Boundless Magazine: Issue_02

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TAKING FLIGHT

EXPERTS GIVE THEIR FUTURE

PREDICTIONS

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5 JOBS FOR THE FUTURE

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TIPS & TRICKS FOR YOUR NEXT CAPITAL RAISE

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RAISING FUNDS

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HOW THE BUREAU PROVIDES SPACE WEATHER DATA FOR LAUNCHES

SLASHING CARBON

EMISSIONS

INDUSTRY GIANTS & RESEARCHERS UNITE

ISSUE_2

BOUNDLESS

We acknowledge we are on Kaurna Miyurna land.

The Dreaming is still living.

From the past, in the present, into the future, forever.

Publisher Department of the Premier and Cabinet Editor Jenny Hassam, Lot Fourteen Art Direction Fern Buranasak, Lot Fourteen Contributors Amazon Web Services Australian Space Agency Michels Warren Photographer Matt Turner Graphics And Print Black Sheep Advertising

Cover photo Zandria Farrell, National Manager for Space at the Bureau of Meteorology at Adelaide Railway Station. Photography Matt Turner.

Boundless is published bi-annually by the Government of South Australia. It is distributed via government partners and digitally via lotfourteen.com.au. No articles, illustrations, photographs and any other editorial matter or advertisement herein may be reproduced without written permission of copyright owner.

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The tweet, a love story and the global race to decarbonise

Enter the world of blockchain

Raising funds Seven experts give a fascinating insight into investment

Kween Kong, a lesbian space princess and a first for South Australia

24

Job Lot Check out these 5 jobs for the future

Networking for Introverts How to get the best out of your next work event

ON THE COVER

Taking flight How the Bureau is providing critical data to the spaceflight sector

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Neurodiverse superpowers are unlocking innovation in tech

For ‘watt’ it's worth Two startups fostering a more sustainable way of living

Making the grade Meet the AgTech innovators with their fingers on the pulse

Heavy ambition Industry giants and researchers unite to slash carbon emissions

Team Artemis Australia The new era of lunar exploration

Defence force set to benefit from innovations coming out of Lot Fourteen

Festival Community ADELAIDE FESTIVAL’S NEW HUB IS AT YOUR DOORSTEP

Community Café and Bar at Lot Fourteen is set to become the new Adelaide Festival Hub in March 2024, welcoming world-class artists, arts lovers and the wider community.

Stay back after hours and join us at Festival Community for a delicious bite, a refreshing beverage and a breakdown of your favourite Mad March moments.

Thu 29 Feb – Sun 17 Mar Wed – Sun from 5pm

FIND OUT MORE View the 2024 Adelaide Festival program at adelaidefestival.com.au

1 – 17 MAR 2024

FESTIVAL COMMUNITY PRESENTING PARTNER

THANKS TO ADELAIDE FESTIVAL PARTNERS

a moment with

DI DIXON THE STATE PROJECT LEAD

Welcome to Boundless_02!

With our first edition launched by the Premier of South Australia in May, we’ve had such positive feedback and some fantastic business outcomes and connections sparked.

In this issue we’re excited to focus on Lot Fourteen companies finding solutions to decarbonise our economy in the face of global climate change.

On page 4, the Neoen team discuss their latest projects, including the $6 billion Goyder South groundbreaking solar, wind and battery project.

We also talk to iO Energy, Hubble and HILT CRC who showcase new tech and research directly impacting the powering of a low carbon economy.

Another interesting theme that came from our chats around the district was how diverse and inclusive communities are positively impacting innovation at Lot Fourteen. On page 28, Amazon Web Services deepdives into neurodiversity in tech.

Meanwhile, the creative industries team producing South Australia’s first feature length animation talk about their upcoming LGBTQI+ film, Lesbian Space Princess, on page 18.

And while we’re on themes, the benefits of building or relocating businesses to South Australia was front and centre. For global energy transition, South Australia currently sits at an enviable 70 per cent renewable energy penetration.

When it comes to the space sector, our location in the southern hemisphere, combined with clear skies, low noise and low light interference means we’re uniquely placed to contribute to the international space community.

For the startup community, Adelaide ranks in top five for startup performance in Oceania and has had a 49 per cent growth in ecosystem value since 2018 according to The Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2023. Some of our tenants give tips and tricks on raising capital on page 14.

To reflect how Lot Fourteen is changing Adelaide’s landscape, in this issue tenants are featured exploring cultural treasures and neighbouring Adelaide Botanic Garden and the Art Gallery of South Australia to Light Square’s Pride Walk and the city’s parklands.

Boundless_02 covers these topics and so much more, so please flick through, connect with the people featured inside and read the stories that matter from our innovation district, in the heart of Adelaide.

Di Dixon State Project Lead, Lot Fourteen Department of the Premier and Cabinet

From left: Tom Jenkins, State Leader - South Australia & Tasmania, Hannah Willson, Community Liaison, Goyder Renewables, Mikaela Georgiadis, Junior Project Manager, Thomas Daly, Project Manager, Neoen.

4

O

O T HE T W EE T, A LOV E STORY A ND T HE GLOB A L R ACE TO DECA RB ONISE

The TWEET, a LOVE story and the GLOBAL RACE to decarbonise.

It sounds implausible: two billionaires, one bet and a world-first (and largest at the time) grid-scale battery installation.

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T HE T W EE T, A LOV E STORY A ND T HE GLOB A L R ACE TO DECA RB ONISE

Y

ou’ll remember the story.

It sounds implausible: two billionaires, one bet and a world-first (and largest at the time) grid-scale battery installation. Global media attention was set firmly on South Australia in the global race to decarbonise in the face of climate change.

In March 2017, Atlassian’s Mike Cannon-Brookes challenged Elon Musk to follow through on a statement suggesting Tesla batteries could solve South Australia's energy issues, after the state had dealt with several black-outs. In a Twitter exchange, Musk responded, “Tesla will get the system installed and working 100 days from contract signature or it is free.”

And, long story short, the battery was delivered to deadline in South Australia’s Mid North on the edge of the famed Flinders Ranges.

Six years on, Musk has moved onto other high-profile endeavours, and South Australia continues to forge ambitious new pathways to decarbonisation.

The state is at the vanguard of the global energy transition, having transformed our energy system from one per cent to over 70 per cent renewable energy in just over 20 years, with a target of 100 per cent net renewable energy by 2030.

Lot Fourteen-based business, Neoen, is the owner and operator of the Tesla-built battery, which is now known as the Hornsdale Power Reserve, as well as the adjacent Hornsdale Wind. In its first year of operation, the power reserve reduced the price of frequency regulation services in South Australia by 75 per cent, which has saved Australians $150 million in the first two years of operation, the company reports.

Neoen is the leading French independent producer of renewable energy and a major player on the world stage.

The company develops, owns and operates solar, wind and battery storage projects across the country and is a specialist independent power producer generating renewable energy, sustainably, at scale.

T HE T W EE T, A LOV E STORY A ND T HE GLOB A L R ACE TO DECA RB ONISE

“

In South Australia, to achieve 70 per cent penetration is kind of a world record.

Louis de Sambucy, Neoen Australia CEO

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T HE T W EE T, A LOV E STORY A ND T HE GLOB A L R ACE TO DECA RB ONISE

They’re also the first company to pass 3GW of renewable energy capacity in Australia.

Operating in 17 countries globally, it has a goal to reach 10GW of capacity worldwide by 2025.

The 90-plus Australian team celebrated ten years of success in Australia last year. Over this time, the landscape has changed rapidly as the world races to decarbonise.

Projects in Australia are getting bigger and more complex.

Neoen has a soft spot for South Australia, which hosts nearly a third of Neoen’s Australian assets. Neoen Australia CEO Louis de Sambucy, recently quoted in Energy Insiders, a RenewEconomy podcast, that Neoen has, “a love story with South Australia,” with their first projects being based in the state.

“First, let me say that what’s fascinating, is here in Australia is the speed of the transition of renewable energy,” he told Energy Insiders.

“In South Australia, to achieve 70 per cent penetration is kind of a world record.

“We are building the solutions that are necessary with storage, but not only storage to supply energy when its needed, but storage to help run the grid when you have a higher renewable energy percentage.”

THE COMPANY HAS SEVERAL PROJECTS AT DIFFERING STAGES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA, INCLUDING ONE OF THE BIGGEST HYBRID PROJECTS IN AUSTRALIA – THE $6 BILLION GOYDER SOUTH PROJECT, WHICH HAS APPROVAL FOR 1200 MW OF WIND, 600 MW OF LARGE SCALE SOLAR, AND BATTERY STORAGE OF UP TO 900 MW AND 1800 MWH.

“

We’ve made the decision on hydrogen to focus on this one project.

STAGE 1 OF THIS PROJECT – 412 MW – OF WIND GENERATION – IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION NEAR BURRA, ABOUT 160KM NORTH OF ADELAIDE.

“So, we’ve set up an MOU with Japanese company ENEOS and we are progressing a feasibility study to see what we could do with a monster project like Goyder,” he told Energy Insiders.

Another project currently under construction, the Blyth Battery also in South Australia’s Mid North, will mainly be deployed in combination with Neoen’s Goyder South Stage 1 wind farm to deliver 70 MW of renewable baseload energy for BHP’s Olympic Dam operations, one of the world’s most significant deposits of copper, gold and uranium.

Neoen has recently started transporting the 75 giant turbines for the wind project from their location in Port Adelaide to their final destination, 344km away.

The delivery program, including turbine blades (each around 75m long), tower sections, nacelles, drive trains and hubs will take a year.

De Sambucy is excited about the project, with the wind farm to be the biggest in South Australia.

“Goyder is a world-class project and one of our best projects worldwide,” he says.

And discussing the whole project, “the project is so big, so we are also looking at hydrogen,” he states.

“We’ve made the decision on hydrogen to focus on this one project…because Goyder has the best fundamentals in our portfolio.

Australia passed the Climate Change Act in 2022, which doubles the target for emissions reductions by 2030 and sets the goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

To keep global warming to no more than 1.5°C – as called for in the Paris Agreement – emissions need to be reduced by 45 per cent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050, adopted by 196 Parties, including Australia, at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21).

JOB LOT

JOBS

FOR THE

5 FUTURE

1

"In-Space Manufacturing Controller"

Herve Astier Chief Executive Officer, Neumann Space

Lot Fourteen experts are laying down job and career predictions for ten years’ time.

WITH MIND-BLOWING CHANGE AND DISRUPTION HAPPENING, HERE ARE THE TOP PICKS FOR NEW ROLES ACROSS INNOVATION, SPACE, TECH, CLIMATE AND ETHICS. YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST!

The future of space includes new space stations with manufacturing and recycling capability. The ability to manufacture and assemble objects in orbit is key to the future development of space. The opportunity is also there to recycle the tonnes of space junk, including propellant for the Neumann Space propulsion systems.

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JOB LOT

1 22 3

"Personal/ human technology specialist"

"Personal Impact Investor"

Businesses trade their carbon and impact efforts, but what about the community?

I am calling out the Personal Impact Investor as a new role at the intersection of fintech, climatetech and impact, that helps individuals amplify, invest and trade their portfolio of personal environmental and social impact achievements.

Aron Hausler

This specialist will teach others how to leverage and use the vast array of technologies to improve life quality.

Adam Sawtell Co-Founder, Flamingo Logic: AbilityERP

Innovation Ecosystem Manager, Department for Industry Innovation and Science

4 5 34 "Ethics

in

AI"

With the tech industry changing so rapidly, what it will look like in two years’ time, let alone 10 years’ time, requires a crystal ball.

But with AI being such a hot topic, I would hope to see new roles in the responsible and ethical AI space – this is crucial!

Kelly Drewett Chief Executive Officer, Exposé

"Australian Space Lawyer"

Okay, I'm cheating just a little bit – space law and space lawyers already exist in Australia; however, both the professional and legal frameworks are in their infancy. As domestic space launch activities grow more commonplace, the role of regulation and those to administer it will expand in kind.

Eamon Lawson Regulatory Lead, Southern Launch

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c

Nick Lothian, Head of Product, Verida.

chain Block Enter the world of

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EN T ER T HE WORL D OF BLO CKCH A IN

We enter the world of blockchain to find out about crypto, Web3 and more.

The myths. The hype. And the strangely vibrant community that surrounds blockchain are why we wanted to dive in and discover more about this Web3 tech with world-changing potential.

But here’s the caveat: the learning curves were long, the cans of worms were multiple and we can’t divulge the number of rabbit holes we went down.

Blockchain is a type of shared database that provides a record of transactions that are secure, transparent and decentralised.

And, according to Blockdata report released in October 2021, 81 of the top 100 public companies are using blockchain technology in some way.

Keeping your data safe Imagine for a moment you’ve had some of your private information breached in a data leak. If it hasn’t already happened to you, unfortunately it probably will.

Australians have been hit hard in the recent years with multiple data breaches. Government suppliers, telecoms, private health companies are among the trusted organisations whose security systems, and in turn customer IDs, have been compromised.

The new heroes set to disrupt the dark web baddies are companies leveraging Web3 for good.

We investigate whether blockchain is a flash in the pan and how it impacts us in our day to day.

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We provide tools to take back control of your data.

Nick Lothian, Head of Product, Verida

Lot Fourteen company, Verida, has created world-first technology to protect us against the threats of our private data ending being sold to the highest bidder on the dark web.

Talking to Nick Lothian, Head of Product at Verida, was enlightening. Three years in, and the startup has a thriving and engaged community of more than 25,000, is collaborating with CSIRO and MIT and is headlong into creating some pretty cool solutions for the problems we face today.

“Our area is privacy. Our customers are those who are interested in privacy and concerned about the data that they’re disclosing to Facebook and big tech,” says Lothian.

EN T ER T HE WORL D OF BLO CKCH A IN

NFTs

DATA WALLETS

HALTING CORRUPTION

It would be remiss of us to discuss blockchain without a quick mention of Non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Trending in 2021, everyone was jumping on the NFT bandwagon including celebs and artists including Banksy and Bella Hadid.

A recent Polygon ID integration in the Verida’s data wallet helps enable that. The Verida Wallet is a self-custody web mobile wallet. It’s more than just crypto, it’s a gateway to a new world of decentralised identity.

Another startup, also based in the Startup Hub, Eachmile, uses blockchain technology to securely track every step of the seafood supply chain, tackling corruption in the fishing industry head-on.

NFTs are cryptographically unique tokens that are linked to mainly digital content, providing proof of ownership via the blockchain.

Art mediums that NFTs can represent include digital drawings, paintings, music, film, poetry, or books.

TOKYO23 is an NFT by mini labo, an experimental blockchain studio working at the intersection of technology and creativity, and based in the Startup Hub, run by Stone & Chalk.

Tech savvy types can connect their data wallet, minting (creating) their very own NFT which can be used to explore Tokyo, one of the world's most vibrant cities, unlocking badges in secret locations as you go.

The benefit? Building out a permanent digital memento that will evoke memories of your experience for years to come, while sharing your success on Discord with fellow gamers, developers and cryptonerds!

Users can manage their identity, personal data and credentials and sign into their apps. The wallet connects users to the self-sovereign Verida Network, the most secure, encrypted decentralised storage solution for Web3. This ensures all user data and credentials are secured by a user’s private key.

So, instead of giving your driver’s licence as proof of age to your private medical insurer.

This tech can mathematically prove your age, without sharing your birthdate. Your privacy is maintained and your information is secure, rather than being offered up on a plate to cybercriminals for big bucks on the dark web.

Artwork credit: Chiharu Shiota, born Osaka, Japan 1972, Absence Embodied, 2018, Berlin; and Adelaide, wool, bronze, plaster, 16 hands, (dimensions variable); Gift of the Gwinnett family through the Art Gallery of South Australia Foundation 2018, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, Courtesy the artist and Anna Schwartz Gallery.

Eachmile’s project Fishcoin is sustainability focussed and is building truly inclusive business models rewarding seafood producers predominantly in developing nations for sharing their data and ultimately seeking to make them shareholders in the traceability business and transparent trading platforms.

To hear more about the global problem Eachmile is solvingcheck out the below fiveminute film which has already had over 370,000 views.

Blockchain tech is being used for fun – when it comes to a new way of creating art, exploring new cities or amassing your Ethereum wealth.

However, companies at Lot Fourteen are also using it to help protect us against the everincreasing sophistication of cyber criminals, who often target the most vulnerable and marginalised.

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R A ISING F UND S

Seven experts give fascinating insight to secure VC funding.

AISING funds

Whether your startup is early, venture-funded (growth) or late stage, raising funds is not for the faint hearted.

According to the 2023 Global Startup Ecosystem Report, Adelaide sits fifth in Oceania for venture capital funding per capita, South Aussie startups are in the right place to capitalise on a supportive and rapidly maturing ecosystem. The report, by Startup Genome, also states that the overall Adelaide startup ecosystem has increased 33 ranks in the last year, with its value increasing 347 per cent to $1.56 billion in 2023.

Within Lot Fourteen’s supportive ecosystem, startups have raised over $221M.

R A ISING F UND S

DR TIM MAHLBERG SIE

JULIA JOHNSON

Director of Ecosystems, Stone & Chalk

Vice President of Marketing, Myriota

# OF STARTUPS TOTAL VALUATION FOR ITS STARTUPS TOTAL RAISED BY STARTUPS

58

SECTOR

SPACE

$249M

RAISED

$50M+

STAGE

SERIES B

HEADCOUNT

50

$177M

When looking for funding, look beyond the money to values alignment. Keep front of mind that it’s a longer-term relationship. A good investor will understand your vision, see your potential and have a big vision for your company, acting as an ambassador and advocate. As a founder, your ability to nurture investor relationships is a determining factor in your future company success.

It's crucial to have your house in order to fundraise from a position of strength. Key metrics are important - but equally, ensure you have an experienced and diverse management team, an understanding of your risks, customers that can truly scale with you, and a track record of pivoting ahead of your counterparts.

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KIRSTEN BERNHARDT Investment Manager, South Australian Venture Capital Fund (Artesian)

# OF STARTUPS FUNDED

10

TOTAL CAPITAL DEPLOYED

$27.1M

STAGE OF INVESTMENT

SEED TO SERIES B

The nature of venture capital is high risk, high reward. Typically, less than 1 per cent of startup companies secure VC funding, and of those that do, as many as 80 per cent will fail to deliver a sufficient return on capital for investors.

To ensure VC funds can deliver target returns to their investors (LPs), VC investors are highly selective when it comes to investment decisions, targeting companies that offer the potential to deliver a 10x return, to compensate for the high number of startups that will inevitably fail.

Startup founders should always explore the full range of funding options available to their company (e.g. angels, strategics, VC, PE, debt, crowdfunding, bootstrap), and target the right funding partner for their specific product, stage and growth trajectory.

Through the SAVCF and Artesian, we invest across all technology sectors, from Seed to Series B. We are looking to invest in founding teams with deep sector expertise, building highly scalable products targeting large unmet needs.

ADAM GROCKE Founder, Sherlok

SECTOR

FINTECH

RAISED

$6M

STAGE

SEED

HEADCOUNT

16

To successfully raise capital, you need to do the following extremely well. Tell your story and sell your vision; make others believe that vision; prove that you have the team, skills, capability, industry insights and strategy to execute better than anyone else; show the massive size of the market and how you will win; clearly articulate how the funds will unlock your next valuation inflection and; ensure all of the above aligns to the funds mandate and timelines. It’s brutal, hard work and that’s why only a few walk on the startup path, but it’s worth it.

R A ISING F UND S

JEREMY COOMBE

ELISHA BUCKLEY

Founder and CEO, Apxium

General Manager, Commercial, Southern Launch

SECTOR

SAAS + FINTECH

SECTOR

SPACE

STAGE

SERIES A

RAISED

$12.8M

HEADCOUNT

18

STAGE

SERIES A

HEADCOUNT

28

Know your SaaS metrics! The days of valuation multiples in the 10x plus range are over – so too is the investment appetite for a cash burning startup adopting a “growth at all costs” mentality. Customer acquisition and top line growth, at the expense of true economic fundamentals, is not only where startups are being caught out, but investors too.

If you can demonstrate SaaS metrics that outperform your peers, and build an economic moat to substantiate these metrics, then the capital raising conversation brings a whole different dynamic to the negotiation.

When it comes to the pitch, make it personal.

Share the story behind the business and you'll end up with an investor that also cares about you, not just the business and numbers.

NICK HASSAM Co-Founder, Reask

RAISED

INSURTECH + CLIMATE TECH US$6.55M

STAGE

SEED

HEADCOUNT

16

SECTOR

In early negotiations we ask three core questions of potential investors. What startup stage do they invest at; what sectors do they invest in; and what non-capital support do they offer to their portfolio companies. When it comes to non-financial support, some investors might offer other benefits such as introductions, advice and/or technical or industry expertise.

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K W EEN KONG , A L ESBI A N SPACE P RINCES S A ND A F IR ST FOR S OU T H AUST R A L I A

Kween Kong,

A Lesbian Space Princess

From left: Leela Varghese, Writer/Director, Tom Phillips, Producer, Emma Hough Hobbs, Writer/Director.

and a first for South Australia

K W EEN KONG , A L ESBI A N SPACE P RINCES S A ND A F IR ST FOR S OU T H AUST R A L I A

“

We’ve flipped it so that everyone in this world who is normally a minority is a majority, so they are loud and proud and empowered.

Leela Varghese, Writer/Director

W

hen we chat to the makers of South Australia’s first featurelength animation, it happens to be the day they have one of their top tier talent, RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant, Kween Kong, who’s flown in from Melbourne and is recording voiceover for the character Blade.

Meeting with the film’s creative powerhouse team is an inspiring, colourful whirlwind. The tenperson team is pushing the limits, giving a voice to the queer community, breaking stereotypes and tropes, and tearing up rule books, all with a heap of passion, courage and smarts and a firm eye on the impact art has on changing the culture.

With just one year to pull the fully female-led film together, the team have much to do. The main cast is made up of women and gender diverse people of colour and has a focus on young and upcoming Australian talent.

We have a half hour window lunchbreak, with the busy team grabbing some sarnies, in between voice recordings, talent wrangling, art direction and script rewrites.

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K W EEN KONG , A L ESBI A N SPACE P RINCES S A ND A F IR ST FOR S OU T H AUST R A L I A

The ten-person team is pushing the limits, giving a voice to the queer community, breaking stereotypes and tropes, and tearing up rule books, all with a heap of passion, courage and smarts and a firm eye on the impact art has on changing the culture.

I

t’s fascinating to peek into their studio where graphic artists are using Toon Boom Harmony, VFX, and high-end compositing to create the quirky and galactic characters and the worlds in which they live.

Over the next year, the team will be based at Artisan Post Group’s (APG) digs, on the top floor of TechCentral at Lot Fourteen, overlooking Frome Road’s lush plane tree canopy. And they have the full support of APG’s impressive facilities who have worked with a range of productions, providing integrated post-production on Netflix series Stateless and ABC series Aftertaste to name just two. For the creative industries sector at Lot Fourteen, this really is the place to be.

Feature-length, animated space comedy, Lesbian Space Princess, was written by Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese. The story follows an anxious space princess who is thrust out of her sheltered life and into a galactic quest to save her bounty hunter ex-girlfriend from the ‘Straight White Maliens’.

Like all good ideas, this one started out in the pub. South Australian artist Hough Hobbs, and Tropfest award winner, writer and director, Varghese, brainstormed several ideas offering the world a glimpse into the LGBTQI+ world, with the title stating exactly what it does on the tin.

They brought on producer, Tom Phillips from We Made A Thing (Production Company), and the film was developed, and then greenlit through the South Australian Film Corporation and Adelaide Film Festivals: New Voices initiative.

K W EEN KONG , A L ESBI A N SPACE P RINCES S A ND A F IR ST FOR S OU T H AUST R A L I A

Being subversive

Plot lines The story for Lesbian Space Princess takes inspiration directly from Hough Hobbs and Varghese’s own lives.

The heroine, Saira, who lives on Clitopolis, is a little anxious, a bit introverted and is on a quest to win back her girlfriend. However, spoiler alert, although the journey sets off with a clear mission of finding her girlfriend, she discovers herself in the process.

Her voyage encapsulates a story of the importance of self-worth, taking up space and being comfortable with your own company, all important elements of self-love.

The worlds created are jampacked with colour, humour and vibrancy. The creativity knows no bounds, with a runaway gay-pop idol, gloom goo, blade-wielding maniacs and the scariest thing of all, her own self-doubt.

Hough Hobbs says of their ambition to be totally inclusive, “the main characters are all women and gender diverse people of colour.”

“Regardless of whether a character is queer, gender non-conforming, a person of colour, it’s not about that, we’re subverting those themes.”

Varghese agrees with regards to the plot and storyline, “the simplest way of putting it, is that we’ve flipped it so that everyone in this world who is normally a minority is a majority, so they are loud and proud and empowered.”

“It kind of comments on everything without having to comment on it that much.”

Producer, Phillips, says, “there was something wonderful about this project, as it was so entertaining.”

“Those who like sci-fi, who like exploring different worlds and escapism can buy into this as well, and from our perspective we just loved that aspect of it.

“At the heart of it the character is trying to prioritise themselves first, and that’s a universal experience.

It’s very easy to get lost in the shallower aspects of life.”

So, for now, the race is on. With animation, Frozen, taking two years and Moana taking five years to create, their deadline is ambitious, but they have the right team and support around them to make it work.

Lesbian Space Princess is slated to premiere at the next Adelaide Film Festival in November 2024.

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How to get the best out of your next work event.

for introverts

NE T WORK ING FOR IN T R OV ER TS

networking

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NE T WORK ING FOR IN T R OV ER TS

DAISH MALANI, Founder and CEO, Add-Life Technologies

ALLISON NIKULA, CEO and Founder, CareApp

JASON WESTMACOTT, Director, 3na

Prioritise quality over quantity.

Instead of trying to meet everyone, focus on establishing genuine connections with a few individuals. Listen actively, ask questions, and share your passion. It's okay to be vulnerable. This can lead to valuable partnerships, advice, and opportunities in the long run.

Become a Compliment Crusader!

“I saw your LinkedIn post on X, it really got me thinking about Y”, or even something simple like: “I love that necklace. Where is it from?”. Open with thoughtful and sincere compliments, demonstrating genuine interest and warmth and watch the conversations blossom.

Prepare. Know who will be there ahead of time, who you want to talk to, and why.

It’s time to network… what’s your go-to move? Do you camp out next to the drinks table and offer some small talk or perhaps awkward silences, eye contact avoidance or some extensive oversharing are more your style? Here to help you slay your next event are our Lot Fourteen experts with their top tips and tricks. Your future career thanks you.

AMY FEATHERSTON, Media and Communications Manager, Southern Launch

PETE NUGENT, Head of Capture and Delivery, AeroPM

It's important to be yourself.

Share personal tidbits about your life, you never know what you might have in common with someone.

If you're an introvert, prepare to exit your comfort zone and be exhausted. If you're an extrovert, think hard about sucking the oxygen out of the room and removing the ability of others to engage. Finally, write up your notes post event promptly to share with your broader team.

ELOISE SKELLA, National Marketing Director, Chamonix Go have fun and stay curious.

Be genuinely interested in the people you're having conversations with. People are more likely to remember you and the interaction if they feel you've taken a genuine interest in them. Authenticity is key.

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Zandria Farrell, National Manager for Space, Bureau of Meteorology.

24 TA K ING F L IGH T

TA K ING F L IGH T

A win-win for Australia’s growing space industry.

How the

Bureau is providing

critical data to the

spaceflight sector The establishment of the Bureau of Meteorology's spaceflight capability integrates meteorological and space weather expertise to provide the best outcomes for the spaceflight sector. A win-win for Australia’s growing space industry.

We caught up with Zandria Farrell, the National Manager for Space at the Bureau of Meteorology who explained that spaceflight refers to any activity that puts a spacecraft into space, from launching a rocket to deploying a satellite in space.

As the national authority for both terrestrial and space weather, the Bureau sees its spaceflight capability as an opportunity to continue to deliver essential and continuous operational weather services to inform the safety, security, and prosperity to the space domain.

"Both meteorological and space weather information is essential to support successful and safe spaceflight activities.

It helps reduce risks to mission success from the ground and then in orbit," she said.

For example, at the launch of the SpaceX Starlink satellite constellation in February 2022, it was reported that up to 40 satellites were lost due to a space weather event.

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TA K ING F L IGH T

And the launch failure rate for uncrewed space missions can be up to 30 per cent, with weather (rain, lightening and wind) a key determinant of triumph or disaster for a rocket launch.

“Our spaceflight team is working closely with the space launch industry to tailor forecasts and warnings to their specific needs depending on the launch location and rocket type," she said.

“Our expertise is also supporting decision making by increasing the awareness of terrestrial and space weather impacts on Defence/Government operations in collaboration with partners to support Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Domain Awareness (SDA).

“SSA and SDA refer to keeping track of objects in orbit and predicting where they will be at any given time. The space environment plays a big part in how a spacecraft behaves, so space weather information is essential data for these organisations to do what they need to do".

“

Our expertise is also supporting decision making by increasing the awareness of terrestrial and space weather impacts.

Zandria Farrell, National Manager for Space, Bureau of Meteorology

COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR COMPLEX PROBLEMS Both space weather and terrestrial weather have significant impacts for getting spacecraft into space.

To tackle this, the Bureau's spaceflight capability works in close engagement with space launch operators including Lot Fourteen tenants Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) and Southern Launch, offering expertise in both terrestrial meteorological and space weather intelligence.

Southern Launch’s Chief Executive Officer, Lloyd Damp, said that timely forecast data was key to ensuring a safe launch and the company’s global customers appreciate the close relationship

the company has with the Bureau. He says, “the data we get from the Bureau is vital to our launch preparations. It helps us select optimal launch times and develop up-to-date models of predicted launch trajectories.”

ELA, has 90 per cent of its team based out of Stone & Chalk’s Startup Hub, has an impressive client roster, including NASA, and is working closely with the Bureau on its Arnhem Space Centre in Northern Territory.

Ben Tett, General Manager of Operations and Launch, ELA says, “the ability for ELA to work

TA K ING F L IGH T

LOT FOURTEEN: THE CENTRE FOR SPACE WEATHER MONITORING IN AUSTRALIA The Bureau's Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (ASWFC) monitors real-life space weather events from Lot Fourteen, from solar flares to geomagnetic storms and accompanying auroras.

From its Adelaide base, the ASWFC observes and forecasts space weather conditions, including solar activity, and geophysical and ionospheric conditions.

Across Australia, Antarctica, and the South Pacific, the Bureau manages an extensive multi-instrument network of magnetometers, ionosondes and other sensors. The ASWFC acts as the regional warning centre for the Australian region, as a member of the International Space Environment Service, and is part of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s global space weather advisory service for aviation.

with The Bureau team allows us to better support our clients in managing and maintaining their launch schedules.”

The Bureau is also collaborating with the Australian Space Agency, whose headquarters is also at Lot Fourteen.

The co-location of these two federal government agencies, the Bureau and the Agency, alongside space launch operators at Lot Fourteen, has been a carefully curated strategy from the inception of Lot Fourteen’s innovation district, driving collaboration and innovation in the heart of Adelaide.

Space weather can disrupt many of Australia’s critical services. This includes interruption to Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation, radio communications, damaging power grids, threatening satellite transmissions and instruments (including avionics in extreme circumstances), affecting aviation and air travel safety and reducing the life of satellites in low earth orbits.

As our reliance on technology grows, so does the impact of space weather events.

Ms Farrell says integral space weather intelligence from the Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre is incorporated in spaceflight capability to provide real time and historical observations to support space operators.

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NEUR ODI V ER SE SUP ERP OW ER S

From left: Carmina Familar and Shyen Wee, 42 Adelaide learners.

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How neurodiverse superpowers are unlocking innovation in tech

NEUR ODI V ER SE SUP ERP OW ER S

recent years. Neurodiverse workers have unique ways of thinking and problem-solving leading to innovative solutions.

In the heart of Adelaide, a coding school has become an incubator for neurodiverse tech talent.

Modeled on the renowned École 42 in France, 42 Adelaide’s learning approach is centered around peerto-peer learning, project-based coursework, gamified learning, and industry digital cadetships.

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few decades ago, the term neurodiversity did not exist and people with neurological differences were often overlooked in the workforce. Now, with an estimated 1 in 7 people having a neurodiverse condition, those with diversely wired minds, such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia are being embraced, supported and celebrated in workplaces around the world.

The tech sector, in particular, has been buzzing with the concept of neurodiversity in

The coding school caters for 450 full-time students, and more than 40 per cent of the current cohort is neurodiverse. They participate in a mix of on-campus and online learning, but unlike a traditional university setting, there are no formal classes or teachers. Instead, the 42 Adelaide education team sets coding projects for the students to collaborate on in a communityand-teamwork styled environment.

Students have the freedom to choose their own learning paths, tackle real-world coding challenges, learn the fundamentals of technology, and develop critical problem-solving skills.

This approach not only equips them with the technical skills needed for tech jobs but also hones their soft skills, making them well-rounded candidates in the competitive tech industry.

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42 Adelaide CEO, Louise Nobes, says the entire curriculum has been designed for people who think outside the box.

“Our neurodiverse learners find solutions where others draw blanks. They have the ability to focus in on learnings that others tire of. Those with ADHD thrive on new challenges, which as we know in tech, changes daily, requiring nimble minds eager to embrace development. Our neurodiverse learners absolutely thrive on the interactivity and diverse methods of attaining understanding that our peer-topeer learning method demands.”

From left: Shyen Wee and Carmina Familar, 42 Adelaide learners.

42 Adelaide’s emphasis on diversity and inclusion in tech has led to career breakthroughs for students like Shyen Wee and

Carmina Familar, who have both been diagnosed as neurodiverse.

Wee had been on a long and challenging journey of learning at various Australian academic institutions until he heard about the 42 coding movement in a Facebook post shared via a Silicon Valley online forum. He’d previously pursued a polytechnic course in cybersecurity and a university degree in computer science but didn’t manage to finish either.

“I have ADHD so it’s hard for me to focus. My brain is wired differently, so I’m either hyper focused on things that really interest me or if things don’t interest me, it’s hard for me to focus. Computer Science degrees are slow moving, and if you don’t turn up you get behind and it’s hard to keep up.”

Wee says short tasks and tight deadlines work well for him, which is just the style of learning that 42 Adelaide offers. “42 has quick response times and you get quick feedback about your work which works well for neurodiverse students like me,” he says.

As part of his coding course, Wee has been working as a cadet at a local Australian tech firm. Having a structured job with fast turnaround, technical problem solving tasks tend to work well for him.

“I like being the neurodiverse guy,” he says. “I have superpowers like creativity. When you focus it just feels good. Neurodiversity really helps me think outside the box.”

NEUR ODI V ER SE SUP ERP OW ER S

Familar - a self-taught coder - has a similar perspective on the power of neurodiversity.

“It has been difficult coming to terms with my diagnosis, but I guess that’s where my coding skills come from,” she says.

“I have times where I’m cheerful and hyper, so that’s good when I’m in a team environment and can easily talk with my peers.”

“But I’m also detail oriented and hyper focused on certain tasks like picking up bugs in the system that might be overlooked by someone else, and you need that in technology roles.”

“

Our neurodiverse learners find solutions where others draw blanks. They have the ability to focus in on learnings that others tire of.

Louise Nobes, CEO, 42 Adelaide

Familar has already secured a full-time analyst programmer role at a state government department where she has been doing her cadetship.

high school digital technologies subject, giving students the opportunity to engage with AWS cloud, IoT devices and machine learning capabilities.

“Typically, people would do a degree then get a full-time role, but I’ve only been coding since last February and I’ve already got a full-time role,” she says. “I’m honestly grateful for alternative education pathways, like 42, that cater to neurodiverse people and also have these connections with the tech industry.”

Wee and Familar came away from the competition with their AWS Certified Cloud Quest Practitioner badges which they now display on their LinkedIn profiles. AWS Certifications are industryrecognized credentials that validate an individuals’ tech skills and cloud expertise, and help employers identify skilled talent.

The current global cohort of 42 coding students recently participated in an AWS Cloud Quest online competition that was run across 13 campuses from Australia to Kuala Lumpur to Paris. This fun and interactive game-based learning approach helps individuals build practical cloud skills while helping the citizens of a virtual city.

42 Adelaide has built strong relationships with the local tech companies engaged in its cadetship internship program.

Nobes says networking events at Adelaide’s Lot Fourteen innovation district have been invaluable for the students and their potential employers.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) was the first cloud provider to have its training and certification programs offered to 42 Adelaide students alongside their 42 core curriculum as an industry equipping skill.

AWS has also worked with 42 in the delivery of their senior

“At a ‘Tech Talk’ the employers will be blown away by the insightful questions the students ask and the alternative

perspectives they offer. All these interactions bring about not just a willingness to hire neurodiverse students, but a strong desire. Our industry partners know they will hire a neurodiverse learner with exactly the skills they are after.”

Wee is aiming for a career in data analytics in the financial markets space and believes skills in big data will be mission critical for his future. As a former English teacher, Familar’s goal is to learn artificial intelligence and data science skills so she can build tools to help alleviate the administrative burdens on teachers.

Both students say they wouldn’t be at the starting line of promising tech careers without studying in an environment where diversity is celebrated. They believe that in an ever-evolving tech landscape, embracing neurodiversity is not just a choice for businesses; it’s a necessity for staying at the forefront of innovation and progress.

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HE AV Y A MBI T ION

Industry giants and researchers unite to slash carbon emissions.

heavy ambition.

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f Australia is to meet ambitious COP21 targets of net zero by 2050, heavy industries, which generate nearly a seventh of the country’s CO2, must be targeted.

In just two years since its launch, an ambitious program run out of Lot Fourteen has assembled 100 researchers and more than 50 partners on a global mission to decarbonise the sector.

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HE AV Y A MBI T ION

The federally funded CRC is backed by more than 50 partners including industry giants such as Fortescue Metals Group, Roy Hill, Liberty-GFG, Grange Resources, Adbri, South32 and Alcoa and core research partners including the University of Adelaide,

Australian National University, Curtin University and CSIRO. HILT CRC’s goal is to deliver a suite of technical solutions by 2030 that will facilitate the decarbonisation of heavy industries globally by 2050.

These industries currently account for 14 per cent of Australia’s carbon emissions and are significant drivers of the Australian economy, with the resources sector contributing 68 per cent of Australia’s export earnings in 2022.

It’s an ambitious target but one which HILT CRC chief executive Jenny Selway says is achievable.

“There’s a clear imperative that we must decarbonise globally whilst also ensuring Australia’s heavy industry sectors remain competitive during the transition,” she says.

“Combining the commitment and capability of our industry and research partners is really powerful; everyone has a shared vision… that’s why I know (reaching our emission target) is achievable.”

“Our groundbreaking research programs are aimed at demonstrating new technologies, developing viable low-carbon alternatives, and facilitating transformation to address these decarbonisation challenges."

From left: Renee Hakendorf, CEO, CORE Innovation Hub, Jenny Selway, CEO, HILT CRC.

The $200 million Heavy Industry Low-carbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre (HILT CRC), located in the CORE Innovation Hub, is spearheading research and collaboration to fast-track new technologies that will reduce emissions and create thousands of jobs across the critically important steel, iron, alumina and cement industries.

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HE AV Y A MBI T ION

“

If we can’t decarbonise these industries, we won’t remain competitive globally.

Jenny Selway, CEO, HILT CRC

“This includes producing green iron and steel, green alumina and low-carbon cement and lime, finding ways to use clean energy like hydrogen, solar thermal and biomass, and enabling better policies.”

HILT is forecasting there is the opportunity to unlock billions of dollars of annual revenue and investments, safeguard over 300,000 existing jobs and create thousands more – all while mitigating carbon emissions.

“If we can’t decarbonise these industries, we won’t remain competitive globally,” Selway says. “We have to abate emissions, but technically how we achieve that is not always obvious.”

“South Australia has a very strong heavy industry presence with Whyalla and several of our industry partners here. Adelaide is also a central location for the rest of our partners in other states,” she says

The Federal Government launched HILT CRC in 2021 with its board appointed in 2022.

“South Australia’s high penetration of renewable energy is a fantastic baseline for the decarbonisation of heavy industry, if you’ve got that you’re one step down the pathway to net zero.”

Selway says HILT was based in Adelaide due to the support and advocacy of The University of Adelaide, the South Australian Government and the tireless efforts of The University of Adelaide’s Centre for Energy Technology Director, Professor Gus Nathan, now also HILT’s Research Director, during the CRC bid process.

Selway says over the course of CRC’s lifetime until 2031, the type and complexity of projects will increase; the technical readiness level of the projects will grow, and there will be more in-depth and larger-scale projects.

ha HE AV Y A MBI T ION

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“The challenge for us presently is to make sure we maintain our momentum to keep pace with industry needs and prioritise areas of research that will continue to add value to our partners,” she says.

“We’re trying to move quickly, but also very purposefully…and we’re focused on stakeholder engagement with our partners to test the ideas to make sure we are on the right track.

“We’re building in ‘off-ramps’ and early tests of concepts, so within a project there are many opportunities to reassess, pivot and switch funding to projects that look more promising if required.”

HILT CRC project kick-off meeting, Hydrogen Supply within HILT Regional Hubs.

From left: Simon Campbell-Hardwick - FMG, Shuang Wang - ANU, Ahmad Mojiri - ANU, Joe Coventry - ANU, Tara Hosseini - CSIRO and Peter Ashman, University of Adelaide.

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HE AV Y A MBI T ION

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HILT CRC is among about 40 researchers, innovators and technologists and industry professionals who are part of the CORE Innovation Hub, which has had a presence in Lot Fourteen since 2020 but launched its expanded Adelaide hub in SpaceLab in March this year.

The venue aims to foster new ideas, research and partnerships and turbocharge South Australia’s energy and mining sector by linking the mining and resources sector with the innovation community.

CORE Innovation Hub national lead Renee Hakendorf says the commitment of mining and resources companies to net zero targets has accelerated their pursuit of new technologies and solutions.

“That’s put them on the front foot about engaging with innovators,” she says.

“We bring all the ingredients together and provide the platform so that industry and innovators can come together.

“The State Government has been a great supporter and continue to be a champion for us.”

“

There’s a clear imperative that we must decarbonise globally whilst also ensuring Australia’s heavy industry sectors remain competitive during the transition.

Jenny Selway, CEO, HILT CRC

HILT CRC projects completed and underway include:

Examining the use of hydrogen as an energy source and a reduction agent in direct reduction ironmaking

Improving the quality of Australian iron ores to make them more suitable for green steel processes

Evaluating methods to reduce energy consumption and utilise renewable energy sources in alumina processing

Carbon capture and storage opportunities

A Facilitating Transformation program delivering research into enabling factors such as carbon mapping, global trade policy implications, and market factors for green iron ore and steel

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From left: Marco Salinas, CEO, Hubble, Rob Morris, CEO, iO Energy, Pia (Lepore) Daniells, Chief Operations Officer, Hubble.

38 FOR ‘ WAT T ’ I T 'S WOR T H

FOR ‘ WAT T ’ I T 'S WOR T H

FOR

IT’S WORTH Two Stone & Chalk startups are helping to cut through the jargon and foster a more sustainable way of living.

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FOR ‘ WAT T ’ I T 'S WOR T H

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rying to reduce our carbon footprint and slash power bills can sometimes seem overwhelming.

Kilowatt hours, off-peak rates, time-of-use charges, feed-in tariffs, photovoltaic, smart meters, passive heating, cross ventilation, seven-star and thermal performance.

Oh, and don’t forget BESS (that’s Battery Energy Storage System).

Two Stone & Chalk startups are helping to cut through the jargon and foster a more sustainable way of living.

Everyone has their favourite time of the day.

FOR ‘ WAT T ’ I T 'S WOR T H

For Rob Morris and Luke Morton their sweet-spot is between 10am and 4pm - when South Australia’s network of rooftop solar systems are harnessing the power of the sun.

“Between 10am and 4pm, there’s an abundance of rooftop solar being fed into the grid, about 1/3 of South Australians have rooftop solar…it’s important to help people understand how to use electricity better,” Morton says.

“We have a software solution that can analyse a customers’ existing billing data, and their smart meter data, to provide valuable insights into consumption and estimated savings by switching retail plans.

“Education is a big part of what we’re doing at iO Energy; energy is quite complicated, and you can take advantage of cheap energy if you are smart about how you use it.”

“We can use that software to also recommend optimal sizing of solar and battery systems and help them understand how they can optimise consumption – for example heating hot water or charging their electric vehicle in the daytime.

Morris and Morton are co-founders of energy retailer and “disrupter” iO Energy whose self-described mission is to ‘accelerate humanity’s zero carbon by maximising the use of affordable clean electricity’.

Launched in September 2020, iO Energy encourages customers to use more renewable power by offering radically low daytime rates (8c/kWh for homes and 20c/kWh for small businesses) when renewables are at their most abundant – in the middle of the day.

Rob Morris, CEO, iO Energy.

“The SA grid is, on average, 95 per cent renewable at midday yet only half that at 7pm, so it makes sense to try and use your energy when it is at its cheapest,” Morris says.

“At a business level, we use all our customers’ data along with our machine learning model to forecast our future energy needs, so we can enter into power purchase agreements with renewable energy generators that suit the future energy needs of our customers.”

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FOR ‘ WAT T ’ I T 'S WOR T H

“

We want a world where everyone knows the benefits, empowering homeowners to optimise home comfort and energy costs.

Mr Salinas, CEO, Hubble

The company has more than 1000 customers, is adding 50 customers a week and in January 2023 made a major foray into local government recruiting three metropolitan South Australian councils.

The company has had two capital raises (approx. $650,000 in March 2021 and $500,000 in June 2023) and is aiming to expand into Victoria by the end of the year.

“Going into the future we’re going to have more extreme climate events, pricing of electricity is going to change, so you will benefit by exercising a little bit of foresight about how you build a home and renovate a home, too,” Morton says.

Enter Marco Salinas whose passion is helping to build more energy efficient homes. In fact, he was involved in delivering and powering Australia’s first and only 10-star house in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs – which is powered by iO Energy.

Mr Salinas is CEO of Hubble proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning platform that can predict the energyefficiency potential of a house at any construction stage with up to 99 per cent accuracy.

Architects and builders can input building designs into Hubble’s tech – including information such as materials, floor space, building orientation – to generate an energy efficiency score and comfort score and estimated bill savings.

FOR ‘ WAT T ’ I T 'S WOR T H

Mr Salinas co-founded Hubble with Jim Woolcock in 2020, noticing a “huge gap” in the market for software that would accurately determine a property’s energy efficiency at the design stage.

A dozen builders nationally are either using or trialling Hubble, which is also used by nationleading product manufacturers, such as window and insulation providers, to help amplify the energy-saving potential of their products to industry.

Hubble is aiming to deliver a consumer-facing version next year, building on a pilot program – My Cool Home – recently run in conjunction with the AdaptWest Regional Climate Partnership that supports climate adaptation across Charles Sturt, West Torrens and Port Adelaide Enfield councils in Adelaide’s western suburbs.

My Cool Home is a free online sustainability assessment tool letting the councils’ residents generate an energy-efficiency score for their property – and discover changes that could improve their building’s thermal performance and energy use.

“Additional councils have expressed interest in adopting My Cool Home for their community.

“One of the issues is that sustainability is viewed as a premium, something you have to pay extra for, when it’s actually not the case…on the contrary it’s just about being empowered with the right tools to build knowledge, and that’s where we are trying to help.”

Hubble is undertaking a capital raise seeking $600,000 to expand its B2B offering further whilst developing a consumer platform that any homeowner can use.

“The response has been amazing, in the first 12 months since its launch in March 2022 it logged over 10,000 interactions and the tool is being enhanced with a greenery/gardening section,” Mr Salinas says.

Energy efficient 10 Star Home.

Photo credit: JB Media.

“Energy rating is highly complicated, many people have no idea what it means,” Mr Salinas says. “We want a world where everyone knows the benefits, empowering homeowners to optimise home comfort and energy costs.”

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T E A M A R T EMIS AUST R A L I A

TEAM ARTEMIS AUSTRALIA

The Australian Space Agency platform to drive investment, international collaboration, and partnerships in this new era of lunar exploration.

Lot Fourteen is home to the Australian Space Agency headquarters, and the Australian Space Discovery Centre – a centrepiece in inspiring the next STEM workforce and telling Australia’s story in space – where we’ve been and where we’re heading.

The Australian Space Agency’s neighbours include a high calibre list of space companies such as Neumann Space, Saber Astronautics, QuantX Labs, Inovor Technologies and SmartSat CRC. Each is carving their own piece of space history through demonstrating Australia’s world-leading capabilities, including those that can contribute to this new era of lunar exploration.

T E A M A R T EMIS AUST R A L I A

Team Artemis Australia is a global engagement and technical platform created and spearheaded by the Australian Space Agency.

Aligned with NASA’s Moon to Mars strategy, the platform brings together Australia’s world-leading, unique and specialised capabilities across government, industry and academia that can contribute to NASA’s Artemis and other Moon to Mars programs.

Australia’s global partners have quickly recognised Australia’s expertise in robotics and automation, remote operations and optical communications. Global space agencies including the European Space Agency, NASA, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Indian Space Research Organisation all have a desire to partner with Australia to advance our respective space capabilities, which can also have applications to lunar missions such as Artemis.

Stage One of the Australian Space Agency’s Trailblazer program is underway with two consortia – AROSE and ELO2 – working on the design phase of a semi-autonomous lunar rover. As part of NASA’s Artemis Program, the Australian built and operated rover will be sent to the Moon to collect lunar soil – known as regolith – in what will be a major step towards releasing a sustainable human presence on the Moon and supporting future missions to Mars.

While the rover is a significant Australian contribution to Artemis, Head of the Australian Space Agency, Enrico Palermo, says its important Australia’s space ecosystem has opportunities to apply its capabilities in other ways through major exploration programs such as Artemis.

“Australia is building a reputation as a competitive, entrepreneurial and talented space nation,” Palermo says. “We now have a significant opportunity to play an even greater role in the Artemis future.”

“

Australia is building a reputation as a competitive, entrepreneurial and talented space nation.

Enrico Palermo Head of the Australian Space Agency

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T E A M A R T EMIS AUST R A L I A

Introducing Team Artemis Australia.

“Ultimately, Team Artemis Australia places a global spotlight on Australian space capabilities,” Palermo says. “We view it as an investment attraction tool, with the aim to foster international partnerships, identify opportunities for collaboration, and drive more private investment into the Australian space sector.

“While the Moon is our first step beyond Earth, approaching our contribution to the Artemis Program from the Moon to Mars lens encourages us to not just join, but become and remain a leading part of space exploration and science into the future – always with a view to how these investments improve life on Earth.”

A new Team Artemis Australia interactive tool explaining the platform is available on the Agency’s website, and it’s also exploring other ways for industry to further embed itself in Team Artemis Australia to effectively promote its capabilities to the world.

“As an Agency, it’s important that we use our position to provide industry with a platform to showcase the specialised capabilities we have to offer,” Palermo says.

“As we continue to evolve Team Artemis Australia, the platform will become fundamental in promoting Australia’s space sector and driving greater opportunities for us to contribute to major global space exploration programs.”

T E A M A R T EMIS AUST R A L I A

Lot Fourteen houses several companies that have been supported by Australian Space Agency programs, such as the Moon to Mars initiative. These are examples of capabilities that can sit under the Team Artemis Australia banner.

SABER ASTRONAUTICS

INOVOR TECHNOLOGIES

Lot Fourteen is home to a national Mission Control Centre operated by Saber Astronautics, from inside the Australian Space Discovery Centre. The Responsive Space Operations CentreTM was established with the help of a $6 million grant through the Agency’s Space Infrastructure Fund. It is a major hub for the space traffic efforts, leading the Pacific region and at the same time conducts next-gen command and control for multi-tonne spacecraft worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Inovor is using Agency funding to deliver the first rapid, high-reliability and cost competitive satellite manufacturing capability in Australia.

Designed to meet the needs of the Australian Government, Defence and commercial customers, it will deliver manufacturing equipment, optimised design parameters and processes to support the manufacture of reliable space electronics.

QUANTX LABS

SPIRIT SATELLITE PROJECT

With an ambitious plan to launch one of the globe’s most complex quantum devices into orbit, QuantX Labs knows that the sky is not the limit. Their Kairos-1 Mission will build a next-generation atomic clock that can be used for space navigation, timing and synchronisation, as well as delivering timing and navigation signals to the ground.

Inovor Technologies and Neumann Space are partnering with the University of Melbourne to build the first Australian-made spacecraft to host a foreign space agency payload. The innovative satellite will carry the Italian Space Agency’s advanced X-ray detector that will look for high-energy gamma ray bursts in space.

Inovor is building the satellite bus, while Neumann Space is integrating its propulsion system.

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M A K ING T HE GR A DE

MAKING THE GRADE Meet the AgTech innovators with their fingers on the pulse.

From left: Anna Falkiner and Andrew Hannon, Co-Founders, Cropify.

From little things big things grow and for Anna Falkiner and Andrew Hannon it’s the tiny lentil that has driven their big ambition to modernise Australia’s $35 billion grain industry using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

M A K ING T HE GR A DE

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We have gained confidence in the industry and we will soon see industry adoption.

Andrew Hannon, Co-founder, Cropify

Their Stone & Chalk AgTech start-up Cropify is combining agricultural experience with Artificial Intelligence and machine learning expertise to develop technology they believe will improve the classification of pulses and grains and reduce conflict between sellers and buyers around quality, from paddock right through to the export and importing customers.

Presently most grain assessment is done subjectively by eye, but with his years of insight in the grain industry, Hannon had identified the need to provide an objective, accurate, faster and repeatable means to assess grains.

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“There was a big issue relating to disputes and dispute resolution that arises out of the subjective nature of classification which is traditionally performed by human classifiers,” Hannon says. “Our objective is to be accurate and repeatable, eliminate the subjective testing and increase confidence along the entire supply chain.

“We have gained confidence in the industry and we will soon see industry adoption.”

Their software – developed with the support of the Australian Institute for Machine Learning, also based at Lot Fourteen – uses high-resolution imagery to assess an industry-standard sample of lentils in 90 seconds compared with the current industry average for pulses of about 24 minutes.

The Cropify technology can pick up defects in the lentils as well as identify weed seeds that could contaminate shipments.

It also provides a solution to current shortage of grain classifiers in regional areas.

“Being able to do the whole sample size, in line with Grain Trade Australia standards and do it repeatedly and accurately and quickly is going to be a game changer, delivering efficiencies across the grain supply chain” Hannon says.

“Then there's the environmental benefit, you haven't got a line of trucks burning diesel waiting for two hours to have their product tested.

“

“There’s also presently a huge plastics issue because presently every one of the 4.4 million grain and pulse samples done in Australia has to be stored for 12 months in single-use plastic bags whereas our technology will store the sample image in a database.”

SA is Australia’s largest lentil producer, and pulses were chosen as the testbed for the technology, because they are notoriously difficult to classify, Falkiner says.

“We’ve kept our scope narrow so we can demonstrate to industry that we can solve the challenges they face in order to create demand and bring on investment,” she says.

You haven't got a line of trucks burning diesel waiting for two hours to have their product tested.

Andrew Hannon, Co-founder, Cropify

M A K ING T HE GR A DE

The benefit to farmers is through more accurate classification they can have better control over how, and where, they sell their product. Test results can be shared with stakeholders in real time, allowing for more informed marketing and storage decisions.

The company is undertaking a $2 million seed funding round to accelerate their growth and is aiming to do first commercial trials of the prototype in the firsthalf of 2024 in South Australia.

“We've got lots of industry interest in Australia and internationally, potential customers are all really keen. The accuracy level that our prototype is operating at is really generating a lot of positive interest,” Falkiner says.

The pair have largely selffunded their enterprise since starting the business in 2019, but have received grant funding from Primary Industries and Resources SA through the inaugural AgTech Growth Fund.

“We've been fortunate to also have support from the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML) that's allowed us to get to a point that we are today,” Hannon says.

“The proof-of-concept work completed by AIML was instrumental in confirming we were on the right path to solving

this global issue for the grains industry. Without this foundation work our path to market could have been a lot slower.

Falkiner says one of the biggest challenges of starting a business was trying to do everything on their own.

“We also have grain growers who have come on as investors and we have international parties interested as well.”

“With our first iteration of our hardware we were literally buying LED panels off the internet and ripping them apart and doing the tech ourselves, then trying to find people who could help us,” she says.

Falkiner and Hannon predict their technology alone could potentially eliminate 138 million tonnes of CO2 emissions and 22 million tonnes of plastic annually.

“The benefit of being somewhere here, like Stone & Chalk, from an early stage is you can ask around and find the right people.”

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DEF ENCE FOR CE

From AI addressing military vehicle corrosion to potential lifesaving tech helping to streamline aircraft pre-flight planning, the innovations are coming at a rapid rate from a Lot Fourteen-based consultancy, Ascent Professional Services.

From left: Trent Simcock, Engineer, Darren Roles, Strategic Partnerships Manager, Gennaro DeMarco, Engineer, Ascent Professional Services.

Defence force set to benefit from innovations coming out of Lot Fourteen

DEF ENCE FOR CE

A PILOT-FOCUSSED APPLICATION One of the biggest challenges facing military pilots is the time-consuming and labourintensive process of loading aircraft and maintaining aircraft weight and balance.

In contrast to civilian operations, the capabilities for air-to-air refuelling, weapons carriage, paratroopers and stores expenditure are frequent causes of weight changes in a military setting, meaning aircraft weight and balance can be the difference between mission success or failure.

A poorly loaded aircraft can also cause instability, putting the lives of the crew and passengers at risk.

Ascent’s new technology, AeroATLAS, is a platformagnostic weight and balance calculation tool designed for military applications. Enabling accurate inputs, even in highpressure environments, the tech captures all the regulatory requirements and best practice of multiple aviation regulatory bodies, delivering a solution that mitigates inflight safety hazards, alleviates pilot workload and ensures mission readiness.

Created by Ascent’s experienced and expert team, Michael Isherwood, CEO of Ascent says that AeroATLAS is a “single plug-and-play military-specific solution, ready for use by any platform, in any environment, under any regulatory system.”

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DEF ENCE FOR CE

Ascent is a 100 per cent Australian veteran-owned and operated specialist consultancy providing technical, scientific, and engineering expertise to the Department of Defence, Australian Space Agency and Defence prime contractors.

Established in 2016, the company has been growing year on year with 53 now on the team, and engineering graduates accounting for 25 per cent of the workforce.

With a strong engineering consulting base, the team are investing in research and development to create scalable solutions to the challenges their clients face daily.

Ascent is considering expressions of interest from investors in Europe, US and closer to home to accelerate the development of two new products AeroATLAS and CorroVision.

THE AI/ML SOLUTION FOR CORROSION MANAGEMENT Corrosion is major problem for the global defence industry, causing considerable damage to military vehicles and requiring an estimated US$300 billion a year on repairs and remediation.

“It can help to reduce the cost of maintenance by identifying areas that need to be repaired before they fail,” he says.

Ascent’s new tool, CorroVision, uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse data from a variety of sources, including environmental conditions, maintenance records, and historical data.

“It can also help to improve safety by identifying areas of potential corrosion that could pose a hazard to personnel. In addition, the technology can help to improve fleet readiness by ensuring that aircraft are properly maintained and that they are available when needed.”

This data is then used to generate predictive models that can identify areas of potential corrosion and predict when maintenance is needed.

Ascent’s new tool aims to allow for the transfer of scientific research into real-world maintenance environments, reducing costs and improving response times.

Isherwood says Ascent's new tool can help to improve corrosion management in several ways.

The platform is expected to optimise the workforce by enabling users to directly engage with scientific knowledge; re-skilling and up-skilling workers in the process. CorroVision is expected to help the defence industry by redeploying specialists to other areas and allowing for better planning and decision-making at higher levels.

DEF ENCE FOR CE

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The location, facilities, and the idea of Lot Fourteen itself have all contributed to the benefits of being based here.

Below: Trent Simcock, Engineer, Ascent Professional Services.

John Giffard, CFO, Ascent Professional Services

The company’s footprint is also expanding into the export market with its recent announcement of an Australia-first deal to perform key engineering support roles on the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) new MC-55A Peregrine electronic warfare aircraft.

Under the new contact, Ascent will perform aircraft structural integrity and propulsion systems integrity management on the Peregrine platform, a highly modified version of the Gulfstream G550 business jet.

The contract is with L3Harris in the US, with Ascent working on the US side of the Foreign Military Sales case, delivering to L3Harris which in turn delivers the aircraft, by way of the US Air Force, to the RAAF. Ascent has been located at Lot Fourteen for more than two years.

Being based within an Australian innovation district has made the journey for the company smooth sailing, as it starts commercialising its new innovations.

Ascent CFO John Giffard says that being based at Lot Fourteen has played an important part in the company’s continuing growth and success.

“The location, facilities, and the idea of Lot Fourteen itself have all contributed to the benefits of being based here,” he says.

“We've been able to facilitate international visitors, who change where they're staying because they want to visit the innovation district and our premises.

“It's been a great spot for us, and we've found that it's been an important part of building our reputation, credibility and growth, both in South Australia and beyond."

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Work with First Nations businesses.

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Visit thecircle.sa.gov.au

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