|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A significant initiative driving innovation in Australia is the CSIRO Kick-Start program, which fosters collaboration with inventive Australian startups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This program extends financial support and offers access to their research expertise and capabilities, facilitating the growth and development of these businesses.
Celebrating their sponsorship of ‘Track 2050’ at the inaugural SXSW Sydney conference alongside their deep tech investment fund, Main Sequence Ventures, CSIRO is inviting a variety of stakeholders to explore what the world may look like in the year 2050.
Innovations in Health Science
One of the groundbreaking advancements made possible through CSIRO’s collaborations is the development of RealBrain® by a Pharmaceutical company in Southbank, Australia. This platform represents a substantial leap forward in the field of neurological research, as it allows for safe clinical trials without relying on animal testing. Traditional methods use animals like rats, mice, and primates to assess the safety and effectiveness of new drugs, often leading to the failure of human clinical trials for neurological diseases.
RealBrain® employs advanced three-dimensional in-vitro models with human cells arranged in a 3D architecture and functional neural networks, enabling more accurate predictions of human brain tissue responses. This revolutionary technology enhances the reliability and ethical nature of drug testing, accelerating the development of treatments for neurological and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s, ultimately impacting the lives of millions.
Revolutionising Blood Testing
Traditional blood collection tubes do not suffice for anticoagulated hospital patients or those taking blood-thinning medications. To address this challenge, an Australian medical technology startup collaborated with CSIRO to develop a blood collection tube capable of rapidly producing high-quality serum from all types of blood samples, including anticoagulated blood. This innovation employs patented formulations and pro-coagulant proteins from snake venom called ‘prothrombin activators,’ ensuring that blood testing becomes more effective and, in turn, saves lives.
Green and Cost-Effective Energy Solutions
In 2050, envision a world where urban landscapes are vibrant and eco-friendly, powered primarily by renewable energy sources. CSIRO has worked with a company that is helping to accelerate Australia’s hydrogen economy using renewable energy to develop sustainable and cost-competitive hydrogen solutions that use renewable energy sources like waste biogas. This innovation addresses the challenge of efficient and cost-effective storage and transportation, particularly in the transport sector.
Furthermore, to combat the significant energy-related CO2 emissions from the commercial shipping industry, CSIRO collaborated with a Hobart-based company to provide accurate oceanographic data to the commercial shipping sector, enabling them to save fuel and reduce emissions.
Additionally, CSIRO supported a local start-up in developing a predictive model for forecasting wholesale electricity prices, empowering consumers to adapt their energy consumption for cost savings.
Functional Food
The gastronomic landscape in 2050 is set to be transformed with healthy and sustainable products, such as fortified and functional foods. Two Australian companies have merged nutritional science and food technology to create products enriched with healthy ingredients and nutrients.
The first firm, a health food company based in Queensland, partnered with CSIRO to understand the unique benefits of their ‘super-cereal’ product, Blend11, which was known to promote healthy gut microbiome fermentation and increase the production of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid crucial for bowel health. This discovery gained the attention of health professionals working with gut issues like IBS.
Through a CSIRO Kick-Start project, the other firm is addressing the growing demand for plant-based protein sources by optimising the protein content extracted from fava beans to exceed 80%.
Sustainable Alternatives to Single-Use Plastics
Thanks to collaborative efforts with CSIRO Kick-Start, a range of sustainable solutions to single-use plastics is on the horizon. An Australian impact enterprise has worked with CSIRO to develop FABtec, a novel material made from recycled school uniforms that can be used in creating furniture, kitchen benches, and more, offering an eco-friendly alternative to conventional materials.
Furthermore, a start-up based in Western Australia is producing an alternative to petroleum-based plastic using seaweed. They create a class of biomaterials known as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) through a process involving sugar conversion and fermentation, closely mimicking petrochemical plastics but in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way.
OpenGov Asia reported earlier that the Tech Council of Australia (TCA) is working towards the establishment of the bipartisan Parliamentary Friendship Group on Tech and Innovation. This group was formally introduced during an event co-hosted by TCA and the Business Council of Australia, where they discussed the potential and challenges associated with the development and adoption of AI in Australia.
