The Australian Concept Car - cluster-based innovation can drive Australian export growth

Obviously, this list easily could be extended through a brainstorming process with a knowledgeable group.

Important aspects of a viable concept include its portability, design to scale for exhibition and yet full operability as a real world demonstration. However, the issue to be resolved for a next market concept is not just idea creation. A significant step is the championing of the idea by an industry leader (as Gary Millard did for the car). Following that, a critical phase is to rally support across industry segment companies, then to build a team which can develop a unifying concept, seek external (financial) support as necessary, and construct and implement a well-managed development program for the concept.

An early step is to gain a clear understanding of the origins of financial support for any of these concepts. While both of the Australian concept car programs have been supported by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources of the Federal Government, it may be that not all future market concepts need to be developed in the same manner. There may even be potential for a market concept company to be formed, perhaps funded by private capital. This could be a joint venture with Government.

In our discussions with various industry leaders and others, it is clear that there is a high level of interest in examining a range of other concepts which might be further developed as international marketing tools. Thus, SIRF would like to hold a series of industry segment round tables, with support from DISR and the Victorian Department of State Development, to build proposals for several concepts. We believe that this concept development phase should involve competitive aspects between aspiring industry segments in order to drive quality of concept. We see that the obvious prize is financial support for a full program to commercial launch and international exhibition.

Aspects of a competitive bid for a market concept should include:

• Potential for and scale of international market impact.
• Breadth of industry segment involvement in the concept.
• Degree of leading-edge innovation demonstrated.
• Commitment of team members to further phases of development.
• Quality of program plan to completion.
• How the industry segment company members each plan to take commercial advantage of international market opportunities presented through exposure of the market concept and export realization.

The last feature on the list deserves further comment. We believe that a final step for any one of these market concepts should be "deal closure". We believe that the first concept car could have taken a further step beyond its agreed end point. This would not have required any more exposure of the car itself, but would have been in terms of real deal closing support, especially for the smaller components suppliers on the team. It is our view that there was a real need for help to move negotiations to finalization with global auto companies. It seems to us that such skills are unlikely to be well developed within companies, which formerly had only an internal Australian market focus.