Inventing, sharing and changing the world
University of Wollongong iAccelerate
Creating the future
The University of Wollongong’s iAccelerate Centre — the Illawarra’s purpose-built business incubator and accelerator — is the most recent addition to the University’s Innovation Campus. The connection between research, innovation and industry at the Innovation Campus paves the way for organisations and individuals to connect to an ideas network dedicated to global impact. Businesses can realise their ambitions faster while helping to solve challenges facing the world today. The campus presents the perfect opportunity for businesses to recruit high-quality graduates and collaborate with the University’s world-class researchers in a strategic location one hour from Sydney and two-and-a-half hours from Canberra. It is a junction for national and international companies and leading researchers to meet and translate products to commercial success, offering businesses the edge to succeed at a competitive price.
The $600 million Innovation Campus has been a previous winner of the Best Business and Industrial Park Development in Australia by the Property Council of Australia. The masterplanned community is designed to encourage the creation of networks and interaction among like-minded entrepreneurs, mentors and advisers. The Innovation Campus is the engine to drive growth of an innovation and technology ecosystem that captures the intellectual capital of the region. The campus, a centre of innovation and research excellence, is home to a number of the University’s research institutes. Several multinational and national companies are residents at the campus and are strongly engaged with the University. The iAccelerate Centre is a key component to the region’s innovation ecosystem — facilitating rapid acceleration of new businesses and attracting other businesses to the Illawarra. It will give entrepreneurs the chance to see the world as their marketplace while making the Illawarra their home. The three-storey, 4,000 square metre iAccelerate Centre features “plug and go” expandable space for up to 280 entrepreneurs. The centre houses a set of tailored acceleration programs aimed at rapidly developing and delivering technology-focused businesses. It is a place where people can explore new ideas and technologies, take risks and connect their work with others. The iAccelerate program provides the infrastructure, mentoring and education programs for great ideas to grow and helps connect entrepreneurs with funding opportunities.
The ambition is for the program to create 500 direct and 1000 indirect jobs by the end of the decade, attracting $70 million in investment to the regional and state economies. University of Wollongong Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings CBE said the iAccelerate Centre will capture the intellectual capital of the Illawarra by retaining the University’s high-quality graduates while making the Illawarra a destination for innovators and investors. “The Innovation Campus and iAccelerate Centre are significant investments by the University of Wollongong to drive the economic transformation in the Illawarra by creating jobs and industry and attracting business, research and investment,” Professor Wellings said. “Wollongong is well on the way to becoming a university city, with the Innovation Campus at the core of this transition.” Future focus at the Innovation Campus is planned around health and wellbeing; innovative manufacturing; sustainability; innovation; and ICT and finance. The Innovation Campus has enjoyed strong and ongoing support at all government levels. A key aspect of support has been the Advantage Wollongong partnership between Wollongong City Council, the University and the NSW Department of Industry to promote Wollongong as a superior business location. In 2013, the NSW Government announced $16.5 million in funding for the iAccelerate Centre as part of the Restart Illawarra Infrastructure Fund.
Entrepreneurs have the benefits of partnering with a world-class, researchintensive university and the Illawarra also offers an outstanding lifestyle that can be enjoyed with far less cost than setting up business in a metropolitan area. The iAccelerate Centre will have significant, far reaching and longlasting positive outcomes for not only the Illawarra but also for NSW more broadly as innovative ideas reach the market sooner. PROFESSOR PAUL WELLINGS, CBE Vice-Chancellor
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The University of Wollongong is driving change that is locally relevant but with global impact. We are developing research partnerships and collaborations with business and industry to help create the technologies of tomorrow.
iAccelerate
The University of Wollongong is deeply embedded in its community and the Innovation Campus is the nucleus of a significant regional development opportunity.
University of Wollongong
The iAccelerate Centre combines the University of Wollongong’s strengths in ICT and world-class research with growth of a technology industry cluster in the Illawarra, delivering economic diversity and sustainability to the region in the face of a declining manufacturing base.
University of Wollongong
Building businesses fast
The University of Wollongong’s iAccelerate Centre supports students, staff and the greater Illawarra community by offering practical and engaging programs to help build businesses fast with a focus on mentorship, entrepreneurship workshops and seed funding. The iAccelerate suite of programs is based on the same successful model from the Waterloo Accelerator Centre at the University of Waterloo in Canada — a region within Ontario which has transformed itself from a manufacturing-based economy to the “Silicon Valley of Canada”. The two-stream iAccelerate program is the first of its kind in Australia. Innovation does not happen in isolation, so we offer entrepreneurs the chance to work in a productive environment, gain support from mentors, tap into a network of business partners and be surrounded by like-minded people.
The iAccelerate program champions gender equality in a maledominated technology sector and nearly half of its current startups have at least one female co-founder.
iAccelerate Educate: A tailored education program built around delivering key knowledge areas critical to rapidly building a successful start-up business.
Part of the University’s 2016–2020 Strategic Plan sets the goal of working with its partners to create greater levels of innovation and impact, and contribute to the creation of new enterprises. This is what iAccelerate is about. It is also about capturing the intellectual capital of the Illawarra, retaining the University’s high-quality graduates and large commuter base.
iAccelerate Mentor: The University’s international alumni base and successful local business leaders have formed the backbone to iAccelerate Mentor. The passing down of “lessons learned” provides a fast track path for the new entrepreneur.
The iAccelerate initiative was launched by the University in 2011, with programs operating in the Mike Codd Building at the Innovation Campus prior to the opening of the iAccelerate Centre. The iAccelerate Centre, opened in July 2016, is a crucial step towards galvanising the Illawarra as an “innovative region”. The iAccelerate Centre is the essential cog within which all elements of the iAccelerate program are brought together in a “hothouse environment”. These elements include: iAccelerate Start: The technology-focused ideas incubator to provide co-working space for entrepreneurs with first stage ideas. iAccelerate Advanced: Focuses on providing the support needed to transform fledgling businesses to grow to the next level, becoming sustainable global-scale companies.
iAccelerate Pitch: A platform for entrepreneurs, innovators and high growth SMEs to practice, polish and ultimately pitch their innovative business idea to a panel of experts and investors. iAccelerate Seed: The iAccelerate Seed fund is an early stage venture capital fund that makes seed and follow-on investments in iAccelerate start-ups via an assessment process. iAccelerate Entrepreneur Club: Club meetings are an engagement point where attendees get to hear from inspiring speakers, engage in networking opportunities and see local entrepreneurs pitch their ideas.
Education is the strongest link when it comes to innovation and creativity. iAccelerate will catalyse new economic activity and regional jobs. And it will not just be making a local impact. With the rollout of the NBN Network, iAccelerate will ensure ongoing innovation and ideas exchange with the world. PROFESSOR JUDY RAPER
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation)
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Innovation comes down to people and great ideas — and the spirit of wanting to make a difference. Where other business incubators focus on their buildings, we focus on the people inside them and their great ideas.
Start-up companies are vital in creating a successful technology sector in Australia and the iAccelerate Centre contributes to building a true innovation nation. At the moment, Australia is lagging behind other developed countries in terms of innovation performance.
iAccelerate
iAccelerate
University graduates will now be able to utilise their high-value skills here and the University will be able to attract and retain students and academics who are inspired by the opportunity of bringing their ideas and research to the market.
University of Wollongong
The iAccelerate Centre will significantly increase the competitiveness of the Illawarra’s technology industries and will showcase the region to the world.
The University of Wollongong is deeply embedded in the Illawarra community and is committed to helping grow an “innovative region”, transitioning the Illawarra from conventional manufacturing to more advanced technology and creating a high-tech industry cluster. University of Wollongong Deputy ViceChancellor (Research and Innovation) Professor Judy Raper said the iAccelerate Centre will help stem the region’s brain drain as many of the University’s graduates are being lost to the region as they seek employment opportunities elsewhere.
“We have the untapped asset of alumni who have a strong willingness to give back to the Illawarra and this project gives them the opportunity to do so. “We want the Illawarra to be recognised as a leader in technology entrepreneurship, innovation and startup development.” The University has one of the largest ICT teaching faculties in Australia, producing more than 800 ICT graduates each year. The University realised the need
The regional city of Waterloo in Canada has many parallels to Wollongong. Not only do both the University of Waterloo and University of Wollongong share similar historical growth and backgrounds, but also both regions have grown out of an industrial-based city facing economic transformation. Waterloo has experienced a remarkable economic resurgence after the establishment of the Waterloo Accelerator in 2006. The Waterloo region was put on the map globally with the BlackBerry smartphone being developed by a University of Waterloo graduate. The iAccelerate Centre opens the door for Wollongong to be thrust on to the global tech stage. Already, the iAccelerate program has supported 65 start-up companies, creating 143 jobs. Nine companies have had new product launches and in 2015 six companies have expanded their international presence. Female cofounders currently make up just under half of iAccelerate’s 32 start-up companies (47 per cent). Since its inception, the initiative has been focused on increasing opportunities for women to participate equally in all aspects of entrepreneurial endeavours.
–– CriticalArc: campus security software program SafeZone. –– ZestDesk: the world’s first portable adjustable standing desk. –– BeerMogul Games: independent game developer and publisher in mobile games. –– AquaHydrex: developing new electrochemical systems for splitting water. –– Me3D: developing 3D printers for Australian schools. –– Social Status: developing a social media analytics platform for measuring the business value of social media. –– Geo Interactive: geoscientific company developing rapid ways to map underground mines and hazardous environments in 3D. –– Yesterday Stories: producing an online platform for communities to gather stories, content and histories of their area. In 2014, the iAccelerate initiative picked up an award for best case study at the University Industry Innovation Network Conference for Entrepreneurial Universities held in Madrid, Spain. This event brought together academics and professionals who are at the forefront of driving the transition from a traditional university to one that is more engaged with its local community to become more innovative and entrepreneurial.
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“The iAccelerate Centre will help retain talent locally, giving University graduates the option of local employment and the opportunity to determine their own economic future through entrepreneurship,” Professor Raper said.
for local opportunities to nurture ICT entrepreneurs for talent to be retained in the region. It looked to the Waterloo Accelerator Centre in Canada.
Businesses which have already gained significant national and global exposure after being assisted by iAccelerate include:
iAccelerate
iAccelerate
The iAccelerate initiative was launched by the University of Wollongong in 2011 to build entrepreneurial skills, innovation and engagement, leveraging the skills of the University’s ICT graduates and the Illawarra community.
University of Wollongong
University of Wollongong
Growing an innovative region
University of Wollongong CASE STUDY
CASE STUDY
Mr Poole had completed his apprenticeship as a mechanic but his doctor told him to find a new career after he severely injured the ligaments in his left wrist at work. The permanent injury resulted in Mr Poole taking up a career in health and safety after graduating with a Master of Science (Occupational Health & Safety) in 2014. Soon after graduation, Mr Poole struck upon an idea to cut through the paperwork involved with documenting safe work procedures and hazards. Mr Poole took his concept for a health and safety app to the UOW Pitch 2013 competition, where he won the
postgraduate category. The annual competition is for University staff and students to tell others about their idea and be in the chance to share in over $40,000 worth of cash prizes along with the chance to win a six-month scholarship to iAccelerate. While juggling to complete his education and working for a major water utility, Mr Poole pressed on with developing the app to the point where he eventually quit his full-time job to become CEO of The Safety Compass. Now, health and safety on construction sites and other workplaces can be improved with the touch of a button following Mr Poole’s idea to make available thousands of pages of information simply by holding up a smartphone. Mr Poole said that during the process of turning the idea to a growing company
there were several major challenges, particularly developing the technology capable of delivering what he wanted. “As an entrepreneur you need persistence. In my experience it’s the number one factor that will make your idea come to life,” he said. After developing the idea with iAccelerate, Mr Poole moved to Sydney-based incubator BlueChilli to access specific developer support for the location-based technology. Following the launch of the product he’s back in Wollongong and has moved into the iAccelerate Advanced program at the new iAccelerate Centre. “I’m from Wollongong and the app was born here,” he said. “iAccelerate is a great place for us to establish a company base and utilise the iAccelerate expertise in growing our product from Wollongong. “Everything from pitch training to connections and advice years afterwards have helped immensely. “The funding I received allowed me to have a high fidelity prototype built which was used to gain further investment.”
Since its launch in 2011, CriticalArc has experienced average annual growth rates of 100 per cent and increasing demand from universities and government institutions seeking security solutions for open environments. CriticalArc’s SafeZone app is currently used in more than 400 locations across Australia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States. It was recently selected as a core component of the new Abu Dhabi Financial District’s Security Project. It was in Wollongong in 2011 that the idea for the app started becoming a reality. Before founding start-up company CriticalArc, Glenn Farrant and Jahmai Lay held senior technical roles with Honeywell Bull and worked out of offices in Sydney. But they wanted to have better control of their destiny and wanted to use their substantial expertise to become entrepreneurs. They also aspired to create an Illawarra-based company with global impact.
Mr Farrant and Mr Lay attended an iAccelerate Entrepreneur Club meeting in 2011, which allowed them to pitch their idea with other entrepreneurs. The duo then went on to become the inaugural residents of the iAccelerate StartPad (now iAccelerate Start) when it was launched in 2012. StartPad provided the founders with a workspace shared with other aspiring entrepreneurs and business coaches. By September 2013, CriticalArc had secured $1 million in investment from Sydney Angels, Sydney Angel Sidecar Fund, Hunter Angels and Commercialisation Australia. Soon after, Critical Arc was able to offer SafeZone, with its first customer being the University of Wollongong.
The cloud-based SafeZone app is designed for tertiary education campuses, making it easy for students and staff to get help with a single tap on their phone, with security teams able to coordinate responses to incidents quickly and efficiently. Users can send a location-based alert to all campus security staff when under duress, or needing first aid or other assistance. Mr Farrant said CriticalArc’s success has brought many benefits to the Illawarra. “I believe we’re a good example of the opportunity that exists in the Illawarra,” he said. “We have a lot of talent in the Illawarra. I’d love to see talented people stay here and not move to the larger cities or overseas.” He said the connection, advice and resources available through the iAccelerate program played a significant role in CriticalArc’s ability to achieve its goals and international success.
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University of Wollongong graduate Adam Poole has been able to turn his innovative idea into reality and has returned to Wollongong to develop his business further at the iAccelerate Centre.
Achieving global ambitions iAccelerate
iAccelerate
Changing the world The iAccelerate Centre is a place where University of Wollongong graduates have the opportunities of local employment and determining their own economic future through entrepreneurship.
CriticalArc co-founder Glenn Farrant
University of Wollongong
The Safety Compass CEO Adam Poole
Making a difference
University of Wollongong
University research entities at the Innovation Campus include the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute (IPRI), The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES), the Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM), and the
The University of Wollongong has built an international reputation for world-class research, industry engagement and exceptional teaching quality. The University has formal agreements with 272 institutions in more than 40 countries and delivers transnational education programs in a number of locations. With an alumni population of more than 131,000, University of Wollongong graduates are making significant contributions throughout Australia and overseas.
Driving start-up success The iAccelerate Centre is the first of its kind in Australia — supporting new start-up companies while also fostering growth and innovation in established companies. The initiative utilises a multi-faceted approach to accelerating businesses and provides access to research and networking opportunities at the University of Wollongong. Synonymous with innovation is risk-taking. Risks are always easier to take when there is good support, education and inspiring networks. This is what the iAccelerate Centre provides. The purpose-designed “plug and go” space of the building allows for fast growth business development and there are short and longer term residency options. Fully-furnished office spaces are also available for more advanced companies. The iAccelerate Centre will attract and retain bright minds from the Illawarra and outside the region — across the world, even — to grow their business here, enjoying a combination of benefits not found elsewhere in Australia. These include: –– LIFESTYLE: An outstanding beachside location just one hour from Sydney, with no traffic gridlock or crammed public spaces and instead of small offices, entrepreneurs can work in a building with a distinctive creative workshop character.
–– COST SAVINGS: Far less costs than setting up business in a metropolitan area. –– CONNECTIONS: Entrepreneurs can collaborate with the University’s research entities and networks to open up new opportunities. –– UNIVERSITY PARTNER: Access to the University’s highquality graduates. The University produces more than 800 ICT graduates each year — one of the highest numbers of graduates in Australia. –– HIGH SPEED: Fast internet speed and the roll-out of the NBN provide businesses with the ability to be involved in worldwide markets. –– INVESTMENT: Connections to investor networks. –– LOW STAFF TURNOVER: The outstanding lifestyle of the Illawarra results in less staff turnover for businesses. The iAccelerate Centre will pay dividends for years to come, ensuring the Illawarra’s future economic prosperity and global competitiveness. The University’s focus on nurturing technology entrepreneurs will give the Illawarra region capacity to be adaptable and flexible in the face of rapidly changing market demands. It will help lift average earnings in the Illawarra region as iAccelerate tenants are likely to create and sustain highly paid jobs in IT, professional and technical services.
iACCELERATE
280
The iAccelerate Centre has expandable space for more than 280 entrepreneurs
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businesses already assisted
143
start-up jobs already created
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The Innovation Campus has a well-established community of innovative companies including NEC Australia, US IT company Telecommunications Systems Inc and Chinese IT provider Pactera. The Wollongong Science Centre and Planetarium is also at the campus.
iAccelerate
iAccelerate
The $600 million Innovation Campus was named the Best Business and Industrial Park Development in Australia at the Property Council of Australia Innovation and Excellence Awards in 2011.
Electron Microscopy Centre (EMC) which are housed within the Australian Institute of Innovative Materials (AIIM). There is also the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre (SBRC), the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) and the Centre for Health Initiatives. These institutes work in the development of “intelligent” innovative materials with the potential to regenerate damaged human nerves, the development of superconductors that make energy transmission more efficient, new techniques for sustainable building design and maritime law and security. University of Wollongong
The University of Wollongong generates over $2 billion in economic activity each year and is committed to helping grow an “innovative region”. The Innovation Campus was established by the University in 2006 to help grow the Illawarra’s innovation ecosystem and pursue the uptake of disruptive technologies.
UOW
$70 million
The ambition is for the program to create 500 direct jobs and 1000 indirect jobs, attracting $70 million in investment to the regional and state economies by the end of the decade.
47%
iAccelerate start-ups have a female co-founder
Top 20
Top 1%
(17th in the world – QS Top 50 Under 50 Rankings 2015)
(QS World University Graduate Employers Survey 2015/2016)
Top 2%
Highest rated uni
of universities under 50 years old
of universities in the world (243rd in the world, QS World University Rankings 2015/2016)
5-star
rating for getting a full-time job (2016 Good Universities Guide)
for graduates as rated by global employers
in NSW
Highest rank in NSW/ACT universities in 9 study areas on QILT 2016.
IACCELERATE CENTRE iaccelerate.com.au +61 2 4239 2150
INNOVATION CAMPUS innovationcampus.com.au +61 2 4221 5115 uow.edu.au facebook.com/UOW twitter.com/UOW +61 2 4221 3555 #ThisIsUOW
The University of Wollongong attempts to ensure the information contained in this publication is correct at the time of production (July 2016); however, sections may be amended without notice by the University in response to changing circumstances or for any other reason. Check with the University for any updated information. UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG CRICOS: 00102E