REGIONAL Queensland is leading the way when it comes to accelerating the growth of their businesses in the $236 billion METS (mining equipment, technology and services) and mining sectors.

Six of the eight late-stage start-ups and small-to-medium enterprise selected for the Igniting METS Accelerator come from regional Queensland, with companies from Ipswich, Mackay, Toowoomba, Rockhampton and the Whitsundays.

The businesses kick off the program on 29 August at KPMG offices in Brisbane, starting a 12-week learning program that will help them rapidly build their business within the METS (mining equipment, technology and services) and mining sectors.

The companies will travel to Brisbane over the next 12-weeks for workshops and mentoring from industry leaders, entrepreneurs and subject matter experts delivered by the team behind the KPMG Energise accelerator. They will receive financial, marketing, commercial and technical advice to commercialise their products and services and gain additional traction in the mining sectors.

Ashley Brown, KPMG Australia’s Program Director for the Igniting METS Accelerator, said that the end goal was to create businesses that would bring jobs and growth to their local area and drive innovation into the sector.

He said the mining and METS sectors offered huge opportunities for new technologies.

Past start-ups through the program have gone on to win millions of dollars of business, as well as closing major funding rounds, leading to new jobs and opportunities within these companies’ communities as well as contributing to the competitiveness and sustainability of the Australia resources sector.

“By helping scale startups from regional Australia, we hope to help create high value jobs and help economic growth, from Toowoomba to the Whitsundays and beyond,” Mr Brown said.

METS Ignited CEO Ric Gros said that Igniting METS was proving there is a massive potential for technology businesses within regional Australia.

He said the chosen businesses had differentiated themselves in their innovation in technology, approach to business and their potential to rapidly grow their business.

“This program is about helping them to rapidly develop and take on national, regional and global markets.” he said.

The Igniting METS Accelerator is an Australian-first joint initiative between METS Ignited and the Queensland Government to assist METS companies. METS Ignited is an industry-led organisation funded by the Australian Government as part of its Industry Growth Centre initiative.

The eight Igniting METS startups are:

• Artemis Intelligent Robotic Systems (www.artemisirs.com) Whitsunday Islands

Providing complete through wall analysis of tubular structures with three-dimensional reporting. Use next generation sensors to move reporting and prediction from best educated guess to quantitative knowledge.

• Commit Works (www.commit.works) Brisbane

Software for the frontline team in the mining, energy and infrastructure industries including flexible shift plans and a visualization of the hazards, equipment, tasks and people.

• FDP Mining (http://fdpmining.com.au) Rockhampton

Mines and reprocesses tailings dams to deliver product coal from a resource currently considered waste.

• Mackay Conveyor Equipment (https://mcequip.com.au) Mackay

Creators of Jibaroo, an underground maingate transfer system that collapses and stands with hydraulics. Jibaroo allows transportation in modular sections, significantly reducing installation time, people required and working at heights.

• Paradyn Systems (https://paradynsystems.com) Melbourne

Creators of BlendOpt, an integrated pit-to-port planning and scheduling cloud platform built with advanced optimisation and machine learning technologies. BlendOpt delivers transformational step-change improvements to operational profitability within complex supply chains.

• Quick Safety (www.quicksafety.com.au) Toowoomba

A field force automation platform that enables the electrical industry to solve issues in compliance, risk and safety. Helps users eliminates legal liability and personal risk, while saving time and money.

• Vayeron (www.vayeron.com.au) Mackay

An industrial IoT company which has developed the Smart-Idler – a sensor technology for monitoring and predicting conveyor roller failure in high capacity, time critical bulk materials handling conveyors used in mines, ports and processing plants.

• XDR (https://xdr.com.au) Ipswich

Designs, manufactures and sells fast, agile, safe and powerful onshore oil and gas well workover rigs. Coupled with its patented Power Drill Snub and Hands Free Systems, the XDR range of oilfield products is changing the way workover is conducted and significantly reducing the costs of well servicing.

For more information on the Igniting METS accelerator: www.ignitingmets.org