Winners for the 2024 Alliance Awards

Ambassador's Award

    Sam Elsom and Sea Forest’s scientists in Tasmania are tackling climate change by significantly reducing methane emissions. Their innovative company is the first in the world to cultivate Asparagopsis, a seaweed that, when used as a supplement called SeaFeed in cattle feed, reduces livestock methane emissions by 90%. This breakthrough aligns with global efforts to reduce methane emissions, including the Global Methane Pledge, which aims to cut emissions by 30% by 2030. Sea Forest’s work was recognized as a finalist in the 2023 Earthshot Prize, an environmental competition launched by Prince William. After meeting with Ambassador Kennedy in Tasmania, Sea Forest expanded its efforts internationally, partnering with the UK’s largest supermarket chain, Morrison’s, to help lower carbon in beef products across more than 5000 stores. This collaboration underscores Sea Forest's commitment to scaling their solution for global climate impact.
     

     

    Sam Elsom

    Chief Executive Officer

    Seaforest

Artificial Intelligence

     

    Sponsored by Google 

    Simon Lucey Ph.D.is the Director of the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML) at the University of Adelaide, Australia’s largest machine learning research group. His previous appointments were at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute (RI) in Pittsburgh USA, autonomous vehicle company Argo AI and CSIRO (2009-2014). He has received various career awards including an ARC Future Fellowship (2009-2013). He has published over 300articles, has over18,904citations with an h-index of61. He has also registered 11 patents in computer vision. Simon’s research interests span computer vision, machine learning, and robotics. He enjoys drawing inspiration from AI researchers of the past to attempt to unlock computational and mathematic models that underlie the processes of visual perception.

     
     

     

    Professor Simon Lucey

    Director, Australian Institute for Machine Learning 

    University of Adelaide

Biotechnology

     

    Sponsored by MSD

    Mr Hoey is the President and CEO of Vaxxas, an Australian biotech company developing a needle-free vaccine technology with the potential to transform public health on a global scale. A Brisbane native, but now based in Boston, Massachusetts, David splits his time between the two countries. This has enabled Vaxxas to develop strong links with US-based pharmaceutical and philanthropic organisations, as well as the Us Government, to advance its high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP) technology. The collaborations Vaxxas has with its US partners have the potential for both countries to benefit by saving lives and future-proofing our economies against the type of impacts seen from the pandemic and other disease outbreaks.

     
     

     

    David Hoey

    President and Chief Executive Officer

    Vaxxas

Clean Energy

     

    Sponsored by Boeing

    Paul is the CEO of Hysata, an Australian electrolyser company redefining the economics of green hydrogen production. With two decades of experience at the intersection of science, engineering and business, Paul is a true technology leader who has worked with early-stage tech start-ups, right through to large industrial companies in water, materials and energy. As a former Venture Capitalist himself, and with close to a decade electrolysis experience, Paul used his deep domain expertise to search the globe for game-changing approaches to hydrogen production. This led to the creation of Hysata, which he recently led through an oversubscribed Series B financing round at AUD $172M AUD. Hysata is backed by a world leading syndicate of investors on their mission to deliver world’s best electrolyser. With a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University College Dublin and many patents to his name, Paul and the Hysata team are true trailblazers in the electrolysis industry.

     
     

     

    Dr Paul Barrett

    Chief Executive Officer

    Hysata

Digital Economy

     

    Sponsored by Torrens University

    Dr. Nishanth Krishnananthan is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Vantari VR, a pioneering health tech company focused on reducing medical error and expanding healthcare training through VR. A surgical doctor with over a decade of experience in clinical medicine and surgery, he holds a medical degree from Bond University and a master’s in surgery from the University of Sydney. Author of a globally recognized urology textbook, he was a finalist for CEO Magazine’s Entrepreneur and Startup Executive of the Year awards. Alongside his work at Vantari, Nishanth mentors in health entrepreneurship programs and enjoys coffee and football. 

    Dr. Vijay Paul is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Vantari VR, leveraging virtual reality for innovative healthcare solutions. With a background in medical science and a decade in clinical work specializing in acute and critical care, he combines his passion for technology and health to drive Vantari’s growth as a global leader in healthcare VR. Dr. Paul was named Startup Executive of the Year by CEO Magazine in 2021 and enjoys chess, travel, and mentoring.

     

     

    Dr Nishanth Krishnananthan and Dr Vijay Paul

    Co-Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer

    Vantari VR

Prosperity Award

     The inaugural Prosperity Award was awarded to KPMG for their report series ‘A Prosperous Future,’ exploring the economic impact of increased collaboration between Australia and the United States in the fields that will shape our economies for the next fifty years. This series delves into the profound economic impact of enhanced collaboration between Australia and the United States, highlighting key areas that are poised to shape the economies of both nations over the next fifty years. Through comprehensive research and analysis, KPMG explores emerging industries such as technology, energy, and healthcare, emphasizing the mutual benefits and opportunities that arise from a closer, strategic partnership. The award honors KPMG's commitment to thought leadership and their role in fostering economic growth through international cooperation.
       
     

     

    KPMG

    Inagural Winner

     

Quantum

     

    Sponsored by University of Sydney

    Michael J. Biercuk is the CEO and Founder of Q-CTRL and a Professor of Quantum Physics and Quantum Technology at the University of Sydney where he also serves as Chief Investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems. Through these roles he has become a globally recognized pioneer in the discipline of quantum control engineering, seeking to make quantum systems perform useful work. Michael earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and his Masters and PhD from Harvard University. He held a research fellowship in the Ion Storage Group at NIST Boulder and has served as a full-time technical consultant to DARPA, helping to steer government investments in quantum information and advanced computer architectures. Michael is a SXSW and TEDx speaking alumnus and has won multiple awards for research, innovation, and commercial technology development

     

     

    Michael J. Biercuk

    Founder and Chief Executive Officer

    Q-CTRL

Space

     

    Sponsored by One Global Venture

    Professor Anna Moore works at the forefront of Australia’s renaissance in space exploration and is a major force driving Australia’s strategic direction and R&D translation agenda to build national space capabilities and industry. An astronomer by training and a globally recognised leader in astronomical instrumentation, she founded and directs the multi-disciplinary Institute for Space (InSpace) at the Australian National University. Through Moore’s strategic leadership, ANU is now internationally recognised as a thought leader and solution provider for some of the most pressing challenges on the planet directing her teams’ work in space situational awareness, quantum communications, space-based earth observation and climate adaptability, and space governance. Professor Moore was instrumental in the formation of the Australian Space Agency in 2018, as part of the Australian Government’s expert reference group, and continues to play a key role in building major alliances with partner space agencies and industry leaders across the US, Europe, and Asia. Moore was director of Mount Stromlo’s Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Centre from 2017-2021, and prior to this worked for Caltech for 12 years. Anna has earned several awards and appointments including fellowship of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, the Northcote Graduate Scholarship for Doctoral Studies, Australian Space Awards Female Leader of the Year 2022, Executive of the Year 2024, and Australian Financial Review’s Top 100 Innovators.

     
     

     

    Professor Anna Moore

    Director

    ANU Institute for Space Australian National University