Fireproof paint, a breakthrough scar treatment, and chemical-free water disinfection—these game-changing innovations are among the winners at this year’s KCA Awards, where the spotlight is on the tech transfer teams turning research into real-world solutions that make a global impact.
“These awards are unique in that they recognise and celebrate immense value created by commercialisation professionals from across Australia and New Zealand,” said KCA Chair Quin Chang.
“This year we received an outstanding number of high-quality nominations making it a very competitive field but also demonstrating the breadth and depth of commercialisation activity that often flies under the radar.”
The 2024 KCA Australasian Research Commercialisation Award winners were announced on 16 October 2024 at the KCA annual conference.
The six-year collaboration between Flame Security International (FSI) and UNSW, joint winner of the 2024 AFR Higher Education Research Commercialisation Award, is multifaceted including co-location, collaborative research, and student engagement.
The collaboration initially focusing on FIRECOAT, a fire-retardant paint now sold at Bunnings and soon available in the US. FIRECOAT mitigates bushfire impact by forming a protective char layer, reducing fire damage and conserving resources. UNSW Industry & Innovation facilitated the transition from lab to market by developing the initial relationship, negotiating contracts and facilitating funding applications (Contract Research, CRC-P, ARC ITRP and Trailblazer).
Another outcome of the collaboration, Solar Skin, uses perovskite technology to create eco-friendly, flexible solar panels.
Formerly known as the Innovation Precinct, Swinburne Innovation Studio rebranded 18 months ago, with a renewed focus on delivering tangible outcomes rather than just experiential learning. The initiative expanded program offerings, increased student and staff participation, and developed new ecosystem partnerships while providing more work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities for students within startups and spinouts.
A key objective was to build a pipeline for Swinburne Ventures Limited, our in-house VC fund, with more startups progressing through multiple programs, increasing touchpoints, and driving startup growth. This resulted in program alumni securing funding from Swinburne Ventures Limited as well as from external investors.
Keloid scars are an overgrowth of scar tissue that can be triggered by any form of wound. Although not life threatening, keloids can become cosmetically disfiguring and there is no effective treatment.
In 2024, Massey Ventures and the Gillies McIndoe Research Institute reached a deal with AFT Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialise a topical treatment that avoids the need for surgery.
The deal is unique as the IP was conceived within Massey Ventures and Gillies McIndoe, who collaborated to demonstrate the technology, and built the relationships with industry to license the technology at an astonishingly early stage.
Massey spinout NovoLabs® is making cleaner/safer waterways more affordable while disrupting the global disinfection industry with their Supercritical UV® disinfection units. NovoLabs patented technology enables chemical-free, more sustainable disinfection of liquids and unlocks new market segments that global players consider “untreatable”.
Massey Ventures supported the development, patent protection (29 jurisdictions), and provided the working capital to form a spinout around the technology.
Since 2021, NovoLabs has achieved year-on-year growth through big-ticket sales and ongoing service contracts. In late 2023, NovoLabs closed their Series A investment round with Climate VC Fund as they set their sights on international growth.
Dr. Kathryn Sunn is a highly motivated and creative professional with over 20 years of experience in intellectual property and commercial law. She has held leadership roles in prestigious universities such as Macquarie University, the University of Melbourne, and the University of Sydney.
Kathryn has a stellar track record in delivering positive customer outcomes and fostering innovation.
As a trained Patent and Trademark Attorney with a PhD in Medicine, she possesses extensive knowledge in health, biotech, and life sciences.
Kathryn’s strategic leadership, combined with her broad scientific expertise, has significantly advanced the innovation ecosystem, establishing her as a leader in the commercialisation profession.
The KCA Australasian Research Commercialisation Awards bring attention to the behind-the-scenes heroes of research commercialisation—the individuals and teams that connect cutting-edge discoveries with the markets and communities that need them most. This year’s winners showcase the significant impact that strategic collaboration and innovation can have on society, underscoring the possibilities that can only emerge when research and opportunity intersect.
For more information about the KCA Awards and this year’s winners, please visit the KCA Award webpage.