The NSW Government has signed a historic five-year Innovation Partnership agreement with Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, to drive digital technology, manufacturing and health excellence across NSW-based innovation precincts.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said that the partnership would emphasise the state’s global reputation as a base for technological innovation, knowledge and expertise and drive new opportunities for businesses to invest, expand or locate in NSW.
“The NSW Government has a long history of working with CSIRO and this agreement through Investment NSW takes our strategic partnership to an historic next level,” Mr Ayres said.
“The partnership will immediately accelerate innovation and commercialisation, create new jobs in growth industries like advanced manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital health, and increase economic growth as part of our strong recovery from the pandemic.
“Engaging CSIRO as an Innovation Partner also enables us to work together to explore future opportunities to align and collaborate on research and innovation, with the potential to open up a range of new industry development and investment attraction opportunities across the state,” he said.
Through the partnership, CSIRO will continue to consolidate its Sydney operations, focusing on advanced manufacturing, quantum technologies, aerospace, defence and agribusiness at the future Bradfield Aerotropolis, digital focus at Tech Central in Eveleigh, and health capabilities in the Westmead Health and Innovation District.
CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said the agreement recognised the importance of connecting the NSW business and research community with Australia’s largest commercialisation network, as well as access to world-class expertise in emerging fields like genetics, materials, quantum, synthetic biology, and space.
“CSIRO’s partners in NSW will have access to the country’s best scientific and commercialisation expertise, as well as world-class research infrastructure, to harness the power of science to create jobs in NSW and make life better for all Australians,” Dr Marshall said.
“We are reinventing what it means to partner with Australia’s national science agency, including by investing in next-generation facilities that use digital automation, robotics and sensors, AI-powered intelligent agents, and best-practice safety features to harness innovation to be globally competitive.
“Sydney is where CSIRO invented fast WiFi and where we will invent the next innovations for our future prosperity and sustainability,” Dr Marshall said.
This historic Partnership directly builds upon and supports the direction and objectives set out in the NSW Government’s 2040 Economic Blueprint and Global NSW Strategy.
