The Digital Territory Strategy is helping Territory businesses to build digital skills and capacity through the Digital Partnerships Grants program.
A key action under the strategy, the Digital Partnerships Grants program is providing critical seed funding to six local businesses across the tourism, agribusiness, energy and minerals, and creative industries sectors who are partnering with ICT companies to drive innovation, build capacity in the local ICT industry across key sectors, and create jobs for Territorians.
The program will leverage investment of almost $2.3 million into the economy; $900,000 in grant funding from the Territory Government along with a $1.4 million contribution from the grant recipients.
The successful projects are:
- InDigiVR will use contemporary digital technology to showcase the Territory’s Aboriginal sites, heritage and landscapes with 3D VR headsets, through a partnership between the Warlpiri Media Aboriginal Corporation, Uber Air and PAW Productions. A grant of $200,000 is being provided to support this $400,000 initiative, which will be developed in Alice Springs.
- Northern Territory Livestock Exporters Association in partnership with Aus Voltage Electrical and Provenance4, are investing $65,000 in digital health monitoring of livestock in holding yards and export shipments with $65,000 matched grant funding.
- Paspalis Enterprise, in partnership with One IT Services, Server Room Specialists and Charles Darwin University, is using their $117,000 grant to establish a digital resource and development facility at the Darwin Innovation Hub at a total investment of $260,000.
- Sterling NT is developing a water smart sensor system to reduce water use in parks and gardens, partnering with Bluereef Technology and IVM Group. The Territory Government is contributing $200,000 towards this $400,000 initiative.
- NightKey, a biometric identity management system, will be redeveloped by DEVA Darwin in partnership with Professional IT Solutions and One IT Services to provide an open platform to use in multiple industries and to integrate with other platforms, with $200,000 contributed by government towards the $868,000 project.
- DICE will receive $118,000 for the development of the Digital Access to Remote Renewable Energy Systems (DARRES) to improve monitoring and sustainability of renewable energy systems for remote communities and businesses, in partnership with New Futures IT and Balance Utility Solutions.
The Digital Partnership Grant program projects will be delivered throughout 2020 and 2021.