In praise of the bright sparks
THE Innovation Challenge has revealed a deep pool of talent.
Links in the chain
TURNING an invention into an accepted innovation isn't easy but there are experts to help.
Delivering on challenge to save lives
MICHELLE McIntosh of Monash University has won The Australian Innovation Challenge and a total cash prize of $30,000.
Jul 8th
Entries Open
Aug26th
Entries Close
Nov 2nd
Finalists Announced Weekly
Nov 28th
Awards Ceremony
Nov 30th
Winners Published
2013 WINNERS
OVERALL WINNER: Michelle McIntosh
CHERYL JONES SAVING lives in developing countries with an inhalant form of oxytocin for women after childbirth.
WINNER: Trevor Powell
DEREK PARKER TREVOR Powell's solar desalination/power plant promises a low-cost solution to several challenges.
WINNER: Joe Wagner
CHERYL JONES JOE Wagner’s family company’s “green” concrete has formed structures such as footpaths, road bridge decks and precast tunnel segments.
WINNER: Mark Hedley
CHERYL JONES MINE safety and football team strategy are among the applications of tracking technology developed by Mark Hedley.
WINNER: Lisa Clark
DEREK PARKER SWAGS for Homeless, a Melbourne-based charity that is providing critical assistance to those most in need, won Community Services.
WINNER: Stephan Thiel
CHERYL JONES A NEW method for mapping water during fracking, designed by Stephan Thiel, could help settle some of the CSG controversy.
WINNER: Nigel Preston
DEREK PARKER NIGEL Preston’s research into the food requirements of prawns has the potential to slash costs for the aquaculture industry.
WINNER: Malcolm Sambridge
DEREK PARKER A PROJECT led by Malcolm Sambridge to get geoscientific equipment into high schools won the top Education prize.
Innovator update: Veena Sahajwalla
CHERYL JONES THE commercialisation of "green" steel, invented by University of NSW engineer Veena Sahajwalla, reached a milestone recently.
Innovator update: Ali Baghaei
CHERYL JONES WEIGHING 3000 tonnes and standing 20m high, the world's most powerful wave power converter took shape at the Techport facility in Adelaide late this year.
Links in the chain
Doron Ben-Meir TURNING an invention into an accepted innovation isn't easy but there are experts to help.
Challenge attracts quality, diversity and passion
CLIVE MATHIESON, EDITOR ENTRANTS in The Australian Innovation Challenge have had the potential to save lives, change lives — or just make life a little easier.
Need for innovation is growing
ANDREW SMITH AUSTRALIA has a long history of innovation - from zinc cream to solar hot water, the electric drill and the great Aussie ute.
Innovation crucial for industry
TERRY CUTLER ROBERT McNamara, president John F Kennedy’s defence secretary, is famous for asking the question about defence budgets: “How much is enough?”
Turning good ideas into commercial outcomes
IAN MACFARLANE THE Australian Innovation Challenge recognises the lateral thinkers and smart inventors who are critical to our future.
In praise of the bright sparks
Joe Kelly THE Innovation Challenge has revealed a deep pool of talent.
Slumdog waste a path to wealth
CHERYL JONES IN the slums of Mumbai, there are tens of thousands of people known as ragpickers.
Delivering on challenge to save lives
JOE KELLY MICHELLE McIntosh of Monash University has won The Australian Innovation Challenge and a total cash prize of $30,000.
Shell lobbied against coal
Matt Chambers SHELL lobbied the World Bank to stop funding coal-fired plants before the lender dramatically cut its support for coal.
Innovation precincts revived
Joe Kelly INDUSTRY Minister Ian Macfarlane has flagged a plan to bolster innovation and development.
Australias innovation legacy
Thu Nov 28 14:14:28 EST 2013 Matthias Bichsel Has Australia lost its appetite for innovation? I certainly don’t think so. But do Australians share my view?
Nation must lift its game, Shell warns
MATT CHAMBERS ROYAL Dutch Shell says it has seen no easing of cost pressures in the LNG projects.
Finalist: Scott Power
Climate Change In The Pacific: Report And Associated Communication And Capacity Building
2013 FINALISTS
2013: COMMUNITY SERVICES
Finalist: Scott Power
Climate Change In The Pacific: Report And Associated Communication And Capacity Building
2013: AGRICULTURE & FOOD
Finalist: Martin Banwell
NEW chemical tools for developing environmentally benign agrochemical agents.
2013: MANUFACTURING & HI-TECH DESIGN
2013: MINERALS & ENERGY
2013: Health
Finalist: Michael Buist
PATIENTRACK software assesses the patient's condition and sends alerts to hospital staff.
2013: EDUCATION
2013: ICT CATEGORY FINALISTS
2013: BACKYARD INNOVATION
Final rung of the ladder
CLIMBING a ladder has become a much safer undertaking thanks to a new product, the Lock Jaw Ladder Grip.
Backyard Hero Desalination the solar way
TREVOR Powell is a finalist of the backyard category of The Australian Innovation Challenge with his solar water treatment and power plant.
Lock up, throw away the keys
BACKYARD hero, Queensland inventor Stephen Dunn finds that doors are starting to open.
A watch on the elderly
BY day, Nicholas Tong works in IT for a bank. By night, he works on an invention that could penetrate global markets.
Taking grunt work out of gardening
AS it turns out, necessity really is the mother of invention, if Peter Nicol's story of the development of the Prong is a guide.
Older Innovation Challenge Stories
Australias innovation legacy
Final rung of the ladder
Bowen speaks to future with language of past
Backyard Hero Desalination the solar way
Microprobe plays its part in preserving food security
Collaboration helps clear a path to Asia
Taking grunt work out of gardening
Lock up, throw away the keys
Long road from bright idea to wealth
Importance of concrete ideas
A watch on the elderly
Typing test lets transfusion patients breathe easier
Backyard Hero Fences without all of the strain
Bright sparks digging up wealth for all
Putting opal miners on the right path
Martian discovery used to lure students into science
Speedy communications on the move a lifesaver
Winning is never easy
A message from Shell
By 2030, demand for critical resources such as water, energy and food will have risen by 40-50% percent, according to UN and Shell analysis.
Given the magnitude of the challenges ahead, innovative technology and unconventional thinking will be needed to help meet these demands and our future energy needs. We will also need to address these challenges intelligently and with a collaborative mindset. That calls for new and deeper forms of partnership between business, governments, academia and our community.
That’s why at Shell we are thrilled to be partnering with The Australian Innovation Challenge for a third year in a row. We are giving Australians the opportunity to showcase their innovative ideas and provide a real opportunity to make a real difference.
Over the past two years we have discovered innovators across the country whose ideas have come to life and made an impact to the Australian community and economy, in all areas of industry.
Innovation gives us the opportunity to start shaping tomorrow today.
A message from Innovation Australia
Innovation Australia – two of my favourite words!
Good words to describe a Board and its expert committees that work hand-in-hand with the Australian Government to harness and support the great innovative traits of Australian industry and encourage entrepreneurs and researchers to take products and systems to the market.
It is with great pride that Innovation Australia plays a part in helping people with ideas and investors with commitment to move ideas and concepts from the drawing board to market. With supportive Australian Government programs, we come together to make a real difference by forging new business opportunities and growing current ones.
It is with great pride that the Board supports The Australian Innovation Challenge.
The Australian Innovation Challenge helps highlight what an exciting and vibrant innovation culture we have. Australia’s business and entrepreneurial success is built on a can-do attitude. Taking brilliant ideas, and making them commercially successful.
That is indeed worth celebrating.
David A Miles, AM
Chairman, Innovation Australia
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Qantas inflating its crisis: Air NZ
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Seducer with a song
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Australia on the road to world No 1
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Giant payday ahead for Telstra
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