Supported by METS Ignited with the Queensland government, the Bowen Basin Cluster Program is recognising the region's history of innovation while helping with the continued development of world-class solutions.

METS Ignited acting CEO Dr Ian Dover said the pilot program would help the industry growth centre learn about how clusters in Australia operated.

"We're setting up a number of consortia to demonstrate how collaboration between small and medium companies can work so they can develop something themselves," he said.

One of the benefits METS Ignited hopes to get is to show how collaboration between businesses large and small can occur and help accelerate innovation.

"It provides a pathway into mining companies locally and then mining companies nationally and internationally," Dover said.

So far four consortia have received funding through the program.

That funding was announced last year.

Mynesight has developed a combined training and research simulated underground mine in Mackay. That is to be the pilot for the future Australian Training and Research Underground Mining Simulator.

Other consortia funded were Active Adrenalin, Split Spaces and Macdonald Cordell/Aurecon.