Business people, entrepreneurs and students in Nowra will get access to cutting-edge university technology and research to support their agri-business.
The Morrison Government today announced it was providing $2 million to establish the Nowra Agri-business Innovation Hub.
Minister for Education Dan Tehan said the hub would support the Nowra agri-business sector connect with research and infrastructure, via the University of Wollongong (UOW).
"This hub will address one of the major barriers to regional innovation and growth, which is the physical distance between local businesses and established researchers," Mr Tehan said.
"The hub will feature an industry matching facility, Advantage SME, to connect local industry with UOW researchers and help translate ideas into new products, services and capabilities.
"It will also provide a central location, called the iMake Makers Space, for businesses to learn about advanced manufacturing and processing technologies.
"Our funding commitment also supports the establishment of a Facility for Intelligent Fabrication to empower business to adopt new technology, systems and processes - including working with collaborative robots, or cobots, as part of automation training and design.
"This project will have a strong focus on agri-business, but there will be flow-on benefits to other businesses and industries, particularly local manufacturing.
"This project is part of the Morrison Government's plan to encourage greater collaboration between universities and businesses on research innovation and workforce preparation. The research done by our universities can lead to the development of new products and innovations that drive job growth, business opportunities and productivity gains."
