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The upcoming Bendigo Inventor Awards have attracted entries from across the country and across the world, with submissions from as far afield as India, the USA, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea, organisers say.
Project director David Hughes said the entries highlighted growing recognition of Bendigo’s status as an innovative city.
“Bendigo has all the elements for innovative ideas to thrive, and people are starting to realise that,” Mr Hughes said.
“A supportive business community that encourages innovative ideas, world-class education providers, access to co-working spaces.”
He said there were about 50 entries in total: not as many as last time, but a figure that was good considering the single focus on emergency services and disaster relief.
He said the organisers had also focused their attentions this year on attracting the participation of inventors from across Australia and overseas.
An example of inventions entered this year is a method of quickly establishing education systems in disaster-prone areas. Mr Hughes said there were many inventions in the digital space.
This year the program has included not only the awards, but the Festival of Failure – a celebration of how failure can be a positive experience – and Hack for Humanity, a hackathon event that aimed to find technology-based solutions to issues faced by emergency services and medical professionals.
Entries for the 2017 Bendigo Inventor Awards have now closed and the winner will be announced at a ceremony on Monday, November 13. The winner will take home the top prize of $10,000.
The judging panel includes Kathryn Jowett, director of R&D incentives at KPMG; Chris Stoltz, president of Engineers Australia; Wenda Donaldson, Victoria director at Australian Red Cross; Justin Negler, principal at Davies Collison Cave; and Craig Lapsley, Commissioner of Emergency Management Victoria.
“This year, our judges have very specific expertise in the areas of commercialisation, engineering, intellectual property, emergency management and disaster relief,” Mr Hughes said.
Ahead of the announcement of the winner, inventors will have the opportunity to attend workshops on such topics as intellectual property and commercialisation.
The free event will also feature selected inventors showcasing their inventions.
If you have an invention you would like to showcase at the event, contact Mr Hughes at dhughes@bebendigo.com.au. To register for the event, visit www.bendigoinventorawards.com.au.
State award for Bendigo resident
A Bendigo businessman has been recognised at the state level for his work with the Bendigo Inventor Awards.
Paul Chapman, chairman of the awards and founder of Australian Turntable Company, won the Leadership and Innovation Award at the recent Victorian Regional Achievement and Community Awards.
“I have taken many products to market, and I know how hard it can be. We want to help people who have good ideas to take them further,” Mr Chapman said of the Bendigo Inventor Awards.
