Media Release: Innovators Shine in 2024 Hot 30 Awards
Australian firms emerge as a driving force for innovation in energy and mining.
EMBARGOED UNTIL 7:00PM AWST THURSDAY 21 MARCH
Australian small to medium businesses that have harnessed smart technology and innovation to shape the future of the mining, energy and resources sectors, have been recognised among the nation’s hottest new generation of businesses.
WA & SA innovators comprise more than half of the 2024 CORE Innovation Hub Hot 30 awards, which showcased the best 30 technologists and entrepreneurs driving innovation across Australia’s most important industries – mining, energy, resources, oil & gas, space and defence. Nineteen WA companies made the list.
In addition to the Hot 30 list announced on Thursday 21 March, 2024, 8 companies were singled out as category winners, highlighting the success of Australians in scaling their businesses to solve real-world problems through innovation.
Innovator of the Year Award, presented by CORE was awarded to Datarock, a Victorian based company transforming mining data management by leveraging machine learning and data science to maximise the value derived from core datasets. Led by CEO Liam, the company's innovative core imagery processing platform automates data extraction, offering unparalleled speed, cost-effectiveness, and reliability compared to manual methods.
RocketDNA was named the WA Innovator of the Year for leading the way in providing innovative drone services for safer and more efficient operations.With their Remote Operating Centre in Perth and highly trained pilots, RocketDNA can conduct autonomous flights and operations beyond visual line of sight, revolutionising the drone services landscape and offering scalable geo-data and AI solutions to industries worldwide.
SA Innovator of the Year Award presented by CORE went to Economical Energy for their clean energy solutions EcoHoist and VIPER, revolutionising mining and energy storage. Led by Matthew Forrest, their commitment to sustainability, positions them as leaders in the clean energy revolution, driving affordability, scalability, and environmental responsibility.
The Female Led Innovation Award went to SpaceDraft, which is revolutionising the energy and resources sector through visual storytelling, simplifying complex operations and fostering collaboration. Led by visionary Lucy Cooke, this Australian innovation empowers companies to drive efficiency gains, cost savings, and sustainable practices through inclusive and diverse visual narratives.
Pilbara-based Red Dog Renewables received the Pilbara Innovator of the Year Award for leading the charge in sustainable transportation in the Pilbara, offering a wide range of renewable energy-powered EV rentals to industries across the region. Founded by local experts, Red Dog Renewables pioneers innovative solutions to address barriers to EV adoption, ensuring reliable and sustainable transportation options while driving positive change towards a greener future.
Succession Ecology pioneers innovative environmental solutions, took home the Sustainability Award presented by Wrays. With a commitment to surpassing ESG standards, their transformative methods not only preserve the environment but also enhance operational outcomes, setting new benchmarks for sustainability and excellence in Australia's resource industries.
Jevons Robotics received the Robotics Innovation gong. Jevons Robotics is revolutionising high-risk operations in Australia's mining sector with its innovative battery electric solutions. Co-founded by industry veterans Todd Peate and David Crosbie, the company is driving change towards safer and more efficient mining practices, leading the charge in reshaping industry standards.
Pilbara Solar took home the Indigenous Innovation Award on the night. Pilbara Solar leads the way in renewable energy development, intertwining sustainable projects with Indigenous empowerment in Western Australia's Pilbara region. Founded in 2017, Pilbara Solar pioneers large-scale renewable projects while advocating for Aboriginal ownership, driving economic growth and social sustainability within Indigenous communities.
CORE National Innovation Hub Manager, Renee Hakendorf said the winners of the CORE Hot 30 were outstanding in their fields. “The Hot 30 represent the very best of our next generation of businesses which are developing new technologies and using innovation to solve real-world problems for Australia’s biggest industries,” Ms Hakendorf said.
“CORE Innovation hub is proud to use these awards to showcase the entrepreneurial prowess of new and evolving businesses and their significant contributions and advancement of solutions for the mining, energy, and resources sectors.”
CORE Innovation Hub is Australia’s first collaboration and innovation hub with Hubs in Perth, Newman and Adelaide. CORE is focussed on building the ecosystems and innovation infrastructure to propel the resources and energy sector forward. CORE Innovation Hub has developed a 6000 strong network comprised of innovators, technologists, industry professionals and academics from across the nation to support development of solutions from concept to deployment in Australia.
In 2023, CORE was appointed operator of the Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct by DevelopmentWA. The 51ha site is dedicated to the development of robotics and automation technology across multiple sectors.
Sponsors of the Hot 30 awards include Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct, BHP, JourneyOne, Radium Capital, Rio Tinto, and Wrays.
ENDS
Hot 30 2024 Company List
2Censor
Apex Engineering Technology
Brokk Australia
Clean and Recover
Corescan
Crysp
Custom Mining Solutions
Datarock
Economical Energy
Electric Power Conversions Australia
Element Engineering
Exagro
EXTAG
Hermes & Soteria
Imvelo
Jevons Robotics
KORE Geosystems
Marteq Energy
Nova Terra Institute
Pilbara Solar
Red Dog Renewables
Rock-It
RocketDNA
SCG World
Smartlox
Spacedraft
Succession Ecology
TOKN Technology
Vilota
WorkbenchX