Innovate to Grow: Agriculture, Food and Technology

Program detail

This program will assist you in:

• Refining your innovation idea and learning how to transform it into an R&D opportunity.
• Accessing tools and information for a comprehensive understanding of R&D collaboration and key considerations at each step.
• Applying this knowledge to advance your technology or R&D concept.
• Gaining industry insights, hearing from experts, researchers and your R&D coach.
• Collaborating with like-minded SMEs and expanding your professional network.

Program alumni

'Innovate to Grow was a big help in guiding me to refine the problem and progress with collaboration. This is a valuable program for any small business with good ideas who want to explore R&D opportunities.'

—Lloyd Tailby, Erkmar Australia

Course outline

The program is made up of virtual webinars and online learning as follows:

Preparing for the program (one week before workshop, approximately 3-4 hours)

• Participants will be provided with an onboarding session, pre-workshop videos and reading materials to assist in preparing for the program.
• Time commitment is approximately 3 - 4 hours.

Week 1: Workshop (start date 11 September 2025, approximately 4 hours)

• The program's main compulsory component is a half-day workshop covering the program concept. Participants will hear from CSIRO industry and research experts as well as relevant industry SMEs. Key topics include trends within your industry sector, a panel discussion with collaborating SMEs, and current funding opportunities for R&D.
• Time commitment is approximately 4 hours. 

Week 2-8: Self-paced innovation program

• Participants will work through the online innovation program at their own pace, supported by an R&D coach and experienced innovation facilitators to develop and test their research ideas and business cases.
• Fortnightly webinars for participant networking and guest speakers.
• Time commitment is approximately 2-3 hours per week.

Key program benefits

• Personalised support to refine your idea: We'll step you through the process of turning your idea into a viable research project.
• Confidential feedback: All submissions through the program portal will receive prompt expert feedback.
• Coaching: You will be provided with a R&D coach paired with a researcher from CSIRO or a university to answer your questions about working on R&D projects and to help find an expert in the sector to introduce you to. 
• Build your network: You will build key contacts in your sector, including researchers and other SMEs.

Who can apply

This program is open to any SMEs based and operating in Queensland Australia who are working on innovative technologies or solutions in any of these sub-sectors:

• Agriculture technology (agritech)
• Food and beverage manufacturing
• Crop innovation
• Livestock and aquaculture
• Alternative proteins
• Packaging, handling and storage
• Transport, logistics and provenance
• Other

Selection criteria (essential)

• A business based and operating in Queensland Australia that is registered with an ABN.
• A business classified as small to medium or startup (less than 200 employees).
• A business currently, or in the early stages of, exploring R&D opportunities for their business and have an innovation idea to work on throughout the course.

Please note: Businesses need to be registered and have their primary place of business within Queensland Australia (Australian subsidiary companies of foreign entities are not eligible).

Other considerations

• A strong alignment to the program objectives.
• A clear desire to investigate doing a R&D project.

Please note

CSIRO awards places to businesses based on the strength of their application, and a clear interest and capacity to pursue research and development. For further information please visit our FAQs for SMEs.

Program flyer

• Innovate to Grow: Agriculture, Food and Technology (Queensland)
• Innovate to Grow: Agriculture, Food and Technology (Queensland) - accessible text

Contact Innovate to Grow

Contact InnovateToGrow@csiro.au for assistance and more information.

CSIRO Innovate to Grow is delivered using Practera's online ed-tech platform and facilitation services.

Program detail

This program will assist you in:

• Refining your innovation idea and learning how to transform it into an R&D opportunity.
• Accessing tools and information for a comprehensive understanding of R&D collaboration and key considerations at each step.
• Applying this knowledge to advance your technology or R&D concept.
• Gaining industry insights, hearing from experts, researchers and your R&D coach.
• Collaborating with like-minded SMEs and expanding your professional network.

Program alumni

'Innovate to Grow was a big help in guiding me to refine the problem and progress with collaboration. This is a valuable program for any small business with good ideas who want to explore R&D opportunities.'

—Lloyd Tailby, Erkmar Australia

Course outline

The program is made up of virtual webinars and online learning as follows:

Preparing for the program (one week before workshop, approximately 3-4 hours)

• Participants will be provided with an onboarding session, pre-workshop videos and reading materials to assist in preparing for the program.
• Time commitment is approximately 3 - 4 hours.

Week 1: Workshop (start date 11 September 2025, approximately 4 hours)

• The program's main compulsory component is a half-day workshop covering the program concept. Participants will hear from CSIRO industry and research experts as well as relevant industry SMEs. Key topics include trends within your industry sector, a panel discussion with collaborating SMEs, and current funding opportunities for R&D.
• Time commitment is approximately 4 hours. 

Week 2-8: Self-paced innovation program

• Participants will work through the online innovation program at their own pace, supported by an R&D coach and experienced innovation facilitators to develop and test their research ideas and business cases.
• Fortnightly webinars for participant networking and guest speakers.
• Time commitment is approximately 2-3 hours per week.

Key program benefits

• Personalised support to refine your idea: We'll step you through the process of turning your idea into a viable research project.
• Confidential feedback: All submissions through the program portal will receive prompt expert feedback.
• Coaching: You will be provided with a R&D coach paired with a researcher from CSIRO or a university to answer your questions about working on R&D projects and to help find an expert in the sector to introduce you to. 
• Build your network: You will build key contacts in your sector, including researchers and other SMEs.

Who can apply

This program is open to any SMEs based and operating in Queensland Australia who are working on innovative technologies or solutions in any of these sub-sectors:

• Agriculture technology (agritech)
• Food and beverage manufacturing
• Crop innovation
• Livestock and aquaculture
• Alternative proteins
• Packaging, handling and storage
• Transport, logistics and provenance
• Other

Selection criteria (essential)

• A business based and operating in Queensland Australia that is registered with an ABN.
• A business classified as small to medium or startup (less than 200 employees).
• A business currently, or in the early stages of, exploring R&D opportunities for their business and have an innovation idea to work on throughout the course.

Please note: Businesses need to be registered and have their primary place of business within Queensland Australia (Australian subsidiary companies of foreign entities are not eligible).

Other considerations

• A strong alignment to the program objectives.
• A clear desire to investigate doing a R&D project.

Please note

CSIRO awards places to businesses based on the strength of their application, and a clear interest and capacity to pursue research and development. For further information please visit our FAQs for SMEs.

Program flyer

• Innovate to Grow: Agriculture, Food and Technology (Queensland) PDF (824 KB)
• Innovate to Grow: Agriculture, Food and Technology (Queensland) - accessible text TXT (3 KB)

Contact Innovate to Grow

Contact InnovateToGrow@csiro.au for assistance and more information.

CSIRO Innovate to Grow is delivered using Practera's online ed-tech platform and facilitation services.