This book conducts an in-depth analysis of eleven cases of high-technology innovation in Australia. While all eleven cases were potential world-beaters, only three or four were truly successful. By contrasting the successful and unsuccessful cases, the book provides insights into the limited success which Australian innovators achieve.
The eleven cases include a project within a large corporation, a joint venture between a large corporation and some Australian academic institutions, and nine start-ups. They are drawn from domains such as software, minerals exploration and smelting, scientific instruments, ship building and biotechnology. Most of the ventures are over ten years old, so they have enough history to allow us to draw useful lessons. While they have not been particularly successful, they are definitely more successful than the vast majority of Australian high-technology attempts.
In addition, the book contains commentaries from five Australian leaders with an interest in innovation.
The book makes two distinct contributions. On one hand, there is a shortage of well documented cases of Innovation in Australia. Consequently, the cases give people with an interest in the subject a glimpse into the goings on within Australian high technology ventures, and the problems they face. On the other hand, the analysis, combined with the commentaries, provide valuable directions for both a research and policy agenda for innovation in Australia.