Show Notes
MOVUS is a Brisbane company that develops and provides an intelligent device that monitors the condition of industrial equipment. The MOVUS FitMachine is attached to industrial machinery and uses a sensor to monitor the machine’s vibration, temperature and acoustics. It sends an alert, using artificial intelligence, at the first detection of machinery malfunction, saving business owners’ valuable time and money. The hockey puck shaped sensor is called FitMachine, which is described as a 'FitBit' for heavy equipment, mainly found in manufacturing. It simply attaches itself magnetically to machines. FitMachine works by combining AI technology/algorithms to 'teach' itself (machine learning) once it is attached to equipment. Since its inception in 2015, the company has grown to 25 full-time staff and has moved to a new office in Spring Hill. Along the way, the company has been supported by several government grants and was also a finalist at the 2018 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards. He says: ‘Employees are very much at the heart of everything we do,” says Brad. 'One of the most unexpected benefits of owning a small business in Brisbane is building a top-notch team; Brisbane has become such a vibrant, diverse and multicultural city over the past 20 years.’ He says the biggest challenge is educating the market. Because he says the product is so unique and innovative, we need to educate the industry, prospects and clients. MOVUS has a great board of advisors, comprised of accomplished and experienced professionals with lots of business and industry experience. His purpose is in "fixing the planet, one sensor at a time". By this, he means to try and keep machines maintained and running for as long as possible, to delay or prevent them from becoming industrial/electrical waste. Thus trying to make a sustainable contribution which also is financially beneficial to businesses because they're not having to replace parts or can avoid costly shut downs in production. He is a big advocate for Made in Australia and believes this also helps to keep local talent in jobs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
More from Talking Business with Alan Kohler
Fred is an award-winning serial entrepreneur, most famous for co-founding Australia's leading personal finance comparison website Finder. With business partner, Frank Restuccia, the pair bootstrapped Finder in 2006 and grew the business to be worth about $250 million, operating in 83 countries, seeing 10 million unique visitors each month – all with no funding! Fred spearheaded the group's venture capital arm, Finder Ventures, to launch new business ideas. The first was a cryptocurrency brokerage, HiveEx.com, which traded $100 million in its first year. More recently, Fred is led the Finder App launch on February 2, 2020, which is an Australian-first that will connect your bank accounts and automatically compare products for you. Fred speaks at events around the world, is a regular media commentator and columnist, and launched a startup community called The Disruptors' Club.Fred talks about his journey, challenges and learnings from building startups without funding, growth hacking, brand, culture, being bold, innovation & the finder App.. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Insync Network Group is an Australian-based community of returned expats. A recent study found that the majority of Australia's returning expats struggle to re-settle in Australia, which is one of the reasons why this community was started three years ago. Since, it has grown to cover three cities (Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane). Margot is an expert in career and leadership management, who also lived and worked in London for 7 years. Upon returning to Australia, Margot noticed that re-settling at 'home' was more challenging than she had anticipated and underestimated the need to both translate international experience in the local Australian market, and re-integrate socially and emotionally in her home country. These are common challenges faced by many returning expats, which continues long after the jet-lag subsides. She also discusses her ‘Talentinsight Australia’ business. ‘They work with both individuals and businesses alike and are passionate about assisting senior professionals and executives understand their true value and how they can in turn maximise both their contribution and personal fulfilment. They work with organisations to support leaders maximise their own career performance so that they can in turn genuinely support the success and capability of both the business and those within their own teams’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Daniel is the Managing Director of Chironix which operates throughout A/NZ and the USA. He has a deep interest in artificial intelligence, space technologies, mobile robotics, human memory, cyber operations, cognitive studies & social processes. Daniel also served for two years in the Navy Strategy Executive in the Office of the Chief of Navy as the Deputy Director of Technological Solutions. Chironix’s Machine Learning and Data Engineering team provides consultancy services with significant expertise in delivering effective solutions to our clients through the process of human machine teaming. This forms a core capability from which their product arms interact. Augmenting this centralised capability are two product verticals: Robotics and wearables. The Robotics capability is focussed on autonomous field robotics performing tasks that either humans should not be doing (as we do not do them well), or roles which are dangerous too humans. The final vertical is in wearables, where they have collaborated with Google X as a foundation partner with Glass for Enterprise — the new Google Glass. Daniel is also a Research Fellow with the Perth USAsia centre where he writes on strategy (both national and military). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) is a not-for-profit, industry-led organisation that was formed as part of the Federal Government’s Growth Centres initiatives and tasked with supporting (and advancing) Australian manufacturing in all of its forms. Part of that task was to set out the direction of the industry through research, support manufacturers (via networking/briefing events) and our online Manufacturers Academy (peer-to-peer learning), and finally, support innovative Australian manufacturers with co-funded grants (they call them projects). They are now entering the finalisation of some of these projects, many of which are or have contributed substantially to the Australian economy, grown jobs and upskilled workers along the way - all while preparing for the advent of Industry 4.0 (the fourth industrial revolution).Manufacturing is the answer is a nice simple way to encapsulate everything Jens is passionate and a good place to start the conversation’.To provide context to that statement; when you consider the following points, advanced manufacturing is the answer to the transition towards zero-low carbon future (hydrogen), Recycling issues/Circular economy, Climate change, Disaster relief & Productivity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
PT Blink is a technology platform that enables multi-storey developments to be built very quickly, via its unique Design, Manufacture & Integrate (DMI) process. It is a quantum leap for the Property Development Market. The open nature of the PT Blink DMI Platform encourages a local community of participants that bring expertise in specific areas. From structural design to interior and exterior component design (facades, glazing, bathrooms modules, etc) through to manufacture, the platform is designed to accommodate multiple stakeholders in a collaborative ‘design to manufacture’ process. Murray, who is also a governor of the Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering at Sydney University, has developed scalable building technology using a patented steel structural backbone strengthened using post-tensioned steel cables. The components are all manufactured and stressed off site, with reinforcement, fire collars and services included. The solutions do not rely on the lift core for stability empowering much faster outcomes. While PT Blink is a start-up, it’s been three decades in the making. Murray has worked around the world on large and complex projects. He developed post-tensioned steel technology for long-spanning projects like stadiums and aircraft hangars and recognised the potential for multi-storey construction. Physically the backbone is made from post-tensioned steel in a factory, no matter how tall or wide the development. The platform forms the incredibly accurate motherboard for each approved manufacturer. They provide their manufacturing model onto the blink platform, together with cost, delivery time and quality attributes. At the heart of PT Blink’s process is an innovative delivery method – design, manufacture and assemble or DMA – which is safer, more accurate, faster and cheaper. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.