Qld Govt to help fund platform development

Queensland’s government is establishing a new Platform Technology Program to help key industries implement new technology to create jobs and growth.

The new program will fund industry-led partnerships to help large and small businesses, start-ups and researchers to develop and deploy platform technologies such as sensors, drones, robotics, big data and autonomous vehicles.

With the program the government aims to encourage businesses and researchers to apply these technologies in new ways to help transform industries like agriculture, resources, manufacturing, health and defence.

“This program is about accelerating the ‘D’ in R&D in Queensland. We want projects that get new platform technologies piloted and proven in the field, with real-world benefit to entire industries,” Acting Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy and Minister for Small Business Mark Ryan said.

In order to apply for the program, industry applicants must establish partnerships and show how their project will involve local small businesses and start-ups. Industry partners will need to provide three dollars for every one dollar of government investment.

Ryan said the first platform technology partnership was announced in July 2016 and involved the use of drones and sensors in the gas industry in the Surat Basin.

“This project brought together Boeing, Queensland Gas Company and Telstra with 20 Queensland small businesses and is expected to generate a minimum of 100 jobs,” he said.

“The technology developed through this project could be used in other Queensland industries like agriculture or to monitor the health of the Great Barrier Reef — we want projects that can benefit multiple sectors or have multiple outcomes.”

A briefing session for interested applicants will take place in late January. The program forms part of the state government’s $405 million Advance Queensland initiative.

Image courtesy of Alan Levine under CC