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KPMG energises eight start-ups
EIGHT technology start-up companies have taken part in KPMG Australia’s Energise program – said to be Asia-Pacific’s largest energy and natural resources (ENR) accelerator.
Energise started on July 21 and ran through to October 13 this year, with the participating start-ups selected from all over Australia.
KPMG Australia head of innovation services, James Mabbott said the businesses are taking part in an intensive program to develop and commercialise their products and services, all aimed at targeting the ENR sector.
“Accelerators such as Energise play a vital role in developing Australian start-ups and preparing them for global growth and success,” Mr Mabbott said. 
“The ENR sector has been at the mercy of a shifting landscape over the past few years, which means major players in the space are more willing than ever to embrace creativity, think differently and look at approaching old problems with new solutions.
“KPMG’s Energise accelerator aims to connect the innovation and new ideas coming out of tech startups not just with potential investors, but directly with a panel of industry-leaders such as BHP Billiton, Shell and Woodside, who can potentially become future partners and clients for the participating startups.
“If we can bridge the two sides of this equation it will bring tremendous value not just to the ventures and industry players involved, but to Australia’s entire start-up eco-system.”
Energise will culminate in a graduation night where each start-up will pitch to investors, sponsors and guests, with $200,000 in prizes on offer for the strongest start-up pitches on the night.
Right now, the Energise participants have access to a mentor panel which includes expertise from international start-up heavyweights Gary Coover, manager of Samsung’s Silicon Valley accelerator; Peter Rossdeutscher, the entrepreneur behind tech firms Intierra and Micromine; and Rohan Thompson, strategic partner manager for Google in Mountain View.
This is complemented from input and guidance from Energise program supporters including platinum sponsor Woodside, gold sponsors Resource Capital Funds and Jolimont Global, as well as a participant list that includes some of the leading players of the ENR sector in Asia Pacific.
KPMG is also providing access to more than 40 specialists to support the Energise start-ups in areas such as company set-up, product development and market insight.
“Accelerators have been around for years, but Energise is a new kind of accelerator – focused on only one vertical (energy and natural resources) and on a massive scale, with some 60 mentors and the involvement of over 14 of the largest supporting companies in the sector,” Energise program director Toby Gardner said.
“Not only is Energise different in terms of scale and vertical focus, but it also has a shift towards later stage start-ups – allowing the supporting companies to be able to evaluate, test, and potentially integrate these start-ups’ technologies during the 12 weeks – providing immediate results for everyone.
“This makes Energise an innovation program that is both unique in Australia and even by global standards.”
The ventures in the KPMG Energise program for 2015 were:
Ecocentric Energy: developing its ‘Numen System’ – a system designed to revolutionise the decision making process in using and conserving energy in commercial buildings and industrial facilities;
Element Engineering: this mechatronic engineering firm has developed a new ‘internet of things’ (IoT) product which allows real-time monitoring of any product or structure through the use of modular devices and multiple forms of wireless communications;
Global Unmanned Systems: providing customised, integrated solutions for the natural resource and extractive industries sectors in respect of environmental and social baseline data acquisition, ongoing monitoring, surveillance, inspection and surveying using unmanned aerial vehicle and complimentary data processing and analysis technologies;
GreenSync: this high growth technology company provides a portfolio of automated demand management products and services for commercial and industrial energy users and network utilities to optimise power usage, including distributed energy technology for large scale.
Sandpit Innovation: this ideation consultancy specialises in the design, development and delivery of innovation to the ENR sector. Sandpit Innovation have co-developed and trademarked a number of new solutions such as the Spidler, mineRECON, Oust! and iCAS.
Sentient Computing: this established Perth-based software company that has been developing high quality applications for customers such as Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Fortescue Metals Group, and Woodside since 2000. Sentient has developed MXV, a new venture that utilises data to create dynamic and interactive 3D environments; 
Skrydata: uses advanced analytic technology and processes to uncover insights from big data. Skrydata has worked on bespoke applications of its proprietary system for clients such as iiNet, Landgate and Cobham Aviation Services; and
Smith and Jackson (Notio Pty): which has developed an innovative system to install modular buildings materially faster, cheaper and with less environmental impact than traditional methods.
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