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Important statistics

2/3 of businesses

stated that they created intellectual property

98% of businesses

introduced new or improved product or processes

88% of businesses

accessed (or are expecting to access new markets)

3/4 of businesses

noted an improvement or expected improvement in the skills of their workforce

R&D support for small to medium-sized businesses

Innovation Connections

Innovation Connections is a free one-on-one facilitated service to assist small to medium-sized businesses in establishing research priorities, locating researchers and providing access to funding to fast-track R&D projects.

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We help SMEs become more competitive and productive

TAE: Wearable tech

We worked with Queensland company TAE to help them commercialise our Guardian Mentor Remote (GMR) wearable technology system and make it available to the global aerospace industry.

Yolngu Business Enterprises

CSIRO helped small business Yolngu Business Enterprises (YBE2) develop the capability to control destructive ant infestations for Rio Tinto Alcan.

Advanced Manufacturing

Amaero Engineering

With the support of a Federal Government Innovation Connections grant, facilitated by CSIRO SME Connect, Amaero Engineering and CSIRO developed an innovative solution for improved cooling of die casting tools.

Airconstruct

With assistance from CSIRO SME Connect, and funding support from the Australian Government's Entrepreneurs' Programme, we helped Airconstruct identify substantial cost-savings in maintenance of Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Calix Ltd

With the support of an Innovation Connections grant, facilitated by CSIRO SME Connect, Calix collaborated with the University of Adelaide on a project that was influential in reaching an agreement for a lime plant in Australia, with CO2 capture.

CBG Systems

Innovation Connections and CSIRO researchers helped Hobart based CBG Systems develop and manufacture a new marine fire protection product, RAC Plus. It’s now being exported for use in military, merchant marine and passenger vessels.

Comtech Industries

Comtech Industries employed a recent graduate to undertake a research project to improve their factory floor manufacturing efficiency and performance through data capture systems.

Envirostream

With the support of a Federal Government Innovation Connections grant, facilitated by CSIRO SME Connect, Envirostream was able to work with researchers from Swinburne University to develop a process for extracting valuable materials from recovered batteries.

Gilmour Space Technologies:

CSIRO SME Connect assisted Gilmour Space Technologies to secure funding support, through the Australian Government's Entrepreneurs' Programme, to research, develop and test their new hybrid propulsion system for orbital launch vehicles.

InQuik

InQuik collaborated with The University of Sydney to undertake independent, professional engineering modelling of their patented InQuik prefabricated bridge to validate the expected long-term behaviour and longevity.

Norris Dishwasher

To evaluate the energy efficiency of the Norris AP500 cold wash-cycle design, a collaboration with the University of Newcastle was facilitated by CSIRO's Innovation Connections program.

Omni Tanker

Omni Tanker's innovative collaboration projects have reduced business costs and progressed Omni Tanker to enter new international markets.

Richstone Group

We helped Richstone Group find the right research partners for its prefabricated plumbing systems, creating intellectual property and potential new markets.

Steber International

Taree based Steber International accessed Innovation Connections grants to successfully evaluate and test its hybrid diesel/electric boat.

Food and Agribusiness

AB Biotek

Global wine ingredients business, AB Biotek, teamed up with the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) to develop and commercialise AWRI’s new yeast strain with the help of an AusIndustry Innovation Connections grant, facilitated by CSIRO SME Connect.

HE Silos

CSIRO’s SME Connect team worked alongside HE Silos to validate the efficiency of their insect fumigation system and enhance the longevity of grain storage by facilitating a research project with Charles Sturt University.

Hunter Heritage Gourmet Foods

With the support of a Federal Government Innovation Connections grant, facilitated by CSIRO SME Connect, Heritage Hunter Gourmet Foods developed Christmas puddings that caters for consumers expanding dietary requirements.

KAGOME Australia

Echuca based KAGOME accessed an Innovation Connections grant to support a collaborative research project with CSIRO into the use of carrot pulp by-product, NinjinFibre®, in meat patties.

Lallemand Australia

We assisted Lallemand Australia to secure funding support and research expertise to help define and Australian Sauvignon Blanc wine style exhibiting similar characteristics of the popular New Zealand version.

Neutrog Australia

CSIRO SME Connect assisted Neutrog Australia to access funding support to develop novel, imaginative and innovative biological fertiliser in collaboration with the University of Adelaide and Western Sydney University.

NineSquared

CSIRO's SME Connect team worked with NineSquared to develop an economic feasibility model to support the use of seaweed and shellfish production for environmental offsets by facilitating a research project with the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Popplewell Composites

We helped Popplewell Composites find funding support for a research collaboration with the University of Adelaide to turn their cattle DNA sample and cattle performance records into a world-first evaluation and benchmarking system.

SCAE: Improving sustainability

With assistance from CSIRO SME Connect, and funding support from the Australian Government's Entrepreneurs' Programme, we helped SCAE collaborate with the University of Queensland to create a 'Carbon Footprint Model' to calculate greenhouse gas emissions of wheat crops.

Skybury

We facilitated the connection between Australia's largest papaya grower, Skybury, with research expertise at RMIT and Queensland's Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to better understand the risk of disease and opportunities for improved biosecurity, while also investigating potential 'value-add' to waste by-products.

TasFoods

To better understand the nutritional benefits of wasabi, Shima Wasabi engaged a CSIRO Senior Research Scientist following a referral through CSIRO's SME Connect team.

The Green Group

The Green Group is a grower, miller and packer of rice for retail markets. Faced with new business challenges in relation to assuring reliable supply, Green Group were looking for solutions to future-proof their business.

Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals

Ecas4

We helped Ecas4 find the right research expertise at the University of South Australia to test their Ecas4-Anolyte solution against COVID-19. The solution has been turned into a Covid-killing “fog” that will be deployed at Singapore Airport.

Ecofibre

Ecofibre's informal collection of cannabis seeds flourished into a valuable collection and with support of two Innovation Connections grants, Ecofibre can now demonstrate the traits of each seed and store them in a way that optimises their germination rates and lifespan.

Ezymed

Ezymed simplifies patient care for aged care facilities by automating the administration and packing of dose administration aids to make it easier for residents to adhere to their daily medication doses. Their solution is the only one on the market specifically tailored to the aged care sector.

GreyScan

GreyScan, an Australian explosive trace business for inorganic material, saw an immediate need to ‘re-imagine’ their bomb-detecting technology into virus-detecting technology. With assistance from CSIRO SME Connect, GreyScan accessed an Innovation Connections grant to support the research.

MAXONIQ

We helped MAXONIQ to develop their software to enable the design of customised 3D titanium printed surgical implants for major oral-maxillofacial reconstructive surgery.

Scale Facilitation

Scale Facilitation saw the opportunity to supply Australian made products to countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the support of a Federal Government Innovation Connections grant, they set about placing their innovation into action.

Smartstream

To train and educate consumers on Smartstream’s medical safety products, a recent graduate was engaged to develop a simulation app with the support of CSIRO’s SME Connect Team and the Innovation Connections Facilitation and Graduate Placement Grant.

ToukanLabs

With assistance from CSIRO SME Connect, ToukanLabs accessed three Innovation Connections grants to support their funding and research into enhancing functionality and practices through their OpenEyes software platform.

Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS)

Australian Bauxite

To progress their Alcore project to convert bauxite into aluminium fluoride, Australian Bauxite collaborated with CSIRO in a project supported by an Entrepreneurs' Programme Innovation Connections grant.

Kalamazoo Resources

We assisted Kalamazoo Resources to seek alternative exploration methods to drilling at the Wattle Gully site, Castlemaine, Victoria.

Oil, Gas, and Energy Resources

Prochem Agencies

Prochem Agencies engaged in a collaborative research project with James Cook University to repurpose heavy-duty mining truck waste coolant delivering on improved environmental outcomes.

Enabling technologies and services

HowToo

HowToo collaborated with The University of Technology Sydney School of Computer Science to use artificial intelligence to enhance its eLearning content creation platform, making it simple for users to create online training using the best instructional design, cognitive science and eLearning best practice.

Inkerz (JIBB)

CSIRO SME Connect facilitated Inkerz's research via the Entrepreneurs' Programme, Innovation Connections service to to collaborate with the University of New South Wales to improve their product offering.

Keogh Consulting

Developing an evidence-based toolbox to help leaders measure organisational culture and grow business performance

Ripper Corporation

With support of an Entrepreneurs' Programme Innovation Connections grant, facilitated by CSIRO SME Connect, Ripper Corporation continued their research partnership with UTS to develop their Little Ripper technology for other applications.

#innovation

Read more about our work in #innovation

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