What NSW Smart Sensing Network does

NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN) is a Sydney-headquartered, not-for-profit innovation network established in 2016 by the NSW Government through the Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer. It functions as a broker and activator between seven member universities across NSW and ACT (Australian National University, Macquarie University, UNSW Sydney, University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney, University of Wollongong, and Western Sydney University) and industry organisations and government agencies that face challenges addressable through smart sensing. NSSN organises activity around five priority themes — Human Health, Natural Hazards, Smart Places, Environment & Agriculture, and Net Zero — and currently manages 29 active projects worth over $17.3m AUD alongside 52 completed projects worth over $18m AUD since inception.

NSSN's deliverable surface is research collaboration rather than commercial product: it runs an annual Grand Challenge Fund (up to $100,000 per project) for member-university R&D, convenes networking events such as Sensing Industry Connect and the Women in Sensing Forum, and brokers specific programs including the Healthy at Home Program (wearable sensors for aged care), OPENAIR (urban air quality), Flood Intelligence (mobile-signal rainfall sensing), EcoEar (koala call detection), microplastic removal from water, perovskite solar cell R&D with Halocell Energy, and Smart Energy Asset Management Intelligence. Underlying technology work spans multimodal sensing (thermal/hyperspectral imaging, audio, LiDAR, biosignal wearables), computer vision, predictive analytics, anomaly detection and swarm robotics, drawn from the seven member universities' research groups.

NSSN does not sell products or services; its revenue mechanics are anchored to NSW Government funding, supplemented by industry co-investment on specific projects. The network is governed by a board (with Dr Jill Freyne succeeding Jo White as Chair from July 2026) and co-led academically by Professor Benjamin Eggleton (University of Sydney) and Professor Julien Epps (UNSW Sydney). Customer-facing engagement is free for organisations with sensing challenges, with industry partners (e.g., Halocell Energy, Agscent, HeraMED, PEGRAS) co-funding project work. Geography is constrained to NSW/ACT, with a notable 2026 milestone being NSSN's 10th anniversary.

Name

NSW Smart Sensing Network

Legal name

NSW Smart Sensing Network

Website

https://nssn.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NSW Smart Sensing Network is a Sydney-based, NSW Government-funded not-for-profit innovation network established in 2016 that brokers smart-sensing research partnerships between seven NSW & ACT member universities and industry and government partners across health, natural hazards, environment, smart places and net zero.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research and Development Network Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL)

Keywords

• Smart sensing research
• Innovation network
• Research translation
• University partnerships
• Sensor technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. NSW Government Funding: NSSN is proudly funded by the NSW Government through the Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer as a not-for-profit innovation network

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN) is a not-for-profit innovation network that connects industry organizations and government agencies with world-class researchers across seven member universities to develop smart sensing solutions for real-world problems. The network facilitates commissioned research projects, runs an annual Grand Challenge Fund offering up to $100,000 per project, and organizes networking events such as Sensing Industry Connect and the Women in Sensing Forum. Its activities are organized around five priority themes: Human Health, Natural Hazards, Smart Places, Environment & Agriculture, and Net Zero.

Product overview

The NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN) is a not-for-profit innovation network that connects industry, government, and universities to translate smart sensing research into real-world solutions. Rather than a single product, NSSN operates as a coordination platform offering the Grand Challenge Fund (annual funding up to $100,000 for collaborative R&D), hosting networking events like Sensing Industry Connect and Women in Sensing Forum, and managing research projects across five priority themes: Human Health (including the Healthy at Home Program), Natural Hazards (Flood Intelligence, drone-based fire detection), Smart Places (OPENAIR air quality monitoring), Environment & Agriculture (EcoEar koala detection, microplastic removal), and Net Zero (perovskite solar cells, plastic recycling, smart energy). The network facilitates connections between researchers and industry partners rather than selling products directly.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grand Challenge Fund
• Healthy at Home Program
• OPENAIR (Operational Network of Air Quality Impact Resources)
• Flood Intelligence for NSW
• Eliminating Microplastic Contamination in Water
• EcoEar - Detection of Koala Calls
• Rapid Microwave Annealing for Ultra-low-cost Perovskite Solar Cells
• Smart Energy Asset Management Intelligence
• Increased Recycling of Plastics by Sensing and Treating Label Contamination

Quantifiable outcome

• 29 active projects worth over $17.3m
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability12 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Halocell Energy LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner in the Rapid Microwave Annealing project for ultra-low-cost perovskite solar cells. Halocell is a world leader in indoor perovskite PV and one of few companies globally manufacturing flexible perovskite cells at commercial scale. The collaboration demonstrated feasibility of microwave-based processing for perovskite solar cells.
• AgscentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgritech/biotech company collaborating with Macquarie University's NanoTech Laboratory on agricultural sensing applications including methane monitoring and early disease detection in livestock. Partnership focuses on translating advanced sensor science into on-farm tools through Technology Readiness Level (TRL) pathway.
• HeraMEDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital women's health company partnering with UTS and other research organizations on innovative projects to improve women's care including AI-driven predictive models for culturally diverse women, focusing on maternal outcomes and healthcare accessibility.
• Semiconductor Sector Service Bureau (S3B)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint hosting of 'Sensing meets Semiconductors' workshop bringing together researchers, industry and government working at the intersection of sensing and semiconductor innovation to accelerate translation and impact.
• Australian National University (ANU)coreOthersMember university contributing to NSSN smart sensing research network across priority themes including bushfire research, quantum technologies, and advanced sensing applications.
• Macquarie UniversitycoreOthersMember university and host of Sensing meets Semiconductors workshop. Key research areas include NanoTech Laboratory, perovskite solar cells, shark deterrent technologies, and agritech sensing applications.
• UNSW SydneycoreOthersMember university with key researchers including Co-Director Professor Julien Epps (Dean of Engineering). Research spans sensor signal processing, photonics, and semiconductor technologies.
• University of SydneycoreOthersMember university where Co-Director Professor Benjamin Eggleton serves as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research). Research includes nanomaterials, photonic gravity sensing, and koala habitat mapping.
• University of Technology Sydney (UTS)coreOthersMember university hosting Sensing Industry Connect events. Key research includes Data Science Institute (AI and healthcare), biomedical engineering, and urban sensing applications.
• University of Wollongong (UOW)coreOthersMember university contributing research in photonic gravity sensing, organic semiconductor sensors, and drone technologies for emergency services.
• Western Sydney UniversitycoreOthersMember university hosting Sensing Industry Connect events. Research includes drone technologies, LiDAR applications, MemoryAid devices, and cognitive science applications.
• AFAC (Australian and New Zealand Council for fire and emergency services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted Emergency Services Drone Innovation Day with ANU Bushfire Research Centre of Excellence, showcasing drone technologies for disaster detection, monitoring and response.
• ANU Bushfire Research Centre of ExcellencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in drone innovation research, working with NSSN and AFAC on Emergency Services Drone Innovation Day and autonomous drone systems for bushfire detection.
• HunterNet CooperativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Innovation in the Circular Economy conference bringing together industry, government and universities to advance circular economy in Australia.
• PEGRAScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner in microplastic removal from water project, developing world's first scalable microfibre removal system from industrial laundry wastewater.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CSIRO (Data61): Australia's national science agency with a dedicated digital research arm (Data61) that performs applied research in AI, sensing, and data systems for industry and government. Highly comparable as a publicly-funded research translator whose prior Deputy Chief Scientist now sits on NSSN's board.
• Cicada Innovations: Australia's longest-running deep tech incubator, operating as a non-profit that connects research institutions, industry, and government to commercialise deep technology. Directly comparable as an Australian innovation broker focused on translating research into commercial outcomes.
• Stone & Chalk: Australian innovation hub that supports emerging technology startups and connects them with corporates, government, and investors. Comparable as an Australian non-profit ecosystem builder with government backing and industry partnership models.
• UK Catapult Network: Network of UK government-funded technology and innovation centres translating academic research into commercial applications across specific technology areas. Highly comparable as a publicly-funded innovation network model connecting universities, industry, and government around defined technology themes.
• ANSTO (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation): Australian government-owned research organisation operating major scientific infrastructure for research and industry users. Comparable as an Australian Commonwealth-funded research entity that facilitates academic-industry-government research collaboration.

Broad incumbents

• Fraunhofer Society: Germany's largest applied research organisation with 76 institutes conducting contract research for industry and government. Comparable as a globally-recognised model for public-sector applied research translation that NSSN's model loosely mirrors at a much smaller Australian scale.
• ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute): Taiwan's leading applied research organisation that has pioneered semiconductor and sensing commercialisation, including spinouts like TSMC. Comparable as a globally-significant model of state-backed applied research translation with sensing and electronics specialisation.

Regional players

• LaunchVic: Victorian state government's innovation agency funding and supporting startup activity in Victoria. Comparable as a state-funded innovation ecosystem builder, but operating in a different Australian state and focused more on startup acceleration than research translation.
• Business Finland (formerly Tekes): Finnish government innovation funding organisation that finances R&D and innovation projects and connects companies with research partners. Comparable as a publicly-funded innovation broker model, but operating in Finland rather than Australia.
• Queensland AI Hub / Advance Queensland: Queensland state government's innovation initiative funding emerging technology, AI, and research translation programs. Comparable as another Australian state-level government-backed innovation program, but focused on Queensland rather than NSW/ACT.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NSWsensing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about NSW Smart Sensing Network