Connecting Innovation Ecosystems

Australia's best and brightest miningtechnology (METS) businesses are encouraged to apply for a position inAustrade's LATAM Passport program.

METStech Passport is the first of its kindbetween Australia and Chile, allowing startup and scale-up companies to obtaindirect exposure to the mining industry and commercialise their ideas.

The program will send Australian startups toChile, and corresponding Chilean startups to Australia, for an immersion in thehost country's mining tech and startup ecosystem. Two spots are available forAustralian startups and scale-ups with exploration, sensing, data analytics anddigitization solutions that want to break into the resource rich LATAM market.

METStech Passport applications open on 26April and close on 27 May 2018. Two winners from each country will receiveflights and ground costs for an immersion program, which includes meeting withpotential investors later this year. The program is being run by Austrade andMETS Ignited, in partnership with private non-profit organisation FundacionChile.

The Turnbull Coalition Government recognisesthe importance of encouraging Australian innovation and this program withfellow mining industry heavyweight and TPP-11 partner, Chile, will enableAustralia to pursue common challenges, fostering international collaborationthrough ideas.

Australian METS are consistently seen asglobal leaders in Chile - on price, technology and productivity - and ourexperience in the resources extraction business has nurtured an array of world-beatingsolutions providers.

METS is already a $90 billion industry inAustralia, with potential for growth thanks to capability ranging from minesafety solutions to environmental management, including mine site closure andrehabilitation. Chile is Australia's fourth largest METS export market.

METStech Passport is Austrade's second LATAMprogram and follows the successful Agtech Passport launched in 2017.

More information is available here: www.austrade.gov.au/latampassport