Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Australia’s innovative firms, scientists and researchers are set to benefit from a panel of experts appointed today 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 newly appointed Board Chair, Dr Laurie Hammond, emphasised the flexibility Commercialisation Australia offers, allowing continuous application and assessment to ensure assistance flows as and when it is most needed.
"Our first board meeting will take place in early March and I look forward to assessing a highly competitive group of applications," Dr Hammond said.
A list of the board members and Dr Hammond’s biography are attached. For further information visit www.commercialisationaustralia.gov.au or call 13 22 56.
Media contacts: Patrick Pantano, Minister's Office, 0417 181 936 or Donna Valenti, Department, 02 6213 7611 or 0438 334 348
For more information see the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research's website.
Commercialisation Australia Board Members
Chair
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Dr Laurie Hammond, Co-Founder and Director, iQ Capital Management Pty Ltd.
Members
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Dr Katherine Woodthorpe, Chief Executive, Australian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCAL)
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Dr Susan Pond AM, former Chairman and Managing Director, Johnson & Johnson Research Pty Ltd
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Dr Bruce Whan, Director of Swinburne Knowledge and CEO of Swinburne Ventures Limited (Swinburne University)
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Mr Nixon Apple, Industry and Economic Adviser, Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union
·
Ms Jan Bingley, General Manager, IP, Licensing and Technology Transfer, CSIRO
Dr Laurie Hammond - Biography
Dr Laurie Hammond has a wealth of experience in commercialisation in Australia. In 2009 he was independent chairman of the Government Committee formed to guide the establishment of Commercialisation Australia, and was later a member of its Interim Advisory Board.
Dr Hammond’s background includes almost 20 years as a scientist and research director (biology and environmental science), and 10 years as chief executive in a number of organisations financing or applying innovation in Australia and New Zealand. He has also lived and worked in Jamaica and New Caledonia.
He has extensive experience of innovation and technology commercialisation systems in Europe, Asia and North America, and is a recent or current member of a number of funding and advisory bodies on industry development and innovation.
Dr Hammond is a founder and director of Timsco Pty Ltd which operates inQbator, an organisation providing seed capital and incubation services for new ventures in the Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) sector. He is also a founder and director of fund manager iQ Capital Management Pty Ltd and a founder of corporate advisory firm interFinancialVentures Pty Ltd.
His qualifications include an MBA from the University of Melbourne (1990); a PhD from the University of the West Indies (1979); and BSc Hons 1st Class from James Cook University (1973).