NSW Smart Sensing Network secures government funding through to 2030
The NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN) is proud to announce it has secured ongoing funding from the NSW Government until mid-2030.
This commitment will enable the NSSN to continue fostering collaboration across our network of eight universities, industry, and government to deliver cutting-edge sensing solutions for real-world challenges.
The announcement comes as the NSSN celebrates its ninth anniversary this month, marking nearly a decade of driving impactful research translation across New South Wales and the ACT.
NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte said the NSW Government’s Research & Innovation Network model has been highly successful in promoting collaboration between industry and universities, providing a coordinated contact point in NSW for specific research sectors and accelerating sector research translation and commercialisation.
"The enduring power of the NSW Smart Sensing Network lies in its ability to connect people, ideas and opportunities across sectors,” Professor Durrant-Whyte said.
“It’s not just a research network – it’s a catalyst for the kinds of collaborative innovation that will drive future productivity, prosperity and resilience of New South Wales."
“On behalf of the NSSN and Board I sincerely thank Professor Durrant-Whyte and the NSW Government for their vision and support of the NSSN,” NSSN Board Chair Jo White said.
“Securing long-term funding will further build on the success of the NSSN and allow the NSSN to think big, plan across multi years and bed in research and development collaborations”.
“This renewed commitment from the NSW Government is a powerful endorsement of the impact the NSSN has had since its inception in 2016,” NSSN Co-Director Professor Ben Eggleton said.
“It reflects the growing importance of smart sensing technologies in driving innovation, productivity, and sustainability across the state. We’re proud to continue connecting world-class researchers with industry and government to solve real-world challenges.”
“As well as encouragement for the NSSN, this is an important step towards the ambitions of achieving net zero, developing critical technologies and building sovereign capability for NSW and Australia,” NSSN Co-Director Professor Julien Epps said.
“Translating world-class research from NSW universities effectively increases the benefits of innovation, science and research for everyone. It creates future jobs and secures our long-term prosperity, security and wellbeing. It encourages businesses to invest and scale up great Australian ideas.”
Since its establishment, the NSSN has completed 48 collaborative projects worth more than $18 million.
It currently leads 19 active projects valued at over $15 million in priority areas including Human Health, Natural Hazards, Net Zero, Smart Places, and Environment & Agriculture.
The NSSN’s unique triple helix model — bringing together government, industry, and academia — has been critical in fostering innovation and delivering sensing technologies that create societal and economic benefits.
With this funding extension, the NSSN is well positioned to continue leading smart sensing research, accelerating commercialisation, and contributing to NSW’s growth as a global hub for sensing innovation.
Read the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineers statement.