Australian Innovation Challenge is on again

Innovative individuals have an opportunity to submit their projects and work as part of the Australian Innovation Challenge.

Minister for Industry and Innovation Greg Combet welcomed the federal government’s support through the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education for the challenge, an initiative of The Australian newspaper in association with Shell Australia.

The technology created by the winner of last year’s challenge, Prof Mark Kendall, is being commercialised by Vaxxas Pty Ltd, a company established with funding from the government’s Innovation Investment Fund.

The challenge has seven categories: environment and agriculture/food, health, community services, minerals and energy, manufacturing and high-tech design, ICT, and education. The winner of each category will receive $5000 and the overall winner will receive $25,000.

There is also a backyard innovation category (prize money of $10,000), which covers inventions by the general public that are at an advanced stage.