Regional Industry Collaboration Program Commences with Innovation Manager Appointment

July 24, 2017

Industry has recognised that their ability to be innovative will define how bright the future will be. There is a wealth of national and international evidence to demonstrate that companies who innovate will be 1.4 times higher in sales and profitability than those that don’t. Further, companies who collaborate with academia triple the likelihood of productivity growth in their businesses.

The Regional Industry Collaboration Program (RICP) is an initiative of the Geelong Manufacturing Council (GMC) run with support from the Victorian Government. The program is designed to grow jobs, create investment opportunities and boost productivity by supporting businesses in the Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat areas to access new research and technologies, facilities and expertise at universities and research organisations in regional Victoria, such as Deakin University and CSIRO.
An exciting aspect of RICP is seed funding for funding for eligible projects that show solid potential to create investment and grow jobs in regional Victoria. Look out for more details on eligibility and guidelines shortly.

Industry Innovation ManagerWe also extend a welcome to our new Industry Innovation Manager, Sandra McClelland. Sandra has an extensive background in academic/industry collaboration at CSIRO, Victorian State Government, Deakin University and most recently in the consulting sector for several Victorian Universities. She has a Bachelor of Business and is a CPA.  Sandra is looking forward to meeting with our regional manufacturers to support their innovation efforts.

For more info on RICP please contact Sandra McClelland