CSIRO Program Aims To Kick Start R&D Projects

Start-ups and small businesses are eligible for matching funding of up to $50,000 – plus access to research expertise and capabilities – to help develop their business under CSIRO’s Kick-Start program.

Qualifying businesses can access up to two vouchers worth $10,000-50,000 for eligible R&D activities that include: research into a new idea with commercial potential; development of a novel or improved product or process; and testing of a novel product, developed by the company, to inform R&D activities.

To be eligible businesses must have annual turnover or operating expenditure of less than $10 million – or having traded for under three years; have an ACN/ICN and be registered for GST; and be able to provide matched funding.

Funding is not provided directly to a business; it is applied as a voucher to defray the costs associated with accessing CSIRO research and capability.

Applicants must first submit an expression of interest document to determine whether they are eligible for the program.

If eligible, CSIRO’s experienced Kick-Start facilitators will then try and match the business with relevant CSIRO expertise for the project, typically within two to six weeks.

Finally, once a match has been found, businesses will be invited to submit a full application process to get the project under way.

While the Kick-Start team will do its best to find a match, it may not always be possible to find suitable research expertise and or the capability to match the requirement of a R&D project. Where this is the case, it will try its best to support the business by helping identify suitable alternatives.

For more information and to submit an EOI, contact Kick-Start Program Manager Dr Megan Sebben on 03 9545 8543 or visit here.