Are you currently engaging with potential WA Industry partners, perhaps aiming for a future ARC Linkage proposal?

The WA Department of Commerce has an Innovation Vouchers program for 2015, which will allow an industry partner to defray some of the costs of research activities.

In discussions, Murdoch researchers might find it worthwhile to suggest to industry partners that the WA Department of Commerce is about to open an Innovation Vouchers program for 2015. While universities cannot directly apply, an industry partner is eligible. This small amount of funding may be sufficient to cement a relationship and open a pathway to greater involvement in an ARC Linkage application.

 Innovation Vouchers Program 2015 – Department of Commerce.

Applications open 2 Feb 2015, closing 27 February 2015 and allows WA industry to apply for up to $20K (on a 20:80 basis) for such expenditure as

• research and development (eg technical development and compliance testing);
• product development (eg engineering design work);
• technology transfer and intellectual property (eg protection of intellectual property, legal advice and licensing); and
• commercialisation support services (eg innovation management and consulting).

Details can be found at http://innovation.wa.gov.au/innovation-vouchers-ivp/