Establishment of the Entrepreneur’s Infrastructure Programme

This submission responds to the Department of Industry’s June 2014 discussion paper on the Entrepreneur’s Infrastructure Programme, announced in the May 2014 Budget to replace several industry support programs, including Commercialisation Australia, from 1 July 2014. Answering the consultation questions in turn, Research Australia maintains that researchers should be treated as potential clients and business creators, not only as a resource for businesses, and that Australia needs a continuum of support from research to commercialisation. It notes that less than 1% of National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) funding goes to Development Grants, and recommends the Department to align the Programme with NHMRC and Australian Research Council (ARC) schemes so there are no gaps between scientific proof of principle and commercial proof of concept. It recommends evaluating Commercialisation Australia and drawing on the Australian National Audit Office’s audit of it; engaging research peak bodies in promoting the Programme; a public database of researchers and businesses with specific expertise to overcome information barriers; outcome-based evaluation measures; and assessing applications on merit rather than prioritising sectors. It opposes eligibility rules that would exclude not-for-profit research institutions, force premature company creation, or restrict business management services to firms operating for more than three years, and suggests online delivery and a grant loading for regional and remote applicants.