The Rudd Government’s Enterprise Connect program and the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI) have teamed up to place at least 20 interns a year on projects requiring mathematical and statistical skill.

Mr Marles says the agreement will see the interns applying their skills in fields as diverse as manufacturing, computer program design, transport and logistics, medical imaging, optical technology and aircraft component design.

“This agreement is a win-win for businesses and interns alike,” Mr Marles said.

“Businesses will be able to tap into new expertise to help drive their innovation, while the interns will have an invaluable opportunity to apply their skills in practical situations.”

The agreement with AMSI is an extension of Enterprise Connect’s Researchers in Business service which has been successfully connecting postgraduate researchers with business for some time.

NSW South Coast electronics firm, Partech Systems, will use an Enterprise Connect RiB grant to work with a University of Wollongong researcher to develop a new solar-powered level-crossing controller.

Visiting Partech today, Mr Marles – who is a maths graduate himself and has a passion for maths and its applications – said the partnership between AMSI and Enterprise Connect would work in a similar way to Researchers in Business.

“Enterprise Connect will refer projects to AMSI to be matched with an intern who will work with a business for four to five months,” Mr Marles said.

“It is about using the vast scientific knowledge in our tertiary education sector to foster innovation, increase productivity and support jobs in Australian businesses.

“Ultimately, this new focus on linking clever young Australians with clever businesses will significantly improve Australia’s international competitiveness.”

Researchers in Business Program

The Researchers in Business Program support the placement of researchers from universities or public research agencies into businesses, to help develop and implement a new idea with commercial potential.

Enterprise connect will provide you with government grant for up to 50 per cent of salary costs, to a maximum of $50,000, for each placement for between 2 and 12 months.

The aim of the government grants is to:

• help break down the cultural divide between business and the research sector
• speed up the distribution of knowledge and expertise
• accelerate the adoption of new ideas and technologies
• increase competitiveness in business

Eligible Projects
A proposed project must:

• Develop a new idea with commercial potential within the firm;
• Involve activities that are not currently being carried out in the firm; and
• Involve activities which will create new competencies and capabilities within the firm that are aligned with the firm’s business strategy.

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/ process issues (e.g. improve manufacturing efficiencies and/or quality through new or improved technologies)
• Marketing innovation – analysing brand, product or service consumer perceptions and impact in the market
• Environmental sustainability – identifying, measuring pollution/waste reduction opportunities (water, energy, recycling etc).

The following documents will assist you in completing your Researchers in Business government grant application:

Client Guidelines

• One or two day seminars
• Workshops
• Demonstration projects aimed at accelerating technology/knowledge diffusion
• Case studies
• Best practice factory or industry visits
• Networking events
• Bringing overseas industry experts to Australia for any or all of the above.

Many of these types of activities are already offered by a range of public, private and not-for-profit organisations. The WIIN Program intends to build on the good work that already exists, but also identify and address gaps in the needs of firms.

The Enterprise Connect target market consists of small and medium-sized enterprises across a range of industries. Broadly speaking, WIIN activities should target firms with a turnover of between $1 million and $100 million who are operating in any of the following industries: manufacturing; defence; mining technology; clean energy; and / or creative industries (or operating in remote areas).

Project Type

The WIIN proposal must demonstrate how the proposed activity will:

• increase the quality of awareness and education activities available to firms in the Enterprise Connect target market;
• stimulate genuine business interest amongst the target market;
• transfer relevant knowledge to that target market to help firms improve their business and / or educate firms on a topic of relevance to them;
• motivate firms to innovate through improvements in their productivity, competitiveness and / or efficiency;
• provide value-adding networking and high levels of satisfaction for participant firms;
• enable the effective application of new knowledge by a participating firm;
• promote the Enterprise Connect initiative to a wide range of firms that are potentially eligible for Enterprise Connect services; and
• achieve a result which furthers the aims of Enterprise Connect.

Eligibility

WIIN Applications will only be accepted if they include:

• a budget for the proposed activity which outlines the extent, if any, to which the applicant (or its partners) will contribute financial support1;
• an estimate of the labour hours required to organise and conduct the activity;
• an anticipated timeframe in which the activity will take place;
• an explanation of how this activity differs from existing / similar activities (if any); and
• a description of the role (if any) that Enterprise Connect will be expected to play in promoting and / or conducting the activity.

Workshops, Industry Intelligence & Networking (WIIN) Program applications must be received by 12 March 2010.

To discuss eligibility for  Government grants or assistance with applications  please contact us via the webform of call us at 03 9606 3324.

Small and medium sized businesses in more regional areas will have greater access to Australian Government business assistance with the extension of Enterprise Connect’s Innovative Regions Centre operations into eight more regions.

The national centre, based in Geelong, develops region-specific strategies to encourage business growth. It is part of the Rudd Government’s $50 million a year Enterprise Connect Network to boost small business productivity, innovation and competitiveness.

Innovation Minister, Senator Kim Carr said the placement of facilitators attached to the Innovative Regions Centre was already operating well in Geelong and North Adelaide and would now help boost the productivity of eight more key regions.

Eight new Enterprise Connect placements will be made in:

• NSW: three placements, in the Wollongong, Central Coast and Lithgow regions;
• QLD: two placements, in North Brisbane and Central Queensland;
• WA: one placement covering the Kwinana, Mandurah and Fremantle areas;
• VIC: one placement covering the Victorian Central Goldfields; and
• TAS: one placement covering Northern Tasmania.

“The Enterprise Connect facilitators will collaborate with State and local governments, business organisations and individual businesses on regional innovation strategies to help business grow. Specific focus will be given to projects that develop partnerships, networks and alliances,” Senator Carr said.

“In northern Adelaide, Enterprise Connect networks between the defence, electronic and ICT manufacturers and providers have been mapped to help strategically connect companies with one another and improve regional supply-chain opportunities.”

The strategic work being done by the Innovative Regions Centre complements other services offered by Enterprise Connect. These include free, onsite business reviews to eligible businesses plus access to a range of business improvement grants.

“Enterprise Connect is a multi-levelled effort to assist Australian businesses to re-shape their thinking, become more collaborative and make enduring improvements to enable Australia to compete effectively in a competitive global environment,” Senator Carr said.

What Services Are Available?

Eligible SMEs are matched with an experienced Creative Industries Innovation Centre Business Adviser who works with them to:

• Understand the firm’s strategy and business operations
• Identify strengths and opportunities, including benchmarking against best practice
• Assess potential areas for growth and improvement
• Help firms access world-class business tools, processes and technology Business Reviews are provided at no financial cost to the firm.

The Business Review is undertaken collaboratively with the business’s management and, where appropriate, other staff. Importantly, the Business Advisers visit the organisation as often as required to get a thorough and close-up and personal view of the operations.  The Creative Industries Innovation Centre Review itself provides an independent point of view about your business through discussions on customers, innovation, markets, personnel issues, marketing and promotion, internal systems & processes, and business planning issues.

Tailored Advisory Service

It’s one thing to know what you need to do; it’s another to make it happen.

Enterprise Connect encourages SMEs to implement the findings of the Business Review by providing financial  support to deliver on the recommended change projects.  Typical projects may involve business strategy planning, human resource issues, process management, export strategy or business and quality management systems.  Enterprise Connect contributes half the cost of approved projects, up to a maximum of $20,000.

Who Is Eligible for a Business Review?

The Creative Industries Innovation Centre aims to help established SMEs working in the following, or similar, sectors:

• Architecture
• Advertising
• Design
• Games
• Film
• Music
• Performing Arts
• Publishing
• Television
• Radio
• Visual Arts
• Interactive Content Writing

The SMEs also need to:

• have filed Business Activity Statements for at least three consecutive years
• have turned over from $1 million to $100 million in the previous financial year
• be solvent
• have not received similar Business Review assistance from other Government (Australian, State or Territory) programs within the past three years To be eligible for the Tailored Advisory Service, SMEs must have completed a Business Review with a Business Adviser.

Who Are the Business Advisers?

Creative Industries Innovation Centre Business Advisers have varied backgrounds, including significant private-sector management experience at a senior level. As professionals working within a government program, the Business Advisers are able to provide an independent service from which they do not gain personally. This is a unique and highly-valued feature of the Enterprise Connect program.  The Business Advisers have access to a vast array of industry contacts, tools and resources, which they draw upon to deliver high-quality advice to the SMEs with which they work.

If you would like assistance with this grant then please feel free to contact us.