Open Kernel Labs (OK Labs) was spun out of NICTA in 2006 to commercialise virtualisation software for mobile devices. That software has now been deployed in more than on billion devices.

"As OK Labs deployments surpass the one billion mark, we continue to invest in new technology and to launch new products," said Steve Subar, CEO, OK Labs. "In 2010 alone, we released the OK Labs Mass-Market Smartphone Solution, the Nirvana Phone concept (together with Citrix) and, most recently, OK Labs SecureIT Mobile, a solution for secure and certified mobile devices."

Virtualisation is used in mobile devices to isolate and protect real-time aspects of the system, and to encapsulate GPL open source components so that proprietary code need not be disclosed.

The announcement of the one billion device milestone was welcomed by Federal and NSW politicians.

Kim Carr, Federal Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, described OK Labs as "an internationally successful company producing cutting-edge products based on Australian research and innovation,", while his colleague, Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy, said "This is a shining example of the way publicly-funded research can ultimately produce impressive commercial outcomes."

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Eric Roozendaal, NSW Treasurer and Minister of State and Regional Development, said "I am pleased to see the potential of the NSW ICT research community has been realised in this impressive achievement by OK Labs."

OK Labs software is used by manufacturers including HTC, Motorola, Palm, and Toshiba in their Android, Linux and Symbian devices.