Fostering Innovation Sponsorship Program
Support innovation in NSW through sponsorship funding for events and activities that connect startups, investors and industry.
About the program
The Fostering Innovation Sponsorship Program supports events and activities that grow NSW’s innovation ecosystem. These include initiatives that help startups connect with investors, boost local participation in innovation, drive equitable participation in the innovation sector and support founders to grow and scale their businesses.
The program aims to:
- increase access to innovation for people and businesses across NSW
- support startups in regional NSW and Western Sydney
- connect NSW startups with investors and venture capitalists
- help founders commercialise and scale their ideas
- ensure sponsorships deliver value for public funds.
Key dates
Round 3 has closed.
- Applications opened: 14 April 2025
- Applications closed: 5 May 2025 at 5pm
- Results notified: July 2025
- Delivery period: 1 August 2025 – 31 May 2026.
Future rounds of this program will be announced in due course. Please sign up to the Innovation NSW newsletter for updates.
Who can apply
To be eligible, your organisation must:
- be a legal entity
- have an Australian Business Number (ABN), or be a registered not-for-profit
- hold public liability insurance of at least $10 million
- be registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST)
- have a business account with an Australian bank
Who can’t apply
You can’t apply if you are:
- an individual, trust, partnership or unincorporated association
- a government agency (unless a Government Corporate Entity)
- currently receiving program funding for the same activity
- not listed as eligible in the program guidelines.
What we fund
To be eligible, your activity must:
- take place in NSW
- support innovative businesses that rely on innovation
- align with NSW Government goals such as clean energy, housing, or advanced manufacturing
- show value for money and use resources effectively.
For more information on NSW Government priorities, view the NSW Industry Policy, NSW Innovation Blueprint and NSW Trade and Investment Strategy.
Examples of eligible activities
Conferences or summits
- Networking events
- Award nights or pitch events
- Research projects or reports
- Panel discussions or talks
What we don’t fund
- Prize money or grants
- Insurance or business overheads like rent
- Activities outside the funding period
- Staff wages (except for fixed-term project staff)
- Accelerator programs
- Costs already incurred before applying
How to apply
Applications have now closed.
To apply, you needed to:
- read the program guidelines PDF and sample sponsorship agreement
- complete the full application form
- show how you meet the eligibility and assessment criteria
- submit a draft budget and note any confidential information
- apply before the published deadline.
Note: All eligible applications are reviewed on merit. The Department may choose not to award funding.
How we assess applications
We assess applications in three stages:
Eligibility check
We check that your application meets the eligibility requirements. We may ask for more information. If you don’t meet the criteria, your application won’t proceed.
Expert panel review
A panel from Investment NSW reviews eligible applications. Alongside the published criteria, the panel may consider:
- potential conflicts of interest
- whether applicants are suitable and reputable
- possible risks to public funding.
Ministerial decision
Shortlisted applications go to the Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology for final approval.
If you are successful
Notification
You’ll be advised of your outcome by July 2025. If you’re unsuccessful, you can request feedback. If successful, we’ll send you a sponsorship agreement with any conditions.
Sponsorship agreement
If your application is successful, you must sign a sponsorship agreement within 10 business days. This agreement outlines:
- activity goals and funding conditions
- sponsor benefits and branding use
- data and reporting requirements.
Download the sponsorship agreement template
You must seek approval from Investment NSW for any changes to your activities or budget. Unapproved changes may not be reimbursed.
Reporting
After your activity ends, you’ll need to submit a final report that includes:
- a summary of what was delivered and achieved
- a breakdown of how the funds were spent
- any media, social media or newsletters used to promote the activity.
Current round recipients
The following recipients were successful in round 3 of the Fostering Innovation Sponsorship Program to support activities that enable the innovation ecosystem to connect, learn and develop:
| Organisation | Activity |
|---|---|
| Australian Fashion Council Ltd | AFC Fashioning the Future: Manufacturing Innovation Program |
| Greenhouse as part of Innovillage Pty Ltd | Climate Innovation and Investment Summit |
| Hunter IF PTY LTD | Hunter Innovation Festival: What If... We Power the Future Through Clean Energy, Smart Manufacturing, Skilled People & Bold Ideas? |
| InnovationAus.com Pty Ltd | InnovationAus Awards for Excellence 2025 |
| Invest Rural (trading as Go Remote) | Invest Rural |
| Remarkable (Cerebral Palsy Alliance) | Remarkable Disability Tech Summit 2025 |
| Salus VC Pty Ltd | Deep Tech Sovereignty Summit: Building Our Industrial Future |
| Scale Investors Pty Ltd | Equity Clear - Show Us the Data |
| Shoshanna Group T/A Entrepreneurial Small Business Women Australia | Western Sydney Innovation Connect: Women Founders x Industry |
| Tech Ready Women | FoundHER Summit: Innovation x Investment |
| University of Technology Sydney | UTS Scaling Up Summit 2026 |
| UNSW Founders | Pitch Night Southwest and MedTech & Health Innovation Workshop Wagga Wagga |
| Western Sydney Tech Innovators Inc | Western Sydney AI Innovation Summit & Hackathon |
Past sponsorships
Here are some examples of activities we have funded.
Startup festivals
- Spark Festival (including regional events)
- Plus Eight: Investing in Innovation
- Hunter Innovation Festival
- Australian Climate Tech Festival
Conferences and events
- Quantum Australia
- Startmate Demo Day
- Catalyst West
- Tech23 by Cicada Innovations
- Innovate Western Sydney
- Climate Salad Conference
Award ceremonies
- InnovationAus Awards for Excellence
- Startup Daily Awards
- Western Sydney Diversity in Entrepreneurship Awards