The Geotab-Swinburne Transport Innovation Hub was officially opened last week, marking a major milestone in collaboration between industry and academia to drive innovation across Australia’s transport and technology sectors.
Located at Swinburne’s Hawthorn campus in Melbourne, the Hub has been designed as a collaborative environment that brings together students, researchers, industry partners and technology leaders to explore the future of connected mobility and transport intelligence.
It includes an interactive showroom that will showcase Geotab’s connected vehicle technologies and AI-powered insights, an operations centre for applied transport research and data analysis, and a co-working space that will support collaboration between academia, startups, industry and government stakeholders.
The opening, attended by Neil Cawse, Founder and CEO at HVIA Major Partner Geotab (pictured above), also marks the launch of several strategic programs focused on key industry challenges and opportunities, including electric vehicle adoption, road safety, transport emissions reduction and mobility policy development. These initiatives will leverage real-world telematics data and advanced analytics to support evidence-based research and innovation.
“The opening of the Geotab-Swinburne Transport Innovation Hub represents an exciting step forward in our vision for smarter, safer and more sustainable mobility,” says Alkan Ciftci, Geotab’s Business Development Manager.
“By combining Swinburne’s research expertise with Geotab’s AI and connected vehicle intelligence, we are creating an environment where new ideas can be tested, insights can be scaled, and the future of mobility can be shaped collaboratively. Australia has a significant opportunity to lead in AI-powered transport innovation, and this Hub is designed to help accelerate that future.”
Top (L-R): Swinburne University’s Professor Karen Hapgood, Neil Cawse and Professor Hadi Ghaderi. Above (L-R): Team Global Express’s (and HVIA’s) Heather Bone, Professor Hadi Ghaderi, Neil Cawse, Professor Karen Hapgood and Dr Geoff Allan. Source: Swinburne University of Technology
The Hub will support applied research, student engagement, industry collaboration and policy discussions, creating opportunities for hands-on learning and cross-sector partnerships that address real-world transport challenges.
“Swinburne is proud to officially open the Geotab-Swinburne Innovation Hub and deepen our collaboration on research and innovation that delivers real-world impact,” Professor Hadi Ghaderi, Professor of Supply Chain Innovation & Decarbonisation at Swinburne University of Technology, says.
“The Hub creates new opportunities for our researchers and students to work directly with industry-leading technology and data, helping to advance research outcomes in sustainability, safety and connected mobility while developing the future workforce needed for Australia’s evolving transport ecosystem.”
The Hub reinforces Geotab’s ongoing investment in Australia and its commitment to supporting local innovation ecosystems and future talent pathways.
Together, Geotab and Swinburne aim to:
> Advance AI-driven mobility research using connected vehicle data and analytics to improve transport safety, efficiency and sustainability.
> Support industry collaboration by creating a shared space for researchers, government, startups and transport leaders to innovate together.
> Accelerate transport sustainability initiatives focused on EV adoption, emissions reduction and decarbonisation strategies.
> Develop future talent through hands-on learning, internships, collaborative projects and industry engagement opportunities.
> Contribute to national transport policy discussions by supporting data-informed approaches to mobility and infrastructure planning.