Access grants of up to $250K with Collaborate Plus

ACU Collaborate Plus have recently launched the Innovation Districts COVID-19 R&D Challenges in partnership with NSW Government. We are seeking to identify businesses that intend to accelerate the commercialisation of research products and services that address the many disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

ACU is one of 12 partnering institutions in NSW tasked to deliver three rounds of challenges with grants of up to $250,000 available in each round. ACU researchers are called to work with Collaborate Plus to identify any known or possible partners to respond to these challenges.

Challenge Two is now open

The theme for Innovation Districts Challenge Two is solutions that build economic resilience for NSW business to recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

Projects might address problem areas including:

• business sectors most impacted by COVID-19, such as tourism, international education, Indigenous companies, retail and hospitality
• ongoing supply chain weaknesses and sovereign supply chain capacity
• strengthening local communities in the management of and recovery from outbreaks.

Expressions of interest close 9 March 2021. The challenge is open to any NSW-based businesses that have a relationship with ACU or are located in the areas in which ACU has a campus and that meet the eligibility criteria below.

To be eligible, businesses must have:

• an ABN registered in NSW and is based in NSW
• fewer than 200 employees
• been trading for at least 12 months
• at least $75,000 in sales revenue within the past 12 months or previous financial year
• a product or service (which may still be in development) that it intends to market within 12 months that directly addresses the theme for Innovation Districts Challenge Two (economic resilience)
• ownership that is at least 75 per cent Australian and is not more than 50 per cent owned by another business.

Eligible businesses must also provide:

• an operating profit and loss statement for the last 12 months or previous financial year
• brief profiles of key personnel such as CV or LinkedIn accounts
• nomination of their primary innovation district partner.

The following will not be considered eligible for funding:

• solutions that do not directly respond to the challenge statement for economic resilience solutions that address the impact of COVID-19
• solutions designed to improve internal business processes
• a Commonwealth, state or local government agency or body including government business enterprises.