Accelerating Commercialisation Grant Awarded to Universal Field Robots
Universal Field Robots is excited to announce that we are the proud recipients of an Accelerating Commercialisation grant from the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, as part of the Entrepreneurs’ Programme.
UFR is one of sixteen small businesses across Australia who will share almost $10 million this year. The latest round of funding will help recipients take their products to market, growing the Australian economy and creating more jobs.
Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Karen Andrews, said the grants were designed to accelerate the development of high quality projects with strong local and export market potential.
“The funding will help improve the capability and competitiveness of these businesses, promoting economic growth and creating Australian jobs,” she said.
Universal Field Robots Founder and Managing Director Jeff Sterling said that robots as a product have been promised in the past and have not yet been delivered. A public expectation exists, formed in part by films and modern culture that the problem is mostly solved.
“Robot development has significant challenges, not only in solving the technical problems, but also in developing a product at an economic price point and then convincing sceptical buyers to change their tried and true methods and take a step into the future unknown. The grant comes after 3 years of determined development by our small Brisbane-based team and will enable additional employment, building local skills and finalising commercialisation that will bring high tech manufacturing to Australia to compete with the large well-funded multinationals and the West Coast US venture capitalists,” he said.
Thank you to the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, and congratulations to all 16 recipients of the latest Accelerating Commercialisation funding offers, which will assist:
Five Queensland businesses:
– Universal Field Robots for implementation trials of a robot that can complete tasks outdoors in agriculture, construction and mining, which will lead to product sales.
– Ecojoule Energy to commercialise its power electronics products for the electricity grid. The products improve the voltage and reduce the peak load on electricity networks.
– GravityFit to commercialise a range of smart functioning training garments for athletes and astronauts. The garments stabilise and strengthen spine and joints, reduce the risk of injury and improve performance.
– Predikt-R to complete trials and commercialise a product that predicts workplace safety outcomes to reduce the risk of injuries in markets with high risk of injuries such as agriculture, manufacturing, construction, transport and mining.
– Precision Pipe Lifter to commercialise and develop an intellectual property strategy for a new fitting for the crane and transport sectors. This fitting will allow the safer and more efficient unloading of concrete pipes and culverts from vehicles on-site.
Five New South Wales businesses:
– Lowes TC to develop a pilot plant to demonstrate its High Health Clonal Plant Propagation process at a commercial scale.
– Dosel Australia to launch its radiation compliance platform in the United States and achieve export revenues. The platform has applications in the hospital, radiology, nuclear medicine, veterinary and dental markets.
– Tactical Research to develop, test and prepare for sales of its personnel screening security system for business facilities, public infrastructure and crowded places.
– Quality Trade to develop and undertake market testing of its trade certification system. The system will make it easy to find, validate and trade with certified companies which meet national and international standards.
– The Blueprint Laboratory to help with commercial trials of its lightweight robotic arm for the unmanned underwater vehicle industry.
Two South Australian businesses:
– Consilium Technology to nationally and internationally commercialise its Geospatial Artificial Intelligence for Agriculture technology. The technology automatically locates crops and monitors their health, providing data required for precision farming.
– IPdata to commercialise in Australia its appraisal software for the subdivision of residential property. The product enables a rapid and precise assessment of land parcels and their subdivision potential.
Two Western Australian businesses:
– Australian Institute of Robotic Orthopaedics to commercialise and obtain a globally exclusive distribution licence for its intelligent robotic laser system. This system enables bulk removal of damaged bone and tissue in hip and knee replacements, with unmatched surgical accuracy and precision.
– Village Energy Group to implement its hardware and software platform for their first client customers in India. The platform manages demand and supply of electricity in real time and is uniquely designed to benefit rural communities who suffer from unreliable energy supply.
One Tasmanian business:
– CBG Systems to establish a manufacturing facility, production processes, validation trials and an international launch of its fire retardant panels for marine vessels.
One Victorian business:
– LoopLearn to help complete trials and commercialise its product which automates the roll marking process in schools using machine vision technology with the aim of reducing administrative burden on staff and ensuring the safety of students.
This project is supported by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science through a commercialisation grant as part of the Entrepreneurs’ Programme.
