The Australian Government has committed $10 million within Enterprise Connect to support the placement of researchers from universities or public research agencies into businesses where it is identified that such a placement would help to develop and implement a new idea with commercial potential.
What does the Researchers in Business offer?
Funding for up to 50 per cent of salary costs, to a maximum of $50,000, will be provided for each placement. Placements can be for a period of up to 12 months. Up to fifty projects will be supported per year.
The program will aim to:
- help break down the cultural divide between business and the research sector (the researcher may be from a university or research agency),
- speed the dissemination of expertise,
- accelerate the adoption of new ideas and technologies,
- increase competitiveness of firms,
- create jobs.
Researchers in Business is currently under development and will be up and running by the end of the year. Please keep an eye on the website for updates.
Linkage Service Supplier Grants Round
Enterprise Connect is currently inviting proposals from suitable suppliers for the provision of linkage services between research organisations and Enterprise Connect to support the Researchers in Business (RiB) initiative.
The role will involve:
- Brokering RiB projects in partnership with the existing Enterprise Connect Business Adviser network by identifying potential firms and helping to develop their RiB projects.
- Identifying suitable suppliers in the research and university communities.
- Providing the linkage between the demand and supply sides of the network, by brokering relationships and projects between the research and target market SME communities.
- Building general knowledge and capacity of the research and innovation infrastructure available for use by Enterprise Connect client.
The RiB initiative is a $3 million a year commitment and there is up to $600,000 available to suppliers through this round. Applicants are asked to complete the following application form as well as addressing the listed selection criteria. Link to application form
Applications will be open from Thursday 13 November and Close 5pm Friday 28 November. Questions relating to the grants round should be in writing and sent to: enterpriseconnect@innovation.gov.au Answers to questions will be posted on the Enterprise Connect website.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT RiB and LINKAGE SUPPLIERS GRANTS ROUND
1) Who applies for the RiB grant – researchers or industry?
At this stage it is envisaged that the research organisation will apply for the grant, in consultation with the firm they will be assisting.
2) Who is the 50% subsidy paid to under RiB and who meets the cost of the remaining 50% of salary costs – research institutes or industry?
It is still to be determined who the subsidy will be paid to. The remaining 50% of salary costs will be met by the firm.
3) Will RiB include social sciences and other non-technology based research
The eligibility for RiB projects is still to be determined, but a broad definition of research is likely to be used.
4) Are there rules/guidelines in relation to IP and know-how ownership or are these negotiated on a case by case basis?
There will be some general guidelines on IP but in most instances it will be negotiated on a case by case basis.
5) Is it intended that researchers remain employees of their institutes on secondment to industry or do they become the employees of the industry organisation?
This will be left to the applicants.
6) What are the KPIs/success measures and the reporting requirements for the programme?
The programme has a target of assisting 50 firms per annum.
7) Who selects and determines the suitability of RiB projects?
The initiative is an entitlement programme and will have a set eligibility criteria. If a proposal meets this criteria, it will be accepted into the programme.
8) What are the projected timeframes of the programme? Start date, finish date etc.
The programme will be up and running by the end of the year. At this stage, it is funded until 2010-11.
9) What is the duration of the linkage suppliers grant arrangements to be established in round 1
The duration of the grant arrangements will be 12 months, with an option to extend.
10) Is the linkage suppliers grant arrangements seen as a full-time or a part-time task
Arrangements can be made for either a full or part-time role.
11) What is the expected size of an individual grant to a co-ordinating company or organisation under the linkage suppliers grant round.
Up to $600,000 is available in this grants process.
12) Are Universities or University affiliate eligible to apply for the linkage suppliers grant round.
The eligibility requirements for applicants are in the application documentation.
13) Since my organisation has a number of large Institutes whether the expectation would be for a co-ordinated application for the linkage suppliers grants round or possible separate applications from individual Institutes.
It is up to applicants how they choose to structure their application.