1. Partnerships and collaboration Working together: good for business, good for research
I work for business.gov.au but also thought it would be a good opportunity to talk about some of the other programs within dept of innovation that encourage partnerships and collaboration between government, industry, businesses and researchers.
I went and interviewed my department collegues from two of the Department’s more well-known programs that involve partnerships and collaboration to gain insights on their engagement and comms approaches.
I hope you will walk away from today with:
An understanding of the Australian Government programs in this sector
Some insights into how you might approach communications and engagement in educating your audiences about protecting and commercialising IP.
Jane Dorrian
Marketing and Communications Manager
business.gov.au Branch, Small Business Division
Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (Department of Innovation)

2. Presentation overview
Provide an overview of why the Australian Government invests in industry-research partnerships
Benefits of industry-research partnerships
Provide insights on the engagement and communications approach of two established programs Commercialisation Australia and Enterprise Connect.
Inform you about a recently announced initiative from the Australian Government – Industry Innovation Precincts.

4. 1. Why does the Australian Government invest in building industry-research partnerships?
Innovation and collaboration are high priorities for the Australian Government and are key factors in its vision to build more profitable, sustainable and export-focused industries.
The Australian Government provides a wide range of support and financial assistance for businesses and researchers that want to collaborate.
Innovation and collaboration are high priorities for the Australian Government, and are key factors in its vision to build more profitable, sustainable and export-focused industries.
The Australian Government recognises that fostering networks and linkages between, and building the collaborative capability of businesses, researchers and all other elements of the innovation system, will boost productivity, drive innovation, and increase growth in Australia.
Support and financial assistance is available for businesses and researchers that want to collaborate – including programs for small businesses, emerging technologies and regional needs.

5. 2. What are the benefits from industry-research partnerships?
Working with researchers can help businesses to:
Develop new ideas, products and services.
Reduce research costs through access to state and federal government funding schemes and modern research infrastructure.
Get expert advice and access to the latest knowledge, technology and equipment.
Gain access to skilled and work-ready researchers.
Gain access to national and international networks.

6. 2. What are the benefits from industry-research partnerships?
Collaborating with businesses and industry can help researchers to:
Produce high quality and relevant research that translates directly into commercial outcomes.
Produce research that leads to greater social, economic and environmental impacts.
Build valuable networks and contacts.
Build a reputation as a high-class research institution.
These benefits are part of the key messages that are communicated to the research sector.
Win/win -

7. The Department of Innovation has a wide range of assistance and support programs to enable industry-research partnerships:
Researchers in Business grant (Enterprise Connect)
Commercialisation Australia
Industry Innovation Precincts
Small and Medium Enterprise Engagement Centre (CSIRO)
R&D Tax Incentive (AusIndustry)
Flagship Collaboration Fund
Cooperative Research Centres
Linkage Projects
Industrial Transformation Research Program
National Measurement Institute
Visit for more information on each of these programs.
Enterprise Connect and Commercialisation Australia provide services that support innovation, skills development and capacity building in SMEs through business adviser and case manager networks.
Enterprise Connect business advisors work with firms to identify growth opportunities, address organisational and business weaknesses and help them reach their full potential.
Enterprise Connect has a national network of dedicated Innovative Regions and specialised Innovation Centres that facilitate inter-firm collaboration; cluster development and supply chain relationships; and link businesses to researchers, universities, and other businesses.
Commercialisation Australia currently has a network of over 20 case managers across the country. Each case manager has a large network of business and industry contacts which are used to help participants as they commercialise their IP and grow their business in to new markets domestically and internationally.
To build the capacity of, and opportunities for, Australia’s researchers, entrepreneurs and innovative firms to convert new IP into commercial ventures.
CA’s solution is a program which aims to provide a whole structure around the participant to help them have the best chance at commercialising their intellectual property.
They provide the funding necessary to take them through the valley of death, and progress along the commercialisation pathway
When you don’t have experience in commercialisation, it doesn’t matter how much money you have if you can’t identify the strategic direction you need to take. Therefore Commercialisation Australia provides dedicated Case Managers, who have extensive experience in commercialisation who understand the commercialisation challenge.
The Expert Network further add to the structure of support for participants.
From all of these aspects the participant then has access to range of networks to help take them through the process.

8. What is Commercialisation Australia (CA)?
A competitive, merit-based assistance program offering funding and resources to accelerate the business building process for Australian companies, entrepreneurs, researchers and inventors looking to commercialise innovative intellectual property.
Offers a range of funding options as well as multi-layered networking opportunities. Participants in the program work with dedicated Case Managers and benefit from CA’s Expert Network.
CA has funding of $278 million over the five years to 2014, with ongoing funding of $82 million a year thereafter.
Video overview of CA -
Early stage entrepreneurs often find it difficult to raise capital.
Commercialisation Australia addresses this by providing a range of
grants to best meet their stage of business development:
• Skills and Knowledge grants of up to $50,000 to help people
new to business access specialist advice and services
• Experienced Executives grants of up to $350,000 to enable
businesses to engage their first CEO or other senior executive
• Proof of Concept grants of up to $250,000 to prove the
commercial viability of a product
• Early Stage Commercialisation grants of up to $2 million to
bring a new product or service to market.

9. To view the Commercialisation Australia video, visit: http://youtu

10. Commercialisation Australia’s Case managers
Expert third-parties
26 experienced Case Managers around Australia
Expertise in key industries, technologies and markets
Case Managers
Case Managers are successful business builders in their own right, with direct experience in commercialising IP and the ability to provide substantial assistance to Participants in developing their entrepreneurial capabilities and business networks. While Participants work closely with an assigned Case Manager, they also have access to the collective skills, experience and domain expertise of the entire network of 26 Case Managers around the country.

11. As at A
As at April 2013

12. Enterprise Connect - Connects business to specialist expertise, knowledge and tools to increase your competitiveness
Expert third-party advisors
Researchers in Business program

13. Researchers in Business program (Enterprise Connect)

14. Researchers in Business Grant
Supports the implement a new idea with commercial potential. placement of researchers from universities or public research agencies into businesses, to help develop and
Enterprise Connect will provide businesses with funding for up to 50 per cent of salary costs to employ researcher, to a maximum of $50,000.
Aim is to help break down the cultural divide between business and the research sector by speeding up the distribution of knowledge and expertise and accelerating the adoption of new ideas and technologies.

15. Enterprise Connect’s facilitators guide businesses through the Researchers in Business Grant process including identifying suitable projects and sourcing an eligible researcher from a Public Sector research organisation.
Examples of eligible research projects include:
product innovation – developing and testing new, or improved products or services targeted to new or existing markets
process innovation – addressing production or process issues (e.g. improve manufacturing efficiencies or quality through new or improved technologies)
marketing innovation – analysing brand, product or service consumer perceptions and impact in the market
environmental sustainability – identifying and measuring of pollution, and reducing waste (water, energy, recycling etc).

16. To view the Researchers in Business video, visit:

17. As at December 2012

18. Insights on engagement and communications approaches of Commercialisation Australia and Enterprise Connect:
They leverage the credibility, trust, networks and contacts of independent experts they partner with:
business advisors
research institutions
case managers
expert networks
engage industry groups early.
- Cross promote SM

19. Insights on engagement and communications approaches of Commercialisation Australia and Enterprise Connect:
2. They develop tools and systems that facilitate and enable quality networks:
- online restricted databases to find most relevant experts
- facilitating introductions
- online networking tools eg. LinkedIn groups
- cross-government events and expos
- promote the success stories of participants and expert t hird-parties and case managers widely

20. Insights on engagement and communications approaches of Commercialisation Australia and Enterprise Connect:
They deliver key messages and formats that are easily digestible, attractive.
Simple “business speak”, not technical or bureaucratic.
Expert stories and success stories promote the program to attract new participants, stories profiling partners (editorial, website, videos, fact sheets, brochures at face to face advisory services.
Talk to businesses in a language that they understand, use engaging formats. Not public servant speak. Former journalist writes their comms, works with business case managers to ensure the language and tone is in “business-speak”.
Not a public servant or government agency pushing the benefits onto them but rather a business owner that can easily identify with, credibility and trust.

21. Industry Innovation Precincts
Funding of $238.4 million over the period to
Industry Innovation Precincts will be led by industry and will help businesses and researchers collaborate, share knowledge, deploy technology, create products and services and take advantage of business opportunities.
Program guidelines, application information, partner declaration forms, overview of the application process, available on the website.
Industry Innovation Precincts will create business-led national networks focussed on areas of competitive advantage or emerging opportunities and will involve all elements of the innovation system, such as small and large firms, research organisations, vocational education providers and government. Industry Innovation Precincts will enhance the competitiveness of Australian business by better linking existing services, leverage Australian research capacity, as well as providing new tools and services to firms.
By fostering networks and linkages between, and building the collaborative capability of businesses, researchers and all other elements of the innovation system, Precincts will boost productivity, drive innovation, and increase growth in Australia.
Up to eight Precincts will be determined through a facilitated two stage competitive selection process.
Industry Innovation Precincts will be led by industry and will help businesses and researchers collaborate, share knowledge, deploy technology, create products and services and take advantage of business opportunities.
Each Precinct will be headquartered in a specific location, but they will focus nationally to better coordinate existing services and research capacity. They will provide new tools and services to enable Australian businesses to invest, innovate and grow.

22. More information and case studies
Full list of Department of Innovation’s programs that support industry-research collaboration:
Commercialisation Australia
Enterprise Connect
Industry Innovation Precincts: