Launch your research-driven venture into market with ON Accelerate

ON Accelerate is a three-month, free commercialisation acceleration program for entrepreneurial researchers who are ready to translate their great idea into a research-driven company.

Tailored to the translation of publicly funded research, this program focuses on business models, market validation, storytelling and capital raising. This includes access to venture capital partners and networks to help secure capital for business development.

All IP remains the property of the team or their sponsoring institute. Participants are required to sign non-disclosure agreements for IP protection.

What teams will get out of ON Accelerate

Through personalised coaching and group work, ON Accelerate will:

1. Equip, empower and energise teams to tackle the research commercialisation journey.
2. Support the whole team to develop entrepreneurial skills including networking, pitching and investor engagement.
3. Assist teams with identifying their customer and the specific problem that they are solving.
4. Build and validate investment ready, innovative, sustainable and scalable business models.
5. Introduce teams to venture funding opportunities, helping them develop a network of experts, investors and supporters and preparing them to succeed.

Throughout the program, you will be connected to a network of experts and coaches who will support (and challenge) you. The domain coaches you may work with are specialists in the following areas:

• performance coaching
• IP
• finance and contract management
• investor relations
• media management
• team building.

Teams will also be able to access ongoing coaching post program for a duration of up to 6-months. Keen to know more? Discover how these 10 tips can supercharge your research team’s journey in CSIRO’s ON Accelerate program.

Watch the video below to hear directly from our alumni

Incentive funding for teams

In addition to funding the total cost of participation (valued at over $150,000*), the ON Accelerate program offers non-dilutive funding to fast-track their market traction and venture creation during and post-program.

This figure includes:

• $20,000 per team, provided to Tech Transfer Officers (TTOs) at the conclusion of Immersion
• Up to $400,000 of funding to be distributed to high-performing teams within the cohort (max. funding of $80,000 per team)
• Bespoke coaching with domain experts throughout the program, plus additional coaching post-program for teams who fully meet the participation requirements.

*Value estimated based on calculations made over the course of 2024-2025 and takes into account the projected program budget for 2025-2026.

Who can participate in ON Accelerate and time commitment required for the program

To be eligible for ON Accelerate, your team must meet all the following criteria:

• Team size: 3–6 members.

• Team diversity: Include people with varied expertise, such as:
  
  • Colleagues from your organisation
  • Researchers from other Australian universities or publicly funded research organisations (PFRO)
  • Industry partners
  • Community representatives
  • University students or staff from research services, TTOs, or communications teams.
• Location: All team members must be based in Australia for the program duration.
• Time commitment:
  • At least three core members must attend all in-person workshops and coaching sessions.
  • Your team must commit the equivalent of one full-time person (shared across the team) to work on the venture outside of sessions.
• Research involvement: Your team must include
  • A researcher at an Australian university or PFRO, OR
  • A PhD student or recent graduate (within the last 24 months) from an Australian university or PFRO.
• Startups/SMEs: Teams from Australian startups or SMEs that have licensed or acquired IP from an Australian university or PFRO are eligible - but must include a member from the originating university or PFRO.
• For venture capital readiness: Your team must be a registered company with authority to transact using the IP.

What’s a PFRO?
A Publicly Funded Research Organisation includes Australian higher education providers listed in the Higher Education Support Act 2003 and government departments or agencies that undertake publicly funded research.

How ON Accelerate is delivered

ON Accelerate provides individualised support for each team to meet you where you are and help you accelerate to market. Our end goal is that each team will leave the program with a solid business model, a well-defined path to commercialisation and a clear trajectory for success.

Bootcamp

Up to 20 teams are selected from the online application process to participate in a two-day selection bootcamp, delivered face-to-face. Bootcamp will be an opportunity for teams to demonstrate their product-market fit, customer interest and team strength.

As part of the bootcamp selection process, we'll bring together a network of investors from the Australian deep tech venture capital community.

The top teams from bootcamp will be invited to participate in a week-long immersion program.

Some quotes from past participants regarding 'The most valuable part of Bootcamp':

• "The business knowledge and the connections we have made at Bootcamp are most valuable. We have follow-up conversations lined up after this week which is very exciting."
• "Expert and investor conversations were definitely the most impactful, alongside the opportunity to experience peer-learning with other ON Accelerate Bootcamp teams."
• "We were constantly being challenged in our thinking, uncovering assumptions ... forcing us to challenge our mindsets and expand our thinking. Stress testing the business model, poking holes in our pitches and getting some brutal and invaluable feedback throughout."

Immersion 

Immersion week will support teams to increase their knowledge of the entrepreneurial journey, develop skills, progress their initiative, and network with peers, mentors and startup experts. This will be delivered as a face-to-face session.

At the end of the immersion, the top teams will be invited to participate in the full three-month program.

Some quotes from past participants regarding 'The most valuable part of Immersion':

• "CSIRO's ON Accelerate Immersion gave us a safe space to test out big ideas and get comfortable pitching to a live audience."
• "We found the three days of our ON Accelerate Immersion activities to be highly useful in unifying our team behind an align mission and better refined program success metrics!"
• "We learned heaps at ON Accelerate Immersion! So helpful for successfully spinning out our company. Extremely valuable, and would definitely recommend for others in the same position to do. Experts involved in the Program were perfect, friendly and helpful."
• "Whilst Bootcamp was a good intro into the world of tech commercialisation, Immersion encouraged/forced us to implement what we have learnt through the process so far. We have identified key gaps in the past 3-days which we will tackle to help get us to our next value proposition inflection point."

See also, highlights reel from a recent Immersion week below

Program: overall

Over three-months of the program, teams will meet regularly with facilitators and other teams in the cohort to share progress, key learnings and roadblocks, and hear from successful deep tech founders.

Teams will also have regular one-on-one sessions with domain coaches, investors, mentors and the ON Accelerate facilitators, who will both challenge your thinking and support your development. These sessions ensure the guidance and support is tailored to your team’s focus areas and challenges, to accelerate your venture faster.

We will work with teams that are accepted into the program to help identify additional capability that may be needed in your team, and work with you to bring in the additional skills needed.

The program culminates with an opportunity to showcase your team’s work to the ecosystem. 

Hear more from our Program Director and a coach/industry expert

How to apply

Applying to participate in ON Accelerate is a multi-step process:

1. Submit an online application
   Each team is required to register via the online application portal then submit an application. Please note that this is an in-depth application, so feel free to download the pdf form to help prepare for the questions (see our application guide for more detail).
2. Application review and evaluation
   At the closure of the application period, all applications will be reviewed by representatives of their lead organisation. This is to ensure that each team has engaged their sponsoring institute and has full support to participate in the program. Each application is evaluated by multiple experts from our extended network. The highest rated applications will be invited to participate in the two-day selection bootcamp.
3. Participate in selection bootcamp and immersion week
   The top teams participate in a two-day selection bootcamp, before progressing to immersion week. After immersion week, the final cohort are selected for ON Accelerate.

The clarity of your application will be assessed based on the following key points:

• the solution and value proposition for their product or service
• evidence of the problem that their solution addresses
• the identified target market and customer segments of their product or service
• strength and coverage of relevant skillsets within the team
• demonstration of commercially relevant traction or uptake of their technology
• alignment between the team goal and objectives of ON Accelerate
• evidence that a startup venture is the most appropriate pathway to impact. 

Frequently asked questions

1. How can applicants balance teaching or research commitments with the program requirements?
   Teams generally consist of 4–5 members who together can dedicate at least 1 full-time equivalent (FTE) of time to the program. We encourage having at least one team lead with commercial or project management experience. Successful teams plan ahead to manage teaching and research responsibilities during the program.
2. How have teams used program funding in the past?
   Past participants have used funding for endeavours such as: product development, delivering early-stage pilots, engaging legal or regulatory consultants, subsidising travel to engage customers or partners and implementing compliance or scientific software - to name some examples.
3. What level of development is required for the business model or go-to-market strategy in the application?
   You do not need a finalised business model or strategy at the time of application. Evaluators will look for evidence of how insights from your target market and key stakeholders have informed your current approach, rather than expecting a complete plan.
4. Which sciences or research domains are eligible for the program?
   We welcome applications from all scientific and research specialisations. ON Accelerate is domain-agnostic and open to diverse areas of science and technology.
5. Should we apply if we are unsure whether venture creation is right for our project?
   ON Accelerate is designed to support teams pursuing venture creation or spin-out pathways. If you are considering alternative commercialisation routes, we recommend you first contact your Technology Transfer Office or Commercialisation team for guidance. However, you are still welcome to apply if you are open to exploring the venture creation pathway. You may also wish to look into our ON Prime offering.

Want to know more?

Watch a recording of our ON Accelerate information session. [NB. the session took place in July 2025.]

Interested in our alumni teams?

Visit our ON Program Alumni website to find out more.

ON Accelerate is a three-month, free commercialisation acceleration program for entrepreneurial researchers who are ready to translate their great idea into a research-driven company.

Tailored to the translation of publicly funded research, this program focuses on business models, market validation, storytelling and capital raising. This includes access to venture capital partners and networks to help secure capital for business development.

All IP remains the property of the team or their sponsoring institute. Participants are required to sign non-disclosure agreements for IP protection.

What teams will get out of ON Accelerate

Through personalised coaching and group work, ON Accelerate will:

1. Equip, empower and energise teams to tackle the research commercialisation journey.
2. Support the whole team to develop entrepreneurial skills including networking, pitching and investor engagement.
3. Assist teams with identifying their customer and the specific problem that they are solving.
4. Build and validate investment ready, innovative, sustainable and scalable business models.
5. Introduce teams to venture funding opportunities, helping them develop a network of experts, investors and supporters and preparing them to succeed.

Throughout the program, you will be connected to a network of experts and coaches who will support (and challenge) you. The domain coaches you may work with are specialists in the following areas:

• performance coaching
• IP
• finance and contract management
• investor relations
• media management
• team building.

Teams will also be able to access ongoing coaching post program for a duration of up to 6-months. Keen to know more? Discover how these 10 tips can supercharge your research team’s journey in CSIRO’s ON Accelerate program.

Watch the video below to hear directly from our alumni

Incentive funding for teams

In addition to funding the total cost of participation (valued at over $150,000*), the ON Accelerate program offers non-dilutive funding to fast-track their market traction and venture creation during and post-program.

This figure includes:

• $20,000 per team, provided to Tech Transfer Officers (TTOs) at the conclusion of Immersion
• Up to $400,000 of funding to be distributed to high-performing teams within the cohort (max. funding of $80,000 per team)
• Bespoke coaching with domain experts throughout the program, plus additional coaching post-program for teams who fully meet the participation requirements.

*Value estimated based on calculations made over the course of 2024-2025 and takes into account the projected program budget for 2025-2026.

Who can participate in ON Accelerate and time commitment required for the program

To be eligible for ON Accelerate, your team must meet all the following criteria:

• Team size: 3–6 members.

• Team diversity: Include people with varied expertise, such as:
  
  • Colleagues from your organisation
  • Researchers from other Australian universities or publicly funded research organisations (PFRO)
  • Industry partners
  • Community representatives
  • University students or staff from research services, TTOs, or communications teams.
• Location: All team members must be based in Australia for the program duration.
• Time commitment:
  • At least three core members must attend all in-person workshops and coaching sessions.
  • Your team must commit the equivalent of one full-time person (shared across the team) to work on the venture outside of sessions.
• Research involvement: Your team must include
  • A researcher at an Australian university or PFRO, OR
  • A PhD student or recent graduate (within the last 24 months) from an Australian university or PFRO.
• Startups/SMEs: Teams from Australian startups or SMEs that have licensed or acquired IP from an Australian university or PFRO are eligible - but must include a member from the originating university or PFRO.
• For venture capital readiness: Your team must be a registered company with authority to transact using the IP.

What’s a PFRO?
A Publicly Funded Research Organisation includes Australian higher education providers listed in the Higher Education Support Act 2003 and government departments or agencies that undertake publicly funded research.

How ON Accelerate is delivered

ON Accelerate provides individualised support for each team to meet you where you are and help you accelerate to market. Our end goal is that each team will leave the program with a solid business model, a well-defined path to commercialisation and a clear trajectory for success.

Overview of ON Accelerate delivery:

• November 2025 - Bootcamp
• February 2026 - Immersion 
• March to June 2026 - Program delivery with a mix of face-to-face and virtual workshops (week 1 - 15) 

Show image description

Bootcamp

Up to 20 teams are selected from the online application process to participate in a two-day selection bootcamp, delivered face-to-face. Bootcamp will be an opportunity for teams to demonstrate their product-market fit, customer interest and team strength.

As part of the bootcamp selection process, we'll bring together a network of investors from the Australian deep tech venture capital community.

The top teams from bootcamp will be invited to participate in a week-long immersion program.

Some quotes from past participants regarding 'The most valuable part of Bootcamp':

• "The business knowledge and the connections we have made at Bootcamp are most valuable. We have follow-up conversations lined up after this week which is very exciting."
• "Expert and investor conversations were definitely the most impactful, alongside the opportunity to experience peer-learning with other ON Accelerate Bootcamp teams."
• "We were constantly being challenged in our thinking, uncovering assumptions ... forcing us to challenge our mindsets and expand our thinking. Stress testing the business model, poking holes in our pitches and getting some brutal and invaluable feedback throughout."

Immersion 

Immersion week will support teams to increase their knowledge of the entrepreneurial journey, develop skills, progress their initiative, and network with peers, mentors and startup experts. This will be delivered as a face-to-face session.

At the end of the immersion, the top teams will be invited to participate in the full three-month program.

Some quotes from past participants regarding 'The most valuable part of Immersion':

• "CSIRO's ON Accelerate Immersion gave us a safe space to test out big ideas and get comfortable pitching to a live audience."
• "We found the three days of our ON Accelerate Immersion activities to be highly useful in unifying our team behind an align mission and better refined program success metrics!"
• "We learned heaps at ON Accelerate Immersion! So helpful for successfully spinning out our company. Extremely valuable, and would definitely recommend for others in the same position to do. Experts involved in the Program were perfect, friendly and helpful."
• "Whilst Bootcamp was a good intro into the world of tech commercialisation, Immersion encouraged/forced us to implement what we have learnt through the process so far. We have identified key gaps in the past 3-days which we will tackle to help get us to our next value proposition inflection point."

See also, highlights reel from a recent Immersion week below

Program: overall

Over three-months of the program, teams will meet regularly with facilitators and other teams in the cohort to share progress, key learnings and roadblocks, and hear from successful deep tech founders.

Teams will also have regular one-on-one sessions with domain coaches, investors, mentors and the ON Accelerate facilitators, who will both challenge your thinking and support your development. These sessions ensure the guidance and support is tailored to your team’s focus areas and challenges, to accelerate your venture faster.

We will work with teams that are accepted into the program to help identify additional capability that may be needed in your team, and work with you to bring in the additional skills needed.

The program culminates with an opportunity to showcase your team’s work to the ecosystem. 

Hear more from our Program Director and a coach/industry expert

How to apply

Applying to participate in ON Accelerate is a multi-step process:

1. Submit an online application
   Each team is required to register via the online application portal then submit an application. Please note that this is an in-depth application, so feel free to download the pdf form to help prepare for the questions (see our application guide for more detail).
2. Application review and evaluation
   At the closure of the application period, all applications will be reviewed by representatives of their lead organisation. This is to ensure that each team has engaged their sponsoring institute and has full support to participate in the program. Each application is evaluated by multiple experts from our extended network. The highest rated applications will be invited to participate in the two-day selection bootcamp.
3. Participate in selection bootcamp and immersion week
   The top teams participate in a two-day selection bootcamp, before progressing to immersion week. After immersion week, the final cohort are selected for ON Accelerate.

The clarity of your application will be assessed based on the following key points:

• the solution and value proposition for their product or service
• evidence of the problem that their solution addresses
• the identified target market and customer segments of their product or service
• strength and coverage of relevant skillsets within the team
• demonstration of commercially relevant traction or uptake of their technology
• alignment between the team goal and objectives of ON Accelerate
• evidence that a startup venture is the most appropriate pathway to impact. 

Frequently asked questions

1. How can applicants balance teaching or research commitments with the program requirements?
   Teams generally consist of 4–5 members who together can dedicate at least 1 full-time equivalent (FTE) of time to the program. We encourage having at least one team lead with commercial or project management experience. Successful teams plan ahead to manage teaching and research responsibilities during the program.
2. How have teams used program funding in the past?
   Past participants have used funding for endeavours such as: product development, delivering early-stage pilots, engaging legal or regulatory consultants, subsidising travel to engage customers or partners and implementing compliance or scientific software - to name some examples.
3. What level of development is required for the business model or go-to-market strategy in the application?
   You do not need a finalised business model or strategy at the time of application. Evaluators will look for evidence of how insights from your target market and key stakeholders have informed your current approach, rather than expecting a complete plan.
4. Which sciences or research domains are eligible for the program?
   We welcome applications from all scientific and research specialisations. ON Accelerate is domain-agnostic and open to diverse areas of science and technology.
5. Should we apply if we are unsure whether venture creation is right for our project?
   ON Accelerate is designed to support teams pursuing venture creation or spin-out pathways. If you are considering alternative commercialisation routes, we recommend you first contact your Technology Transfer Office or Commercialisation team for guidance. However, you are still welcome to apply if you are open to exploring the venture creation pathway. You may also wish to look into our ON Prime offering.

Want to know more?

Watch a recording of our ON Accelerate information session. [NB. the session took place in July 2025.]

Interested in our alumni teams?

Visit our ON Program Alumni website to find out more.