1. Doron Ben-Meir, CEO Commercialisation australia
Eco Innovation Forum 2013, 28 May 2013

2. Commercialisation Australia
To build the capacity of, and opportunities for, Australia’s researchers, entrepreneurs and innovative firms to convert new IP into commercial ventures.
Announced in the Federal Budget – an important component of Powering Ideas: an innovation agenda for the 21st century
Funding of $278 million over 5 years to June 2014, plus $82 million a year thereafter
Program opened for applications on 4 January 2010
Competitive, merit based program

3. Powering Ideas – Private Sector
When an invention is done, and a company has new intellectual property, they need to convert it into something other people will buy. The answer to the question of why will the target customer buy it, is very different from why does it work?
The Valley of Death is a well worn trap for companies when they first start out with an invention and they want to turn it into a commercial proposition. The first thing they start doing is spending money to try and turn what it is, into something someone's going to buy.
The red area under the line and within the curve is how much money a start up company has to spend. This has to be done fast so that they get above the line before they run out of area under the curve (ie money) or the chances of getting more money or even surviving are very small. That puts every inventor that turns their mind to commercialisation on a very high pressured path way.
And so understanding how you're going to fill the red area with money is very important and understanding the difference between wanting to achieve in business and someone else thinking you're worth investing in is the key to that challenge.
Many of the sources of funding are listed below the curve, e.g. venture capitalist, angels, high net worth individuals, friends, families, the founder’s private equity etcetera. But when the company’s in the red area, none of them want to know. Because start up companies are high risk, the chances of failure are high and the investors have difficulty in understanding how entrepreneurs are going to get through the line. The closer you are to breaking through the line, the more these investors want to know you. This is ironic because by the time you get above the line, they all want to know you and you don’t need them.
So the challenge is how do companies get started? And that's really what Commercialisation Australia is all about. CA is trying to bridge the gap that exists over the valley of death. Companies often know what they are doing, they know what it's going to take to get there but they have to convince other people along that path. It's not at all easy to do and it means they have got to turn the business into a product someone wants to invest in as well as working on the invention. This normally boils down to turning the business person into a product someone wants to buy as that's what the investor is primarily looking at.

4. The story so far Western Australia Queensland New South Wales
Supporting Companies and Researchers
$157.4 Million in grants
A national network of 26 Case Managers
As at 24 April 2013
Western Australia
3 Case Managers
46 Participants
Queensland
5 Case Managers
106 Participants
New South Wales
& the ACT
8 Case Managers
105 NSW + 13 ACT Participants
South Australia &
Northern Territory
3 Case Managers
24 SA + 2 NT Participants
Victoria & Tasmania
7 Case Managers
96 VIC + 10 TAS Participants

5. Value of grants by key technology
As at 24 April 2013

6. Value of grants by key market
As at 24 April 2013

7. 20% of the total value of Commercialisation Australia grants has been awarded to projects which have a clean technology element
Case Studies
70 of CA’s 402 Participants have a clean tech element to their commercialisation project
To date, this represents $32.1 million in grants – just over 20% of total grant funding

8. BuildingIQ Pty Ltd
Sydney-based building energy management software company
Unique technology that predicts, automates and controls a building’s energy use, achieving up to 30% energy savings
In January 2013 closed $9 million in venture funding from Aster Capital, Siemens Financial Services and Paladin Capital
Venture funding will accelerate growth for a growing pipeline of commercial buildings in Australia and North America.

9. Licella Pty Ltd
Developed a unique process to convert any type of biomass into bio-crude oil - a sustainable alternative to petroleum crude oil
Licella’s process uses supercritical water technology to break down pulverized biomass and produces a more stable bio-oil than other methods
This resulting oil can be refined into an array of sustainable transport and aviation oils
Commercialisation Australia funding is assisting Licella conduct optimisation trials of its technology
Sydney company
Licella is an innovative company producing Bio-Crude oil - a sustainable alternative to petroleum crude oil. Licella has invented Cat-HTR (Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor) technology which rapidly converts second generation biomass (non-food) feedstock into low carbon footprint, valuable Bio-Crude oil. This oil can then be “dropped in” to existing refinery infrastructure producing transport fuels - petrol, diesel and jet fuel
$2,000,000 Early Stage Commercialisation grant
Commercialisation Australia funding will be used to run Cat-HTR optimisation trials. Upon successfully completing these trials, Licella intends in partnership with a major Australia print paper supplier, to commence construction of the first pre-commercial plant. It is anticipated that additional modules will be added to this plant expanding it to full commercial scale.
In early 2013 Licella received a $5.4 million ARENA grant to undertake a feasibility study into the construction of its first pre-commercial biofuels plant.

10. Chip Tyre Pty Ltd Largest tyre recycling company in Queensland
Developed a patented, water resistant blasting explosive using recycled rubber crumb as a diesel replacement
Has the potential to save $450 million in diesel imports and reduce the costs of explosives used in mines by 22%
Commercialiation Australia support is assisting Chip Tyre make their product ready for manufacturing
Brisbane company
Chip Tyre offers a patented blasting explosive using recycled rubber crumb as a diesel replacement. It has now developed a prototype of a version of the original Chip Tyre suitable for use in wet conditions. Potential outcomes of the project include significant national savings on diesel imports ($450 million) and reduced costs (22.5%) of explosives used in mines.
$130,400 Proof of Concept grant
Commercialisation Australia funding will be used to optimise coating methods, develop a commercial manufacturing process and conduct commercial scale explosions.

11. The Expert Network As a member of our Expert Network you will receive:
Key element of CA value add
Seeking members in three categories:
Successfully commercialised IP in the past
Domain experts in a specific technology or market
Professional investors, angels, high net worth, financial and strategic
Case managers facilitate introductions
As a member of our Expert Network you will receive:
News updates on CA Portfolio
Qualified introductions to CA Portfolio
Engagement flexibility
Opportunities to network with other members, Case Managers, and the CA Portfolio

12. Our Magazine and App
Download and subscribe to our Value Proposition magazine on our website
Download our free InnovationGov App for iPad, iPhone and Android devices from the iTunes and Google Play Stores

13. Commercialisation australia
website
hotline
Commercialisation australia
Contact Us