Advancing food sustainability through regional research and industry partnerships
The Innovation in Food for Sustainability (IF4S) Partnership Program connects Australia’s innovation ecosystems with regional partners across Southeast Asia.
Through IF4S, we’re ensuring that Australian research and innovation are effectively plugged into new and emerging industries in our region seeking to advance sustainable agrifood systems for food security. The IF4S partnership model recognises that Australian researchers can achieve greater impact by collaborating with regional research and industry partners.
By fostering cross-border collaboration through IF4S, we help connect Australian research, science and technology with regional partners bringing complementary capabilities, including Singapore’s Agency for Research, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA).
About the IF4S Program
Across partnerships with Thailand and Singapore, IF4S supports:
- strategic dialogue bringing together government, research and industry leaders to identify shared priority innovation challenges
- research grants supporting bilateral research and industry teams to tackle shared priority challenges, working collaboratively and leveraging complementary capabilities to create more impact
- a venture exchange program helping researchers and entrepreneurs to partner across borders to support the scale-up of solutions.
The IF4S Program funds projects that build scientific capability for both countries to address major challenges for our:
- economy: food security and industry development
- environment: sustainability of food systems
- society: reducing impact of chronic diseases and ageing
- food safety: providing tools and data for policy makers and regulators to make informed decisions.
Thailand-Australia Innovation in Food for Sustainability Program
Australia and Thailand are partnering to accelerate innovation in sustainable agrifood systems development through the Thailand-Australia IF4S Program.
Launched in 2025, this initiative - led by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO and Thailand’s Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC) - lays the foundations for a long-term collaboration aimed at driving science and technology-driven innovation that delivers positive outcomes for health, sustainability and agrifood food system resilience. The Australian Government’s Southeast Asia-Australia Government to Government (SEAG2G) Program supports the program.
Explore the Thailand-Australia IF4S Program:
- agrifood innovation dialogues: connecting government, research and industry leaders through a series of three dialogues
- bilateral research grants: supporting three Australian and Thai product research and development teams
- venture exchange program: helping researchers and entrepreneurs develop their agrifood solutions across three program rounds over 2026-27.
Applications for the Thailand-Australia Venture Exchange Program are OPEN
Interested organisations are invited to apply for Round 2 or Round 3, to be delivered in 2027.
CSIRO-A*STAR Innovation in Food for Sustainability Program
The CSIRO-A*STAR IF4S Program aims to redefine the future of sustenance, focusing on innovations that cater to the escalating demand for sustainable food options, in both Australia and Singapore.
Throughout the program, 4 innovative research collaboration projects have been funded, and 16 startups and SMEs participated in 2 cohorts of the Singapore-Australia Venture Exchange Program.
Explore the Singapore-Australia IF4S Program:
- bilateral research grants: supporting four Australian and Singaporean research teams
- venture exchange program: cross-border opportunities to develop new food, solutions and ingredients, delivered in 2024-25.
Contact
If you would like to know more about the IF4S Program contact IF4S@csiro.au
Advancing food sustainability through regional research and industry partnerships
The Innovation in Food for Sustainability (IF4S) Partnership Program connects Australia’s innovation ecosystems with regional partners across Southeast Asia.
Through IF4S, we’re ensuring that Australian research and innovation are effectively plugged into new and emerging industries in our region seeking to advance sustainable agrifood systems for food security. The IF4S partnership model recognises that Australian researchers can achieve greater impact by collaborating with regional research and industry partners.
By fostering cross-border collaboration through IF4S, we help connect Australian research, science and technology with regional partners bringing complementary capabilities, including Singapore’s Agency for Research, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA).
About the IF4S Program
Across partnerships with Thailand and Singapore, IF4S supports:
- strategic dialogue bringing together government, research and industry leaders to identify shared priority innovation challenges
- research grants supporting bilateral research and industry teams to tackle shared priority challenges, working collaboratively and leveraging complementary capabilities to create more impact
- a venture exchange program helping researchers and entrepreneurs to partner across borders to support the scale-up of solutions.
The IF4S Program funds projects that build scientific capability for both countries to address major challenges for our:
- economy: food security and industry development
- environment: sustainability of food systems
- society: reducing impact of chronic diseases and ageing
- food safety: providing tools and data for policy makers and regulators to make informed decisions.
Thailand-Australia Innovation in Food for Sustainability Program
Australia and Thailand are partnering to accelerate innovation in sustainable agrifood systems development through the Thailand-Australia IF4S Program.
Launched in 2025, this initiative - led by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO and Thailand’s Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC) - lays the foundations for a long-term collaboration aimed at driving science and technology-driven innovation that delivers positive outcomes for health, sustainability and agrifood food system resilience. The Australian Government’s Southeast Asia-Australia Government to Government (SEAG2G) Program supports the program.
Explore the Thailand-Australia IF4S Program:
- agrifood innovation dialogues: connecting government, research and industry leaders through a series of three dialogues
- bilateral research grants: supporting three Australian and Thai product research and development teams
- venture exchange program: helping researchers and entrepreneurs develop their agrifood solutions across three program rounds over 2026-27.
Applications for the Thailand-Australia Venture Exchange Program are OPEN
Interested organisations are invited to apply for Round 2 or Round 3, to be delivered in 2027.
On the left, Prime Minister of Thailand, His Excellency Anutin Charnvirakul (centre) oversaw the CSIRO-NSTDA Letter of Intent Signing Ceremony, August 2026. The Letter of Intent was signed by Professor Dr Sukit Limpijumnong (right), President of NSTDA and Dr Doug Hilton (left), CEO of CSIRO. On the right, the Thailand-Australia Venture Exchange Program Round 1 Cohort gathered at the Food Innovation Precinct Western Australia in Perth.
CSIRO-A*STAR Innovation in Food for Sustainability Program
The CSIRO-A*STAR IF4S Program aims to redefine the future of sustenance, focusing on innovations that cater to the escalating demand for sustainable food options, in both Australia and Singapore.
Throughout the program, 4 innovative research collaboration projects have been funded, and 16 startups and SMEs participated in 2 cohorts of the Singapore-Australia Venture Exchange Program.
Explore the Singapore-Australia IF4S Program:
- bilateral research grants: supporting four Australian and Singaporean research teams
- venture exchange program: cross-border opportunities to develop new food, solutions and ingredients, delivered in 2024-25.
Contact
If you would like to know more about the IF4S Program contact IF4S@csiro.au