
February 15th, 2019 by Nick Deeks
Twelve start-ups from across Perth and Brisbane have been selected to participate in Energise, an energy and natural resources accelerator program that kicks off today.
To help participating start-ups accelerate the development and commercialisation of their products, Energise – an initiative of tax, audit and advisory firm KPMG Australia – will provide access to a mentor panel made up of international and local entrepreneurs plus innovation specialists. In addition, KPMG will provide start-ups with market insight plus support in areas such as set-up and product development.
The program will culminate with a graduation night, early next year, with start-ups pitching to investors, industry partners and guests for a chance to win awards. Last year saw eight start-ups secure over $450,000 worth of new contracts and pilots within 12 weeks of starting the program.
The program is supported by major energy and natural resources companies including Woodside, Wesfarmers Chemicals Energy & Fertilisers, South32 and Chevron Australia.
Gary Smith, KPMG WA Chairman commented: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the quality of applicants this year, with some excellent start-ups ready to transform the resources and energy sector. We’ve selected the Energise cohort based on feedback from our corporate partners and other experts on how new ideas and technologies can help tackle the industry’s productivity, efficiency and innovation challenges. Energise is about bridging the innovation gap between startups and industry – and we believe we can build upon last year’s success and bring fresh thinking to established players, whilst similarly paving the way for startups to work with major enterprises within the sector.”
Ashley Brown, KPMG Energise Program Director, commented: “The scale of the success of last year’s Energise participants demonstrated the vast opportunities for startups to solve some of the sector’s major problems. This time, we are continuing the journey by focusing on supporting both startups and our corporate partners on how to make innovation a reality. For both sides of the equation it’s a win-win situation – and we expect to see some really exciting new technology and approaches brought to life during Energise. We are also looking forward to expanding the program’s base to Australia’s East Coast and engaging a national and indeed global energy and resources audience.”
The twelve start-ups selected to participate in Energise, this year, are listed below:
Brisbane:
Perth:
Artes Global Group: Creator of GotSkill, an online platform where skilled workers manage their verified skills and connect with employers, recruiters and training institutes.