FOR as long as he can remember, Andrew Miller has been pulling things apart to figure out how to make them work better.

A self-confessed 'mad innovator and entrepreneur', the former Warwick State High School student is now the director and chief technology officer of Verton Group.

The company is in the process of commercialising technology called ROVER, a remotely-operated rotator for cranes, which is set to significantly improve the safety and productivity of crane and hoist operators.

Innovation is the way of the future in Australia according to Mr Miller, who believes passion for innovation begins in the formative schooling years.

"Australia needs to begin to profit from its knowledge rather than what's in the ground," he said.

"We need to become more creative.

"Australia is a good consumer but we don't produce much compared to other developed nations."

The ROVER project has secured two grants from the state government and one from the federal government, while Verton Group has been selected to be part of the Westpac Top 200 Businesses of Tomorrow 2017.

Mr Miller returned to Warwick this week to present the Dr Andrew Miller Innovation Award at his old school to a budding innovator starting out just like he did.

It is the seventh year the award has been given to a talented student.

"If we can find the spark in the small percentage of people who can lead the economy to another place, then the economy can be based on something completely different," he said.

"In a technological world you need to innovate."

Rupert Evans was the worthy recipient of the award, who Mr Miller said had been using his passion for 3D modelling to devise new ideas.

Mr Miller said the young creator was proficient in software many professionals currently struggle with.

"He's really kitted up well into whatever type of engineering he wants and the software really facilitates that," he said.

High school is the starting point for innovators, but Mr Miller believes tertiary education is also vital.

After completing school, he went on to complete a mechanical engineering degree and PhD in engineering.

Throughout his studies, he not only studied the nuts and bolts of technology, but also the attitudes and behaviours associated with convincing the community to adopt new ways of doing things.

"In a societal sense it doesn't work to be disruptive," he said.

"If you can help someone not be scared and have a strategy that they'll use your technology, brilliant."