UniSA program helping companies reach the final frontier faster

A cohort of space-focused companies have joined a new accelerator program being delivered by UniSA’s Australian Centre for Business Growth.

Kavin Ravi, left, Electrical and Electronic Engineer at AICRAFT and Dr Tony Scoleri, Founder & CEO. Picture: Supplied

Six companies specialising in areas ranging from advanced semiconductor technology to monitoring illegal fishing from space have been selected as part of a scale-up program launched by the University of South Australia.

The space-focused companies make up the first cohort of the six-month Growth Ramp space pathway program, which is being delivered by UniSA’s Australian Centre for Business Growth (AUCBG) in collaboration with the Innovation & Collaboration Centre (ICC).

The targeted program is designed for business owners, chief executives and managing directors of space companies who are looking to scale and sustainably grow their organisation.

AUCBG director and Playford Chair of Business Growth, professor Ryan Williams, said small space companies, and particularly start-ups, faced significant challenges growing from specialised small firms to becoming fully-fledged, sustainable, growth companies.

“We’ve designed the Growth Ramp space pathway as an innovative program where space firms can learn the skills and knowledge they need to grow and scale their companies,” Prof Williams said. “They will share their business growth journeys with fellow space companies, creating a powerful peer learning experience and a lifelong network.”

The six companies included in the first cohort are Aicraft, ESpy Ocean, HEX20, Orbital Blue, ResearchSat and Robinson Aerospace Systems.

Aicraft, which is based at the ICC in the CBD, specialises in “purpose-built electronics and advanced semiconductor technology to craft ultra-compact, high-speed, low power embedded AI solutions for high-performance computing at the edge’’.

“With experience in technologies across several defence domains (national security, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, electronic Warfare, weapons and Space), Aicraft innovates by designing products for defence and many other sectors,’’ the company says.

“The solutions are field ready and facilitate real-time big data analysis without typical latency, high power consumption and storage limitation.’’

ESpy Ocean, which is based at Stone and Chalk in the Lot Fourteen innovation hub, specialises in using satellites to detect both seaborne vessels, and pelagic fish such as bluefin tuna.

“Our information has the ability to significantly decrease costs and reduce the carbon footprint of the pelagic fish industry,’’ the company says. “ESpy Ocean provides satellite detection of pelagic species including Southern Bluefin Tuna schools over a wide area (100-1000s of kilometres) and the indication of likely feeding areas down to the scale of kilometres.’’

Minister for Defence and Space Industries Stephen Mullighan said the high-quality of local space companies joining the inaugural program was another encouraging sign for the state’s space sector.

“There is huge opportunity for SA start-up companies in the space industry and this program gives them a boost towards growing their business substantially in the future,” Mr Mullighan said.

Originally published as UniSA program helping companies reach the final frontier faster