Our office is inviting you, as an Israeli company with operations in Australia, to join us in an official delegation capacity during the week of May 22 to 28.
This Northern Territory delegation is in conjunction with The Northern Australia Food Futures Conference, Australia’s leading event on agricultural development in the North.
The conference is integral in driving expansion in Northern Australia and places northern agriculture on the national agenda. Investors, politicians, industry innovators, industry and community leaders, and stakeholders from around Australia and the world attend the conference. New to the Food Futures Conference this year is an Ag Tech Showcase afternoon for leaders in Australia’s Ag Tech industry to demonstrate tools and technologies that foster growth, innovation, and efficiency in agriculture.
Northern Territory Farmers Association has offered the opportunity to participate in the Ag Tech Showcase during the Northern Australia Food Futures Conference and to assist with developing a farm tour program upon the conclusion of the Conference program. The tours will showcase the Northern Territory’s plant industries, the potential for agricultural investment and innovation, and opportunities for the sharing and Israeli knowledge exchange around technology. The tour will have a particular focus on the management of biosecurity challenges, water-use efficiency practices, protected cropping technology, arid zone agriculture research and development, Northern Territory’s horticultural genetic programs, including mangoes and jackfruit, and the use of using LiDAR data to guide agricultural efficiencies, crop yield data, agronomic management, and agricultural development.
Ahead of the Australia-Israel Innovation Summit, MarineTech venture capital fund theDOCK’s co-founder Hannan Carmeli shared his thoughts on automation opportunities in the maritime sector and his aim to build relationships with Australian firms.
A graduate of the Israeli Naval Academy and Israeli Navy, Mr Carmeli has spent 30 years working in the tech sector, including a 10-month stint as Director of International Activity at the Israel Innovation Authority.
Five years ago, he sought to marry his work experience with his long-time passion for sailing, eventually co-founding theDock, a venture capital fund dedicated to investing in startups in the maritime, supply chain, and offshore sectors. The fund has a particular focus on automation in marine vessel and docking terminal operations. For example, portfolio company Orca AI is developing a platform which could facilitate autonomous shipping.
Now running its Navigate II fund, worth US$30 million, Mr Carmeli said theDock’s deal flow is currently 60-70 per cent Israeli, with the remaining spread around the world. Investment partners include Singaporean port operator PSA International’s venture capital arm and Japanese logistics company NYK Line.
Mr Carmeli will speak on a panel at the Australia-Israel Innovation Summit to discuss the opportunities to ‘Digitise Supply Chains in a Services-driven Economy’ on October 19. The summit is organised by the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce.
“Today, there is much more data generated than back 10 years ago, even five years ago. Every terminal operation, every vessel, every truck, every car, they all generate data because of different IoT devices that were installed. And now there is a big trend of companies and startups looking at how to leverage all that data in order to bring better efficiency, in order to reduce emissions, and in order to do better future planning,” Mr Carmeli said.
“With the enormous amounts of data available today already it is only through technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and augmented reality…that stand a chance to actually convert the data into meaningful insights and observations.”
He added that the insights would help build supply chain resilience, learning from the disruptions of the Covid-19 and the blockage of the Suez Canal in March 2021.
Design partnerships where large corporations help mould and direct startup innovation is “extremely important for both sides” he added. Large corporations get “new out of the box ideas about how to solve problems”, while startups get “realistic data and information about how the innovation would work” in real-world applications.
Mr Carmeli said that companies generally have two options when it comes to taking equity in startups. It could be done through the creation of an internal corporate venture capital (CVC) arm or by investing in a venture capital fund with subject matter expertise. Although he acknowledged that the creation of a CVC gives companies more control over the end product, Mr Carmeli argued in favour of the latter option.
Firstly, establishing a CVC can be very costly for firms, it requires building a whole new set of operations “when this is not the main business of the company”, he said.
“The other [downside] is that when a corporate invests in a startup through a CVC, it may associate the startup too closely with that one company, preventing that startup from doing business with competitors of the company.”
He also noted that some firms may choose to invest in venture capital funds to avoid the “heavy-lifting” of screening startups. “We are trying to make investments in one startup out of 100,” Mr Carmeli said.
“When you’re screening startups, that’s a lot of heavy lifting, because I’ll give you an interesting piece of data. We are trying to make investments in one startup out of 100…Not each and every cooperate, can or wishes to engage in that heavy lifting so sometimes they see value in having other independent VCs doing all the heavy lifting and then deciding through a CVC platform, deciding if they wish to invest directly in any of the startups that was picked up by the independent VC.”
Mr Carmeli said “Australia has quite a heritage when it comes to maritime” and that he is eager to strengthen theDOCK’s relationships with Australian corporations and startups. He also added that it’s “no question that Australia has a lot to offer” the global supply chain sector.
“We’re always looking for good strong strategic investors in our fund…but because of our vertical nature we like to [work with large corporates].”
The final round of a clinical translation and commercialisation program for SMEs delivered by federal government’s MedTech and pharmaceutical growth centre MTPConnect will open for expressions of interest on September 9.
Funded through the federal government’s long-term $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund, the Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech (CTCM) Program will provide funding between $250,000 to $1.5 million for projects over a maximum of 24 months.
Successful recipients must also provide co-contributions which will depend on the total CTCM funding requested. Round one of the programs requires recipients to co-contribute to the value of 50 percent of the CTCM funding request.
Eligible expenditure includes prototype development and product testing, clinical trial activity, and regulatory support. The funding is available to small and medium sized enterprises, defined as firms with 199 employees or less.
If more than 10 per cent of the project’s total expenditure would be on international activities, approval must be obtained from the Department of health. This process will be managed by MTPConnect. The Medical Research Future Fund is managed by the Department of Health and Aged Care.
Funds will target projects focused on medical devices for human use that diagnose, prevent, monitor, treat, or alleviate a disease or injury, or modify or monitor anatomy or physiological functions of the body. Only projects where the device’s capability has already been validated with research and/or preclinical studies will be funded.
CTCM is a $19.75 million program. Successful applicants to round one are still being considered. An in-person and online information session will be held in Brisbane at QIMR Berghofer at 1pm on August 23. Expressions of interest for round two will close on October 7.
Following the expression of interest, successful applicants must complete a consultation phase with an assigned CTCM partner from the Medical Technology Association of Australia, Medical Device Partnering Program, or Cicada Innovations.
Finally, full proposals will be reviewed by the CTCM Investment Panel. According to the CTCM round two guidelines, this is “an independent, national and international panel of research, industry and investment experts”. Further details can be found here. Applications will be made through SmartyGrants.
MTPConnect chief executive officer Stuart Dignam said the funding round presents another opportunity to support Australia’s growing medical products sector.
“We are looking to provide funding and support to projects where the device’s capability has already been validated with research and/or preclinical studies,” Mr Dignam said.
“Applicants will also be required to provide a cash co-contribution dependent on the total CTCM funding request, with additional in-kind or cash contributions above this threshold viewed favourably.
“The CTCM program was designed uniquely to leverage a national alliance of experts in the medtech sector. We are delighted to work closely with medtech partners: Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA), Cicada Innovations and Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP), as well as infrastructure partner, Therapeutic Innovation Australia (TIA), and educational partner, QUT – The BridgeTech Program.
“So, in addition to financial support, applicants will be supported throughout the 24-month period with valuable educational support, consultation and access to critical engineering, fabrication and prototyping facilities to help accelerate translation of their medical device.”
We are honored to invite you to Agmon & Co. Rosenberg Hacohen & Co, Sydney’s virtual online web cast, where we will discuss (in Hebrew) themes and emerging opportunities in Energy and Environment in Australia. The event will feature keynote speakers Michael Platt ATDO & Investment Director, Australian Trade and Investment Commission; Udi David Stern, General Manager (Australia) of N-Drip Gravity Micro Irrigation; and Partner Eddie Ashkenazi from our Tel-Aviv Energy and Infrastructure Department, and will be moderated by Jeremy Levy, a Partner in our Sydney office. We work closely with clients to assist their climate-conscious goals. Recently, we have been involved in a number of transactions in the Australian renewable energy sector: Facilitating transactions for clients invested in local company dealing with solar farm projects; Representing a global leader in renewable energy engineering with expertise in energy storage and smart integration technologies through the facilitation of various transactions including corporate structure and investments; and Representing a leading and influential conglomerate in Israel that imports, markets and sells equipment for the provision of advanced services in the fields of infr astructure, transportation, energy and water. Please feel free to contact us for any inquiries: isabelle@agmon-law.com.au Agmon & Co. Rosenberg Hacohen & Co. Sydney Sydney 50 Carrington Street, Sydney NSW 2000 PO Box H208, Australia Square NSW 1215 |Tel +61-2-9060 6206 |
26 July 2022, 12:00 PM – 13:00 PM (Israel Daylight Time Israel Time) Zoom meeting. Registration is required to receive a link to access the discussion. Event limited to 30 people. Online event
The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems team invites you to attend an exclusive virtual Fireside Chat with Dr. Tal David and Professor Michael J. Biercuk on the future of quantum technology on Wednesday 15th June, at 4:00pm AEDT.
Dr. David is Co-Founder and CEO of Quantum Art, and formerly he was the Head of the Israel National Quantum Initiative; Michael Biercuk is CEO & Founder of Australian quantum technology startup Q-CTRL and Professor of Quantum Physics and Quantum Technology at the University of Sydney.
The discussion will be facilitated by Dr. Simon Devitt, Research Director at the Centre for Quantum Software and Information at the University of Technology Sydney, and co-founder and managing director of the quantum technology consultancy firm, h-bar.
This one-hour virtual discussion will provide an opportunity to hear directly from leading quantum experts to gain a better understanding of the vision, strategy and plans referring to the quantum landscape in Australia and Israel with the ability to ask questions during the live discussions.
Throughout this engaging format, we will explore:
How is quantum technology likely to impact the economy?
How does the industry effectively collaborate?
How will Quantum technology impact our future?
How do we build a national strategy?
Don’t miss these exciting conversations and more with the greatest minds in this field and gain insights on quantum from an industry perspective in both jurisdictions.
Dr. Tal David is the Co-Founder and CEO of Quantum Art. Formerly, he was the Head of the Israel National Quantum Initiative (INQI), a joint venture of the leading R&D Israel government agencies, promoting the quantum ecosystem in a variety of tools and components. Previously, he was a researcher in a lasers start-up and Quantum Technology Group Head at Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) forming a quantum magnetic sensing group.
Professor Michael J Biercuk is a global science and technology innovator, one of the world’s leading experts in the new emerging field of quantum technology. Michael is the CEO and Founder of Q-CTRL, a venture-capital-backed company that provides control engineering solutions to harness the power of quantum physics for next-generation technologies. An award-winning experimental quantum physicist, Michael serves as professor of Quantum Physics and Quantum Technology at the University of Sydney.He leads teams in both the technology industry and academia, with a focus on commercialising quantum technologies including quantum computing and quantum sensing. Michael founded Q-CTRL based on the research he led at the university’s Quantum Control Lab.
About the Facilitator
Dr. Simon Devitt is the Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Quantum Software and Information (QSI) at the University of Technology, Sydney and co-founder and managing director of the quantum technology consultancy firm, h-bar. Dr. Devitt has invented key quantum computing architectures in atom-optics, diamond and ion trap systems, he has also been the inventor of three separate quantum communications designs, 2nd and 3rd generation repeaters and the quantum sneakernet. Dr. Devitt’s work has focused on the design of programming, compilation and optimisation of large-scale quantum technology. Along with over 100 academic publications, he has worked with numerous corporations and VC firms on their expansion into the quantum technology space and advised multiple government agencies on multimillion dollar R&D initiatives. In 2020, he was awarded the inaugural Warren Prize from the Royal Society of NSW for his service to global quantum technology development and was elected fellow in 2021.
About the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems team
Our role within Investment NSW is to enrich the size and strength of the existing NSW Innovation Ecosystem which will deliver significant economic opportunity across NSW. We will do this by fostering startup creation and industry growth, addressing barriers and market gaps, and providing education programs and access to networks, funding, and mentors.
Israel Trade Commissioner – Embassy of Israel in Australia
Western Sydney Business Chamber Executive Director
Western Sydney Airport Chief Corporate Affairs Officer
Western Parkland City Authority Executive Director of Commercial and Economic
Department of Planning, Industry and Environment Western Sydney Cities Lead Executive Director – Smart Place, Evidence & Insights
IoT Alliance Australia Chair WSe3, Cyber Security and Network Resilience
The Israel Trade Commission in partnership with the Western Sydney Airport is excited to collaborate on an introductory webinar event featuring the Executive leaders of Australia’s largest infrastructure investment, Western Sydney’s International Airport and Aerotropolis City of 2026.
This is a rare opportunity for Israeli companies to learn about the many different projects underway where Israeli technology, knowledge and expertise will be relevant, and how they can be a part of Australia’s biggest infrastructure investment.
Shai Zarivatch – Israel Trade Commissioner said:“We are excited to collaborate with leaders and executives from the Western Sydney Airport, the future Aerotropolis and work with our partners at Western Sydney Business Chamber to spread the word to relevant Israeli companies and startups already operating and looking forward to venturing into the Australian market.”
“Israeli companies have advanced knowledge, technologies and expertise that could be very relevant to both the airport operation and the connected transportation infrastructure providing HLS and Cybersecurity solutions, advanced data and AI management capabilities. Together with capabilities in the domain of Smart Cities technologies, we are confident that companies from both countries can benefit enormously from mutual cooperation, joint partnership and investments.”
In 2021 there will be round-table virtual and in-person conferences discussing partnerships.
Nearly 100 Israeli companies’ representatives will be attending the virtual conference from fields including HLS, Cyber, Smart Cities and IoT, that are looking to enter or advance their presence in the Australian market.
The Retail Innovation Israel, RE:IL event in Israel, initiated by the Israel Export Institute and the Foreign Trade Administration at the Ministry of Economy and Industry is our first and biggest virtual retail technology expo. The event will feature a virtual exhibition of 21 innovative Israeli companies in the field of retail technology and will feature an online F2F meeting arena. In addition, the event will host three large scale webinars, for US, Europe and Asia. The COVID-19 situation took its toll on many of the world’s businesses and critical thinking was applied. That’s why we need to be RE: adapt with Retail Solutions in RE:IL – Retail Innovation Israel expo. The purpose of the event is to facilitate personal business meetings between Israeli exporters and potential partners and customers from abroad.
The NSW Government and Israel Innovation Authority recently announced the NSW-Israel R&D and Technological Innovation Program; a bilateral grants program awarding NSW businesses up to $250,000 to progress innovative and commercially driven technology solutions.
The program is designed to assist both NSW and Israeli companies in leveraging each other’s unique skill sets, and to grow business collaboration and cooperation.
Come down to the ASX to hear from the NSW Government, the Israel Trade Commission and local startups who are already successfully partnering with Israeli companies. There will also be the opportunity to discuss one-on-one how the program could benefit you, your business or your clients and the opportunity to network with other interested startups.
Greeting by Dave Sharma, former Australian Ambassador to Israel
Shai Zarivatch, Israeli Trade Commissioner to Australia, “Overview of the Israeli tech eco-system and its global positioning as a center of innovation”
Matthew Jessop, NSW Department of Industry,”Overview of the NSW-Israel R&D and Technological Innovation Program”
Luke Deacon, Austrade, Landing Pads Manager, “Overview of the Austrade Landing Pad Program and opportunities at the Tel Aviv Landing Pad”
Panel discussion with Yanir Yakutiel (Sail), Craig Shapiro (Blue River Group) and Andrey Shirben, Follow[the]Seed
Israel Trade and Economic Commission in Sydney, Australia 