AusInnovate

Digital game developers in Australia generated $136.9 million in income during 2006-07, according to a new report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

The report found 45 game developers reported an operating profit before tax of $8.5 million and an operating profit margin of 6.2 per cent.

The major source of income was the provision of game development services ($116.9 million), with most of that income (93 per cent or $108 million) came from overseas businesses.

Queensland and Victoria are the clear market leaders in the game development sector, accounting for 40 per cent and 33 per cent of game development income respectively, and 49 per cent and 33 per cent of employment.

There were 1,431 people employed in game development services in Australia at the end of June 2007., with the majority (90 per cent) being male.

Artists and animators represented 34 per cent of those employed, while programmers made up 29 per cent, the ABS figure revealed.

A materials science project at the University of New South Wales and an anti-terror computer security project at the Queensland University of Technology are two projects to benefit from Innovation department grants to improve links with researchers in India.

Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Minister Kim Carr has announced Government will spend $7 million on new collaborative research initiatives under the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund.

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INNOVATION, Industry, Science and Research Minister Kim Carr has named four prominent international experts to act as advisors to the review of the Australian National Innovation System.

“It is essential that we draw upon the expertise and knowledge that exists within the international innovation community in order to develop a world class innovation system,” Senator Carr said in a statement.

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AEROSPACE giant Boeing has officially opened its Australian Phantom Works research and development operation, giving a much needed shot in the arm for the local innovation community.

While Boeing has a 20-year working relationship with local researchers at the CSIRO and Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), opening a Phantom Works in Australia will significantly deepen the relationship.

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INTEL and Microsoft have partnered with two top research universities in the US to accelerate the improvements in mainstream parallel computing performance.

The companies say they will focus on solutions for both consumers and business markets, and that the work would look at both desktop and mobile computing.

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