- Home
- Industry
- Critical industry support
- Biomedical
- Industry support and attraction incentives
Industry support and attraction incentives
Discover how the Queensland Government and Australian Government support biomedical businesses through grants, incentives, and introductions to independent mentors and scientific partners.
| Program | About the program | Type | Business stage | Level of government |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Translation and Commercialisation Skills Gap (TACSG) program | The TACSG program has been developed to accelerate the commercialisation of new medical breakthroughs and technologies being developed in Queensland. Workshops and seminars will be delivered under the program to provide a skills and capability uplift for Queensland biomedical businesses. The program will be delivered by Brandon BioCatalyst. | Services | Commercialise | Queensland Government |
| Therapeutic Innovation Australia – Pipeline Accelerator | TIA has developed a Pipeline Accelerator voucher scheme to facilitate and encourage access to one or more TIA facilities. This scheme is intended to further reduce the cost of access to a specific capability for therapeutic development projects, by providing up to $50,000 with at least 50% matching funding (co-investment) by applicants. | Funding | Develop | Australian Government |
| Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) | Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) is designed to shift the dial on Australian research by supporting the translation and commercialisation of our world-leading research in the university sector. The AEA will operate as a priority-driven grant program to support projects aligned with national research priorities with high commercial opportunity. Funding will be available to universities, and applicants will partner with industry. Grants will be offered on a rolling basis. The AEA is a fast-fail model designed to attract projects at a proof of concept or proof of scale level of commercial readiness that have high commercialisation potential. | Funding | Commercialise | Australian Government |
| Industry Growth Program | The Australian Government’s new $392.4 million Industry Growth Program will provide advice and matched grant funding for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and startups to commercialise their ideas and grow their businesses. Projects in medical science will be eligible for the Industry Growth Program. | Funding | Commercialise | Australian Government |
| National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) | The National Reconstruction Fund (NRF) will provide finance for projects that diversify and transform Australia’s industry and economy. The NRF will provide finance to projects in priority areas, including medical science, to leverage Australia’s natural and competitive strengths. The NRF will provide a range of finance options including loans, equity investment and guarantees. | Funding | All | Australian Government |
| Queensland Biomedical Business Attraction Program | This program is a key initiative of the Queensland Biomedical 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan. It's designed to attract interstate and international biomedical industry to access Queensland’s biomedical capabilities. | Funding | All | Queensland Government |
| National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) | One researcher has the potential to improve millions of lives. NHMRC provide funding for research through grant systems with a transparent peer-review process to determine how funding is allocated. | Funding | Develop | Australian Government |
| Department of Industry, Science and Resources: Business innovation grants and initiatives | Boosting innovation in Australian businesses and building competitive industries through supporting research, entrepreneurship and commercialisation. | Funding | All | Australian Government |
| CSIRO Innovate to Grow: Health and Medical Technology | Innovate to Grow is a free 10-week virtual, self-paced learning program for Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to investigate new R&D opportunities related to the Health and Medical Technology (medtech) sectors. | Services | Develop | Australian Government |
| Investment Support Scheme | The Investment Support Scheme is a rebate program for payroll tax and other state-managed taxes, designed to incentivise international and interstate businesses, with proven capability, to invest in Queensland through a transfer or expansion of operations. It is also open to Queensland-based companies considering reinvestment with a contestable investment decision. | Funding | Launch | Queensland Government |
| Strategic Investment Scheme | The Strategic Investment Scheme is designed to provide tailored assistance packages to Queensland based, interstate and internationally based business to support large-scale projects that result in significant economic benefits in terms of new jobs and wider supply chain and industry benefits. | Funding | Launch | Queensland Government |
| Industry Partnership Program | The Industry Partnership Program is a $350 million transformational industry development program that provides tailored assistance packages to develop projects that will strengthen local supply chains and grow the footprint of Queensland’s industries, while creating jobs. | Funding | Launch | Queensland Government |
| Made in Queensland | The Made in Queensland program under the Queensland Government’s Advanced Manufacturing 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan supports Queensland’s SMEs in the traditional manufacturing sector to become more internationally competitive and adopt innovative processes and technologies. | Funding | Launch | Queensland Government |
| Backing Queensland Business Investment Fund | The Backing Queensland Business Investment Fund (BQBIF) supports established small and medium businesses to innovate, realise their potential, and promote job creation in Queensland. BQBIF is partnering with growing Queensland companies to take the next big step in their business, create strong investment returns, and support the future of the Queensland economy. | Funding | Launch | Queensland Government |
| Enterprise Acceleration Fund | The Queensland Government will make $24 million in seed funding available to start-ups operating in the sunshine state through a newly created Enterprise Acceleration Fund. The $24 million fund will invest between $500,000 and $2.5 million in “innovative, early-stage” companies with the majority of their employees based in Queensland. | Funding | Develop | Queensland Government |
| Advance Queensland – Industry Research Fellowships | The Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowships program supports researchers partnering with industry to complete original research that will have a positive impact on Queensland. The program is focused on establishing and/or maintaining meaningful collaboration between researchers and industry. | Funding | Develop | Queensland Government |
| Export Market Development Grant (EMDG) | The EMDG scheme is a key Australian Government financial assistance program for aspiring and current exporters. Administered by Austrade, the scheme supports a wide range of industries to grow their exports in international markets. | Funding | Launch | Australian Government |
| Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) | The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) is an ongoing research fund set up by the Australian Government in 2015. Every year, the Government uses some of the net interest from this investment to pay for medical research initiatives. In July 2020, the fund grew to $20 billion. | Funding | Develop/ Launch/ Commercialise | Australian Government |
| Brandon BioCatalyst | Brandon BioCatalyst (formerly the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund, MRCF) is an innovative investment collaboration that invests in early-stage development and commercialisation opportunities from Australian member medical research institutes and allied research hospitals. | Funding | Commercialise | Australian Government |
| Biomedical Translation Fund | The Biomedical Translation Fund provides companies with venture capital through licensed private sector fund managers. This helps develop biomedical discoveries into tangible products, services and outcomes. | Funding | Commercialise | Australian Government |
| Ignite Ideas Fund | The Ignite Ideas Fund supports Queensland based small to medium businesses that have high-growth potential to undertake commercialisation projects that will: strengthen key industries in Queensland: diversify the Queensland economy: compete in domestic and global markets; engage and/or benefit regional Queensland: create new jobs, now and into the future. | Funding | Commercialise | Queensland Government |
| MTPConnect – BioMedTech Horizons Program (BMTH) | The BMTH program is a Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) initiative intended to address gaps in early biomedical and medical technology product development and increase the number of viable, new health technologies reaching proof-of-concept stages or beyond and that become attractive for private capital investment and commercialisation. | Funding | Develop | Australian Government |
| CSIRO Innovation Fund | CSIRO delivers programs and funding for start-ups, SMEs and researchers designed to remove common roadblocks to innovation. | Funding | Develop | Australian Government |
| MTPConnect’s Clinical Translation and Commercialisation – Medtech (CTCM) program | Australian SMEs developing clinical stage medical devices requiring support for activities, such as product development and testing, clinical trial activity as well as regulatory support can apply for funding of between $250,000 and $1.5 million per project across two funding rounds (FY2022 and FY2023). This program has an emphasis on collaboration, partnering and consultation to nurture the next generation of health and medical research innovators and provide ongoing SME education. By supporting the development of innovative medical devices, the CTCM program aims to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians, while also helping projects to generate commercial returns and create high-paying jobs in the medical products sector. | Funding | Develop | Australian Government |
| Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Grants | ARC Linkage Projects support collaborative R&D projects with higher education researchers and other parts of the national innovation system. | Funding | Develop | Australian Government |
| R&D Tax Incentive | Biomedical businesses may be eligible for the R&D Tax Incentive which provides a tax offset for some of the costs of eligible R&D activities. | Funding | Develop | Australian Government |
| Biomedical Translation Bridge Program – MTPConnect | The Biomedical Translation Bridge program, delivered by MTPConnect is a Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) initiative, that provides up to $1 million in matched funding to nurture the translation of new therapies, technologies and medical devices through to the proof-of-concept stage. | Funding | Develop | Australian Government |
| National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation | The National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation (NFMRI) partners with biomedical researchers and donors to identify, evaluate and support innovative and high-quality research projects with identified impact objectives. | Funding | Develop | Australian Government |
| CUREator | Aimed at supporting the development of Australian biomedical innovations, CUREator is a nationwide program offering grant funding for a select number of preclinical medical research and medical innovation projects, and clinical stage novel therapeutics. | Funding | Develop | Australian Government |
| Female Founders Co-Investment Fund | The Female Founders Co-Investment Fund is a pilot program which aims to support eligible businesses to leverage funding and secure new investment to build business capacity, and will: support Queensland female founders to grow their innovative businesses across a wide range of industries; increase the number of female founders participating in the Queensland innovation ecosystem. | Funding | Develop | Queensland Government |
| Trade & Investment Queensland (TIQ) | TIQ can assist biomedical businesses harness investment opportunities, buy Queensland goods and services, and take advantage of export opportunities in markets around the world. Online resources and a network of trade advisers are available to support Queensland businesses to launch into the market. | Services | Launch | Queensland Government |
| Workplace Health and Safety Queensland – Small Business Program | Workplace Health and Safety Queensland provides resources and services to help small businesses stay safe, healthy and productive. | Services | Launch | Queensland Government |
| Regional Services Network | Biomedical businesses looking for investment support or looking to grow a business can obtain assistance through the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning regional offices. | Services | Launch | Queensland Government |
| Project Facilitation | Officers can assist in providing a coordinated approach across all levels of government to do with project facilitation and investment facilitation. | Services | Launch | Queensland Government |
| Small Business Solutions | To assist in building your biomedical business, TAFE Queensland has a Small Business Solutions team dedicated to helping businesses design and implement the big ideas you have for your business through a series of workshops and one-on-one mentoring. | Services | Launch | Queensland Government |
| Business Queensland | Business Queensland provides information and support services to help Queensland businesses start, grow and employ. Events and workshops are regularly held throughout the state to help biomedical businesses boost their business by learning the skills required for business growth and preparing for market and investment. | Services | Commercialise | Queensland Government |
| Mentoring for Growth program | You can access volunteer business experts who provide insights and suggestions relating to challenges and opportunities in your business through the Mentoring for Growth program. | Services | Commercialise | Queensland Government |
| Clinical Trials Portal | If you are considering conducting pre-clinical and clinical trials, Queensland’s expertise and strength in this area can help accelerate the delivery of your product for testing. Experienced Queensland service providers can conduct your clinical trials to produce significant business value on costs and time, generating data that is acceptable in North America, Europe and Asia. | Services | Develop | Queensland Government |
| Intellectual Property Info Kit | To help protect your biomedical innovation, the Queensland Government’s Intellectual Property Info Kit and online tools will help you understand Australia’s intellectual property system and how to identify, protect and commercialise intellectual property. IP Australia’s online services portal will help you apply, register, renew and pay for intellectual property rights for biomedical patents, trademarks and designs. | Services | Develop | Queensland Government |
| Export Finance Australia | Export Finance Australia provides finance expertise and solutions to small-to-medium businesses, corporates and governments to take on export-related opportunities. | Services | Launch | Australian Government |
| Australian Small Business Advisory Services | Australian Small Business Advisory Services – Digital Solutions provides low-cost digital advisory services for small businesses to increase capability in selling online, social media and digital marketing, using small business software and online security and data privacy. | Services | Launch | Australian Government |
| Australian Landing Pads | Australian Landing Pads program provides market-ready start-ups and scale-ups the opportunity to land and expand in global innovation hubs. | Services | Launch | Australian Government |
| TradeStart | The TradeStart network assists small and medium sized exporters to achieve long term success in international markets. It offers exporters the combined resources of Austrade and partner organisations from export markets, providing local assistance and a direct link to Austrade’s services and overseas network. | Services | Launch | Australian Government |
| Export Council of Australia (ECA) | ECA’s ‘Introduction to Growing a Global Business’ course explores the international business plan in depth, with support from industry experts. | Services | Launch | Australian Government |
| Australian Trusted Trader | ATT provides Australian businesses involved in importing and exporting with an accreditation which enables them to streamline and simplify customs processes. | Services | Launch | Australian Government |
| Researcher Exchange and Development within Industry (REDI) | The REDI initiative will build the MTP workforce, address skills gaps and enhance the entrepreneurial ecosystem to:
| Services | Launch | Australian Government |
| Australian Business and Licence Information Service (ABLIS) | ABLIS is the Australian Government’s online search tool and will provide information about licences, registrations and permits you need to run your business. | Services | Commercialise | Australian Government |
| Industry Capability Network (ICN) | ICN is a business network that helps Australian and New Zealand companies grow through an online database and a network of regional consultants with access to large and small projects, partnership opportunities and supply chain development and channels to promote company capabilities to the business network. Contact ICN Queensland (QLD) at info@icnqld.org.au for information on Queensland products and services. | Services | Commercialise | Australian Government |
| The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and SME Assist Program | The biomedical industry within Australia is underpinned by a high-quality and robust regulatory system and standards for the development of therapeutic and medical devices. The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulates and monitors therapeutic goods to ensure the commercial supply of products and services meet the highest international standards. The SME Assist hub is designed to help companies and R&D groups developing new medicines and medical devices (including apps) understand their obligations. | Services | Develop | Australian Government |
| Office of Drug Control | Office of Drug Control regulates and provides advice on the import, export and manufacture of controlled drugs to support Australia’s obligations under international drug conventions. | Services | Develop | Australian Government |
| Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP) | The Medical Device Partnering Program supports the development of new, high-tech medical devices through facilitating collaboration between researchers, industry, end-users and government, and undertaking rapid research projects that demonstrate proof of concept and de-risk ideas. | Services | Develop | Australian Government |
The Office of the Gene Technology Regulator identifies risks posed by or as a result of gene technology and manages those risks by regulating certain dealings with genetically modified organisms. | Services | Develop | Australian Government | |
| DMTC Ltd – Medical Countermeasures Program | The DMTC Ltd Medical Countermeasures Program is supported by CSIRO and the Department of Defence to advance the Australian development of technologies and products that will protect military and civilian personnel against a range of threats, emerging infectious diseases and pandemics. | Services | Develop | Australian Government |
Disclaimer
Information is correct as of July 2023. Some programs may not currently be open for applications. This is not an exhaustive list, and applicants are encouraged to refer to administering organisations and funding bodies for further information.
Last updated: 01 Nov 2023