Monash Innovation launches
Monash Chancellor Dr Alan Finkel AO at the launch of Monash Innovation.
Over 70 people from industry and Monash celebrated the launch of Monash Innovation, the new office led by Dr Alastair Hick, which will take responsibility for the commercialisation of Monash research discoveries and to co-ordinate the University’s various entrepreneurial activities.
Launching the office, Monash Chancellor, Dr Alan Finkel AO, said that the skills required for future employment are changing so rapidly that governments and universities can barely keep up. In future there will almost certainly be a larger number of our students self-employed, so it is essential that at Monash we provide a training ground for self-directed professionals and entrepreneurs. The initiatives announced are a smorgasbord of opportunities for our aspiring students and staff interested in stretching beyond the conventional employment prospects.
Working closely with Faculty based business development managers, Monash Innovation will focus on identifying and developing research commercialisation and to leverage technology transfer opportunities arising through Monash’s world leading collaborative research activities.
A major initiative of Monash Innovation is the establishment the Monash Research Impact Fund (MRIF), which aims to help build a pipeline of technology with commercial potential by providing early stage support for inventions and new concepts.
Also being established under Monash Innovation is the development of a number of entrepreneurship programs, to be rolled out from the beginning of next year. These programs will be offered to staff, students and alumni to engage in entrepreneurial activities at Monash and will include a pitch competition, accelerator program, and a mentor network connecting Monash alumni and ecosystem experts with emerging entrepreneurs at Monash. These programs will help prepare more students and staff with the skills required to translate new ideas into commercially successful outcomes.