The KPMG Energise program team gave Ozius the Program Choice Award today, while Perth-based Safescape, whose Edge Protector modular cantilever wall is designed to improve edge protection in open pit mines, won the Customer Award.
Representatives from angel investors, venture capital, private equity and corporate venture funds also judged another Brisbane-based start-up, MOVUS, as the winner of the Investor Award.
Ozius' Naxia software tool brings artificial intelligence to environmental monitoring to improve land management decision making, reducing the time and cost.
This brings information into the hands of decision makers quicker and earlier so they can be on the front foot with environmental management.
It was tested on small mining operations on the east coast but oil and gas looks like being the first market for the technology as Ozius founder Ben Starkey will meet Woodside and Chevron to continuing discussions with the corporate sponsors for use of the technology, which can be used in offshore and onshore environments.
Naxia also helps manage the risk to the health of assets and the environment.
"Essentially it's about being on the front foot and prioritise what's happening on the ground," Starkey, who founded the company with his wife Alisa, told Energy News.
"Early testing has indicated our customers appreciate the statutory reporting capabilities as it's all evidence based [and] close to real time so you can get monthly views of what's happening on site, and it's a complete picture."
While small mining operators have used it so far, the tech is also applicable to government organisations and farming.
Ozius is using its technology to help small operators manage closure criteria.
"During mine closure there is no revenue coming from that part of the mine, so it's imperative to keep the costs down and be as efficient as possible, and our technology allows them to do that," he said.
Starkey said one of the biggest challenges for start-ups in any sector with leading-edge tech is being able to test in real-world environments, and Energise gave him access to "forward-thinking corporates like Woodside, Chevron and South32 and to test our thinking in front of industry experts, not only KPMG".
Offshore applications
While his focus at the moment is on coastal marine areas such as mangroves and seagrass, and onshore areas, the company is also demonstrating monitoring offshore fishing vessels to help oil and gas companies understand how communities are using the local environments, which will help aid offshore operators.
"It's really around social license to operate, giving operators an early look to understand exactly what's happening before they set foot on the ground and start planning their operations," Starkey said.
Ozius was founded in 2014 afterAlisa was made redundant from a small private spatial consultancy, now essentially a competitor, during the Queensland mining downturn. She had worked in research for the Queensland state government before that.
Five other Perth-based start-ups and three others from Brisbane were part of the Energise program.
