Innovation Connections - Information Session

Course description

Are you a researcher engaging with industry or assisting in the process of engaging or formalising industry research contracts? 

Join this session for an overview of a non-competitive source of funding (up to $100k). Through Innovation Connections, you can get support from a dedicated third party facilitator to engage with Small to Medium Enterprises in short, focused projects (2 to 12 months in duration). 

Speaker Bio: Andrew Richardson, Innovation Connections Facilitator, will provide detail about the information. Andrew has participated in collaborations between SMEs and research organisations in many different roles: as a postdoctoral researcher on a linkage project, as a researcher in industry coordinating projects with academic partners, and as a Director in a start-up company that successfully licensed IP to a major white goods manufacturer. Originally studying opto-electronics and laser engineering, Andrew moved into fundamental research in biophysics before returning to applied research in the field of optical sensing; here he gained experience of sensor development, early phase prototyping, and project management. Facilitating connections between SMEs and the research community is aided by the 3 years Andrew spent in technical sales of scientific equipment, in which he became familiar with the research capabilities of a broad section of the Australian research community. As an innovation connections facilitator, Andrew is passionate about providing opportunities for SMEs and PFROs to collaborate for impactful outcomes.

Type of course

Information session

Who should attend

• Researchers engaging with industry
• Research support staff assisting in the process of engaging or formalising industry research contracts. 
• Strategic Development teams
• Research contract professional staff
• Larger grant support staff

What you will learn

• How to utilise a useful tool to reduce the barrier of engaging with industry (SMEs <$100M)
• The support and benefits that a third party facilitator can bring by providing guidance to the business on how to engage meaningfully with a publicly funded research organisation (expectation management)
• How a quick and non-competitive source of matched funding ($50k grant that can be accessed twice) can de-risk and support new engagements, or support existing relationships to pursue greater outcomes
• How providing a good understanding of research capability at Flinders, and highlighting areas where there is capacity to take on more research work, can lead to an uptick in industry research revenue through qualified introductions to credible businesses