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ADELAIDE
InnovationsoftheWorld.com
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The “INNOVATETM ADELAIDE” Team would like to give a special thanks to all the participants and the following companies for their support and assistance in making this project a reality.
Meet the people that are building a better ADELAIDE for tomorrow
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INNOVATETM ADELAIDE: A MULTIMEDIA EXPERIENCE AND MORE.”
SVEN BOERMEESTER - FOUNDER/CEO, INTERNATIONAL GROUP PUBLISHER Sven Boermeester - Founder/CEO, International Group Publisher with Callie Van Graan - President, Global Village Publishing Inc.
INNOVATETM Adelaide showcases the best of Adelaide’s innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Embedded on some pages you will find augmented reality videos, when used with the free GLOBAL VILLAGE APP, the world of the future will open up before you.
This inaugural edition of INNOVATETM Adelaide is part of a global series. We are currently launching volumes in cities throughout the Globalvillagepublishinginc.com publishing partnership network. By experiencing INNOVATETM Adelaide, you are part of our Global Village network, and we are happy to have you join us. I trust you will enjoy the journey of the innovate series.
But “INNOVATE™ Adelaide” is not just a tech-enhanced publication. It’s a multi-faceted experience that transcends the deluxe hardcover coffee-table book in your hands. Enriched with AR videos, a comprehensive online platform, and expansive social media networking, it’s a seamless blend of the tangible and the digital. On the web, the complete e-book will potentially reach millions through the InnovationsoftheWorld.com online library.”
Sven Boermeester Founder/CEO International Group Publisher
This publication aims to celebrate those involved in the Adelaide ecosystem, but it is also meant for all business leaders and decision-makers who can effect change in their industries throughout Australia and the world. We publish INNOVATETM Adelaide for the open-minded folk who want to know more about the exciting changes that have recently transpired in the Adelaide ecosystem, and who play or want to play an active role in its growth and development.
April Hobbs Publishing Partner
Tamlyn Bischofberger Global Village COO
Gia Bischofberger Production Director
Ravi Handve Designer
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Evan Rothman Editor & Writer
Anita Govender Web Development
ADELAIDE: UNVEILING THE TRUE GEM OF AUSTRALIA! APRIL HOBBS, INNOVATE ADELAIDE, PUBLISHING PARTNER As a seasoned world traveller, I confidently affirm that choosing Adelaide as my home over any other Australian city was the ultimate decision. Despite the concerns expressed by my Aussie friends abroad, who believed “nothing exciting ever happens there,” they couldn’t have been more mistaken. Over the past six years, I have personally witnessed the extraordinary transformation of Adelaide, and I am filled with immense pride to call this city my home.
Our biotechnology ecosystem Adelaide BioMed City, supported by MTP Connect, a growth center for medical technologies, fills me with excitement as they produce life-changing innovations. Moreover, the presence of tech giants like Amazon (AWS) and Microsoft Azure, alongside the global success of numerous South Australian startups, including homegrown companies like SAGE Automation delivering transportable, smart control systems for national infrastructure, Green Frog Systems innovating commercial lighting for global markets, to Life Whisperer utilising AI to enhance IVF outcomes; leave me in awe. I am equally captivated by the rapid growth of our space tech industry and inspired by the remarkable presence and quality of women in innovation.
Adelaide serves as the gateway to the breathtaking wonders of South Australia, boasting stunning beaches, world-class wines, and an exceptional quality of life. It’s no wonder that Adelaide consistently ranks among the most liveable cities in the world.
It’s clear that Adelaide is punching well above its weight and knows how to leverage its strengths, translating groundbreaking research from world-class institutions into innovative products and services. Our expertise extends to gaming, agritech, health, defence, space tech, AI, and machine learning, which is revolutionising manufacturing. Furthermore, our unrivalled leadership in renewable energy sets us apart. South Australia also boasts significant activity in energy, sustainability, and Climatetech.
You can feel the buzz in the air, and since 2018, I have closely followed the remarkable growth of our city’s startup ecosystem, with Lot Fourteen leading the charge as a flagship hub fostering innovation across diverse sectors such as agriculture, health, defence, and space technology. Adelaide is thriving and teeming with endless opportunities for innovative entrepreneurs like never before. With the establishment of the Tonsley Innovation District, innovation permeates every corner of Adelaide. Our city has even emerged as a global leader in renewable energy, achieving an astonishing shift from a mere 1% to over 70% reliance on renewables since 2006.
With a network of innovation districts providing dedicated physical, digital, and social infrastructure, as well as hosting events, Adelaide propels new ideas into widespread economic outcomes. The South Australian Government’s Department for Industry, Innovation, and Science offers valuable guidance and support to founders, administering competitive Seed-Start grants to high-growth potential businesses.
When I held a satellite the size of a Rubik’s cube in my hand and learned about the groundbreaking development of antibiotics in zero gravity, I felt compelled to celebrate Adelaide in this remarkable book.
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As a prolific networker and connector, I also celebrate that Adelaide plays host to a vast array of enterprising small businesses supporting one another by referral marketing using the BNI (Business Networking International) system across Adelaide. Adelaide offers countless compelling reasons to fall in love with the city and consider relocating your startup here. From a thriving ecosystem to a supportive business community, we have it all! Adelaide has shed its reputation as a city of churches and festivals—I proudly proclaim it as the Innovation City!
Email: april@innovationsoftheworld.com April Hobbs
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GIVE YOUR IDEAS AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE ThincLab is the University of Adelaide’s business incubator and provides start-ups with a dynamic space and community in which to nurture ideas, develop entrepreneurial skills and knowledge, and facilitate valuable connections and networks with mentors, investors, and experienced entrepreneurs. ThincLab supports students, alumni, staff and the wider community create and scale innovative ventures.
INTERNATIONAL NETWORK There are a variety of locations in which the ThincLab operates including Adelaide, Waite, Loxton, Singapore, and New Zealand. ThincLab Adelaide ThincLab Adelaide (headquarters): Based in the Adelaide Central Business District, ThincLab Adelaide is a modern and vibrant facility on the main campus of the University of Adelaide and houses over 70 start-ups
OUR HISTORY
ThincLab Waite
ThincLab is the University of Adelaide’s incubator and is the longest running university business incubator in Australia. Established in 1993 in the Thebarton Research Precinct, the ThincLab was established to help students establish businesses while studying entrepreneurship at the University. Building upon this experience, in July 2017 when ThincLab was moved to the city and relaunched, its scope was expanded to include entrepreneurs from other universities and the wider community generally, as well as to assist its students, staff, and alumni commercialise their innovations.
ThincLab Waite: Located at The University of Adelaide’s Waite campus which has the largest concentration of expertise in the southern hemisphere in agriculture, food and wine, has significant networks in the AgTech sector, in South Australia, nationally and internationally and works closely with other Agri accelerators and programs across Australia. ThincLab Loxton
ThincLab’s scope is to work with students across all disciplines, staff, alumni, and members of the community, to create innovative, highly scalable companies. ThincLab’s cumulative 29 years of operational experience has resulted in a deep understanding of what is needed to ensure successful new venture incubation and the growth acceleration of entrepreneurial ventures – whether as stand-alone ventures or within a corporate environment. The entrepreneurial ecosystem provides quality physical facilities as well as consistent in-person entrepreneurial learning, support, and knowledge-rich networking opportunities for its members.
ThincLab Loxton: Based in the Riverland regional of South Australia, ThincLab Loxton supports regional entrepreneurs to further build the South Australian economy by assisting new and existing businesses to innovate. ThincLab Singapore ThincLab Singapore: Partnered with Accelerating Asia, a venture capital fund and accelerator firm based in Singapore, it invests in start-ups from the Southeast Asia region and beyond. ThincLab Singapore is a base for Australian start-ups looking to launch in SingaporeThincLab Canterbury.
Thinclab is a key component of the entrepreneurship commercialisation ecosystem at the University of Adelaide that engages with communities to facilitate research commercialisation and the exchange of ideas and to create value and impact in those communities
Positioned within University of Canterbury, the newest node of the ThincLab network strengthens collaboration and opportunities between Australia and New Zealand. 113
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Australian eChallenge
STUDENTS BUILDING BUSINESSES: THE AUSTRALIAN ECHALLENGE The Australian eChallenge is ThincLab’s flagship pre-accelerator/preincubation entrepreneurship and innovation program. The eChallenge is the longest running and most successful program of its kind in Australasia and has been operating for 22 years. The eChallenge is designed to stimulate entrepreneurial activity through encouraging fresh and innovative thinking to solve real world problems. It is a premium three-month, intensive structured program that is designed to encourage and support innovators by teaching them how to assess and identify market opportunities, while accelerating innovation development, and the path to commercialisation of those innovations. The eChallenge offers cash and prizes to assist with further developing the opportunity.
“Using statistics, we reduce the required time farmers and stock agents spend finding their desired breeding animal, by simply implementing a genetic filtering system that gives you or your stock agent access to individual lots, nationwide.” Team TraitSelect took home a total prize package of $15,000, which includes $10,000 cash, $1000 worth of consultancy services from ThincLab sponsors such as Madderns Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys, with a package worth $4000 which includes permanent residency for 12 months and Accelerator business workshops at ThincLab. In 2022 more than 300 students across multiple programs, degrees & disciplines participated in the pre-accelerator program and competed for $62K + in cash and prizes. ThincLab are excited to see the future innovation in upcoming years.
In 2022, Ag Science students Liam Van Schaik, Tom Gameau and took out first prize with their business TraitSelect which allows farmers to better select livestock at auctions. “Our focus is to ensure buyers attending sales across the entire nation have a user-friendly experience with our tailored app.” 114
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Tom Welsby
ECHALLENGE SUCCESS STORY: TOM WELSBY, RESVU ResVu started at ThincLab, when founder and CEO, Tom Welsby, who was studying a Bachelor of finance at the University of Adelaide at the time, undertook the eChallenge in 2017 and was awarded the $10,000 prize, and a residency in ThincLab. Resvu is a world first CRM platform for property and community management companies built to provide significant improvements in customer engagement and service delivery, all through a proven ROI and custom branded solution. Since winning the eChallenge and undertaking Thinclab incubation, ResVu has gone from strength to strength. They raised significant funding from real estate company Maxsoft and have just launched in the US (Florida). ResVu has expanded their team and are scaling fast.
Winning launched his business. And Tom attests it was the eChallenge program that provided the foundation to launch. “The eChallenge was a brilliant opportunity, providing me with the tools to help me establish my own business,” he says.
ThincLab supported Tom and the ResVu team from ideation, traction and to scale, via its incubation programs, mentoring and support, including the ThincLab International Incubator Program.
“Everything that I put forward in our eChallenge finals presentation still exists. We haven’t changed the vision that was presented, and what was still a base product in the eChallenge is now powering almost 450,000 apartments.”
Tom has also been named the winner of First National Real Estate Innovation Award in the 7News Young Achiever Awards and was a winner of the 40 under 40 in South Australia.
“Looking to the future, we could be looking at half a million to a million buildings in the next 12 to 18 months, which is going to be really exciting.”
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Jordy Kitschke
AGTECH FOCUSED STARTUP: JORDY KITSCHKE, FLUX
Jordy believes that the next revolution in agriculture will be driven by the unlocking of intelligent machines. According to Jordy, “having machines that are able to sense and manipulate in a paddock with millimeter accuracy, 24 hours a day, unlocks a whole new range of options in terms of how you can manage the production system. Our first focus is on high precision weed removal, but the platform we’ve built could be used for a heap of different applications on farm.”
Within ThincLab, there is a strong emphasis around innovation in the agriculture technology industry. Jordy Kitschke, University of Adelaide agricultural science graduate has developed his start-up, Flux, within ThincLab. Flux has a focus on replacing pesticides using robotics. Jordy has plenty of experience under his belt in building deep-tech, having built another AgTech startup from the ThincLab previously.
fluxrobotics.ai The University of Adelaide ThincLab Adelaide, Ground Floor/10 Pulteney St, Adelaide SA 5000 Tel: 8313 7131
Flux is building an ecosystem of robotics products that will enable farmers to manage their crops in entirely new ways. Through the identification of individual weeds, herbicides can be targeted through computer vision systems that are attached to an autonomous robot. Considering that over 4 billion kilograms of pesticides are used each year, Flux’s technology is an innovative solution to the increasingly problematic chemical usage.
adelaide.edu.au/thinclab/
The main driver behind Flux’s incredible speed in bringing products to market is through working with some of the leading farmers in the country to develop its technologies. “We also attract some of the best engineers in the country as they see it as a challenging and meaningful problem to work on”, says Jordy.
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SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S BURGEONING HEALTH AND MEDICAL INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
South Australia and its capital city Adelaide is fast becoming a destination of choice for innovators, researchers, and industry partners who are transforming brilliant health and medical discoveries into new-to-world innovations to improve lives globally.
Welcome to South Australia, a land of natural beauty, rich history, and thriving innovation. Offering world-class healthcare facilities, cuttingedge research and development opportunities, and a supportive ecosystem for entrepreneurs, innovators and partners in the health and medical innovation sector. 131
Australian Bragg Centre
The $4 billion Adelaide BioMed City is one of three Health and Medical Innovation Districts in the heart of Adelaide, comprised of leading-edge anchor institutes and companies, that cluster and connect with start-ups, business incubators and accelerators. Adelaide’s competitive advantage includes significant investment and committed future plans for capital developments, forming a connected locale of mixed-use infrastructure. The government is introducing a new state-wide innovation model to strategically connect the state’s three growing innovation districts Adelaide BioMed City, Lot Fourteen and Tonsley, to capitalise on South Australia’s competitive advantage in emerging sectors of advanced manufacturing. South Australia has rapid regulatory pathways, and globally accepted quality data systems which is attractive for conducting world-class clinical trials. Adelaide’s central business district hosts a connected network of clinical research organisations, clinical trial sites and analytical services. South Australia has advantageous Research and Development manufacturing incentives and is ranked as the most competitive city to do business in the Asia-Pacific regions (KPMG), with labour costs at 9 per cent below the Australian average. Geographically, South Australia is centrally located to other domestic cities and an accessible launch pad to key fast-growing Asian markets, such as China, India, and Southeast Asia. It’s also a great place to live, with Adelaide named #3 on the world most liveable cities list, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index 2021. The city is home to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, a technologically advanced hospital which offers a range of specialties including cancer treatment, cardiac care and neuroscience. Other leading healthcare facilities include the Flinders Medical Centre and the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, both of which are dedicated to providing exceptional care to patients and their families. 132
Addressing Global Threats with AI
Enabling A Safer World
Fivecast delivers cutting-edge open-source intelligence solutions to help government and corporate organisations alike address a constantly evolving threat landscape, being driven by several trends including tech-savvy threat actors, the rapid spread of online communications, increased societal unrest and changing geopolitical dynamics.
Fivecast is an Australian company based in Adelaide that has gone global capitalising on artificial intelligence and machine learning to uncover insights across the surface, deep and dark web, and help their customers enable a safer world.
Open-source intelligence, often referred to as a subset of digital intelligence, is the process of collecting, analysing, and extracting meaningful insights from publicly available data sources, including social media, news feeds, blog sites, discussion forums, and more. The sheer volume and complexity of data presents significant challenges monitoring online platforms and uncovering critical insights is beyond human scale, driving the need for the advanced, AI-enabled insights into masses of online data that Fivecast delivers.
Whether it’s fraud detection, human trafficking or counter terrorism, the bad guys aren’t lurking in the shadows or hiding behind balaclavas anymore. In the world of free speech and digital access for all, they’re out there and online and Fivecast is tapping into that to detect and prevent threats.
Showcasing World-leading tech innovation from Adelaide.
Founded in Australia from a unique collaboration between government agencies and world-leading research institutions formed to tackle the big data challenges facing national security and law enforcement, Fivecast provides automated data collection combined with AI-enabled analytics to identify threats, risks and behavioural changes, such as radicalisation online.
Fivecast solutions are being used around the world for use cases spanning counter-terrorism, violent extremist threats; security vetting, transnational organized crime, trafficking, fraud detection, anti-money laundering and more. Fivecast deploys unique and proprietary data collection technology which, combined with AI-enabled analytics delivers unmatched insights into online data and the ability to quickly zero in on the riskiest content to help analyst teams progress investigations faster and achieve their missions, protecting communities and organisations.
The company is on a fast growthtrajectory across the globe, shining light into the darkest of places to enable a safer world. It has gained significant traction in countries that are part of the trusted Five-Eyes alliance with offices established in Washington, DC and London, UK in addition to their Australian head office in Adelaide and branch office in Canberra. Through a global ecosystem of partners and resellers, Fivecast is able to serve customers across the US, EMEA and APAC.
More than 80% of employees in the Fivecast Adelaide head office are focused on research and development across
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Fivecast Co-Founders: David Blockow - VP Engineering, Ross Buglak - VP Product Development, Dr. Brenton Cooper – CEO, Duane Rivett – VP Customer Success
A future-proof business
data science, software architecture and software engineering teams. As part of their ongoing commitment to R&D innovation, Fivecast has implemented a robust product roadmap strategy which is developed in consultation with partners and customers.
“The need for open-source intelligence to address a range of threats is growing significantly across both the private and public sectors. Fivecast is well placed to capitalise on the growing demand.” Dr. Brenton Cooper, CEO and Co-Founder of Fivecast.
Industry Recognition Over the last 5-years Fivecast has applied for and been awarded a number of grants to support product development, expansion and commercialisation including: • • • • •
Fivecast has established a strong export market in the US and expanded its export capabilities to the EMEA and APAC, establishing the company as a key player in the Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) market. Their export success is evidenced by receiving the Australian Government National Export Award for Advanced Technologies in 2022 and twice being a State Finalist in this award.
AusIndustry Accelerating Commercialisation Grant SA Export Accelerator Centre for Defence Industry Capability (CDIC) Grant Defence Next Generation Technology Fund SA Export Accelerator SA DTI eCommerce Accelerator
Additionally, Fivecast is considered one of the first ever Australian companies and only a handful of international companies to win a DIU (Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) project with the US Department of Defence.
Fivecast has been recognised as a leading player in the market with awards including: • InnovationAus Software Innovation Award • Impact Award • Fast Movers SA • Deloitte Fast 50 • American Chamber of Commerce Award for Artificial Intelligence
With continued planned investment in R&D, technology innovation, channel partnerships as well as expansion into new regions and market segments, Fivecast is well positioned to build on their significant growth and success in the years ahead.
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Like any fantastic idea, it begins with a passion and a drive to do what you love whilst making the world a better place. The idea was to make space not only a democratised playing field, but to reduce the barriers to entry, not dissimilar to driving a car, or playing a video game.
inception to flight has its own unique set of problems, which are solved by expert teams at Saber to allow for quality, safety, and most importantly, sustainability in the increasingly crowded orbits above Earth.
Founded in 2008, Saber Astronautics is a leading space asset management company focused on mission operations, space traffic management, and mission design. Saber brings together the latest in human factors, artificial intelligence, and dynamic 3D data visualization making the monitoring, flying, and rapid diagnosis of spacecraft systems trivial. The passionately skilled people at Saber alongside nextgeneration tools have built a quick, responsive and complete operational system for all stages of flight.
Saber’s work has been tightly coupled with the Australian space industry with interests in both government and commercial sector; Ranging from ingesting space weather data from the Bureau of Meteorology, providing critical space situational reporting to the Australian Space Agency, through to coordinating space traffic management activities on behalf of the Asia-Pacific region. Saber’s work is enabled by many Aussie space companies providing critical, enabling datasets to achieve current capabilities. With a connected network of sensors and dishes growing by the month, Saber is looking forward to expanding these collaborations.
Today, Saber Astronautics finds a home in Adelaide for the Responsive Space Operations Centre (RSOC™), the nation’s first dedicated space mission control*, housed inside the Australian Space Discovery Centre. From the RSOC, Saber operators are responsible for spacecraft starting as small as a loaf of bread, to the largest commercial communications payload ever deployed to Low-Earth Orbit. Every mission from
To further support Saber’s efforts to service the industry, a brand new office and mission design centre is scheduled to open soon. Within the Bice Building at the Lot Fourteen innovation precinct on Adelaide North Terrace, the new facilities will provide room for Saber’s growing team of space engineers, operators and scientists. 227
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The future is incredibly bright for the Australian space sector, and Saber Astronautics, as the industry collectively pushes forward to create a sustainable and industry-driven presence globally. To find out more, please visit: https://saberastro.com, or follow us on social media.
*In 2020, the Department of Industry, Science, Innovation, and Resources in conjunction with the Australian Space Agency awarded Saber Astronautics a $6 Million grant for the Mission Control Centre from the Australian Government’s Space Infrastructure Fund.
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ACCELERATING AN AIRBORNE MOBILITY REVOLUTION THROUGH MOTORSPORT
Airspeeder, in collaboration with Alauda Aeronautics, is leading the way in the development of electric flying vehicles through the power of sporting competition. With their headquarters in Adelaide, South Australia, and London, England, they are strategically positioned to drive technical progress and build public acceptance for a new mobility revolution.
commercial minds from Australia, New York, and London, is driving the rapid development of electric flying vehicles through their involvement in sporting competition. Pearson, who is also involved in the expanding Industrial Internet of Things space through his work at Fleet, brings a wealth of expertise and passion to the project.
The philosophy behind Airspeeder is rooted in the belief that nothing accelerates technical progress like sporting competition. Just as Formula One played a crucial role in driving technical development and public acceptance for automotive advancements nearly a century ago, Airspeeder aims to do the same for the emerging electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) sector. The potential impact of eVTOL technology on urban aerial transport, global logistics, and remote medical transport is immense. Airspeeder envisions a clean-air, zero-emissions aerial transport solution that can transform the way people and goods are transported. The founder and visionary behind Alauda and Airspeeder, Matt Pearson, along with a dedicated team of engineers, designers, media and
Alauda Aeronautics, the technical team and manufacturer of the pioneering Speeders that compete in the Airspeeder EXA Series and future crewed Airspeeder races, has created an extraordinary engineering and digital ecosystem for eVTOL racing. Drawing talent from renowned names in Formula 1, motorsport, and advanced aerospace development, including engineers from Ferrari and
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development experts from Boeing, Airbus, McLaren, Jaguar Land Rover, and Rolls-Royce, the team has achieved a remarkable technical feat. To support the historic first race and ensure a seamless experience, Alauda Aeronautics had to establish cutting-edge infrastructure, including race control stations, pilot control stations, 5G networks, augmented reality (AR) sky tracks, and an engineering and team control station. These technological advancements mirror the future urban landscape, providing a glimpse into the technology that will underpin the emergence of eVTOL as a viable means of passenger transport. At the core of the technical ecosystem is the Airspeeder racing craft, a 4.1-meter carbon fiber construction full-scale racing quadcopter.
Matt Pearson, Founder and Visionary
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REVOLUTIONISING X-RAY TO BETTER LIVES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
In a temporary transportable building in Tonsley in 2017, a small group of Micro-X scientists and engineers brought to life new technology that is now revolutionising x-ray imaging, bringing 120-year-old technology into the future. The patented Nano Electronic X-ray (NEX) Technology relies on a small voltage to generate an electron beam to create x-rays. MicroX’s x-ray tubes are small, precise, and reliable. Legacy x-ray tubes use heated filaments and are encased in oil and lead, making them less reliable, less responsive and more than 10 times heavier.
This discovery has paved the way for a suite of products that are designed to make life better for both the users and the recipients of x-rays. The smaller and lighter tubes have led to a re-design of traditional x-ray systems, through the application of groundbreaking science and engineering and a commitment to innovation. Micro-X Chief Executive Officer Peter Rowland said the company was at the forefront of x-ray science, making new discoveries and pushing the bounds of x-ray imaging. 257
“As innovators we believe in the power of a great idea, but these ideas must come with a great deal of resilience to follow through and find a way of applying them in the real world,” Mr Rowland says. “When we innovate, we identify a solution or something that we believe can and should be improved. This is a bit like reverse engineering, and it takes an enormous amount of commitment from our highly skilled staff to invent the technology to find that solution.” He said innovation was a practice applied across the company, driving the actions of every employee, from engineering and manufacturing through to the corporate office. “As a company, we encourage boldness and accept occasional failures because it means we are pushing the bounds of what is possible,” he says. “It allows for growth and the courage to find the right answer to a problem, no matter how impossible it seems.” Adelaide, with its remarkable history in manufacturing, was the natural home for Micro-X. The company forms part of the next generation of manufacturers contributing to the evolution of the industry, with the state transitioning from traditional, labourintensive manufacturing to advanced manufacturing. The company’s headquarters are at the former Mitsubishi car manufacturing site at Tonsley and Micro-X is publicly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Its staff include former Holden workers who built cars in Adelaide’s northern suburbs right up until the closure of the General Motors business in 2017. “Our staff who came to us from Holden are a key part of our success,” Mr Rowland says. “I like to describe their training at Holden as ‘the university of manufacturing’. They came to us with world-class discipline and standards and have applied this knowledge to Micro-X’s manufacturing line to deliver a very high degree of quality in the manufacture of our products.” Throughout its 8-year journey, Micro-X has kept customers front of mind, seeking solutions that are both lifesaving and life-improving. Its mobile x-ray carts are being used in more than 30 countries, for bedside imaging in hospitals, aged care facilities and sports clinics. The second generation of its x-ray carts, the high-powered Rover Plus, was launched in 2022, expanding options for imaging patients. The development of the Rover was initially part-funded through a grant from the Australian Department of Defence, and the x-ray systems as well as being procured for the Australian Army are now also being used on the frontline in Ukraine, aiding in the diagnosis of wounded civilians. 258
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