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Innovation was one of the key areas for focus at Australia US Business Week (AUSBW) events in San Francisco last week.

AUSBW which took place between 16-25 February 2016, promotes US investment in some of Australia’s key sectors by familiarising US investors with Australia’s capabilities through roundtables, market briefings, site visits and industry summits.  Around 240 Australian companies took part in AUSBW.

The US remains the largest foreign investor in Australia and the source of much of the world’s commercial innovation.

The Australian Government announced as part of AUSBW, the first Landing Pad at Rocketspace, a technology campus in San Francisco. The Landing Pad is designed to help Australian entrepreneurs bring their ideas to market and build high-growth and high-return enterprises. It will provide Australian tech start-ups with a collaborative workspace, allowing them to pursue international opportunities.

The Landing Pads are a key element of the Australian Government’s $1.1 billion National Innovation and Science Agenda.

Austrade received $11.2 million in Budget funding to establish five Landing Pads and also develop a new annual in-bound innovation forum, fostering collaboration and attracting international market experts, entrepreneurial talent and investors to Australia. In addition to San Francisco and Israel, a further three Landing Pad locations will be identified in the near future.

As part of our efforts to foster innovation, Salesforce has partnered with the York Butter Factory, to help build Australia’s start-up ecosystem.

As part of AUSBW, Salesforce also had the opportunity to host Stuart Ayres, NSW Minister for Trade, Major Projects, Tourism and Sport.

The briefing focused on some of the existing partnerships Salesforce has with NSW Government agencies, as well as opportunities for further collaboration.