Boosting Business Innovation Program
The Boosting Business Innovation Program (including the TechVouchers Scheme) builds partnerships between publicly funded research organisations and SMEs. It helps transform research into business outcomes.
About the program
The Boosting Business Innovation Program helps turn world-class research into real-world business results by creating innovation partnerships between NSW small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and selected publicly funded research organisations (PFROs).
The NSW Government has committed $11 million over 4 years. Each partner has a dedicated allocation for the TechVouchers Scheme, which provides matched funding to help SMEs access research expertise and facilities.
SMEs can contact one of the participating organisations below to explore collaboration opportunities.
Participating research organisations
Email: carola@ansto.gov.au
Website: ANSTO
Website: ACU Co-Lab – Business incubator
Email Katie Green: katie.green@csiro.au
Email Leah Lucas: leah.lucas@csiro.au
Website: Lindfield Collaboration Hub
Email Melissa Ryan, Director Incubation and Entrepreneurship: melissa.ryan@mq.edu.au
Team email: incubator@mq.edu.au
Website: Macquarie University Incubator
Email: Director-SRI@une.edu.au
Email Tony Singh: tony.singh@unsw.edu.au
Email Wicky West: wicky.west@sydney.edu.au
Email: iaccelerate@uow.edu.au
Website: iAccelerate
Email D Wright: d.wright@westernsydney.edu.au
Program objective
The program supports productivity improvement and business growth by translating research knowledge and inventions into new products, services, and processes.
The program focuses on three main outcomes:
- more collaboration between researchers and SMEs through funding activities that build connections.
- skills development in innovation and entrepreneurship for business owners, SME employees, researchers, and university staff and students.
- commercialisation support for university research and innovative SMEs.
Boosting Business Innovation Program information is also available on the NSW Grants and Funding webpage.
TechVoucher Scheme
Total available funding: $3.58 million for collaborative research projects between SMEs and participating PFROs.
Approved projects receive up to 50% of eligible project costs in matched funding, capped at $50,000 (excluding GST). Funding is provided on completion of the project and approval of final reporting.
How the TechVouchers Scheme works
Eligible businesses must be:
- have an ABN registered in NSW and be based in NSW
- employ fewer than 200 employees at the time of application (as defined by the ABS)
- have an annual turnover under $10 million
- not be a subsidiary of a revenue-generating business in Australia or overseas
- have no ownership or financial ties with proposed researchers for the project
- hold the rights to commercialise their products or services
- provide matched cash funding (no in-kind)
- not be receiving, and have not received, any other grant or subsidy for substantially the same project from a state government or Commonwealth agency or department
- work in industry sectors or technologies identified in the NSW Industry Development Framework.
Projects must:
- start on the date the TechVoucher Schedule is executed
- be completed within 12 months of the execution date
- involve active collaboration between an eligible business and a participating PFRO
- have a clear and measurable commercialisation outcome, such as a new product, process, prototype, or improved technology.
Projects are not eligible if they:
- have already commenced before the execution of the TechVoucher Schedule
- are considered routine business-as-usual activities
- only deliver reports, advice, or research findings without a clear pathway to commercialisation.
- Investment NSW checks the business and project eligibility
- a panel of experts reviews your application against program criteria
- the project is either approved or declined based on the assessment.
- The SME and research partner deliver the project together
- significant changes or delays require approved from Investment NSW
- if the project does not finish, costs may not be covered.
At project completion, you must provide:
- a summary of the project and its benefits to your business
- a description of collaboration with the research partner
- evidence of expenditure and outcomes achieved.
- the research partner invoices the SME minus the TechVoucher value
- the SME pays their portion
- Investment NSW pays the remaining amount directly to the research partner once acquittal is complete.
- projects may be showcased at annual events or in Investment NSW publications
- success stories may be featured online or in marketing material
- tailored advice to help businesses access Australian and global markets.
Resources
- Boosting Business Innovation Program Guidelines
- More funding opportunities – visit the NSW Grants and Funding webpage.
Support and contact
Contact your chosen participating research organisation to:
- learn more about their activities
- find the most relevant partner for your needs
- check whether your project idea is suitable for the program.