KEY POINTS
- Launched on 21 May 2008, the $271million Enterprise Connect network is a central plank of the Government’s Innovation Future for Australian Industry policy platform.
- Enterprise Connect is providing Australia's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with access to the best advice, technology and research, and link firms to resources in their immediate region and around the country.
- Enterprise Connect is building up a permanent, readily accessible and truly national knowledge bank – a storehouse of information about what research is being done, what research SMEs need, what trends are developing, what technologies are available to meet those trends, and much, much more.
- Six manufacturing centres have been established as hubs of expertise. Manufacturing Centres in Mawson Lakes South Australia, Dandenong Victoria, Burnie Tasmania, North Ryde New South Wales, Perth Western Australia and Eight Mile Plains Queensland have been launched.
- Six Innovation Centres are being rolled out throughout the country. The Innovative Regions Centre in Geelong, Remote Enterprise Centre in Alice Springs, Creative Industries Innovation Centre in Sydney, Clean Energy Innovation Centre in Newcastle and Mining Technology Innovation Centre in Mackay have been launched. The Defence Industry Innovation Centre will be launched in 2009.
FACTS AND FIGURES
Twelve Enterprise Connect centres around the nation will help businesses succeed and help create high wage, high skilled jobs now and for the future, adding significant new capacity to the national innovation system.
Enterprise Connect provides Australia's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with access to the best advice, technology and research. The centres offer top quality business and management advisory services.
One of the biggest challenges facing SMEs is having the time and know-how to implement innovative changes in their business. Enterprise Connect addresses these challenges by connecting businesses to new ideas and technologies to boost productivity and increase international competitiveness.
Enterprise Connect links firms to resources in their immediate region and around the country. Each centre is in constant communication with the other centres, and the network as a whole is in constant communication with other networks – whether through partner organisations, state governments, the Industry Capability Network, Austrade or others.
Over 1400 firms have now passed through the first stage of the program, the Business Review, with over 850 completed. Around 360 firms have proceeded to the second stage, the Tailored Advisory Service which provides a subsidy of up to $20k to assist firms implement changes identified through the Business Review process. In addition, firms receive mentoring and support for up to twelve months.
The Researchers in Business initiative has been launched and other new services including seminars and technology advising and referral will be introduced progressively.
Enterprise Connect will service at least 3000 firms a year.