Innovation and science to deliver economic prosperity for Australia

David Martin
Innovation Facilitator – QLD
AusIndustry – Innovation Connection

Technological change is transforming how we live, work, communicate and pursue good ideas. Further, there is increased focus through the National Innovation Science Agenda, and Advance Queensland to embrace new concepts in innovation and science, and harness new sources of growth to deliver the next age of economic prosperity in Australia.

Time poor researchers seeking to foster and form the industry relationships that allow them to grow their careers often find themselves investing significant resources in round-based, highly competitive granting programmes with limited chance of success.

Meanwhile, potential industry partners, with a commercial imperative and often inflexible project deadlines find themselves confused and frustrated about how to reach the research expertise they need.

Through a national network of twenty-one facilitators, Innovation Connections helps promote innovation and collaboration between Australian businesses and the research sector with guaranteed funding and a facilitated service.

With the assistance of a facilitator and funding, Innovation Connections provides a prime opportunity for The University of Queensland researchers to develop and deepen their relationship with industry, either by establishing a new partnership, collaboratively identifying pilot data (for example for a future ARC Linkage Projects application), or furthering an existing research relationship.

The University of Queensland is now the third largest user of the scheme in Australia and David Martin, the facilitator associated with our University, will provide an overview of how to access the funding that it provides and case studies of where it has been effectively used by QAAFI’s researchers to develop long term working relationships with industry.

David Martin

With over seventeen years’ experience in executive roles in the private and public sector, David’s career has been diverse having represented Australia in global business competitions, worked in resource exploration as a geologist, mergers and acquisitions in the oil and gas industry, the development of resources and energy policy at both the Federal and State level, maximising opportunities for Australian industry in $88 billion dollars of major projects and delivering financial assistance of over $22 million dollars to innovative SME's.

In his current role, David acts as an interpreter to assist the business community to effectively engage and collaborate with research organisations across Australia. On behalf of his industry partners, David finds the right researchers to work with them, facilitates the development of project plans and commercial arrangements with the relevant research organisation, this work has resulted in over 110 successful research/industry partnerships to date.

An effective communicator, David regularly presents on innovation and government assistance at public forums and has taught researchers from five Universities on how to successfully communicate and engage with industry.