HOW TO LEVERAGE INNOVATION IN UNEXPECTED LOCATIONS

Harley Paroulakis

The Northern Territory is becoming an object lesson in intelligent investment attraction, leveraging geographical location, and local advantages. When combined with careful selection skills, things start tracking.

In the last 6 years, the Northern Territory has quietly developed the foundations of a vibrant innovation ecosystem. A highlights reel might include some of the following high points; 

Companies like SPEE3D creating new innovations in 3D metal printing and advanced manufacturing;

• Up-and-coming start-ups such as Corrosion Instruments and Universal Site Management developing unique technologies to support the Mining, Equipment, Technology and Services sector; and 
• Innovations in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector with companies such as Hold Access developing a digital wallet that empowers First Nations people to hold diverse identification with access to full capabilities in their control. 

Recently, the Territory is looking to become Australia’s first manufacturer and exporter of the iconic Albatross G-111T, an amphibious aircraft which can take off and touch down from land, snow, ice, and water. Amphibian Aerospace Industries (AAI) is relocating its refurbished aircraft and establishing a new facility and office at Darwin International Airport. AAI first caught the eye of the Darwin Innovation Hub when it took out first prize at their annual Croc Pitch event in 2021. AAI is a great example of how early-stage technology investment in an aviation manufacturing company can not only provide a technology proof of concept but also unlock a pathway towards later-stage capital investment, modern manufacturing, skilled jobs, and industry growth. 

International collaborations are also solidifying in this growing innovation ecosystem. The potential of leveraging the geographic position and vast hinterland of the Northern Territory has caught the eye of international research institutions such as NASA and Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University. In July 2022, three NASA rockets successfully launched from Arnhem Space Centre in the Northern Territory. The launch marking the start of Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) as a multi-user commercial Space Launch company, providing world-class launch services flown to and from all space orbits. 

Singapore-based space-tech company, Aliena, aims to provide high-resolution data to terrestrial businesses by enabling a fleet of imaging satellites to fly closer to the Earth using proprietary electric propulsion engines. Through relationships with the Darwin Innovation Hub, Aliena will provide datasets specific to the Northern Territory, which can be used for advanced crop monitoring for smart farms, fire detection for disaster mitigation and hazard response, and other security and defence sector applications. The fundamental key to realising these commercial opportunities lies in applying relevant technology to our North’s rich industrial sectors, which are ideally placed to host key infrastructure and services for the global space industry. 

Typically, regional locations such as the Northern Territory are not thought of as hubs of innovation or venture capital investment due to small populations, lack of deal flow and distance from key financial centres. The solution lies in careful examination of inherent strengths, finding the right investment and subsequent effective nurturance: first the deal, then the enterprise.