KPMG has named the eight businesses it has selected to participate in its recently announced technology accelerator Energise, which will be held in Perth.
KPMG has named the eight businesses it has selected to participate in its recently announced technology accelerator Energise, which will be held in Perth.
The startups invited to take part in Energise are: Ecocentric Energy; Element Engineering; Global Unmanned Systems; GreenSync; Sandpit Innovation; Sentient Computing; Skrydata; and Smith and Jackson.
Energise is ranked #14 on the BNiQ Startup Accelerators, Places and Programs list.
As part of the Energise accelerator, starting from today, selected businesses take part in an intensive program to develop and commercialise their products and services, which are aimed at targeting the energy and natural resources sector.
The program will culminate on October 13 with a graduation nigh, at which each startup will pitch to investors, sponsors and guests, with a $200,000 prize up for grabs.
“KPMG’s Energise accelerator aims to connect the innovation and new ideas coming out of tech startups not just with potential investors, but directly with a panel of industry leaders such as BHP Billiton, Shell and Woodside Petroleum, who can potentially become future partners and clients for the participating startups ” KPMG head of innovation services James Mabbott said.
“If we can bridge the two sides of this equation it will bring tremendous value not just to the ventures and industry players involved, but to Australia’s entire startup eco-system.”
The startups will be exposed to a mentor panel comprising Gary Coover (managing director of Samsung’s Silicon Valley accelerator), Peter Rossdeutscher (the entrepreneur behind tech firms Intierra and Micromine), and Rohan Thompson (strategic partner manager for Google in Mountain View).
They will also receive input and guidance from Energise program supporters including Woodside, Resource Capital Funds and Melbourne-based Jolimont Global Mining Services.
Miners Atlas Iron and Fortescue Metals Group, energy companies Inpex and Synergy, and contractors Laing O’Rourke, Maca and WorleyParsons are also participating.
Energise program director Toby Gardner said about 60 mentors and 14 of the largest companies in the sector would be supporting the accelerator.
“Not only is Energise different in terms of scale and vertical focus, but it also has a shift towards later stage startups – allowing the supporting companies to be able to evaluate, test, and potentially integrate these startups’ technologies during the 12 weeks – providing immediate results for everyone,” Mr Gardner said.
“This makes Energise an innovation program that is both unique in Australia and even by global standards.”
KPMG has secured backing from several businesses to support the program, including Woodside, which donated $100,000 towards the cash prize, while Resource Capital Funds and Jolimont Global contributed $50,000.
See more on the participating startups below:
- Ecocentric Energy: has developed 'Numen System' a system designed to revoutionise the decision making process in using and conserving energy in commercial buildings and industrial facilities.
- Element Engineering: a mechatronic engineering firm that has developed a new ‘internet of things’ product which allows real-time monitoring of any product or structure through the use of modular devices and multiple forms of wireless communications.
- Global Unmanned Systems: provides customised, integrated solutions for the natural resource and extractive industries sectors in respect of environmental and social baseline data acquisition, ongoing monitoring, surveillance, inspection and surveying using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and complimentary data processing and analysis technologies.
- GreenSync: a high growth technology company that provides a portfolio of automated demand management products and services for commercial and industrial energy users and network utilities to optimise power usage, including distributed energy technology for large scale.
- Sandpit Innovation: an ideation consultancy that specialises in the design, development and delivery of innovation to the ENR sector. Sandpit Innovation have co-developed a number of new solutions such as the Spidler®, mineRECON®, Oust!® and iCAS®.
- Sentient Computing: an established Perth-based software company that has been developing high quality applications for customers such as Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Fortescue Metals Group, and Woodside since 2000. Sentient has developed MXV, a new venture that utilises data to create dynamic and interactive 3D environments.
- Skrydata: advanced analytic technology and processes to uncover insights from big data. Skrydata has worked on bespoke applications of its proprietary system for clients such as iiNet, Landgate and Cobham Aviation Services.
- Smith and Jackson (Notio Pty): has developed an innovative system to install modular buildings materially faster, cheaper and with less environmental impact than traditional methods.
