Local innovators to share $245,000 in funding

• Thirteen local businesses secure nearly $245,000 in funding
• Innovation is crucial to WA's economic development
• Round two of the Innovation Vouchers Program is now open

Science and Innovation Minister John Day today opened round two of the Innovation Vouchers Program following the success of the first round in which 13 businesses secured nearly $245,000 in funding.    

Mr Day said successful applicants would use the funding to engage professional skills and services to help turn innovative ideas into a commercial reality.

"The Innovation Vouchers Program aims to assist WA-based small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to achieve success on their path to commercialisation," he said.

"Each successful SME has received up to $20,000 and will use the funding in one of the following areas: research and development, product development, technology transfer, intellectual property and commercialisation support services."

The Minister said the diversity in the types of innovation being developed in Perth was of a high calibre and had the potential to deliver significant benefits to the State.

"The Department of Commerce was inundated with applications for the first round of the Innovation Vouchers Program which I believe indicates a necessity for a program such as this," he said.

"Winning innovations included a water cleansing tablet; a wetsuit to ward off sharks; a device to digitally measure anatomical angles; a needle to improve cataract surgery; and a monitor that records the brain's electrical activity. 

"Innovation is crucial to the State's economic development and this program demonstrates just one of the ways the State Government is committed to the progression of this dynamic area."       

      Fact File

• The Innovation Vouchers Program is administered by the Department of Commerce under the Western Australian Innovation Development Schemes
• Second round applications open today and close on March 2, 2012
• For more information or to apply, visit http://www.innovation.wa.gov.au

Minister's office  - 9213 6600

 
Successful Round 1 applicants of the Innovation Voucher Program

• Cortical Dynamics Pty Ltd (North Perth) - Regulatory Approval for BAR monitor
• Dunbar Harper Pty Ltd (West Perth) - Shark Attack Mitigation Wetsuit Design
• FIRSTPHYSIO Pty Ltd (Subiaco) - HALO
• Fuselage Design (South Fremantle) - The Elastomer Mesh Bicycle Seat
• GEO OCEANS Pty Ltd (Perth) - GO VideoTM Software
• Infra Tech Pty Ltd (O'Connor) - HIEDYC/CDYC PROJECT
• Lifewood Manufacturing Pty Ltd (Donnybrook) - Life Wood Flooring Manufacturing Plant
• Marine Easy-Clean Pty Ltd (Denham) - The Water Cleanser
• Oz Sonotek Pty Ltd (Mosman Park) - Improved microincision D-tip needle manufacture
• Said Sabeti (Hocking) - StomaLife
• Shawtec Pty Ltd (Belmont) - analysis of Carbon & Hydrocarbons from Waste Tyres
• Tensa Equipment Pty Ltd (West Perth) - Dynamic Motion Sensor
• Thiinkbubble Pty Ltd (Mindarie) - Livepad41 Visualisation Technology