The following links are to innovation resources including information on funding, export, business growth and collaboration opportunities. Or, links to databases that link to this kind of information. We hope you find it helpful.

Grants

The climate in Australia is particularly encouraging of industry-university collaboration, as reflected in some new grant funding arrangements.

Grant databases include:

  • Business.gov.au/grants-and-programs: information on grants, assistance & other support, including a searchable grants database. It covers national and state-based programs.
  • www.grantguru.com: a searchable, comprehensive online database of national and state-based grants available in Australia.

Key national programs include:

  • The Commercialisation Fund – providing $100K-$1M matched grants for collaborative industry-university projects in the six National Manufacturing Priority areas: Medical Products, Food and Beverage, Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Processing, Recycling and Clean Energy, Defence, and Space.
  • The Entrepreneur’s program – providing advice, research connections and financial support to improve SME innovation, competitiveness and productivity via Accelerating Commercialisation (helps with commercialisation of novel products, services and processes), Business Management (helps with strategies for business improvement and their implementation) and Innovation Connections (helps identify knowledge gaps that are preventing business growth).
  • Global Connections Fund – a new project of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) and is supported by the Australian Government. The program consists of two forms of funding grants to facilitate SME collaboration with overseas researchers.
  • R&D Tax Incentive – a refundable tax offset for some company costs of doing eligible research and development (R&D) activities.

Key state-based* funding programs include:

  • NSW: TechVouchers – encouraging research collaboration between NSW SMEs and delivery partners (all NSW universities and CSIRO) by connecting businesses with an expert in a relevant field of research to undertake an innovative joint research project, as well as providing access to high tech instruments and facilities. Search for more NSW support
  • QLD: Business Development Fund – providing Qld businesses with investment funding  to research or commercialise an innovative product or service. Search for more Qld support
  • SA: Innovation Voucher Program – providing SA manufacturers with financial assistance to develop a new manufacturing product or process in partnership with a research service provider; and South Australian Early Commercialisation Fund – providing funding to commercialise novel products and services. Search for more SA support
  • VIC: Future Industries Manufacturing Program – offering funding to companies to implement new manufacturing technologies and processes. Boost Your Business vouchers – funding support for improving capability, products, business models and processes, entering into new export markets or securing global supply chain opportunities.  Search for more VIC support

Collaboration and Expertise

  • SMEConnect – assisting SMEs understand their business needs, identify research opportunities, facilitate connections into the research sector and help manage the partnership. The program also links into available grant funding. It is run through CSIRO.
  • Chemicals & Plastics Manufacturing Innovation Network and Training Program. Accord is a supporter of this program in which PhD researchers undertake industry-led projects, businesses gain access to high-level research skills, whilst students gain practical and business skills as part of their research degree.
  • Australian Postgraduate Research (APR) Intern – a 3-5 month PhD internship program in industry, enabling application of research skills in an industry context on a tightly-focused research project.
  • Food Innovation Centre (not just for food!) – providing products and packaging creation services through DESIGN.lab, ‘retail virtual reality’ and eye tracking, and capacity-building in best practice innovation through workshops, networking and training. It is located in Green Chemical Futures at Monash University.
  • Research Engagement for Australia: Measuring research engagement between universities and end users – a report by the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE).

Export

  • International Readiness Indicator – an online tool designed to help new exporters determine whether their business is ready for exporting.
  • Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme – a financial assistance program for aspiring and current exporters, administered by Austrade. It encourages Australian SMEs to develop export markets and provides financial assistance with some export-related expenses.

States may have their own programs, the above state-based ‘Search for…’ links (searching ‘export’) will provide more information.

*Please note, state-based programs have been identified for those states from which Accord members companies primarily operate.