ICT industry joins forces with Government to shine international spotlight on innovative SMEs

Innovative Australian small to medium enterprises (SMEs) will have the chance to drive their products

and services onto the international stage when the FutureGov Australia Congress opens at the

Canberra Convention Centre next week.

Thanks to collaboration between NICTA’s Australian eGovernment Technology Cluster and the

Federal Government’s Information Technology Supplier Advocate, 11 local SMEs will demonstrate

their products and services to an expected audience of 236 senior Government and industry figures

from Australia and around the world. The participants are:

• Alacrity Technologies

• BlinkMobile Interactive

• Cocoon Data

• Dataflex

• Datapod

• iCognition

• intelledox

• M5 Network Security

• QuintessenceLabs

• TASKey

• Viocorp.

Don Easter, IT Supplier Advocate, said that the experience and credibility gained from supplying

Australian Government customers with innovative, flexible and tailored IT solutions, has built a solid

platform for SMEs entering international eGovernment markets.

“We are excited about the future of these SMEs and their potential to enrich the eGovernment

market,” said Mr Easter. “We are thrilled to be enhancing their presence at FutureGov, along with the

Australian eGovernment Technology Cluster.”

Michelle Carden, Cluster Manager, also welcomed the collaboration. “Since the Australian

eGovernment Technology Cluster was initiated by NICTA in 2009, we have come a long way. We

now have 33 cluster participants who are experiencing the benefits of their decision to join us, such as

the opportunity for many of them to participate in FutureGov next week. The support of the Federal

Government through the Supplier Advocate’s Office has been tremendously important in achieving

this outcome.”

Cluster participant iCognition is an Australian company delivering development, consultancy and

implementation services centred on information management. “We see great potential in the Cluster

and its ability to modernise Government processes using technology,” said Joe Mammoliti , CEO of

iCognition. “Our collaboration within the Cluster will ensure eGovernment processes are managed to

the highest level of efficiency and government compliance.

The FutureGov Australia Congress, announced by The Hon. Kate Lundy, Senator for the Australian

Capital Territory at Parliament House earlier this year, runs from 12-14 September, 2011. Organised

by FutureGov Magazine, it showcases new developments in public sector service delivery from

around the world, and provides a platform for Australian public servants to meet and interact with their

international and national peers. Details of the conference, including speakers, are at

http://www.futuregov.in/events/futuregov-congress-australia-2011/ .

National ICT Australia Ltd (NICTA), Australia’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Research Centre of

Excellence, develops technologies to generate economic, social and environmental benefits for Australia. NICTA has five

laboratories around the country. Since its foundation in 2002, NICTA has deployed its technologies extensively with industry

and government, created six new companies and continues to provide new talent to the ICT industry through the NICTAenhanced

PhD program.

NICTA is funded by the Australian Government as represented by the Department of Broadband, Communications and the

Digital Economy and the Australian Research Council through the ICT Centre of Excellence program. In addition to federal

funding NICTA is also funded and supported by the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland and Victorian

Governments, The Australian National University, Griffith University, University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales,

University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology and The University of Sydney.

The Australian eGovernment Technology Cluster http://www.egovernmentcluster.org.au/ was launched by NICTA and the ACT

Government to support and strengthen Government ICT industries in Australia. The e-Government cluster is a national cluster

of participants from government, industry and the research community. The cluster connects the e-government community

stimulates new business opportunities, promotes innovation and drives productivity within the government sector.

Don Easter was appointed IT Supplier Advocate by Senator the Hon Kim Carr, Federal Minister for Innovation, Industry,

Science and Research, to champion local IT firms and to lead practical business development projects aimed at raising the

competitiveness of firms and linking them with opportunities. Further information on the IT Supplier Advocate initiative can be

found at www.innovation.gov.au/supplieradvocates.

Dorothy Kennedy

Communications Specialist, NICTA

Ph: 02 9376 2098 or 0488 229 687

Matthew Crawshaw

Assistant Manager, Supplier Advocates, DIISR

Ph: 02 6272 1853