CBR Innovation Development Fund The CBR Innovation Development Fund (CBRIDF) was announced as part of Confident & Business Ready: Building on Our Strengths, the ACT Government’s new business development strategy released in May 2015. The Fund is a key program response to the strategy’s major policy pillar of accelerating innovation to create wealth and jobs in Canberra. The key policy direction of the Fund is to foster an integrated innovation ecosystem that supports the various stages of entrepreneurship and innovation and builds capacity and capability in the knowledge economy. The aim is to create greater synergy within the program funding environment and establish a system where programs can transition and adapt and also address new priorities and opportunities in a more agile way as they arise In line with these aims, this high level summary of every application and the amount sought from the Fund is provided to encourage applicants to identify synergies between competing applications and potentially initiate discussions between the applicant parties to maximise benefits to the innovation community. If you are an applicant and wish to contact another applicant to discuss synergies and potentially re-submit an application, please initially contact a CBRIDF client manager. Further Information If you require further information or assistance please contact a CBRIDF Client Manager on: Phone: (02) 6207 7215 or Email: brent.chick@act.gov.au / Innovation, Trade and Investment / ACT Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate / www.business.act.gov.au / Innovation Connect Grant Recipients / Update 15.06.2015 / Page 1 CBRIDF Applications September 2015 Applicant Project Title Brief Project Description Economic Benefits to the ACT Praxis will provide a platform that will deliver unprecedented levels of management control for small business. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) continue to be constrained by the complexity of administering their business. This complexity erodes the ability of business to innovate, enhance services and grow. At the same time, SMEs remain critical engines for future economic growth and new sources of employment. Praxis aims to cut through this complexity and deliver unprecedented administrative support by bringing the banking, accounting, insurance, legal, marketing, public relations, utility and business development services of established suppliers to the SME in one dashboard platform. This unique service will deliver significant time savings and financial gains for all SMEs. Based in Canberra, Praxis will not only be utilising local legal firms, web developers and graphic designers in its development phase, but will create a diverse range of ongoing future employment opportunities including software engineering and business development roles. The Praxis business model includes an innovation investment fund, using retained profits. This fund will leverage the unparalleled connectivity Praxis has with SMEs to invest in high potential businesses. Praxis will be in an enviable position to connect innovative local businesses to an unrivaled network of SMEs to drive the diffusion of innovative products, services and technologies. Canberra Innovation Network Collaborative Innovation Lab Introduce companies, research providers and other organisations to each other in a structured and focused way to create strategic opportunities for Canberra businesses and whole industry sectors through productive collaborative relationships. The Lab will use tested methods for facilitating collaboration as well as experiment with new approaches. The lab will initiate development of integrated solutions to be offered on global markets, generate intra and inter industry commercial partnerships and alliances, identify cross cutting issues for regional cooperation and best practice, plus develop and test Canberra specific methods of collaboration to improve international competitiveness. Rosemark Water Tanks Rosemark Water Tanks Promoting local business and contributing to the innovation ecosystem through growth Rosemark Water Tanks specialises in developing innovative water storage solutions designed to remove the space, cost and aesthetic barriers preventing a greater adoption of domestic rainwater tanks. Rosemark are seeking to establish manufacturing in the ACT to promote job growth as well as contributing to the innovation economy by offering custom moulding services for product development to local research institutions and innovative start-ups. This project aims to expedite the establishment of manufacturing locally by accelerating the growth of the company through the development of another innovative water storage product, the Daybed Tank. The economic and environmental benefits to the ACT are significant. Rosemark Water Tanks is a Canberra-based company that is seeking to establish manufacturing operations in the ACT to allow export of products across Australia. This will provide employment for a range of skilled and unskilled workers as well as delivering partnering opportunities for local businesses. The environmental benefits of a greater water tank installation base are realised through improved water security and a reduction in the pollution and erosion of our local waterways. Profi Praxis Pty Ltd / Innovation, Trade and Investment / ACT Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate / www.business.act.gov.au / Innovation Connect Grant Recipients / Update 15.06.2015 / Page 2 Funding Requested $75,000 $145,000 $60,000 Applicant Young Women's Christian Association of Canberra Canberra Innovation Network ACT Screen Industry Association Limited Project Title Economic Benefits to the ACT Funding Requested Founded in Boston in 1993, the Computer Clubhouse Network comprises over 100 Clubhouses in 20 countries, reaching thousands of young people from under-served communities. Located in Tuggeranong, the YWCA Computer Clubhouse opened its doors in October 2014. Our 100+ members have the opportunity to work with high-tech tools, industry mentors, and to drive their own projects. The sustainability and success of the Clubhouse is determined by the support of corporate, government, and philanthropic partnerships. Our Clubhouse is powered by a network of amazing STEM programs and ICT organisations including NICTA, Lockheed Martin Australia, Microsoft, Dimension Data and the AIIA. The economic and other benefits in sustaining and scaling the Clubhouse include: - More young people engaging in career pathways in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) - Enhanced digital citizenship among Canberra's young people, particularly those from under-served communities - Fostering the next generation of young entrepreneurs and innovators in Canberra - Bridging the 'digital divide' between those that do and don't have access to the internet and technology across the ACT - Increased number of young people remaining engaged in school education - Increased number of young people from under-served communities pursuing tertiary qualifications - Increased collaboration across sectors $50,000 Support of KILN incubator for highgrowth potential businesses The purpose of KILN incubator is to support founders of highgrowth potential entrepreneurial ventures and owners and operators of high growth-potential SMEs in the ACT through provision of highly customized business incubation services. KILN selects to work with companies that have high-growth potential, are export-oriented, scalable, can build sustainable competitive advantage, are led by teams that have a proven ability to execute and deliver and can demonstrate impact for the ACT economy. This includes: export dollars to the ACT, jobs created in the ACT, connections made for ACT with the world, innovation impact and productivity increases for major industries in the ACT, adding to competitive advantage of the ACT economy. Even those who fail to grow & scale, will remain here to work on their next venture having learned a lot. $400,000 DigiPOD: Multi-Platform Development Program DigiPOD is a high-level development program that brings together ACT screen practitioners and businesses from across all formats and disciplines to develop projects that have broad potential across multiple platforms including TV, feature film, web series, video games, apps and social media. Enhancing the sustainability and scalability of the YWCA Computer Clubhouse Brief Project Description DigiPOD is also a massive capacity building exercise that will guide 10 teams in developing multi-platform screen projects across a 3-month period. The program will bring together teams that can undertake and sustain their own innovation activity going forward, and help seed further innovation in the wider ACT ecosystem for the long-term benefit of the ACT economy. The program aims to educate participants on the continued impact the digital sphere has on today’s viewing habits. From emerging content creators, to successful producers and digital artists, DigiPOD will offer a new understanding of the media landscape, strategies on how to engage with audiences, and identify where the profit potential can be realised. / Innovation, Trade and Investment / ACT Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate / www.business.act.gov.au / CBRIDF Applicants / Update 4.09.2015 / Page 3 $20,000 Applicant University of Canberra Canberra Sheds & Outdoor Storage Project Title Brief Project Description Economic Benefits to the ACT Funding Requested Mobile Makers: establishing digital fabrication knowledge exchange hubs for the ACT Innovation ecosystem Across Australia, large scale innovative digital design and manufacturing infrastructure tends to be centrally located while Small-to-Medium Enterprises and craft-based designers and producers are often regionally located thus limiting their ability to connect with the knowledge economy. In the ACT, small scale producers have limited access to knowledge, resources and infrastructure which would enable them to upscale and compete in open markets. This project will create knowledge exchange hubs which share digital fabrication facilities to build models of collaboration and co-create digital prototypes by teams from across the public, private and cultural sector. Mobile Makers: Knowledge Exchange Hubs (KEH) will encourage entrepreneurship and industry-linkages across a network of practitioners holding local know-how which is currently distributed tacitly around the ACT as well as regional and metropolitan Australia. Small-scale innovators are often disadvantaged in their access to digital fabrication and manufacturing infrastructure and resources. Mobile Makers: KEH will provide access to digital fabrication infrastructure and governing structures which will build capacity in the knowledge economy. Mobile Makers offers models of collaboration and advanced technical training to connect entrepreneurial activity and industry. $603,267 Affordable Housing Project Canberra Log Cabins Produce Affordable Housing with expansions to existing dwellings to combat housing shortage within the Canberra Region. Affordable way to help with accommodation shortage for ACT and Southern region of N.S.W. Plan is to hire staff as required and expand income into the region. Housing will allow families to deal with the day to day living example grandparents being able to live in the family unit while assisting with childcare and day to day life or vise a versa. This also will allow families to utilise existing space for income purposes and as such will generate population to the region. $200,000 Rollercoaster RcD.tech Digital Pty Ltd building capability for tech innovators, by tech innovators. RcD.tech is the partner development program delivered by Canberra tech company Rollercoaster Digital. It is a for-fee or equity program designed to share the unique approach and team capability of Rollercoaster with other founders and organisations. The RcD.tech model is focused on speed to market and capitalising on opportunities. It is geared towards fast moving, agile product design, and producing great first versions of products - more than MVP. Rollercoaster Digital’s network reaches to the USA, New Zealand, as well as UK and Europe, and growing RcD.tech will see this network converge on the Canberra based team. RcD.tech will help to foster growth in the ACT innovation and start-up sectors by creating a commercial, market focused service for founders and innovators. This will add diversity to the current ecosystem by offering an alternative to the accelerator and incubator models as routes to market for early stage companies. RcD.tech will act as an inward investment program for the ACT, bringing Rollercoaster Digital’s international and interstate connections to its Canberra base. Through providing services and holding equity in these companies, RcD.tech will seek to establish local operations and units of them in the ACT. / Innovation, Trade and Investment / ACT Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate / www.business.act.gov.au / CBRIDF Applicants / Update 4.09.2015 / Page 4 $100,000 Applicant University of Canberra Cleveland Street Brewing Company The Digital Sanctuary Pty Ltd. Project Title Brief Project Description Economic Benefits to the ACT Using “big data driven” approaches for improved population health Modern technology allows for the potential to collect large volumes of ‘big data’. Combined with existing geospatial data, the behavioral and health data obtainable from mobile devices (‘phones, fitness activity trackers etc) may greatly enhance opportunities to predict long-term health conditions and identify non-traditional intervention points, as well as to design better diagnostics tools and prevent chronic disease. Big data analytics can be a catalyst for innovation, better decision-making, more efficient, effective services and business. The project will develop a prototype Open Data Commons platform allowing the collection and integration of multiple types of individual and publically available health-related data. Businesses and government are interested in big data including usergenerated data from social media platforms, mobile, and GPS data, as well as the administrative data collected by government agencies, universities and non-profit organizations. Data analytics can provide unique insight into human behaviors and can give citizens information about their own health. It can provide government and business with data that can help with innovation of services and health needs and identify health disparities. Data-driven innovation and digital solutions has enormous economic value (e.g. new goods and services; optimized and integrated health services; targeted social marketing and faster research and development). Around the Town(ie) Bike Tours When people think of Canberra they think Politicians. It’s not that. This is a city that has something for everyone. It is a busting metropolis, a melting pot of people, food and art. There are people doing amazing things, Around the Town(ie) Bike Tours will partner with these people and our cultural institutions and use Canberra network of bike paths to show out of towners what Canberra is really about. The Around the Town(ie) bike tours will promote the of Canberra Bike Paths, it will show and let Canberra’s and Visitors alike experience local businesses and cultural institutions. By doing this we will be encouraging them to spend money at those food venues, wine, beer and coffee producers and businesses that are owned and run locally. The Digital Sanctuary (TDS) is collaborating with the local industry to establish a supportive co-located ecosystem to promote rapid growth of creative digital companies in Canberra, in any stage of development, focusing on the games, visual effects and film industry. TDS’s principal objectives are to: create a thriving colocated ecosystem for the creative digital industry, provide economies of scale to companies within the industry, promote diffusion of knowledge within the industry, increase jobs, opportunity and wealth within the industry and growth of the creative digital industry in Canberra. The Digital Sanctuary (TDS) is collaborating with the local industry to support the greater vision of the Academy of Interactive Entertainment to redevelop the Watson Educational Precinct. TDS will create up to 120 jobs contributing $8.6M to the ACT economy by 2018. Additionally TDS’s support of this redevelopment will enhance Access Economics projections of 700 staff working on site, generating an additional $82M revenue in 2035. It is estimated over the life of this vision the ACTwide real wage will increase by 0.9% leading to a net total value of $276M Gross State Product. The Digital Sanctuary Funding Requested $130,000 $22,000 We will also work with the University of Canberra Design school to develop marketing collateral and websites, providing students with the opportunity to put in place their learnings and be financial rewarded. / Innovation, Trade and Investment / ACT Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate / www.business.act.gov.au / CBRIDF Applicants / Update 4.09.2015 / Page 5 $250,000 Applicant EI Ventures Pty Limited Agincourt Bio Consulting The CBR Innovation Network Project Title Brief Project Description Economic Benefits to the ACT The Australian National University and Hindmarsh are collaborating to create a new privately funded venture fund for the ACT. Building on a successful history of co-investment through the ANU-MTAA Super Venture Capital Fund and the Canberra Business Development Fund, the partners will attract international investment to the ACT deployed from the Significant Investor Visa scheme. This new early stage venture fund will leverage existing local investments in InnovationACT, Entry29, GRIFFIN Accelerator and the Discovery Translation and Innovation Connect grant funds, ensuring a capital source for those outstanding opportunities which successfully perform in Canberra’s rapidly scaling innovation ecosystem. Complementary with Invest Canberra and the objectives of its Investment Opportunity Pipeline, the new venture fund will bring international investment dollars to the Territory. As significant contributors to the Canberra economy, the ANU and Hindmarsh are leveraging their brands and expertise through ANU Connect Ventures and Australian Capital Ventures to build partnerships with domestic upstream intermediaries with established migration expertise. Investment of at least $500,000 per migrant to a targeted minimum of $10M will be channeled into smart, local, entrepreneurs who base their businesses and employ people locally. An ACT contribution to management fees would be leveraged many times over. Canberra Biotechnology & Life Sciences Innovation Cluster The National Australian Science Park, based in the Canberra Biotechnology & Life Sciences Innovation Cluster, will link the commercialisation of medical research to healthcare agencies, industry policy, foundations, patient advocacy groups and enabling private sector capital. Biotechnology clusters drive economic impact in regional economies. Clusters create skilled jobs, attract managerial & entrepreneurial talent & encourage economic growth. Business ecosystems develop around clusters including manufacturing, clinical development, legal, IP, sales and distribution services. According to the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America the industry employs more than 810,000 people, supports nearly 3.4 million jobs and contributes nearly $790 billion in economic output on an annual basis. The ANSP will create highly skilled STEM jobs in the ACT, supporting the recommendations of the Australian Industry Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda. A Pharmaceutical industry could create 10,000 jobs per company. The Creative Element- A maker space for start ups and local innovation I wish to establish a business orientated Maker’s Space to enable and further innovation and entrepreneurship in the ACT; and to provide a focal point for innovation and entrepreneurship in the ACT by complementing existing support structures. A Maker’s Space will allow ACT based entrepreneurs and innovators access to resources, services and products which they would otherwise have to source either in other States and Territories or abroad. Designing and prototyping requires iterations and direct engagement with those producing component parts. A Maker’s Space will allow for cost effective, local design and prototyping, drawing resources and interest to the ACT. A New Venture Fund for the ACT The economic benefits extended to the ACT are numerous, as a business orientated Maker’s Space is a key component missing from the ACT’s innovation eco-system. Many local, key constituent groups and organisations in the ACT’s innovation eco-system have been successfully moving toward establishing Canberra as a globally recognised hub of innovation. The Maker’s Space will assist these efforts, in that it will enable local entrepreneurs and innovators, and attract interest and investment, through furthering tangible growth outcomes and complementing pre-existing support structures. A Maker’s Space is a fulcrum, a means of furthering innovation and entrepreneurship in the ACT. / Innovation, Trade and Investment / ACT Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate / www.business.act.gov.au / CBRIDF Applicants / Update 4.09.2015 / Page 6 Funding Requested $225,000 $2,150,000 $25,000 Applicant Hospital Intellectual Property ACT Ltd Australian National University Project Title REALISE: an integrated health innovation ecosystem for the ACT The Australian National University Space Research and Innovation Hub Brief Project Description Economic Benefits to the ACT The REALISE project will : - build an integrated innovation 2 tier ecosystem for supporting innovation to succeed and grow - build on the ACT health innovation capability through practical initiatives - help selected innovations get significantly closer to market via 12 months fostering in the ACT - strengthen the existing ACT local and external health networks - build on ACT's many health commercialisation paths - host a health innovation conference - establish host-rotating monthly health innovation meetups - deliver workshops and materials that reinforce a successful health innovation ecosystem - share lessons and case studies from and evaluate commercialisation journeys in the ACT. REALISE sets out to further identify, build, join and formalise the unique opportunities here in Canberra for innovators in health. The ANU Space Research and Innovation Hub is a key element of the ACT Space and Innovation Cluster, an ACT Government initiative outlined in the 2015 Business Development Strategy. This project will conduct a scoping study of the Hub, consulting with industry and community stakeholders. This will inform a plan for a truly innovative collaborative space that promotes interaction between academics, students and industry, addressing problems and creating new business opportunities. The ANU Space Research and Innovation Hub is a key element in the ACT Space and Innovation Cluster. Stated in the 2015 ACT Government Business Development Strategy, this Cluster represents an opportunity for the ACT to be part of the global space economy, which grew by 4% to $314 billion in 2014. For Australia, where space related activities provide critical services to most sectors of the economy, there is a significant and yet mostly untapped economic opportunity. With world-class space infrastructure and innovators at the ANU and UNSW Canberra, the ACT is perfectly positioned to take advantage of this opportunity. Funding Requested The ACT has great potential to become a health innovation hub with an ecosystem which is agile, connected and fertile ground for this booming area: around 20% of Startups are in health. Through a capability build design approach and hands on 12 month project, we will set up an integrated, agile and cohesive ACT-based health commercialisation ecosystem: tangibly activating and exploiting the unique opportunity here in Canberra to become the R&D capital of Australia. / Innovation, Trade and Investment / ACT Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate / www.business.act.gov.au / CBRIDF Applicants / Update 4.09.2015 / Page 7 $89,000 $50,000 Applicant The Australian National University SilverSun Pictures Project Title Brief Project Description Economic Benefits to the ACT TechBroker Growing the ACT Innovation Sector by facilitating increased collaboration between university staff, students and the ACT community using university equipment, facilities and intellectual property The Australian National University is a significant source of intellectual talent and ideas across a broad range of disciplines including engineering, computing, science, commerce, policy development and the arts. The university also operates a wide range of advanced equipment and has world class design and fabrication facilities in areas such as Electronic and Electrical Engineering (EEE), software, metal, ceramics, timber, glass and textiles. The objective of TechBroker is to help grow the local innovation sector by facilitating community access to these resources and by enhancing multidisciplinary collaboration between university staff and students, and the ACT innovation sector. By simplifying access to university intellectual and physical resources, TechBroker will enable the local innovation sector to more easily work with University staff and students across a broad range of disciplines. This will have a direct impact on the growth and diversification of the local innovation sector and will support a more creative, competitive and dynamic business sector capable of developing innovative multidisciplinary approaches to some of the most complex problems facing the ACT region and beyond. Canberra Virtual Studios Canberra Virtual Studios identifies low-budget feature film projects that are commercially viable and within the scope of the ACT to produce, and then helps to develop them in a managed environment, providing resources and assistance, to ensure they are production ready. It also facilitates much of the finance required to have the film produced and provides systems and oversight to the production process to ensure a quality product and maximise commercial potential. In 2016 C(V)S will bring as many as four feature films into production from this initiative, with a target of at least four every year after that. The associated economic activity will be above $4m each year, employing more than 90 people in full and part time positions. Once a base level industry has been established, the ability to service other film and TV projects in Canberra should see a combined increase in activity to $8m per annum, or higher. Funding Requested $431,914 It’s a model and a process that offers a risk reduced proposition for all investors and steady work for crew, making it repeatable and sustainable. / Innovation, Trade and Investment / ACT Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate / www.business.act.gov.au / CBRIDF Applicants / Update 4.09.2015 / Page 8 $75,000 Applicant JIA films Project Title The AustralianChinese screen coproduction development program Brief Project Description Economic Benefits to the ACT Canberra producer and director, founder of JIA Films, Cindy Li has established the Australian-Chinese screen co-production program, specialising in collaboration between the Australian and Chinese film industries. Under this program, JIA Films has signed Memorandums of understanding with Chinese partners to form long-term partnerships for screen co-production. This program will make a significant contribution to the ACT innovation eco-system, and bring substantial ongoing benefits to the ACT economy: CBR innovation funds will be used to support phase-one of the program. The first co-production film with China is a $25 million feature film, which is expected to go into production in July 2016. The program’s ultimate goal is to produce a film with budget above $10 million every 12–24 months. University of Canberra Handmade Canberra CBR SportsTek Lab Handmade Canberra New Business Concept • It will establish a channel for substantial Chinese investment in film projects in Canberra and throughout Australia; • It will establish Canberra as Australia’s main hub for international film collaboration with China. • Its ongoing schedule of co-production projects budgeted above $10 million that commence every 12- 24 months will provide ongoing job opportunities for ACT film professionals. • The program will see JIA films grow into an established film company with great commercial promise. The proposed CBR SportsTek Lab, located within the Sports Hub Complex at the University of Canberra, will enhance Canberra’s reputation as a high tech innovation hub by providing a focus for sports technology invention. The SportsTek Lab will enable commercial opportunities and knowledge creation by utilising a user centred, open innovation model across public-private-people partnerships. In collaboration with CBRIN and Australian Institute of Sport, SportsTek Lab will operate as a functioning sport technology innovation facility where entrepreneurs can engage with researchers in a creative space developing breakthrough ideas. SportsTek Lab will also allow showcasing of sports innovation to the public. Australian households spend $8.3B on sports and recreational goods and services annually, and opportunities to commercialise sports technologies beyond the elite sports market into consumer markets represent an important part of the growing global sports market. The SportsTek Lab will showcase the ACT region as a centre for sports technology and enhance entrepreneurial activity by providing a collaboration space to create new products and services to tap the $250B global sports market. The SportsTek Lab directly supports the Sports Technology Cluster strategic priority of the ACT Confident and Business Ready plan to “accelerate innovation to create wealth and jobs“. New business to promote, showcase and sell high quality regional products locally, nationally and internationally promoting food and wine tourism in the region, though a beautiful retail concept space and a dynamic online portal. The new business concept will harness existing and new capacity and capability in the ACT, through the engagement and promotion of local suppliers and producers, supporting local designers, and promoting Canberra as a tourist destination. / Innovation, Trade and Investment / ACT Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate / www.business.act.gov.au / CBRIDF Applicants / Update 4.09.2015 / Page 9 Funding Requested $50,000 $192,000 $200,000