Palaszczuk Government innovation funding drives growth for Queensland

Published Wednesday, 28 June, 2017 at 06:49 AM

Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy and Minister for Small Business
The Honourable Leeanne Enoch

New Palaszczuk Government funding will enable seven Queensland small-and-medium sized businesses to partner with universities and bring on graduates to help generate economic growth and new jobs.

Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy Leeanne Enoch said today (Wednesday) the graduates will be placed with the businesses under the latest funding round of the Advance Queensland Knowledge Transfer Partnerships program.

Ms Enoch said the seven businesses are Agapeflows Pty Ltd in Coorparoo ($50,000), Bioproton Pty Ltd in Sunnybank ($47,000), Hendra’s Biarri Optimisation ($50,000), Synengco Pty Ltd at Highgate Hill ($50,000), the Sunshine Coast’s Mindstar Enterprises Pty Ltd (Verrierdale $50,000) and Queensland Oztag Group (Buddina $28,000), and Mackay’s Ultra Coral Australia ($50,000).

“The Knowledge Transfer Partnerships program will foster relationships between Queensland businesses and universities to exchange skills and ideas that ultimately inspire innovation,” Ms Enoch said.

“Each business will receive up to $50,000 towards the cost of employing an honours, masters or PhD graduate who will work on an innovative project – that represents a real-world challenge for the business.

“The project will support economic growth and generate more jobs in Queensland.”

Mackay’s Ultra Coral Australia is a major supplier of the world’s most beautiful corals to the global home and commercial marine aquarium industry.

Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert said it will receive $50,000 funding to bring a James Cook University graduate into the business.

“The graduate will provide technical expertise and scientific knowledge in growing and breeding of corals to create highly sought after new varieties,” she said.

“This Palaszczuk Government program provides benefits for businesses and for the graduates, who get to use their academic knowledge, learn new business skills and exchange ideas which are critical to the knowledge transfer process.”  

Founder of Ultra Coral Australia Nic Dos Santos said the graduate will help develop a new scientific edge for their largest export markets including the US, China and Germany.

“This Advance Queensland initiative will enable us to increase our turnover, increase our exports, and employ up to an additional 19 people over the next five to 10 years, of which nine positions will be knowledge-based in the fields of marine science and aquaculture,” Mr Dos Santos said.

“Our graduate marine biologist will enable us to become the first organisation in Queensland to aquaculture corals for supply to the global marine aquarium industry.

"The graduate will develop new techniques to aquaculture corals with features highly sought after by the marine aquarium industry,” he said.

Advance Queensland is a $420 million suite of initiatives to transform the state’s economy, create knowledge jobs of the future and build Queensland’s reputation as a global innovation and investment destination.

Ms Enoch said the Palaszczuk Government has committed $3.4 million through the Advance Queensland Knowledge Transfer Partnerships program to fund 61 innovative business projects across the state.

“Many of the 61 graduates employed to undertake the projects have found permanent employment with the business or partnering university, and additional jobs have been created as a direct result of the project outcomes,” she said.

To qualify for the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships program, businesses must be based in Queensland, employ fewer than 200 people, contribute one third of the eligible project costs and have a project which would strongly benefit from a higher degree graduate with specialised knowledge and skills.

For further information about the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships program or to apply for funding visit the Advance Queensland website.

ENDS

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