Monash Precinct
Right on our door step is a very significant science, research, technology and jobs precinct. It is the largest jobs hub outside the CBD and home to the highest capability science facilities in the Southern Hemisphere.
Here is a short list of the facilities you can take advantage of within the Monash Technology Precinct:
- The Australian Synchrotron
- Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication
- Monash University
- CSIRO: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
- Monash Medical Trials Centre at Monash Health
- Moderna mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility
- and plenty more
We did a tour of the Australian Synchrotron when it was commissioned. Haven’t found a project which needs it yet but that is on my business bucket list.
Australian Synchrotron Open Day
Australian Synchrotron
Same for the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication.
There is a strong startup community, expecially in biological science areas, and specialist coworking facilities supporting this such as CoLabs. And plenty of strong industry players in the technology space.
It is such a strong science precinct that it is listed in the Global Institute for Innovation Districts (GIID) and if you go to their Research and Development Magnets page the Monash Technology Precinct is the example they use.
So how do we take advantage of this?
Given Australia’s low rate of collaboration and low academia to industry engagement that is a bit of a challenge. But it is a challenge worth addressing. The recent R&D Rountables Reports has also identified that small business is now the primary R&D investor in Australia and so that means our science and technology research and development resources have to be more accessible to small business, both procedurally and financially.
Industry 4.0 is about changing how we do manufacturing at the industry level. Smaller projects, faster turnaround, high quality, high traceability, reduced barriers to doing manufacturing business with higher integration into both the input design systems and also the output customer systems. I think it is time for an R&D 4.0 revolution as well. It would look almost the same: smaller projects, faster turnaround, high quality, high traceability, reduced barriers to doing research and development business with better integration between researchers, developers and end customers.
Time for the Clever Country to prove it can live up to the name.
Monash Precinct Network
Monash Precinct Network
If you you wanted to start exploring this, a great way to get started is to join the Monash Precinct Network. We recently joined as a pinnacle member and I’m looking forward to the connections that will enable as well as a better understanding of what is on offer. Because we can’t take advantage of it if we don’t know it exists.
Successful Endeavours specialise in Electronics Design, Embedded Software Development and Electronics Manufacturing, focusing on products that are intended to be profitably Made In Australia. Ray Keefe has developed market leading electronics products in Australia for more than 40 years.
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