From the CEO’s Desk

November 2026

“It’s been a busy few weeks. We hosted Damien Walker, Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, at the Hub. We took our AI adoption work to CEDA’s AI Leadership Summit in Sydney, and we welcomed four new companies. And congratulations to John Ferguson and the ProTx team on their national safety award.

“If you’re a Queensland manufacturer, expressions of interest for the Manufacturing AI Uplift Trial Program close today, Friday 6 November. There’s up to $250,000 in AI services on offer, so get yours in. And I hope to see many of you at our Industry Day at Northgate on 18 November.”

Prof Cori Stewart, FTSE

Founder & CEO, ARM Hub

Director-General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet Damien Walker toured ARM Hub earlier this week.

As head of the department, Walker leads the Queensland public service. During the visit, the Director-General learned how Queensland innovators are using AI, robotics and advanced manufacturing to design, build and grow more efficiently.

Read the full story -

ARM Hub continues to grow, welcoming four new clients over the past couple of months as Queensland innovators turn to the Northgate precinct to develop, test and commercialise advanced technology.

Among the new arrivals is Brisbane robotics company ProxGrid, which is building autonomous drones to clean live powerline insulators. Its technology is designed to remove people from one of the energy sector’s most hazardous jobs, while helping network operators reduce outage, fire and maintenance risks. ARM Hub has previously featured ProxGrid’s work, with the company now using its Northgate base to build and test its hardware.

Read the full story -

Manufacturing AI Uplift Trial Program closes today

Expressions of interest for Queensland’s Manufacturing AI Uplift Trial Program closes TODAY at end of business, Friday 6 November.

Delivered by ARM Hub’s AI Adopt Centre and funded by the Queensland Government, the program covers 80 per cent of each project, up to $250,000. ARM Hub engineers work with each business to find the right AI use case, then build and deliver it.

“The goal is to help Queensland manufacturers become more productive, meet their compliance obligations and compete more effectively,” said ARM Hub CEO Professor Cori Stewart.

Manufacturers with five to 500 full-time equivalent staff are eligible, provided at least half work in Queensland and the business has operated in the state for at least two years.

Submit an expression of interest: https://www.armhub.com.au/qld-ai-uplift

Register now for the next Ergon-Energex Community Fund round

Queensland not-for-profit groups can now register for updates on the next round of the Ergon-Energex Community Fund, which offers grants of up to $10,000.

The fund supports projects that help communities prepare for and recover from cyclones, floods and bushfires, as well as projects that improve electrical safety, energy efficiency, environmental protection, and community health and wellbeing.

Recent grants include $9,300 for the Cungulla Rural Fire Brigade to install energy-efficient lights and fans and upgrade its switchboard to support emergency generation in severe weather. The Bunya Mountains Community Association used its grant to buy a satellite phone so its local critical incident control centre can reach emergency services.

Recipients have also been in the running for a People’s Choice Award worth an extra $5,000.

Register for updates: https://www.ergon.com.au/network/our-commitment/in-the-community/community-fund

ProTx wins national safety award for Arresta 100

Congratulations to John Ferguson and the ProTx team, with his Arresta 100 road barrier taking Best WHS Commercial Product or Service Innovation at the NSCA Foundation’s National Safety Awards of Excellence in Sydney on Thursday, 5 November.

“It started over five years ago with a simple question,” Ferguson said. “Why isn’t there a barrier any road crew can take with a standard work ute and drop and go in a couple of minutes?”

John worked with ARM Hub to take the Arresta 100 design from proven prototype to commercial-scale production, including assembly process design, facility layout and robotic welding integration. The barrier passed a range of crash tests before launching at ARM Hub in June, with Ventia as its first commercial customer.

Ferguson thanked his engineers and build crew, his family, and the Ventia team for their support over the journey. Ventia’s Barry Smith joined him on stage, and Ventia also won Category 4, Best Communication of a Safety Message.

Congratulations to all the winners and finalists, and thanks to the NSCA Foundation.

Help build a national picture of AI use

The National AI Centre is asking Australian organisations to register for its AI in Australian Business Survey.

The ongoing study collects information directly from businesses of all sizes, not-for-profits and social enterprises on how they use AI and how their capability grows over time. The first round began on 16 October, and organisations that register now can take part in the rounds that follow.

Results will feed one of Australia’s most comprehensive datasets on AI use and help shape future support and policy for business, industry and government.

Registration takes about a minute.

Register your interest: https://www.ai.gov.au/survey