Published Tuesday, 24 April, 2007 at 09:42 AM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
$85 000 ‘SOUNDS’ GOOD FOR INNOVATIVE BRISBANE FIRM
Brisbane firm Sound Evolution Pty Ltd will receive an $85 000 boost from the Queensland Government to help with the development and commercialisation of new sound editing technology – Intelligent Signal Display (ISD).
Minister for State Development John Mickel said the funding was made available under the Innovation Start-Up Scheme (ISUS).
“Turning a bright idea into a marketable product or service costs money that many young companies just don’t have,” Mr Mickel said.
“The Innovation Start-Up Scheme helps companies take their high-tech ideas from the laboratory to the global marketplace, helping to take the early ‘struggle’ out of commercialisation.”
Sound Evolution Pty Ltd founder, and developer of ISD, Matt Connolly said his technology was an improvement on an existing concept because it speeds up the sound editing process.
“ISD is the next evolution in waveform display technology,” Mr Connolly said.
“Existing products display sounds as waveform images on a computer screen with only a limited resolution. This can make it hard for sound editors to ‘see’ where they need to edit the sound.
“With ISD you get much more detailed waveform images, so the user can spend less time zooming in and out to find edit points, and more time being creative and productive.”
Two-and-a-half years since he first came up with the idea, Mr Connolly said the prototype was now in the final stages of testing before being ready for the global marketplace.
“The biggest difficulty in putting together a prototype is capital – it really slows down the process when your resources are limited,” he said.
“Because you still have to deal with daily living expenses, like paying rent, you have to keep your day job as well as working on your idea in your spare time.
“It helps a great deal to receive this kind of assistance. Now I can afford proper legal advice which puts me in a better position to negotiate a better deal and get to market quicker.”
Mr Connolly said the grant would be used for refining the prototype, developing and implementing an intellectual property strategy to protect the technology, legal expenses associated with licensing agreements, both nationally and internationally, and to help with marketing the product.
“I’ve recently presented my product to some key Australian representatives of a leading American company in the professional audio industry, where it was very well received,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to being introduced to others in the company and networking within the industry.
“With any luck I’ll be well on the way to negotiating a sale within six months. A successful business outcome for this product enables me to develop all the other ideas in my head into real products too.”
Minister Mickel said the successful commercialisation of Mr Connolly’s technology in the global marketplace had the potential to help build business links between Queensland companies and leading global firms in music editing and production.
“The project has the potential to strengthen Queensland’s international positioning in the global music and film industries and create new opportunities for the State’s audio engineers, computer programmers and international exporters,” Mr Mickel said.
Minister Mickel said Sound Evolution Pty Ltd was housed at Toowong-based i.lab - Queensland’s first technology incubator.
He said i.lab had provided the once-fledging companies with access to serviced office space, skills development programs, mentoring and business support during the tenure of their membership.
“Established in 2000, i.lab helps to drive high-technology innovations and jobs in Queensland by nurturing the growth of local start-up companies,” Mr Mickel said.
"This smart facility has helped cut years off the time these infant companies could have expected to grow and attract funding for their ventures outside i.lab.”
Company contact: Sound Evolution Pty Ltd, Matt Connolly (Owner)
0419 743 141.
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784.
April 24, 2007
Minister for State Development John Mickel said the funding was made available under the Innovation Start-Up Scheme (ISUS).
“Turning a bright idea into a marketable product or service costs money that many young companies just don’t have,” Mr Mickel said.
“The Innovation Start-Up Scheme helps companies take their high-tech ideas from the laboratory to the global marketplace, helping to take the early ‘struggle’ out of commercialisation.”
Sound Evolution Pty Ltd founder, and developer of ISD, Matt Connolly said his technology was an improvement on an existing concept because it speeds up the sound editing process.
“ISD is the next evolution in waveform display technology,” Mr Connolly said.
“Existing products display sounds as waveform images on a computer screen with only a limited resolution. This can make it hard for sound editors to ‘see’ where they need to edit the sound.
“With ISD you get much more detailed waveform images, so the user can spend less time zooming in and out to find edit points, and more time being creative and productive.”
Two-and-a-half years since he first came up with the idea, Mr Connolly said the prototype was now in the final stages of testing before being ready for the global marketplace.
“The biggest difficulty in putting together a prototype is capital – it really slows down the process when your resources are limited,” he said.
“Because you still have to deal with daily living expenses, like paying rent, you have to keep your day job as well as working on your idea in your spare time.
“It helps a great deal to receive this kind of assistance. Now I can afford proper legal advice which puts me in a better position to negotiate a better deal and get to market quicker.”
Mr Connolly said the grant would be used for refining the prototype, developing and implementing an intellectual property strategy to protect the technology, legal expenses associated with licensing agreements, both nationally and internationally, and to help with marketing the product.
“I’ve recently presented my product to some key Australian representatives of a leading American company in the professional audio industry, where it was very well received,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to being introduced to others in the company and networking within the industry.
“With any luck I’ll be well on the way to negotiating a sale within six months. A successful business outcome for this product enables me to develop all the other ideas in my head into real products too.”
Minister Mickel said the successful commercialisation of Mr Connolly’s technology in the global marketplace had the potential to help build business links between Queensland companies and leading global firms in music editing and production.
“The project has the potential to strengthen Queensland’s international positioning in the global music and film industries and create new opportunities for the State’s audio engineers, computer programmers and international exporters,” Mr Mickel said.
Minister Mickel said Sound Evolution Pty Ltd was housed at Toowong-based i.lab - Queensland’s first technology incubator.
He said i.lab had provided the once-fledging companies with access to serviced office space, skills development programs, mentoring and business support during the tenure of their membership.
“Established in 2000, i.lab helps to drive high-technology innovations and jobs in Queensland by nurturing the growth of local start-up companies,” Mr Mickel said.
"This smart facility has helped cut years off the time these infant companies could have expected to grow and attract funding for their ventures outside i.lab.”
Company contact: Sound Evolution Pty Ltd, Matt Connolly (Owner)
0419 743 141.
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784.
April 24, 2007