Technologies to protect online banking, prevent mine truck accidents and harness solar energy through windows are among the innovations named as semi-finalists for this year’s WA Innovator of the Year program.
16 companies have been short-listed for the annual awards, which recognise the exceptional local and regional innovators behind the newest products, technologies, processes and services developed in Western Australia.
Acting Innovation and ICT Minister Simone McGurk said diversifying the State’s economy will create new local jobs, and innovation plays an essential role.
“For the first time, all semi-finalists will receive professional assistance and mentoring to help foster their innovations.”
“I would like to congratulate all the semi-finalists on their achievements, and look forward to the many benefits their innovations will bring for WA.”
Winners will share in a prize pool of $145,000 to help commercialise their innovations, and the program also links industry and academia through research collaboration.
Former winners have gone on to extraordinary achievements, such as Professors Sue Fletcher and Steve Wilton who won the overall award in 2012 for their gene-patch drug treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
Last year, the groundbreaking drug received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, and now the two researchers are working on treatments for nearly 50 more rare diseases.
Finalists will be announced next month ahead of the awards ceremony in November.
Emerging Category
Innovation | Company |
ClearVue PV | ClearVue Technologies Ltd |
Safescape Edge Protector | Bortana Pty Ltd (trading as Safescape) |
The FAST way to choose the right antibiotic | University of Western Australia |
Ethylene blockers for reducing postharvest losses in fresh fruit, vegetables and other horticultural produce | Curtin University |
MozTrack | WesTech Alliance |
Mobile A.I. Health Platform | Alerte Digital Health Pty Ltd |
Ovass Geospatial Platform | Ovass Pty Ltd |
Innovative real-time nodule bacteria identification technology for legumes | MALDIID Pty Ltd |
Growth Category
Innovation | Company |
BankVault.com | GoPC Pty Ltd |
Predictive Data for Preventative Measures in Safety and Mental Health | Tap into Safety |
Zoodata Inspect | Zoodata |
Rocks Gone Reefinator | Rocks Gone Pty Ltd |
ActivePort – Building for Change | ActivePort Pty Ltd |
Rate My Space – Human insights to buildings | Rate My Space Pty Ltd |
DRUMBEAT Quest | Holyoake |
SpacetoCo – Space sharing for everyone | SpacetoCo Pty Ltd |