About the program
For many start-ups and SMEs, progressing an R&D idea can be challenging without the right support.
CSIRO Kick-Start offers a practical solution by pairing businesses with CSIRO experts and providing dollar-matched funding of $10,000 to $50,000 to help investigate challenges, refine concepts and move ideas closer to market.
Benefits of joining the program:
- Access world-class CSIRO research expertise
- Share project costs through matched funding
- Advance prototypes, feasibility studies or product development
[Image appears of text “CSIRO” in the foreground, and Dr Megan Sebben going downstairs can be seen in the background, and text appears: Kick-Start]
Dr Megan Sebben: My name is Megan and I’m the Programme Manager of CSIRO’s Kick-Start programme.
[Images move through to show a close view, and then medium Megan talking to the camera, and then Megan talking with a client and looking at a whiteboard together, and text appears: Dr Megan Sebben, Program Manager – Kick-Start, CSIRO]
The programme exists to help Australian companies that have a scientific or technical challenge that they need some help with and we can provide them dollar match funding that’s going to help them advance their business.
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So far we’ve worked with more than 190 companies across 210 projects.
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We’ve helped them develop their products and ultimately get those products out onto the shelf.
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The benefits the companies get is they get to build a relationship with that research team.
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They can undertake the piece of work often more quickly, or more cheaply than if they needed to raise all the capital themselves.
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And they’re working with an organisation of experts and bringing that expertise into their business early on.
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So, a problem that a start-up might come to us with is that they require a specific capability that they don’t have in house. So, that’s where the Kick-Start team comes in.
[Images move through of a close view of a laptop, and then a male on a computer screen talking to two people seated at a table]
We fully facilitate the programme. So, you just reach out to us.
[Images move through of a male and female in conversation, Megan talking to the camera, a male looking at an insect picture in a large book, and the male and female’s faces]
Then we will have a chat with you to understand your requirements and where we might be able to assist you. From there we will go through the organisation and find who would be the best research partner and connect you with them directly.
[Images move through to show a male and female looking at a Smartphone screen, a view of a Banded Huntsman on the Smartphone screen, and Megan talking to the camera]
So, if you are an Australian business, you can reach out to us at any time to have that conversation, and you never know where it’s going to take you.
[Image changes to show the CSIRO logo on a white screen, and text appears: CSIRO, Australia’s National Science Agency]
Important statistics
$10,000 - $50,000
Matched funding to undertake R&D activities with CSIRO researchers
12 months
Maximum length of project
Year-round
Apply anytime
180 Australian businesses
Number of businesses we've supported
How it works
Simple steps to start your R&D journey
Kick-Start is designed to make it easy for innovative businesses to begin working with CSIRO researchers. Once we've assessed your eligibility, we'll guide you through the process of defining a project and collaborating with the right research team.
Check your eligibility
Review the funding support available and confirm your business meets the criteria.
Submit an expression of interest (EOI)
Tell us about your R&D challenge or idea. The team will assess your EOI and help shape a suitable project.
Collaborate with CSIRO researchers
Work directly with a research team to scope, deliver and evaluate your project, with matched funding supporting the work.
Who it's for
Support for early-stage, high potential Australian businesses
Kick-Start is open to Australian start-ups and SMEs that are ready to explore, validate or accelerate an R&D idea with expert help.
To be eligible, businesses must:
- Have an annual turnover and operating expenditure of less than $10 million, or have been trading for less than three years
- Hold an ACN or ICN
- Be registered for GST
- Be able to provide matched funding for the project.
Kick-Start is designed for businesses looking to solve a technical challenge, test an idea, or build new R&D capability with CSIRO.
Kick-Start case studies
Examples of projects supported through our program
Explore stories from a wide range of SMEs who have taken part in the Kick-Start program, including businesses in manufacturing, agrifood and emerging technology sectors. These stories highlight the diversity of projects supported through the program and offer a snapshot of how different companies collaborate with CSIRO researchers.
Together, they provide a practical look at the types of early-stage R&D activities being undertaken across Australia's SME landscape.
