Oct 5 2012
A low cost, LED lighting design, which provides energy-savings of up to 93 per cent, has won the 2012 Australian Clean Technologies Competition; it was announced last night by Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Innovation, Mark Dreyfus.
EnLighten Australia was presented as the winner at an awards gala dinner in Melbourne, attended by Australia’s leading innovators in the cleantech community.
“The Competition has brought together emerging technology developers with mentors experienced in the commercialisation of new products, and venture-capitalists,” Mr Dreyfus said.
The competition attracted over 100 entries this year.
“EnLighten is assisting consumers raise their energy efficiency and in doing so helping to reduce Australia’s carbon footprint. Their lighting solutions are already being used in Australian universities, local councils and high density residential apartments.”
Mr Dreyfus also announced the runners up VR Tek, which reclaim rubber from used tyres to provide high value inputs to production, and Biofiba, manufacturers of biodegradable shipping pallets made out of non-food crops.
EnLighten and the six other finalists were mentored by the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education and competition partners, building business acumen to help take their ideas to the global market.
EnLighten will represent Australia at the international Cleantech Open Global Ideas Competition in the United States, where the company will compete with entrants from 90 countries for over $100,000 in services.
With other finalists, enLighten will be introduced to investors, business-services and other entrepreneurs on a trade mission to the US to assist them gain global traction and footholds in overseas markets.
John O’Brien, Managing Director of the Australian CleanTech which oversees the competition, said Australia’s clean technology sector covered a diverse range of activities, including transportation, smart power, energy storage, green building, renewable energy, energy efficiency and air, water and waste management.
Dr Marc Newson, the Australian Government’s Cleantech Supplier Advocate, said “Australian cleantech is extremely well placed to prosper at home, and in the global market. Some of the technologies in this year’s competition are world-class.”
About the Australian CleanTech Competition www.cleantechopen.com.au
The Competition is an initiative of the Gillard Government’s $58.4 million Buy Australian at Home and Abroad initiative, and is supported by Enterprise Connect, Commercialisation Australia, CSIRO and Austrade. The competition is being managed by Australian CleanTech a private research and advisory business.