The CRC for Spatial Information is a research organisation funded by Australia's Cooperative Research Centre Programme and by participant contributions. The CRCSI was founded in 2003 with the successful rebid announced in August 2009. It will continue to June 2018. The CRCSI conducts research and development projects that involve collaboration between government, corporate and academic resources. The CRCSI is well connected globally to the people who have the knowledge, networks and capabilities to ensure Australia and New Zealand remain relevant in a contemporary spatially connected world. The CRCSI brings together multiple organisations – currently nine research partners, 10 international partners, 12 government agencies, and 43 members from the private sector – from Australia, New Zealand and around the globe who have interest and understanding in spatial information. Networking is a key strength and value add for partners. This collaborative group builds funding, expertise and commercialisation opportunities into novel and foundation spatial research that is user-led, involving spatial technologies to solve complex problems of national significance for Australia and New Zealand. The impact expected to be achieved by the CRCSI from its activities since 2010 is $750 million meaning that for every $1 invested by the CRCSI there will be a resulting benefit of $2.50. The CRCSI research reduces costs to end-users in collection, processing, delivery, maintenance and the usage of spatial information, through the delivery of innovation and productivity advances in key industry sectors including: agriculture, natural resources and climate change; defence; built environment; and health through the delivery of spatial information across positioning, rapid spatial analytics and spatial infrastructures. The purpose of CRCSI is to create new wealth for its participants and the nation through innovative research, application and commercialisation of spatial information technologies; through education; and through building collaborative partnerships. The CRCSI "aims to develop technologies to provide tools for commercial exploitation by Australian industry". A study commissioned by the CRCSI and ANZLIC in 2008 found that the spatial information industry contributed from $6.4 and $12.6 billion to Australia's GDP in 2006-07. Since its beginning, CRCSI has focussed on both the innovative application of emerging technology and the development of new technologies. CRCSI membership includes ANZLIC and ANZLIC’s members; an SME consortium called 43pl comprising over 60 companies; several universities and many government departments. "43pl has enabled small to medium-sized companies to do things collectively that they could not possibly do individually". CRCSI has offices in Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Wellington in New Zealand. CRCSI activities are applied to several key industry sectors, including:
agriculture, natural resources and climate change;
defence;
energy and utilities;
built environment;
health.
Commercialisation
The CRCSI has grown a portfolio of through its user-led research. This research has delivered major innovation and productivity advances in key industry sectors including: agriculture, natural resources and climate change; defence; built environment; and health through the delivery of spatial information across positioning, rapid spatial analytics and spatial infrastructures. The current research portfolio – developed since 2010 – provides a range of commercialisation and technology transfer opportunities for our collaborative participants and partners, along with users of spatial technologies in Australia, New Zealand and across the globe. Specific examples include:
MillMapper - an innovative terrestrial laser scanner technique for safely measuring the rate of wear of mineral processing mills which is being commercialised by Scanalyse Pty Ltd.
