METS $6m funding round opens

Thursday, 10 May, 2018

METS Ignited opened the third round of its Collaborative Project Funds on 9 May. The project funding is an opportunity for industry to secure matched funding to commercialise innovation that is of benefit to the Australian METS and mining sector.

Matched funding is available from $100,000 up to $3 million. Projects must be collaborative and industry-led with clear commercialisation applications that address one or more of the following:

METS Ignited's Industry Knowledge Priorities (IKP) in the Sector Competitiveness Plan.
Key mining challenges.
Establishment of METS Living Lab nodes/sandpits as part of an industry-wide Living Lab network.
Blue sky opportunities where solutions do not currently exist.

The third round of the METS Ignited Project Fund will have a particular interest in robotics and automation. Applications close 31 August 2018.

As it is a collaborative fund, METS Ignited is encouraging the development of projects led by a METS company collaborating with at least one other METS company and working closely with funding support from an end user, such as a mining company, system integrator or OEM.

Collaborative projects which include participation from the research community are also encouraged.

Free information sessions on how to apply

Information sessions are being held across Australia in June and July. The sessions are an opportunity to explore the fund in more details with the METS Ignited team. The events include a one-hour session about the project fund process and an opportunity to network. There is no cost to attend but registration is essential.

The locations and dates for the events are:

Mount Isa — 13 June 2018
Townsville — 14 June 2018
Mackay — 15 June 2018
Brisbane — 19 June 2018
Newcastle — 21 June 2018
Wollongong — 22 June 2018
Melbourne — 22 June 2018
Adelaide — 26 June 2018
Kalgoorlie — 28 June 2018
Perth — 29 June 2018
Sydney — 3 July 2018

The METS Ignited Project Fund can be accessed by industry via an expression of interest process. A template and further information is available on the METS Ignited website.

Image credit: ©vladimirnenezic/Dollar Photo Club