Two Australian companies and a leading New South Wales university will share $ 1.2 million in a program to strengthen Australia’s critical geospatial intelligence capabilities.

Space consultancy agency NGIS, Perth-based technology company ISOLABS and the University of Wollongong are the shortlisted candidates for the second round of the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organization (AGO) Analytical Laboratories Program.

The AGO and the nonprofit FrontierSI worked together to identify successful candidates.

The $ 1.2 million program is designed to enhance AGO’s understanding of modern machine analysis capabilities developed by industry, while raising industry awareness of current and emerging AGO challenges.

Defense Industry Minister Melissa Price congratulated the successful applicants, saying their proposals demonstrate the immense value that could be achieved when Defense and the Australian defense industry team up to overcome major challenges.

“The government is proud to invest in programs that support our defense industry and increase its ability to meet the unique needs of the defense geospatial community,” said Minister Price.

The successful organizations were each awarded six-month contracts to provide early information to AGO.

As was the case in the first cycle of the program, participants will work closely with AGO subject matter experts to demonstrate the potential uses of modern machine analysis technologies in the development of geospatial intelligence capabilities.

“I am very happy to see Australian small businesses really demonstrating their ability to meet key defense requirements,” said Minister Price.