KCA Australasian Research Commercialisation Awards

KCA Australasian Research Commercialisation Awards

2022 KCA Australasian Research Commercialisation Awards

Aussie innovators making global impact

What do bananas, an iron-fortified dairy drink and mass production in metal 3D printing have in common?

Each has been honoured among winners of this year’s KCA Australasian Research Commercialisation Awards for their ground-breaking technology which will help many millions of people globally.

“These awards celebrate the professional activities undertaken to commercialise research that turns brilliant ideas into products and services to help humanity,” Dr Tim Boyle, KCA Director said.

“Australian and New Zealand research ranks among the best in the world, and each award showcases the absolute finest work performed by research commercialisation professionals to get this research into the hands of businesses and entrepreneurs and so they can build meaningful products that create impact for the benefit society and the economy.”

The winners (shown below) were announced at the KCA annual conference in Melbourne on 1 September 2022.

Best Industry Collaboration (sponsored by AbbVie)

Banana Biotechnology Program – QUT

QUT’s Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy’s Banana Biotechnology Program has been transforming bananas for over 25 years, delivering significant economic, social and community benefits in Australia and globally. Its multi-million-dollar Golden Banana project, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is close to farmer release a pro-vitamin A fortified banana that will deliver life-saving health benefits to millions of people in Africa. Its TR4 Program has developed a genetically modified Cavendish banana resistant to the devastating TR4 disease. Likely to be available for commercial production in 2024, this promises to protect the global Cavendish industry, worth up to US$25 billion annually.

Best Licensing Deal (sponsored by AbbVie)

FERRI-PRO Sale to Nestlé Targeting Iron Deficiency – Massey Ventures

In Pakistan, where one in two children are iron deficient, global food giant Nestlé announced the launch of BUNYAD IRON+, an affordable dairy-based drink fortified with a new source of iron in 2022. The unique iron source has three times greater absorption than alternative sources. The FERRI-PRO technology, originally developed by the Riddet Institute at Massey University, was acquired by Nestlé in December 2018. The deal represents the single biggest commercial deal to emerge from the University, both in terms of commercial impact and societal benefits.

Best Spin-out (sponsored by Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick)

Additive Assurance – The quality solution bringing 3D printing to the factory floor – Monash University

Consistency and repeatability are words not often associated with 3D printing. They are, however, massive concerns for advanced manufacturers. Additive Assurance, a 2019 spin out from Monash University, enables the metal 3D printing industry to undertake mass production with the stringent consistently and reliability tolerances modern manufacturers require. The company does this without the significant downtime or low material yields synonymous with 3D printing. By enabling mass 3D printing, Additive Assurance promises to transform industries from automotive, to aerospace, and even medical devices with specialised, localised, precision production on demand.

Best Knowledge Exchange Initiative (sponsored by ACASE)

Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub – QUT

Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) hub was established in 2020 as a world-leading knowledge exchange centre. It leverages Queensland’s global strengths in advanced robotics and design-led manufacturing, bringing together leading research institutions, industry partners and technology companies in a joint mission to drive Australia’s industrial transformation. In two years, ARM Hub has: supported over 700 businesses to develop commercial solutions; reached industry across Australia and the world; and raised $40 million in additional project funds for industry. ARM Hub sits at the forefront of industrial transformation, providing industry with access to a world-leading network of R&D expertise.

Research Commercialisation Professional of the Year

Dr Erin Rayment, Executive Director, Industry Engagement, QUT

Dr Erin Rayment is an interdisciplinary biologist leading commercialisation and industry engagement at QUT. In more than a decade as a commercialisation professional, she has executed significant deals that have enabled research to create real-world impact. Two examples of these outcomes including leading a 10-year R&D partnership between USQ and John Deere that resulted in the licencing of an industry-first technology and managing a multi-million-dollar collaboration between QUT and Fresh Del Monte. This partnership promises to deliver the release of a gene edited Cavendish banana, expected to save the US$25 billion a year global export industry from the devastating TR4 disease.

Best invention (sponsored by IP Australia)

Analyte quantitation, UTS

UTS iStrip technology is an ultrasensitive quantitative lateral flow strip (LFS) sensor that uses new generation fluorescence probes to detect the presence of single molecules. The platform technology can significantly increase the sensitivity for point-of-care testing of a wide range of disease states. The unique design optically amplifies the low signal intensity, whilst maintaining low background noise. The invention opens new markets for strip sensors in the diagnosis of cancers, infections, and cardiovascular diseases, and has been licensed to a number of commercial partners for product development in specific disease categories.

Knowledge Commercialisation Australia is the peak body celebrating leading technology transfer professionals across the country.

These prestigious awards recognise individuals who are changing lives through commercialisation successes in global innovations with the potential to help millions of people and create thousands of jobs in our knowledge industries. 

Thank you to the judging panel chaired by KCA Director Tim Boyle and our sponsors and partners.
 
Judges:

2021 KCA Awards

The KCA Awards celebrate the achievements of members, and highlight “top tier work” in Australasian tech transfer.

This year the KCA Awards have expanded to 4 categories as a response to change and growth in the profession and to be inclusive of the activities of KCA members.

We are delighted to announce the winners for the 2021 KCA Awards:

KCA Award for Best Industry Collaboration
RMIT for REMi non-invasive aged-care resident monitoring and alert system (RMIT, Sleeptite Pty Ltd, Sleepeezee Bedding Australia)

KCA Award for Best Licensing Deal
CSIRO for NextOre licencing deal (CSIRO, RFC Ambrian,  NextOre, Advisian Digital)

KCA Award for Best Spin-out
UniQuest for Inflazome Ltd – A landmark deal and a new pathway to chronic inflammation relief (UniQuest)

KCA Award for Best Knowledge Exchange Initiative
La Trobe University for COVID-19 Recovery Programs for impacted small to medium enterprise (La Trobe University, Agriculture Victoria, Investible, Business Victoria, La Trobe Business  School, Outcome.Life)

People’s Choice Award
RMIT for REMi non-invasive aged-care resident monitoring and alert system (RMIT, Sleeptite Pty Ltd, Sleepeezee Bedding Australia)

KCA Awards Judges
Dr Mark Wickham (Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick)
Dr Tim Boyle (ANSTO)
Natalie Chapman (gemaker)
Dr Laura Issa (Abbvie Inc.)

For more details

2020 KCA Awards

Proudly sponsored by Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick

KCA Research Commercialisation Award
CSIRO-RFC Ambrian-Chrysos Corporation Spinout Partnership (presentation by Rob Adamson)

People’s Choice Award
Curtin University (presentation by Sam Dymond)

Award for Best Research Contract/Collaboration
CSIRO (presentation by Deborah Lau)

KCA Awards Judges
Dr Timothy Boyle – Director, ANSTO
Natalie Chapman – CEO, Gemaker
Dr Peter Devine – CEO, Uniseed
Ross McFarlane – Managing Principal, Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick
Sally-Anne Williams – CEO, Cicada Innovations

More Details

2019 KCA Awards

Proudly sponsored by Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick

KCA Research Commercialisation Award
Curtin University (presentation by Rohan McDougall)

People’s Choice Award
ANSTO (presentation by Timothy Boyle)

Awards Judges
Natalie Chapman, gemaker
James Hutchinson, KiwiNet
Mark Wickham, Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick

2018 KCA Awards

Proudly Sponsored by Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick

KCA Research Commercialisation Award
University of Tasmania (presentation by Darren Cundy)

People’s Choice Award
University of Tasmania (presentation by Darren Cundy)

Awards Judges
Natalie Chapman, gemaker
Charlie Day, OISA
Ross McFarlane, Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick
Deb Verhoeven, University of Alberta

2017 KCA Awards

KCA Research Commercialisation Award
UNSW Innovation (presentation by Benjamin Matthewson)

People’s Choice Award
UNSW Innovation (presentation by Benjamin Matthewson)

Awards Judges
Duncan Mackintosh, Brandon Capital
Melissa Yiannoutsos, Powerhouse Ventures
Maxine Simmons, Cure Kids Ventures

2016 KCA Awards

Proudly sponsored by AUTM, PraxisUnico, ASTP-Proton and gemaker

Best Commercial Deal Award
UNSW Innovation (presentation by Hua Fan)

Best Industry Engagement Strategy
Curtin University (presentation by Rohan McDougall)

Best Entrepreneurial Support Initiative
UniSA Ventures (presentation by Jasmine Vreugdenburg)

Awards Judges
Erol Harvey, MiniFab
Dan Grant, La Trobe University
Anna Rooke, QUT Creative Enterprise Australia

2015 KCA Awards

Proudly sponsored by Wrays IP and gemaker

Best Creative Engagement Strategy
The University of Melbourne

Best Commercial Deal
Defence Sciences and Technology Group

People’s Choice Award
Swinburne University of Technology

Awards Judges
Topaz Conway, Accelerating Commercialisation
Chris Farquhar, Aureae Portae
Rhona Knox, Proctor & Gamble
Erol Harvey, MiniFab
Susan Oliver, Scale Investors

2014 KCA Awards

Proudly sponsored by Wrays IP and gemaker

Best Creative Engagement Strategy
UniQuest

Best Commercial Deal
Griffith Enterprise

People’s Choice Award
Swinburne University of Technology

Awards Judges
Erol Harvey, MiniFab
Debbie Bullock, Boeing Defence Australia