Tasmania gets tech innovation cash bonanza
The federal Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR) has this week announced the recipients of the latest round of funding for Tasmania's Intelligent Island initiative, along with several million dollars more in innovation grants across the country under its Commercial Ready program.
After some concerns over the momentum of Intelligent Island late last year, DIISR and the Tasmanian Department of Economic Development announced that a further AU$6.1 million in grants have been distributed between seven Tasmanian ICT organisations in the penultimate round of funding for the Market Access and Partnership Program (MAPP), a component of the federally-bankrolled, state-administered AU$40 million initiative.
Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon
A further AU$15 million has been reserved for the funding of Tasmania's ICT Centre for Excellence, a joint project between the federal and Tasmanian state governments and the CSIRO.
"The successful commercial grants cover software development, commercialisation and market expansion across the tourism, defence, aquaculture, finance, e-learning and broadband entertainment industries," Tasmania's Premier, Paul Lennon, said in a statement.
"In addition, a MAPP Special Grant was offered to TasIT, The Tasmanian Information Technology and Telecommunications Industry Association, to undertake an industry capability assessment for Tasmania," he added.
According to Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, the latest round of funding brings the total amount allocated under MAPP to AU$12.6 million.
"Successful projects were assessed by an independent industry-based panel with some of the projects specifically chosen for the benefits they will deliver to the ICT sector as a whole," said Tasmanian Premier Lennon.
Stan Kaine, CEO of security start-up Point Duty which won AU$1.1 million of funding under MAPP, said that the transition between federal administrations and bureaucracies -- the initiative had previously been administered by the federal Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts -- had only improved the process.
"From an industry view point the transition has been very smooth, we've had the chance to implement a lot of training and increase the talent pool ahead of the opening of the centre for excellence," said Kaine.
DIISR published the details on Wednesday of nine other innovation grants given out to organisations across the country under its Commercial Ready program, including funding for an anti-counterfeiting technology being developed in Victoria, as well as a public transport management system being developed by another Victorian organisation for the Beijing Olympic Games.