CleanFutures venture launched

CleanFutures is a joint venture of NanoVentures Australia, Australian CleanTech and Bridge8 with the goal of successfully commercialising nanotechnologies that enable clean futures.

By combining the IP, technology transfer and commercialisation project management skills of NanoVentures Australia (NVA) with the clean technology and investment market knowledge of Australian CleanTech and the futures work, government networks and marketing capability of Bridge8, CleanFutures plans to establish the template for the commercialisation of enabling technologies.

“Technologies that succeed in the future will be ones that serve the community in a sustainable way. These emerging technologies will be developed by combining many disciplines. Our combination of skills means we can take an innovative and integrated approach to commercialisation and makes this joint venture an attractive proposition for South Australia,” Dr Kristin Alford, Managing Director of foresight and science communications firm Bridge8, said.

“There is an urgent need for innovative solutions and new technologies to address the ever more present problem of climate change. The opportunities for those that provide these solutions are huge,” Barry Brook, the Sir Hubert Wilkins Chair of Climate Change at the University of Adelaide, said.

CleanFutures has commenced planning for its first three technologies:

• Carbon nanotube composites for wind turbine blades;
• Aquasens, a rapid, highly sensitive sensor probe for the detection of nitrates and phosphates in water, and sulphites in wine and food products; and
• Oxipure, a patented technology for the effective removal of contaminants including arsenic, phosphates and silicates from environmental waters.

“Nanotechnology provides many of the enabling mechanisms that allow cleantech companies to deliver both environmental benefits and investment returns. I am very excited about the launch of CleanFutures, as I believe it has the potential to deliver many game-changing technologies with benefits for the community, the environment and the economy. These technologies will enable the future to be clean,” John O’Brien, Managing Director of Australian CleanTech, said.

CleanFutures was initiated through discussions between the partners at two recently launched industry networks: the Adelaide Cleantech Network (led by Australian CleanTech) and the Australian Nano Business Forum.

For more information, visit http://www.cleanfutures.com.au.