Minister appoints Commercialisation Australia board members
Australia’s innovative firms, scientists and researchers are set to benefit from a panel of experts appointed to serve as the inaugural Commercialisation Australia Board.
Commercialisation Australia is a radical new $196 million initiative which takes a hands-on approach to help bring ideas to market by offering a range of tailored assistance measures.
Announcing the board members, Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr said that the calibre of the appointees shows just how serious the Rudd Government is about providing a useful tool to help business succeed and generate high-wage, high-skill jobs.
“The board members have a thorough understanding of the commercialisation process,” Senator Carr said.
“Their collective experience extends right across the research, industry and investment communities.
“They have the practical know-how that is needed to assess the diverse range of applications that we are expecting.
“Board members will support our case managers and business mentors to deliver meaningful advice, derived from their own extensive experience that our up and coming innovators can relate to.
“The response to Commercialisation Australia to date has been overwhelmingly positive, the Commercialisation Australia website has received more than 15,000 visits, calls to the Hotline have exceeded 650, and more than 260 pre-application forms have been submitted.”
The first board meeting will be held early next month (March).
Commercialistion Australia Board Members
Chair
• Dr Laurie Hammond, co-founder and director, iQ Capital Management Pty Ltd.
Members
• Dr Katherine Woodthorpe, Chief Executive, Australian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCAL)
• Dr Susan Pond AM, former Chairman and Managing Director, Johnson & Johnson Research Pty Ltd
• Dr Bruce Whan, Director of Swinburne Knowledge and CEO of Swinburne Ventures Limited (Swinburne University)
• Mr Nixon Apple, Industry and Economic Adviser, Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union
• Ms Jan Bingley, General Manager, IP, Licensing and Technology Transfer, CSIRO