, Solar Powered Awning To Charge EVs & ES, Brisbane City, $75,000.
- Specialist Airway Solutions Pty Ltd: D-FLECT Bougie: a Steerable Introducer for Tracheal Intubation, Seven Hills, $74,966.
- Surgery TV Pty Ltd: App and Cloud-Based (Medical) Surgical Data Recording Software Platform, Stones Corner (Recipient HQ), Brisbane City (Project location), $74,824.
- The Research & Development Company Pty Ltd: Development of Australia’s First Dual-Purpose Hydraulic Rock Mining Drill System, Mount Isa, $74,250.
- The Trustee for Trikids Family Trust: UVC Water Sterilisation Devices, Robina, $75,000.
- Think Logic Pty Ltd: Intelligent Earth Fault Detection Device, Corinda, $66,025.
- Valiant Space Pty Ltd: Small In-Space Thrusters for Cubesats, Tennyson, $75,000.
- Will Surety Pty Ltd: Prototype Modifications & Industry Compliance Integration and Testing, Varsity Lakes, $75,000.
