SMODS takes home NSW iAward in the Government & Public Sector category
The Connectivity Innovation Network is proud to announce that the Secure Multi-Organisational Data Sharing Platform (SMODS) has won the Government & Public Sector category at the 2026 NSW iAwards.
Developed through the CIN by researchers at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), SMODS enables organisations to securely share data and multimedia in real time while retaining ownership and control of their information.
The platform was recognised for its potential to improve collaboration between organisations, particularly in emergency management and public sector environments where secure, timely information sharing is critical. Throughout the project, Surf Life Saving NSW served as the primary emergency-response use case, helping demonstrate how multiple organisations can work together while maintaining control of their own data.
The NSW iAwards recognise Australian innovations that are making a positive difference and celebrate excellence in technology across a range of industries.
As the NSW winner, SMODS will now represent New South Wales at the National iAwards, where it will compete against the winners from every State and Territory at the National iAwards Ceremony and Gala Dinner in Sydney on 27 August 2026.
The CIN congratulates the SMODS project team, including Professor Ren Ping Liu and Dr Xu Wang from UTS, and all project partners who contributed to the development of this award-winning solution.
We also thank the NSW Telco Authority, whose support through the Connectivity Innovation Network made this project possible, and our industry and university members for their ongoing collaboration in delivering research that addresses real-world challenges.
SMODS lead reseacher Dr Xu Wang with the 2026 NSW iAward
