TechVouchers

The NSW Government’s Boosting Business Innovation Program (including TechVouchers) builds innovation partnerships between Publicly Funded Research Organisations and SMEs, with improved access to researchers, training, and facilities.

$3.85 million in TechVoucher grant funding is available to fund collaborative research projects between SMEs and researchers, with approved projects awarded 50% of the total eligible project costs in match-funding, up to a maximum of $50,000.

  • Small and medium SMEs in NSW with fewer than 200 employees. For further information, download the guidelines.

  • The vouchers can be used to subsidise access to publicly funded research organisations including UNE; one of 11 institutions across the state approved for the program.

  • Develop innovation and entrepreneurship skills and capacity for knowledge translation for business-owners, SME employees, as well as researchers, university staff, and students.

  • Contact Dr Lou Conway, UNE SRI email

Who can apply

To be eligible, your business must:

  • have an ABN registered in NSW and be based in NSW

  • employ fewer than 200 employees, as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, at the time of application

  • not be a subsidiary of a revenue generating business locally or overseas. If part of a group, the parent company or entity must apply on behalf of the consolidated entity and meet all eligibility requirements

  • not be owned, employ, or have any financial ties of any kind with any of the proposed researchers for the project

  • have the rights to commercialise their products or services and/or do not infringe on existing protected IP

  • demonstrate adequate matched funding (no in-kind) has been secured for the project

  • not be receiving any other grant or subsidy for the same project from a State Government or Commonwealth agency or department

  • work in industry sectors or technologies identified in the NSW Industry Development Framework.

Types of projects funded

To be eligible for TechVouchers funding, projects must:

  • start within three months of submission for validation and approval to DEIT and completed within twelve months from the start

  • incur active collaboration between an eligible business and one of the PFROs delivering TechVouchers

  • have a defined commercialisation outcome.

Developing activities that enable better translation of world-class research into business performance

“During consultation on the Government’s Innovation Blueprint, I’ve heard directly from stakeholders that there are big barriers for businesses looking to commercialise their great ideas, and we want to make it easier”.

The Hon. Anoulack Chanthivong