Business bulletin: 14 March 2024

Territorians are invited to have their say on a new draft strategy designed to advance the growth of the local drone industry.

The drone industry has experienced significant growth over recent years with the global market, representing the revenue from drone sales, components and related services, estimated to be worth US$30 billion in 2022.

A mature drone industry will result in increased productivity and economic participation across all sectors and presents significant opportunities in regional and remote areas of the Territory.

The draft Northern Territory drone industry strategy sets out a framework to drive the development of drone technologies to enhance traditional industries, deliver economic benefits and transform service delivery.

The draft strategy has 4 focus areas:

• Industry growth: work with industry to sustainably grow the NT drone industry.
• Education, training and workforce development: work with research and educational organisations to develop the skilled workforce required for the NT drone industry.
• Regulation and government settings: work with all levels of government to establish a regulatory environment that enables drone industry growth.
• Community and recreation: work with the public to increase awareness of and recreational use of drones.

Territorians, business and industry are encouraged to have their say on the draft strategy, input is essential to inform future development of the sector.

To find out more and to have your say on the Northern Territory drone industry strategy, go to the Have Your Say website.

Businesses, investors, training providers, researchers and industry stakeholders are invited to participate in 2 new Northern Territory Government innovation challenges to, grow the Territory’s drone industry and to, establish an Angel Investment Network.

The launch of these 2 new challenges follow the success of the first Northern Territory Government challenge, to design and deliver the Territory’s first co-located Digital Games and eSport Development Centre with The Array officially opening its doors last month.

The Territory Innovation Challenges Program is designed to accelerate the development of a more competitive, innovation driven economy in the Territory and to strengthen collaboration between business, industry, training and research organisations.

The program is also designed to accelerate the development of a more competitive, innovation driven economy in the Territory.

Two new challenges will run at the same time but be delivered separately, they include:

• Challenge 1: Design a Drone Technology Innovation Cluster to facilitate the development of drone technology and associated industries in the Territory.
• Challenge 2: Establish an Angel Investment Network to support the development of a $4 billion innovation ecosystem in the Territory.

The winning consortium will have an opportunity to negotiate a contract with the Northern Territory Government as first customer and also receive $100,000 in seed funding.

Businesses and organisations interested in participating in either challenge are encouraged to build consortiums to develop and deliver their proposals.

Registrations are open until Tuesday 2 April 2024.

Businesses and other organisations can register their interest to participate in a response to either challenge on the Innovation website.

Caption: Relationship Australia chief executive Terri-ann Maney … ‘IT security is particularly important to us because we deal with many vulnerable people’.

Security-conscious businesses usually concentrate on protecting their premises.

But it’s increasingly important to defend internal security, such as databases and online information.

Relationships Australia used a grant from the Northern Territory Government’s Business Growth program to review its cyber resilience.

Terri-ann Maney’s plan to order an IT audit as soon as she was appointed chief executive 18 months ago was given added impetus by the Optus and Medicare hacking scares.

“One member of staff was deeply upset by the Optus breach, which made me realise what effect hacking can have on people,” she said.

“IT security is particularly important to Relationships Australia – Northern Territory because we deal with many vulnerable people.”

Territory firm One IT Services was brought in to carry out the cyber security audit and make recommendations on how to strengthen the system.

Ms Maney said the Business Growth grant was crucial in not only enabling the audit but providing an Improvement plan.

“The grant was very useful – it gave us support to secure Independent expertise”.

Relationship Australia, which has offices in Darwin, Alice Springs and Katherine, celebrated its 50th year in the Territory last year.

The organisation provide a range of services, including counselling, family dispute resolution, parenting after separation, specialist support for critical incident response, elder abuse and redress scheme.

The Business Growth Program helps companies access professional services to improve their performance, sustainability and profitability.

It also provides mentoring and coaching support.

Funding can be used for professional services in strategy, marketing, operations, financial, and people and culture.

For more information, go to the Northern Territory Government website.

Audits for accreditation purposes are not eligible under the Business Growth Program.

For Industry accreditation Businesses can contact the Small Business Champions based across the Territory for support.

Caption: Entrepreneur and inventor Ross Lindsay … the software uses smart tracking technology and targeted data to link the right worker with the right job.

An entrepreneur and inventor has created a software application more relevant to the Northern Territory (NT) than most other places.

JobDNA.me is a highly sophisticated but easy-to-use staff recruitment tool using skills, knowledge and experience.

It was invented by Ross Lindsay, who knows that the NT has history of skill shortages.

The new technology can be used by employers and employees.

Mr Lindsay used a Territory Government Business Innovation Program (BIP) 2.0 grant to develop the JobDNA.me with SRA Information Technology.

BIP 2.0 is a business support programs that assists Territory businesses to develop and commercialise their innovative idea through funding and expert advisor support.

Territory business owners can receive up to $30,000 to develop and commercialise their innovative ideas.

Mr Lindsay recognises that recruitment can be a nightmare - expensive, time consuming and rarely efficient.

JobDNA.me allows companies to find the right staff for the right job and for jobseekers to find the right job.

Employers can have a shortlist of suitable candidates within minutes and jobseekers can be alerted to potentially suitable jobs automatically. The connectivity between employer and jobseeker is improved like never before.

The software uses smart tracking technology and targeted data to link the right worker with the right job.

A skills matrix enables employers to identify jobseekers with the right skills, knowledge and experience for any role in any industry within minutes.

It enables jobseekers to easily create a profile on a web template, which will take the applicant, seemingly intuitively, on a pathway that records skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications - the template is linked to nearly every work skill in every industry.

They also automatically receive alerts of potentially suitable jobs on their smartphones.

JobDNA.me replaces the need for resumes and CVs.

If you have an innovative idea and need help getting it to the next level applications for BIP 2.0 are now open.

Find out more about BIP 2.0 on the Northern Territory Government website.

A cattle station is saving thousands of dollars a year by switching water bore pumps from diesel power to solar.

Jervois Station, 350km by road north east of Alice Springs, used an $18,000 grant under the Territory Government’s Smarter Business Solutions program to replace four pumps.

The business uses about 140 litres of diesel per bore per month at an annual cost of more than $10,000.

The new solar-powered bores are expected to cut diesel consumption by about 5,270 litres a year.

The expenditure is expected to be repaid in less than 4.5 years.

Station managers Kiya and Steve Broad have saved a substantial amount of money on diesel, labor and maintenance by switching to solar.

“Switching to solar doesn’t just save on the cost of diesel,” said Kiya. “It takes a lot of physical strength to start a mono pump. With solar, you just have to flick a switch. I can easily do it with the kids in tow.”

Smarter Business Solutions offers help to Territory businesses, Aboriginal enterprises and not-for-profit organisations to reduce energy, water, waste and material costs.

Support includes advice on efficient technologies and practices; a walk-through site survey to identify potential savings opportunities; and grants to encourage and support cost savings or initiatives.

Funding is only available for projects that have not started and is subject to the program's available grant budget.

Maximum funding is only available for projects that show a simple financial payback of 3 to 5 years.

Find out more about the Smarter Business Solutions program on the Northern Territory Government website.