On the 8th of July, the representatives of the Department for Energy and Mining, South Australia announced the 5 winning teams of their latest challenge Thinking Critical South Australia.
The Challenge
Launched back in November 2021, Thinking Critical South Australia was an exciting open innovation initiative brought to you by the South Australian Government in partnership with Unearthed.
With the aim to attract the best and brightest minds from across the globe to South Australia, this challenge was firmly focused on boosting the already burgeoning critical minerals ecosystem in South Australia, helping to establish a world-class critical minerals hub.
Receiving worldwide attention, Thinking Critical South Australia engaged a vast global audience of innovators, attracting over 200 challenge participants from 31 countries, and generating 40 unique and interesting proposals for South Australia.
Following Round 1, the selected judging panel took on the difficult task of whittling this fantastic pool of proposals to 11 shortlisted teams, who were subsequently challenged to develop their proposal plans.
Their efforts and those of all our participants, judges and incentive partners has culminated in the exciting announcement of the 5 deserving finalists who will each receive their share of the fantastic $250,000 prize pool and valuable incentives from our partners, to help establish their businesses and ideas in South Australia.
Watch the Live Winners Announcement here.
The Winners
NDB Inc. is a Silicon Valley-based nanotechnology company established to develop and manufacture semiconductors, energy, and battery solutions. NDB or Nano Diamond Battery redefines and revolutionises the battery as we know it with its innovative energy generator and storage. Its long-lasting properties and longevity are ensured by converting the radioactive decay energy from nuclear waste into energy.
CBSM Mining Services Pty Ltd was formed in 2018 to commercialise and build innovative patented South Australian dry and wet comminution technology for the global mining, cement and waste industries.
Rockburst Technologies Inc., Vancouver based, is dedicated to the development and commercialization of its patented Transcritical CO2 Pulverisation (tCO2) technology, a novel mining comminution process designed to significantly reduce energy and GHG emissions.
QL Space is a Perth-based space company, passionate about exploring the vast opportunities in space. Their mission is to develop disruptive new space technology that transforms the sector through remote sensing satellites, sensors, data, and deep learning (AI+ML). With it, they seek to bring transformative changes that benefit defence, mining, agriculture, the environment, and all future space missions.
Scantech International specialises in real time online analysis of conveyed flows of material, including elemental composition, moisture and particle size distribution. Scantech is the world-leader in the application of on-line real-time measurement technology for bulk materials. The Company has developed a broad range of industrial instrumentation utilising various measurement technologies, including microwave methods. The application of our products is principally in the resource sector including cement, coal and minerals industries.
Well done on your excellent submissions and congratulations on winning your share in the $250,000 prize pool and the valuable incentives from our partners.
Thanks to all the participants, the judging panel, and the teams from the Department for Energy and Mining and Unearthed for all your hard work and support to deliver Thinking Critical South Australia.
In particular, Thank you to our amazing incentive partners who will be supplying our winning finalists with critical support to help them establish themselves in South Australia. Thank you to:
- Department for Trade and Investment
- AusIMM
- Austmine
- CORE
- Hughes PR
- IMARC
- University of Adelaide and
- UniSA
Look out for more news from Thinking Critical South Australia on the official challenge website.