NSW & FEDERAL GRANTS
TechVouchers
TechVouchers encourages research collaboration between NSW small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and Boosting Business Innovation Program (BBIP) delivery partners.
Through TechVouchers, SMEs can be connected with an expert in a relevant field of research and embark on an innovative joint research project. The program also enables access to high tech instruments and facilities that would otherwise be difficult to access.
R&D Tax Incentive
The R&D Tax Incentive provides a tax benefit to companies to help offset some of the cost of conducting eligible research and development activities. Tax offsets of 43.5% or 38.5% are available for costs incurred on eligible activities depending on a company’s annual aggregated turnover.
Minimum Viable Product Grant
Minimum Viable Product (MVP) grants support promising pre-revenue startup businesses across all industry sectors to progress from proof of concept to a minimum viable product stage of development.
A matched funding grant of up to 50% of approval total development costs is available to eligible NSW startups, to a maximum of $25,000.
Accelerating Commercialisation
Accelerating Commercialisation provides access to expert guidance and grants to help businesses commercialise their novel products, processes and services. Applicants must be a for-profit company registered and operating in Australia, a commercialisation office or Eligible Partner Entities or individuals, partnerships or trustees who agree to form a for-profit company.
This grant provides projects up to 50% of the expenditure to a maximum of $250,000 for commercialisation offices and eligible partner entities and $1 million for all other applicants. Accelerating Commercialisation Grant recipients will also receive Portfolio Services for the duration of the project.
Building Partnerships Grant
The Building Partnerships program provides up to 35% of project costs (to a maximum of $100,000), to consortia/partners to develop innovative, new-to-market solutions. The solution must use an enabling technology to address a compelling industry need or market gap.
The purpose of the program is to foster collaboration between industry partners toward delivering a compelling, new-to-market offering. This consortia model of Lead Company, Pilot Organisation, and Partner is specifically designed to build relationships that create a solution with a strong opportunity for commercial success.
Youth Jobs PaTH
Youth Jobs PaTH is a program designed to better prepare young people aged between 15 and 24 for work in your business. It also encourages employers to trial a young person for a job and offers financial incentives if they hire them.
Employers can trial a young person in an internship from anywhere between 4 and 12 weeks and receive $1,000 to help with the costs of hosting the internship. Employers who hire an eligible young person can receive a Youth Bonus wage subsidy incentive of up to $10,000.
NSW Small Business Grant
The Small Business Grant is designed to encourage small businesses in New South Wales that do not pay payroll tax to hire new employees and expand their business. The grant amount is $2,000 payable per full time equivalent position as at the anniversary date.
INDUSTRY SPECIFIC
CSIRO Kick-Start
CSIRO Kick-Start is a new initiative for innovative Australian start-ups and small SMEs, providing funding support and access to CSIRO’s research expertise and capabilities to help grow and develop their business.
The program offers eligible businesses access to dollar-matched funding of $10,000-$50,000 to research a new idea, develop improvements or test a product or process developed by your company.
Australia-China Science Fund and Research Fund Joint Research Centres
Provides Australian research organisations with grants of up to $1 million to participate in Joint Research Centres that link Australian and Chinese research institutions to conduct research-related activities.
The priority areas for this fund change from round to round. For late 2017, the areas were in Advanced Manufacturing, Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals and Resources and Energy.
Peacock Plan
The Peacock Plan collects a large batch of overseas high-level innovation talents and teams in Shenzhen special economic zone in order to develop the strategy target, drive the supporting industries in high-tech technology, finance, logistics and culture, and focus on the strategic new industries in new energy, internet, biology and new materials.
NSW-Israel Research & Development Technological Innovation Plan
The NSW-Israel Research and Development (R&D) and Technological Innovation Program will provide one-off matched financial grants of up to $250,000 to assist NSW entities cooperate with an Israel entity on joint research and development projects. The projects should advance market-driven, new and innovative products for the global market and have the potential to contribute to economic growth, skills development and job creation.
All industry fields are invited to apply, but NSW Department of Industry will contribute an additional 10% of total NSW R&D project costs to a maximum of $250,000 per project for projects based in regional and rural areas of NSW, businesses considered to be a startup or high growth or projects in the priority areas of cyber security, water management and agri-technology.
Australian Defence Industry Grants
The Australian Defence Industry looks for businesses and think-tanks that have the capacity to work on innovations that will improve the capabilities of the defence force. They provide seven programs as of early 2018, however for SME’s the most important is the Small Business Innovation Research for Defence (SBIRD) project.
SBIRD will support Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to work on research projects aligned with defence priorities through the Next Generation Technologies Fund (NGTF). Each project must solve a future defence problem and funds will be directed towards research and commercialisation of proof of concepts.
FOR STARTUPS & SME’S GOING ABROAD
Export Market Development Grants (EMDG)
The Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme is a key Australian Government financial assistance program for aspiring and current exporters. Administered by Austrade, the scheme supports a wide range of industries. The EMDG scheme encourages small-and medium-sized Australian businesses to develop export markets, reimburses up to 50 per cent of eligible export promotion expenses and provides up to eight grants to each eligible applicant.
Landing Pads
Landing Pads provide market-ready Australian startups and scaleups with access to some of the world’s most renowned hubs including San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Shanghai, Berlin and Singapore. You’ll have access to a 90-day residency in a co-working space, introductions to investors, mentor networks and strategic partners, access to a community that supports Australian entrepreneurs and business advice to help grow your business.
Austrade
Austrade’s network of advisers in Australia and overseas offer practical advice to exporters and education providers on how to do business in international markets. This includes briefings on what to expect in international markets, cultural tips on doing business overseas, referrals to specialist legal, tax or business advisory firms, international market entry and strategy advice and more.
MISC. RESOURCES
Business Connect Program
Business Connect is a program that provides general and specialist business advice and government information to startups and SMEs. It aims to provide services that underpin profitability, business expansion and long term business growth, enhance their survival and long term viability, and support the orderly succession of ownership of existing businesses.
You can look for an advisor through the program to help start your business or help your existing business continue to grow.
EFIC
The EFIC doesn’t deal with grants, however they are a useful resource as an SME or if you’re a company who works in emerging markets or exports. They are useful if you want to secure a loan or about to deal with an overseas export contract.
If you are looking for more information about the Grants for NSW Startups, please contact us at: services@gobiz.com.au