Blog icon

Important statistics

2/3 businesses

created intellectual property

2/3 of businesses

introduced new or improved products or processes

87% of businesses

developed ongoing relationships with the research organisation

3/4 businesses

noted an improvement (or expected improvement) in the skills of their workforce

Helping SMEs become more competitive and productive

Since 2014, Innovation Connections has supported over 1,500 SMEs businesses grow and gain competitive advantage.

We support small and medium sized businesses across many sectors to pursue their research and development projects in collaboration with Australia's world-class research sector.

Learn more about some of the SMEs we have worked with below.


Advanced Manufacturing

Amaero Engineering

With the support of a Federal Government Innovation Connections grant, facilitated by CSIRO SME Connect, Amaero Engineering and CSIRO developed an innovative solution for improved cooling of die casting tools.

Airconstruct

With assistance from CSIRO SME Connect, and funding support from the Australian Government's Entrepreneurs' Programme, we helped Airconstruct identify substantial cost-savings in maintenance of Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems.

CBG Systems

Innovation Connections and CSIRO researchers helped Hobart based CBG Systems develop and manufacture a new marine fire protection product, RAC Plus. It’s now being exported for use in military, merchant marine and passenger vessels.

Comtech Industries

Comtech Industries employed a recent graduate to undertake a research project to improve their factory floor manufacturing efficiency and performance through data capture systems.

Envirostream

With the support of a Federal Government Innovation Connections grant, facilitated by CSIRO SME Connect, Envirostream was able to work with researchers from Swinburne University to develop a process for extracting valuable materials from recovered batteries.

Gilmour Space Technologies:

CSIRO SME Connect assisted Gilmour Space Technologies to secure funding support, through the Australian Government's Entrepreneurs' Programme, to research, develop and test their new hybrid propulsion system for orbital launch vehicles.

InQuik

InQuik collaborated with The University of Sydney to undertake independent, professional engineering modelling of their patented InQuik prefabricated bridge to validate the expected long-term behaviour and longevity.

Norris Dishwasher

To evaluate the energy efficiency of the Norris AP500 cold wash-cycle design, a collaboration with the University of Newcastle was facilitated by CSIRO's Innovation Connections program.

Omni Tanker

Omni Tanker's innovative collaboration projects have reduced business costs and progressed Omni Tanker to enter new international markets.

Richstone Group

We helped Richstone Group find the right research partners for its prefabricated plumbing systems, creating intellectual property and potential new markets.

Steber International

Taree based Steber International accessed Innovation Connections grants to successfully evaluate and test its hybrid diesel/electric boat.

Trantek MST

Trantek worked with UNSW Sydney to improve fire detection and safety with their new Wi-Fi system.

Food and Agribusiness

Coffee Roasters Australia

Coffee Roasters Australia wanted validate their postbiotic coffee blend by undertaking independent research with Griffith University.

HE Silos

CSIRO’s SME Connect team worked alongside HE Silos to validate the efficiency of their insect fumigation system and enhance the longevity of grain storage by facilitating a research project with Charles Sturt University.

Hunter Heritage Gourmet Foods

With the support of a Federal Government Innovation Connections grant, facilitated by CSIRO SME Connect, Heritage Hunter Gourmet Foods developed Christmas puddings that caters for consumers expanding dietary requirements.

KAGOME Australia

Echuca based KAGOME accessed an Innovation Connections grant to support a collaborative research project with CSIRO into the use of carrot pulp by-product, NinjinFibre®, in meat patties.

Kenon Corp

Sweet opportunity for Australian exotic mushroom growers.

Lallemand Australia

We assisted Lallemand Australia to secure funding support and research expertise to help define and Australian Sauvignon Blanc wine style exhibiting similar characteristics of the popular New Zealand version.

Lowes TC

We linked Australian company Lowes TC with researchers from the University of Technology Sydney to design a ground-breaking new tissue culture (TC) system prototype to bring stronger, disease-resistant plant varieties to growers sooner.

Murrumbidgee Irrigation

Murrumbidgee Irrigation wanted to find a better way to manage their complex data points of their irrigation network through the development of a digital twin.

NineSquared

CSIRO's SME Connect team worked with NineSquared to develop an economic feasibility model to support the use of seaweed and shellfish production for environmental offsets by facilitating a research project with the University of the Sunshine Coast.

SCAE: Improving sustainability

With assistance from CSIRO SME Connect, and funding support from the Australian Government's Entrepreneurs' Programme, we helped SCAE collaborate with the University of Queensland to create a 'Carbon Footprint Model' to calculate greenhouse gas emissions of wheat crops.

Skybury

We facilitated the connection between Australia's largest papaya grower, Skybury, with research expertise at RMIT and Queensland's Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to better understand the risk of disease and opportunities for improved biosecurity, while also investigating potential 'value-add' to waste by-products.

TasFoods

To better understand the nutritional benefits of wasabi, Shima Wasabi engaged a CSIRO Senior Research Scientist following a referral through CSIRO's SME Connect team.

Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals

Ecas4

We helped Ecas4 find the right research expertise at the University of South Australia to test their Ecas4-Anolyte solution against COVID-19. The solution has been turned into a Covid-killing “fog” that will be deployed at Singapore Airport.

Ecofibre

Ecofibre's informal collection of cannabis seeds flourished into a valuable collection and with support of two Innovation Connections grants, Ecofibre can now demonstrate the traits of each seed and store them in a way that optimises their germination rates and lifespan.

Ezymed

Ezymed simplifies patient care for aged care facilities by automating the administration and packing of dose administration aids to make it easier for residents to adhere to their daily medication doses. Their solution is the only one on the market specifically tailored to the aged care sector.

GreyScan

GreyScan, an Australian explosive trace business for inorganic material, saw an immediate need to ‘re-imagine’ their bomb-detecting technology into virus-detecting technology. With assistance from CSIRO SME Connect, GreyScan accessed an Innovation Connections grant to support the research.

MAXONIQ

We helped MAXONIQ to develop their software to enable the design of customised 3D titanium printed surgical implants for major oral-maxillofacial reconstructive surgery.

Provectus Algae

Provectus Algae sought to validate and develop a system to reliably and efficiently engineer algae as a host to produce a range of specialty molecules that could be used for commercial applications.

Scale Facilitation

Scale Facilitation saw the opportunity to supply Australian made products to countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the support of a Federal Government Innovation Connections grant, they set about placing their innovation into action.

Smartstream

To train and educate consumers on Smartstream’s medical safety products, a recent graduate was engaged to develop a simulation app with the support of CSIRO’s SME Connect Team and the Innovation Connections Facilitation and Graduate Placement Grant.

Smileyscope

Digital therapeutics company Smileyscope is helping young patients understand the expectations of an MRI scan using virtual reality.

ToukanLabs

With assistance from CSIRO SME Connect, ToukanLabs accessed three Innovation Connections grants to support their funding and research into enhancing functionality and practices through their OpenEyes software platform.

Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS)

Australian Bauxite

To progress their Alcore project to convert bauxite into aluminium fluoride, Australian Bauxite collaborated with CSIRO in a project supported by an Entrepreneurs' Programme Innovation Connections grant.

entX

With the support of an Innovation Connections grant, entX collaborated with the University of South Australia to develop a new type of power generator using radioactive waste material that could be used for remote space and defence settings.

Kalamazoo Resources

We assisted Kalamazoo Resources to seek alternative exploration methods to drilling at the Wattle Gully site, Castlemaine, Victoria.

Oil, Gas, and Energy Resources

Prochem Agencies

Prochem Agencies engaged in a collaborative research project with James Cook University to repurpose heavy-duty mining truck waste coolant delivering on improved environmental outcomes.

Enabling technologies and services

HowToo

HowToo collaborated with The University of Technology Sydney School of Computer Science to use artificial intelligence to enhance its eLearning content creation platform, making it simple for users to create online training using the best instructional design, cognitive science and eLearning best practice.

Inkerz (JIBB)

CSIRO SME Connect facilitated Inkerz's research via the Entrepreneurs' Programme, Innovation Connections service to to collaborate with the University of New South Wales to improve their product offering.

Keogh Consulting

Developing an evidence-based toolbox to help leaders measure organisational culture and grow business performance

Ripper Corporation

With support of an Entrepreneurs' Programme Innovation Connections grant, facilitated by CSIRO SME Connect, Ripper Corporation continued their research partnership with UTS to develop their Little Ripper technology for other applications.

Collaborating with universities

University of Newcastle

Over the last eight years, the University of Newcastle has partnered with 117 small and medium businesses (SMEs) to deliver 167 projects through the Innovation Connections program, making them the number one university in Australia for industry collaboration through this scheme.

University of Technology Sydney

Through the Innovations Connections program, the University of Technology Sydney has partnered with 84 different small or medium businesses on 126 projects, delivering outcomes from faster crop cloning to a more sustainable pint.

The University of Queensland

Innovation Connections has enjoyed a long history of working with The University of Queensland to support Australian SMEs, delivering 121 research projects together over the past nine years.

Deakin University

Deakin University has undertaken 82 Innovations Connections projects with small and medium businesses, helping develop and commercialise a diverse range of new products and services.

#innovation

Read more about our work in #innovation

Contact us

Find out how we can help you and your business. Get in touch using the form below and our experts will get in contact soon!

CSIRO will handle your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and our Privacy Policy.


First name must be filled in

Surname must be filled in

I am representing *

Please choose an option

Please provide a subject for the enquriy

0 / 100

We'll need to know what you want to contact us about so we can give you an answer

0 / 1900

You shouldn't be able to see this field. Please try again and leave the field blank.