CSIRO Kick-Start
Funds Australian small businesses and researchers to run fast innovation pilots with CSIRO.
CSIRO Kick-Start is open year-round on a rolling EOI basis. Eligible SMEs can access up to two vouchers, each between $10,000 and $50,000, dollar-matched cash by the business. Projects must run for 2–12 months and have a minimum combined value of $20,000. A second voucher is only available once the first project is complete and all reporting obligations have been met, and it must address a new technical challenge — second vouchers cannot repeat the same scope.
Eligibility is binary: an Australian business with an ACN or ICN, registered for GST, and either trading for less than three years OR with annual turnover and operating expenditure under $10 million. International companies and Australian subsidiaries of international companies are excluded. Cash contribution is mandatory; in-kind contributions cannot be matched. The voucher pays salary and on-costs, travel and accommodation, operating costs, and limited consumables and external services (combined cap 20% of project budget) at CSIRO. Approved applicants must sign a binding research agreement within 60 days of funding approval.
Early-stage R&D activities supporting commercialisation, technical refinement or new product development, including feasibility or scoping studies, prototype development, proof-of-concept validation, and laboratory testing or data analysis. Delivered by CSIRO business units in Agriculture and Food, Data61, Science Connect, Energy, Astronomy and Space Science, Environment, ACDP, Manufacturing, and National Facilities and Collections.
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