Industry-led Research Fellowship Program

We are thrilled to launch a new Industry-led Research Fellowship program (IRF) in collaboration with the Queensland Government and our university partners.

This exciting program is designed to bridge the gap between industry and academia. It provides industry with the opportunity to access world-renowned academics and professionals to accelerate their business growth.

It is a four-year program which aims to promote industry-led research and development and commercialisation of projects in the areas of robotics, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and design.

We would like to hear from Australian companies interested in capitalising on this opportunity.

Our Expression of Interest is open for businesses with a technology challenge that is disrupting business growth.

Submit your project

Fellowships are a great way for industry to find innovative solutions and accelerate business growth.

The research and development projects must relate to the capability themes of robotics, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and design.

They must also align with the seven priority areas of the Australian Government’s $15b National Reconstruction Fund:

value-add in resources
value-add in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries
transport
medical service
renewables and low-emissions technologies
defence capabilities
enabling technologies.

Program details

About IRF

The overarching purpose of the program is to create an environment where academic research directly contributes to and benefits industry needs, leading to tangible, innovative solutions and economic growth.

The Fellows will work on projects of Technology Readiness Level 4 or above, dividing their time between industry locations and the ARM Hub in Northgate, Brisbane.

The Fellows will receive mentorship and support from both the ARM Hub and university partners throughout their term.

The cost of the program is $200,000 per year for each Fellowship, with industry partners expected to contribute 50% of this amount annually, in addition to in-kind commitments.

The program includes comprehensive support for the Fellows, such as salaries, on-costs, and access to ARM Hub resources.

Fellowship themes

The four capability themes are:

robotics
artificial intelligence
data analytics
design.

Role of Fellows

Fellows will lead and conduct research and development programs that align with key areas of robotics, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and design.

Their role involves a significant amount of collaboration with industry partners, where they apply their expertise to address industry-specific challenges and facilitate the adoption of new technologies.

They will work closely with both the ARM Hub and university experts, leveraging these relationships to enhance the impact and applicability of their research.

They will be expected to adhere to high standards of reporting, documentation, and ethical conduct, ensuring their projects align with agreed objectives and contribute effectively to the technological and economic advancement of the industry partners.

Benefits to industry

Industry partners participating in the program stand to gain several significant advantages:

access to expertise and cutting-edge research in robotics, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and design
tailored R&D solutions
enhanced innovation and competitiveness
technology adoption and integration
networking and collaboration opportunities
workforce development
cost-effective research and development
potential for long-term collaborations.

Participation offers direct access to cutting-edge research and expertise, enabling the development of tailored, innovative solutions for specific industry challenges.

This collaboration fosters enhanced innovation and competitiveness, with the added advantage of integrating advanced technologies into business practices.

Financially, it presents a cost-effective approach to research and development, reducing the overall investment required for high-level innovation.

Industry partners can also choose the duration of the Fellowship program (e.g. six months, one year, two years, three years, four years).

Fellowship costs

The total cost per Fellowship is $200,000 per year with industry partners required to commit 50% per year as cash contribution in addition to their in-kind commitments.

The package includes:

salary and on-costs including superannuation for the Fellows
access to ARM Hub software and hardware, and senior engineers up to $40,000 per year
$20,000 per year worth of data and operational support.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible, an industry partner must:

be an Australian-based business and in the manufacturing or technology sectors
be registered for GST and hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
have a proposed technology challenge that is disrupting the business growth or proven steps to consider digital transformation to grow your business
not be insolvent or have owners or directors that are an undischarged bankrupt
not be a federal, state, or local government entity, statutory authority, or not-for-profit organisation.

Selection criteria

Industry partners must respond to the following criteria. Please limit the response to 1000 words per criterion.

Criterion 1

Outline the project that the business will address, including why it is important to the business and its project partners.
Clearly outline the proposed project demonstrating its merit and is well designed and achievable.
How is the project aligned to at least one of the capability themes?

Criterion 2

Outline the problem/gap/opportunity that you are intending to solve/fill/create as part of the project.
Describe the type of advanced digital technologies or innovative approaches will be adopted or created as part of the project.
How is the project aligned to at least one of the capability themes?

Criterion 3

Outline the role of the fellowship in the project and demonstrate steps to meaningful collaboration including spending some of the fellowship physically and/or virtually co-located within your business.
Outline the complementary skills and expertise that will be provided to progress and translate project into practical outcomes within the time frame.

Fellowship Agreement and IP

The Intellectual Property (IP) agreement is structured as follows:

Ownership of IP: The contracting entity, typically the industry partner participating in the program, retains ownership of the intellectual property developed during the fellowship.
Licensing to ARM Hub: While owning the IP, the industry partner is required to provide ARM Hub and partners with a perpetual, non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license. This license allows ARM Hub to use, reproduce, modify, and adapt the project outcomes and materials.
Scope of use for ARM Hub: The license granted to ARM Hub is specifically for use in what is referred to as the ‘Non-Compete Field’. This ensures that while partners can use the IP for certain purposes, it cannot use it in a way that directly competes with the industry partner’s business interests.

This agreement is designed to balance the interests of both the industry partners, the ARM Hub and universities, ensuring that while the industry partners maintain control over the IP they helped create, ARM Hub also has the ability to use the outcomes for research, educational, or other non-competing purposes.

Reporting and compliance

Industry partners will be required to submit quarterly project reports to ARM Hub. These reports are essential for tracking the progress and ensuring compliance with the Fellowship Agreement.

Application process

The application process is a single-step EOI process due 14 January 2024.

EOI

Stage: Submitting the EOI
Time: January
Process: Interested industry partners submit an online EOI form.

Awarding

Stage: Notification of successful applicants
Time: First week of February 2024
Process: Successful industry partners are notified of their acceptance into the program and invited to participate.

Contract and technology assessment

Stage: Finalising agreements and scoping projects
Time: Third week of February 2024
Process: Industry partners execute a fellowship agreement with ARM Hub and begin scoping potential projects with support from ARM Hub’s technical team.

Recruitment

Stage: Selecting Fellows
Time: February 2024
Process: Industry partners participate in the recruitment process for selecting the appropriate Fellows.

Execution

Stage: Fellowship begins
Time: Third week of March 2024
Process: The onboarding of Fellows and kickoff of the R&D projects.

Apply Now

More information

Please contact ARM Hub COO Samuel Jesuadian at samuel.jesuadian@armhub.com.au for further information.