Innovative Startups Join South Australia's Space Ecosystem

Innovative Startups Join South Australia's Space Ecosystem
by Simon Mansfield
Sydney, Australia (SPX) May 30, 2024

Four innovative space startups from around the globe have joined South Australia's Venture Catalyst Space program. This initiative supports early-stage technology-based space startups in scaling their businesses.

Since its inception in 2018, Venture Catalyst Space has supported 36 startups, helping them secure $31 million in investments and grants and create over 220 space jobs. The program is delivered by the University of South Australia's Innovation and Collaboration Centre (ICC) with support from the South Australian Government through the South Australian Space Industry Centre.

Craig Jones, UniSA Deputy Director: Business Incubation, highlighted the diversity and potential impact of this year's participants. "Year on year, the program attracts talent that breaks the mould and reinforces South Australia's acumen for supporting cutting-edge commercial space ventures," Jones said.

The 2024 cohort includes local, interstate, and international startups, featuring companies from India and Japan. Minister for Defence and Space Industries Stephen Mullighan emphasized the program's role in fostering economic growth. "The Venture Catalyst Space program is generating genuine economic benefits for South Australia, helping realize the state's potential as a space innovation and technology incubation destination," he said.

One of the 2024 participants, Adelaide-based KC Research and Solutions, aims to enable mobile insulin production in space. Founder Tiffanwy Klippel-Cooper commented, "Designing systems for space is the ultimate creative challenge; if your design can work in that environment, it can work anywhere."

In May, UniSA's ICC and the Australian Centre for Business Growth (AUCBG) launched the Growth Ramp space scaleup pathway. This six-month program, supported by the South Australian Government, assists space companies with scaling their operations.

2024 Venture Catalyst Space Cohort:

- KC Research and Solutions (Adelaide, Australia): A desktop mobile insulin farm for space and Earth applications, reducing costs and transport needs.

- RapidBeam (Victoria, Australia): Scalable satellite communications terminals for data capture and delivery.

- Zharfire (Tokyo, Japan): Satellite imagery analysis for wildfire detection, with potential applications in deforestation and carbon credits.

- Onnes Cryogenics (Hyderabad, India): Carbon fibre reinforced plastic fuel tanks for spacecraft and launch vehicles.

The six-month accelerator program began this week with a four-week induction featuring workshops from industry experts. For more information, visit [Venture Catalyst Space](http://icc.unisa.edu.au/space).

The 2024 Growth Ramp space scaleup pathway started on May 7, 2024.