UK robotics companies looking to develop business internationally have been urged to consider investment in New South Wales (NSW), Australia after the state unveiled its long-term strategy for turning its research and development (R&D) capabilities into world-leading industries and jobs.
The NSW 20-Year R&D Roadmap provides a blueprint to help inform the NSW government of strategically important investments for its future economic and social wellbeing.
It considers six categories of competitive advantages for NSW including R&D; education; workforce; industry; innovation and natural resources, with the Internet of Things falling into innovation and covering 39 application areas such as robotics, AI, customer service, quantum computing, cyber security and more.
“R&D will play a crucial role in our economic growth as a key driver of new jobs, future businesses and international investment in NSW,” said Stephen Cartwright, Investment New South Wales UK’s agent general, “and the UK is a key region from where we hope to attract that international investment.”
The roadmap defines robotics as the use of automated or human-controlled machines to perform functions. Examples include service robots, robotic surgery, robotic agriculture, robotic mining and autonomous vehicles.
Robotics in NSW is regarded as both a future growth industry and an enabler of productivity uplift in other industries such as agriculture, advanced manufacturing and mining.
And with over 40% of Australia’s robotics businesses currently based in NSW, and five of the world’s top 100 universities for automation and control located there, Cartwright has urged UK robotics companies to take advantage of the state’s strong R&D capabilities.
For example, between 2014 and 2020, NSW was said to have attracted a “disproportionate amount” of Australian Research Council funding in robotics-related research fields including Al and image processing (35%), electrical and electronic engineering (40%) and mechanical engineering (51%).
Cartwright added: “My recommendation for UK companies: take a look at these focus areas. The roadmap provides some really great market insight for any UK company looking at opportunities in Asia-Pacific.”
