Where does the financial support of Electro Optic Systems’ laser tracking technology come from?

An estimated 500,000 pieces of debris litter the Earth’s orbit as a result of man’s exploration of space. Some satellites have been hit by fast-moving pieces of junk. The remains of old rockets can be the size of a bus, while other fragments are simply tiny flecks of paint.
(7) An Australian company, Electro Optic Systems, has received a $ 3. 5 million government grant to develop the world’s first automated, high-precision, laser tracking technology. It would replace existing radar networks that currently monitor that part of space. The goal is to track small objects with great accuracy. Dr. Craig Smith, the chief executive of Electro Optic Systems, says laser beams fired from the ground could protect astronauts and satellites by targeting space junk that travels at potentially devastating speeds. (8) The laser tracking system would work by giving space craft and satellites, which are able to be maneuvered, time to move out of the way of an incoming chunk of debris.
    The Australian government said the technology was part of the country’s "proud history" in space science and research. The project is part of an international consortium. Other members of the consortium include the Australian National University and other institutions in Germany and the United States.