A new $7 million program to link regional Queensland university researchers with local SMEs has launched with a call out for pioneering firms and free training, as the state looks to widen its innovation system.
The Regional University Industry Collaboration (RUIC) program announced by the Miles government in June and delivered by the CSIRO opened its doors on Monday.
It is offering free training, networking events and matched funding up to $50,000 to facilitate work with James Cook University, Central Queensland University, University of Southern Queensland, and University of the Sunshine Coast.
Australia ranks last amongst OECD nations for industry-research collaboration and the barriers can be highest in regional areas where access to investor and networks is limited.
The Queensland program is aimed at addressing the barriers by encouraging SME participation with matched research funding and free training.
The state government’s matched funding covers facilitation services for SMEs ready to work with the universities on commercialisation, while firms at an earlier stage can access free short training courses.
“With a dispersed population and diverse climates, Queensland is a fantastic base for innovation,” CSIRO SME Connect team deputy director Dr George Feast said.
“The RUIC program is designed to boost potential by providing SMEs with the skills and resources they need to turn their ideas into impactful solutions at all stages of their innovation journey.”
Expressions of interest are now open for the matched funding and applications are also open for the free training or SMEs working on manufacturing solutions in priority areas like energy and batteries, robotics or biomedical.
“This is an excellent opportunity for businesses in the early stages of the R&D process to refine their research question with guidance from our program facilitators,” RUIC program facilitator Dr Anna Daniel said.
“For those more advanced with their ideas, there is also the opportunity to access up to $50,000 in dollar-matched funding to support collaborative projects with one of our world-class regional university partners.
“We can accommodate SMEs across a range of industries—from manufacturing to artificial intelligence, agriculture, space technologies, Indigenous science, and many more.”
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