This is the first book I have read that really nails the shortfalls in how Australia has managed, or better still, mismanaged our ability to successfully commercialise Australian innovation and particularly technology. Ben’s book should be mandatory for all politicians (starting with the Prime Minis

This is the first book I have read that really nails the shortfalls in how Australia has managed, or better still, mismanaged our ability to successfully commercialise Australian innovation and particularly technology. 

Ben’s book should be mandatory for all politicians (starting with the Prime Minister), industry leaders, entrepreneurs, inventors and the wider public. As someone who has spent my entire professional career spanning 40 years commercialising Australian science and technology, Ben Kehoe raises some alarming statistics around this subject that should be a wakeup call for us all. 

There is no question that Australians have the capability and know-how in inventing and developing world breaking technology, however, our ability, and the lack of leadership in this area from both Commonwealth and State leaders to encourage the building of a manufacturing base leaves me dumbfounded. 

We need to take a leaf out of what Singapore and Scotland have done in creating a 20 year and 50-year vision of where we want to be as a world player – what Ben calls (Australia’s Moon Shot”). 

This type of government foresight planning is best demonstrated by the clear prediction that China will emerge as the world’s largest economy, eclipsing the US. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is shaking the world and disrupting entire industries and it is being led by technology – Australia needs to be at this forefront – or further slip down what is already an abysmal international rating. 

This is how countries build employment, wealth and sustainable quality of life.

Dr Mel Bridges B.Sc. FAICD Entrepreneur & Business Leader