Round Three

Innovation is the key to international competitiveness. The Victorian Government recognises this and has invested more than $900 million in innovation funding since it was elected.

The first generation of the STI Initiative was launched in 1999-2000 and projects under this $310 million, five-year initiative are already demonstrating economic, social and environmental benefits for the State.

The Victorian Government is building on the success of the STI Initiative with a further investment of $310 million in a new Science Technology and Innovation Initiative - Second Generation, of which $60 million is available for competitive infrastructure grants via the STI Infrastructure Grants Program - Round Three. STI infrastructure grants support the acquisition and development of new private and public sector infrastructure in Victoria in priority industry sectors and strategic technologies.

In May 2004, the Minister for Innovation called for applications for Round Three of the STI Infrastructure Grants Program valued at up to $60 million. Applicants could request funding in the following infrastructure categories:

• Physical capital – purpose-built facilities, laboratories, machinery and equipment
• Human and social capital – skilled personnel, including scientists, engineers, R&D managers and entrepreneurs together with the supporting networks
• Structural capital – governance structure, management and administrative arrangements

Key features of round three

• building new capabilities in priority sectors that catalyse new levels of R&D innovation, commercialisation, and industry development
• Enabling new levels of collaboration and cross-disciplinary interaction between researchers and industry. Projects should reflect strong partnerships and can be public/public, public/private, private/private ventures
• Demonstration of sustainable benefits to industry and the research community where the pooling of resources, skills and capabilities is actively encouraged
• Facilitating earlier involvement between industry and the research sector to encourage joint investment in projects that focus on the application and demonstrations of research

In Round Three, 154 preliminary applications were received, compared with 136 in Round Two and 120 in Round One. The Round Three applications contained more interstate and international collaborations in addition to a significant increase in industry participation. The independent panel recommended funding for 17 projects.

Round three grant process

A two-stage application process was implemented. Applications were invited from public and private organisations with a strong focus on collaboration between industry and the research sector. An independent panel assessed all applications. 

Grants were awarded to the following organisations. Click on the Grant name to find details about the project, including the amount of the grant and contact details for the project.

Regional and Economic Benefits though Smarter Irrigation

Victorian Centre for Advanced Materials Manufacturing

Advanced Ceramic Materials for Armour Applications

Quantum Communications Victoria

Australian Centre for Health Care Innovation

Victorian Tissue Bank Initiative

Advanced Centre for Automotive Research and Testing

Centre for Medical Bionics

Small Scale Technology Cluster 

Gippsland Regional Automation Centre

Retinual Vascular Imaging Centre

Centre for Power Transformer Monitoring, Diagnostics and Life Management

Australian Tissue Engineering Centre Ltd 

Advanced Processing and Innovative Foods Program

Australasian Facility for Stormwater Biofilter Technologies

Rapid Wood Forming for the Furniture Industry

Biopharmaceutical Formulation and Finishing Sciences Centre

A summary of the grants awarded in Round Three of the STI Initiative is available in pdf form.

	Science Technology and Innovation Infrastructure Grants Program 2005 (PDF 332Kb)
	Details the STI Infrastructure Grants Program,which supports the acquisition and development of new private and public sector infrastructure in Victoria across research and industry sectors

STI Infrastructure Grants previously funded projects

Rounds one and two of the STI Infrastructure Grants Program allocated nearly $120 million to 32 projects. A summary of the grants awarded in Rounds One and Two of the STI Initiative is available in pdf form.

	Science Technology and Innovation Infrastructure Grants Round One and Two Outcomes (PDF 184Kb)
	Provides details of the specific outcomes of the STI Infrastructure Grants Program, including information about commercial, collaboration, skills base, scientific research and science awareness outcomes

Please Contact the Victorian Business Line (VBL) on 13 22 15 regarding any problems with file downloads.