Data collaboration key to Australian innovation and growth

The BigInsights Data Innovation Awards have been held, with both federal and state ministers using the occasion to outline Australia’s innovation plan.

A key focus of the plan will be to commercialise research and foster culture of collaboration. In particular, collaboration between government and business, as well as between business and research institutions, is needed for Australia to continue uninterrupted on its path of economic growth.

Federal Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Craig Laundy and NSW Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, Victor Dominello were chief guests at the ceremony, which was organised by BigInsights and Consensus.

According to Dominello, ‘Mission Open Data’ is something that is being actively pursued at the state and federal levels.

“Every government talks about sharing data but no-one does it, because they know as soon as you share data you open yourself up to accountability and transparency, and nobody likes that,” he said.

“But governments can no longer work in a silo.

“We created legislation that empowers an agency, subject to privacy, subject to security, to ask departments to give them data in 14 days. That is a silo breaker. It is the first of its kind in Australia and one of first in the world.”

Giving another example of collaboration on big data, Dominello said the government had been struggling with public health-related problems such as the high number of cases of domestic violence. The use of big data may assist in resolving these types of issues.

The BigInsights awards were instituted to recognise teams delivering business outcomes using data analytics techniques and technologies. The winners were:

• Best Industry Application of Data Analytics — Ambiata
• Best Industry Application of IoT — Internet of Light Technologies
• Best Industry Application of AI/Cognitive — Strategos
• Best Customer Insights — CellOS Software Limited and University of Technology Sydney in partnership with Colonial First State
• Best Start-Up — Briometrix

In addition, Dominello received the BigInsights Data Innovation Award for his leadership and vision.

The awards will next year grow to include an Asia–Pacific focus and creation of a separate BigInsights IoT Innovation Award program.

Photo caption: Federal Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Craig Laundy, BigInsights Principal Raj Dalal, NSW Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, Victor Dominello and Consensus CEO Julian Day.