The iLAuNCH Trailblazer – led by the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) – has partnered with Deloitte Australia, connecting Australian research and development with international organisations to develop and commercialise Australian space technologies collaboratively.

Building on the success of the local Trailblazer program, which is developing Australia’s space capabilities by fostering partnerships between universities and industry, the iLAuNCH Global Pathfinder Program will extend this concept to an international market.

The expansion will open opportunities for Australian research and businesses, effectively propelling their research capabilities onto a global platform.

The new partnership with Deloitte and the iLAuNCH Trailblazer universities – UniSQ, ANU, and UniSA – will continue to transform how the program engages with industry alongside more than 30 invested commercial partners.

“Australia ranks in the top echelons for developing IP, but we don’t capitalise well to commercialise,” iLAuNCH Trailblazer Executive Director Darin Lovett said.

“The Australian Government created the Trailblazer Universities Program that provides AUD $370M of dedicated investment to accelerate Australia’s innovation agenda at speed and at scale.

“The Global Pathfinder is innovative in its vision and approach, emulating existing ecosystems to leapfrog barriers to entry into a global market. We are being bold and ambitious, and I thank Deloitte Australia for their trust in the iLAuNCH partnership that will deliver national economic benefits.”

Leveraging Deloitte’s global network, Phase 1 will identify and solicit interest from international organisations interested in space research and development to co-develop the Global Pathfinder Program.

“Deloitte has a long-standing commitment to developing Australia’s space ecosystem and promoting a unified global approach to the development of the space ecosystem,” Deloitte Australia Space Partner Byron Riessen said.

“We welcome this opportunity to work with iLAuNCH Trailblazer and expand the work we already do with the Australian higher education system.

“We continue to demonstrate this commitment through initiatives like the successful GRAVITY Challenge, founded by Deloitte in 2019, which now operates globally from Australia.”

In an international arena of competition, the iLAuNCH Global Pathfinder Program will provide Australian space R&D with an outlet to showcase world-class Australian innovation, adding to the AUD $140M already committed to the various iLAuNCH Trailblazer projects over the past year.

The Global Pathfinder will open doors for Australian companies to access international markets and connect expertise across Australia, supporting further growth in the space industry.

Upon completion of the first phase, iLAuNCH expects to announce the successful international partners in the Global Pathfinder Program in late 2024.