A series of partnerships between small business players and academia have received backing from Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, to realise big research and development outcomes in various industries, including manufacturing.
As part of its Innovation Connections (IC) initiative, CSIRO says it plays the role of mentor and matchmaker for Australian small and medium enterprises that seek to achieve financial success and create larger benefits for people, communities, and the environment through their research projects.
Under the Innovation Connections program, numerous manufacturing SMEs are now connected with universities and other research institutions and have become prolific collaborators that rack up triple-figure project counts.
Steber International
Manufacturing companies that benefited from the Innovation Connection program include custom boat manufacturer Steber International, which partnered with the University of Newcastle and electrical engineering company Ampcontrol, for multiple CSIRO-facilitated projects.
These involved developing and testing a hybrid diesel-electric power system for boats. Through the IC initiative, Steber launched a 22 ft vessel– the partnership’s first prototype boat– in 2020. A 43 ft Beta prototype vessel, the project’s second boat, will take to water in April 2023.
The University of Technology Sydney
UTS has been involved in 126 projects with 84 different small and medium businesses, contributing more than $13 million to the Australian economy, according to CSIRO.
These projects include Hawke’s Brewing Co’s efforts to manufacture an eco-friendly beer pint by capturing the CO2 produced in the brewing process. This is then used to grow produce in an artificial intelligence-enabled hydroponics chamber that runs on solar power and rainwater.
The University of Queensland
CSIRO also linked wood fire product manufacturer Australian Wood Fibre with researchers from the University of Queensland to explore new product options by looking into different proprietary biopolymer products.
Australian Wood Fibre is now on its way to producing starch and cellulose-based polymers to be used in agriculture, erosion and sediment control, mine rehabilitation, water purification, and dust suppression.
Since its conception, Innovation Connections has helped kickstart thousands of collaborative research projects with SMEs across Australia.
Interested business leaders who seek to explore research and development opportunities may reach out to CSIRO’s SME Connect team.
