New Defence Technologies Academy for Lot Fourteen

The federal and South Australian governments are to invest $60 million towards building an Australian Defence Technologies Academy to be developed at Lot Fourteen innovation precinct in Adelaide. To open in 2026, the academy will drive sovereign research and development of defence capabilities, according to a statement. The state-of-the-art facility will provide digital training, education…

Latrobe Magnesium produces first oxides from fly ash

Latrobe Magnesium has commissioned the first phase of its 1,000 tonnes per annum, Stage 1 Demonstration Plant, successfully producing the world’s first environmentally sustainable magnesium oxide (MgO) from fly ash waste from brown coal power generation. This marks a significant milestone in pioneering a sustainable magnesium extraction method at an industrial scale, using the company’s…

Towards 3% R&D – Innovation bolsters defence industry by Minister Pat Conroy

Today in our editorial series – Towards 3% R&D – Turbocharging Australia’s Innovation Effort – Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy explains how the government has built new structures to link defence innovation with commercial outcomes, building the defence industrial base in the process. A strong and sovereign innovation, science and technology sector is critical to…

Optiscan and Mayo Clinic to develop breast cancer imaging

Optiscan Imaging has entered into a collaboration through a know-how agreement with Mayo Clinic in the US to develop a digital confocal laser endomicroscopic imaging system for use in robotic surgery. The collaboration combines Optiscan’s engineering expertise in digital endomicroscopic hardware and software development with Mayo Clinic’s know-how in robotic surgery and quality patient care,…

Countrywide Hydrogen to be Tasmania’s first major hydrogen producer

ReNu Energy subsidiary Countrywide Hydrogen will become “Tasmania’s first major green hydrogen producer”, the state government announced on Monday, after an $8 million funding agreement. In a joint statement with energy minister Nick Duigan, Premier Jeremy Rockliff said that Countrywide “will produce hydrogen at multiple locations around the state,” and supply it to various users. …

Alkath Group to launch new Product Showcase Centre

Defence and emergency services contractor Alkath Group will launch a new Product Showcase Centre at its headquarters in Nowra on Wednesday this week. The launch is in collaboration with defence SME industry body the Australian Industry and Defence Network (AIDN), the veteran-owned company said in a statement. Alkath added that the centre is “designed to…

Towards 3% R&D – Commercial outcomes from public sector research by Professor Cori Stewart

As we come towards the end of our editorial series – Towards 3% R&D – Turbocharging Australia’s Innovation Effort – Professor Cori Stewart Founder and CEO ARM Hub explains the importance of commercialising hubs in turning research into economic outcomes. For the past two decades the capability generated by Australian R&D funding and the capability…

Towards 3% R&D – Innovation for process heat by Dr Mahesh Venkataraman

As we come towards the conclusion of our editorial series – Towards 3% R&D – Turbocharging Australia’s Innovation Effort – we turn to the critical issue of innovation in the use of renewables for industrial process heat. Dr Mahesh Venkataraman of thermal energy storage company 1414 Degrees outlines the way forward. The decarbonisation of process…