Following the award of $21m in grant funding from the Federal Government, SmartCrete CRC Ltd has been Incorporated and is on track to be operational in September this year!

The Central Services function of the SmartCrete CRC has been prioritised to provide the most efficient environment for innovative research and to optimise the funding directed to industry led research programs.

In a series of “Fast Start” projects SmartCrete CRC aims to deliver research-based industry outcomes within the first 18 months of operations.

Research Director Simon Martin Clark has worked with the partner organisations to progress the “Fast Start” and “Round 1” EOI project development processes.

Six “Fast Start” projects were submitted for evaluation and they will progress through the selection process for subsequent funding in the second half of the year.

The Round 1 EOI process also generated a significant number of substantial projects with submissions ending in late July. These projects will be evaluated for funding in the coming months.

Over the next few weeks there will be a series of additional webinars designed to support teams to identify opportunities for improvement with the industrial partners and subsequently develop a scope of work within their projects with attention to a specific commercial outcome.

Plans are well underway for the recruitment of SmartCrete's full time CEO and the selection of a skills-based board in preparation for the first AGM in the last quarter of this year.

Other activities in the governance area include the development of a suite of core business policies to guide the business over the next seven years.