The Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR) has launched a plan to turbocharge Victoria’s start-up ecosystem, grow business and innovation precincts, develop homegrown talent and commercialise world-leading research.
In its Innovation Statement, the Department said it set out Victoria’s innovation agenda with six clear actions to propel the State forward.
DJPR said this included capitalising on research and innovation potential; developing talent; cultivating the start-up ecosystem; growing innovation precincts; connecting Victorian businesses with global supply chains; and delivering innovative services.
“We will invest in Victoria’s world-class research and innovation capabilities, and in translating outcomes into commercial opportunities,” DJPR said.
“This will help grow our key industries and create new jobs, preparing us to tackle the big challenges of the future,” it said.
“We will create wide-ranging opportunities for Victorians to upskill, reskill and develop new skills in fields such as medical research, digital, creative technologies, entrepreneurship and agtech so they can thrive in our economy, now and in the future.”
DJPR said it would work to grow the State’s start-up ecosystem and support the development of key business and innovation precincts, “where research institutions, businesses, accelerators, and start-ups can connect and collaborate”.
“We will lead by example, embracing innovation in Victorian Government operations, service delivery and infrastructure, and putting people at the centre of everything we do,” it said.
Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy, Jaala Pulford said that front and centre of the agenda was the Breakthrough Victoria Fund, which was expected to bridge the gap between discovery and commercialisation and mobilise innovation in areas such as health and life sciences; agri-food; advanced manufacturing; clean economy; and digital technologies.
Ms Pulford said another focus of the agenda was health and medical research.
DJPR’s 43-page Innovation Statement can be accessed at this PS News link.
