Hamilton Collins was founded in 2010 by Chris Burnett—a seasoned entrepreneur, executive manager, board director, and management consultant with a proven track record of scaling businesses globally.
Chris brings deep, hands-on expertise to early-stage commercialisation, start-ups, and investment due diligence. Over his career, he has founded five companies and served as CEO, Director, or Chair on 14 governance boards, currently sitting on three advisory boards.
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Federal Impact: From 2012 to 2026, Chris served continuously as a Commercialisation Adviser to the Australian Commonwealth Government, driving the Commercialisation Australia, Accelerating Commercialisation, and Industry Growth Programs.
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State & Sector Growth: Chris has consulted regularly for the Queensland State Government (including Queensland Treasury and Advance Queensland) and various Regional Development Corporations to help commercialise novel IP.
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Corporate Track Record: Separate from government advisory, Hamilton Collins has consulted for dozens of private clients across Australia.
Over the past 14 years, Chris has embedded himself deeply in the Australian innovation ecosystem. As a Commercialisation Adviser he evaluated hundreds of applications, directly supported nearly 100 successful grantees, and managed a team guiding 93 more—helping dozens of founders to secure vital grant funding and cross the "valley of death" to commercial success. His strategic advisory also extends to helping dozens of companies secure vital grant and equity funding to help bridge the gap to commercial success.
Chris holds degrees in Electronics Engineering (First Class Honours), Law (LLB Hons), and Business (MBA from IMD Switzerland)—a powerful multi-disciplinary foundation he leverages daily when advising and scaling entrepreneurial teams.
He brings deep technical insight and an extensive network across the National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) priority areas, including:
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Precision Agriculture
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Advanced Communications
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Quantum, Autonomous Systems & Robotics
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Clean Energy, Renewables & Low Emissions
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Medical Devices, Resources, and Defence
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Advanced Manufacturing & Materials
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