Business

The tech sector wants the next federal government to think about how it can end Australia’s R&D ‘risk aversion’

- April 11, 2025 3 MIN READ

Australia needs to reduce its “risk aversion” in order to improve its lagging research and development (R&D) sector and fragmented innovation ecosystem, according to industry experts. The nation has struggled to capitalise on innovations developed by universities and startups, and has seen their intellectual property taken overseas in search of greater funding, a panel of… Read more »

Business

Quarry mentality: Robyn Denholm’s R&D review releases discussion paper as minister Ed Husic claims Australia is shipping its innovation ideas overseas ‘for free’

- February 13, 2025 3 MIN READ

Australia is “virtually giving [its] world-class science away for free” according to the nation’s industry and science minister, as a panel of experts reviews the country’s struggling Research and Development (R&D) system. The independent review by four industry experts, announced in December and led by Australian-born Tesla chair Robyn Denholm, released a discussion paper on Wednesday as… Read more »

Business

Tesla boss Robyn Denholm and LaunchVic’s Kate Cornick will review Australia’s R&D

- December 2, 2024 3 MIN READ

The federal government has launched a review into Australia’s research and development performance but may not live to see the result. The year-long review strategic review will be led by Robyn Denholm, chair of Telsa and the Tech Council of Australia, founder of Wollemi Capital, and operating partner at VC fund Blackbird. The review was announced… Read more »

Patrick Nappa and Alex Simmons
Funding

Startup lender Kashcade banks $1 million raise ahead of rolling out R&D tax incentive loans

- May 1, 2024 < 1 MIN READ

Fintech Kashcade has raised an additional $1 million from existing investor Prandium Capital and several high net worths, alongside a $22 million warehouse facility funded by asset-backed lending specialist Rixon Capital. The digital lender offers startup founders non-dilutive capital and will use the debt warehouse to expand into the R&D lending space, so companies can… Read more »

Uniseed CEO Peter Devine and University of Newcastle's Warwick Dawson
Venture Capital

Pioneering VC fund Uniseed doubles its backers as five universities, including Monash, UTS and Macquarie, chip in

- November 15, 2023 2 MIN READ

Australia’s oldest venture fund, university-backed Uniseed, has doubled its research partners from five to 10 as it looks to back more startups focused on research commercialisation. Joining its founding ‘sandstone’ uni group – Queensland, NSW, Melbourne, and Sydney, plus science agency CSIRO, are Monash as a full partner, alongside a collaboration partnership of four NSW universities… Read more »

Drone, farm, agriculture, agtech
Events

CSIRO has launched a free online innovation program for agrifood startups

- September 19, 2023 2 MIN READ

Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, is offering a new online learning program for free for startups focused on innovation in agrifood. The ‘Innovate to Grow: Agrifood’ program runs for 10 weeks from November and is designed to help early-stage companies assess how they can advance their technologies, solutions and ideas through research and development (R&D).… Read more »

Startup Daily TV

Startup Daily TV: NSW tech, innovation & science minister Alister Henskens on the state’s $800 million plan for startups

- June 29, 2022 2 MIN READ

The NSW budget, announced last week, delivered the single-largest investment in scientific research, innovation and technological development in the state’s history – $832.7 million boost over four years.  Total investment topped $1.1 billion with $270 million also announced to boost to biomedical research, on top of $119.1 million over 10 years for RNA research and… Read more »

electric vehicle
Funding

NSW is offering $95 million to support clean tech startups and research

- March 28, 2022 2 MIN READ

The NSW government has opened applications for three new grant initiatives offering up to $95 million research, development and commercialisation of clean technologies. NSW treasurer and energy minister Matt Kean said the grants will help drive innovations developed by scientists and startups as part of the push towards net zero by 2050. “Boosting emerging innovations… Read more »

Advice

New CSIRO research finds that every $1 spent on R&D in Australia delivers $3.50 in benefits

- November 23, 2021 3 MIN READ

Each dollar invested in research and development (R&D) would earn an average of A$3.50 in economy-wide benefits for Australia, according to evidence compiled in a new report from CSIRO. Many Australians know research and development drives economic growth and improves our well-being and prosperity. However, few could describe the size of the relationship between Australia’s… Read more »

R&D, science, man looking in microscope
Funding

The NSW government is offering tech “vouchers” worth up to $50,000 for research to tackle Covid-19 impacts

- August 5, 2021 2 MIN READ

The NSW government is offering to new funding schemes to help startups commercialise ideas to address impacts of Covid-19. The new $6 million R&D Fund targets innovative products developed by NSW businesses. Proposals to scale R&D products will be assessed by a panel of judges with expertise in commercialisation, venture capital, academia, government and industry.… Read more »

R&D, science, man looking in microscope
Future of work

Dumb luck has hidden Australia’s poor R&D investment record and it’s time to fix that

- July 22, 2021 3 MIN READ

Australia’s long run of economic growth from the early 1990s to early 2020 inspired much boasting by incumbent politicians. But behind the hubris and headlines lies a less flattering story — about Australia riding a wave of dumb luck, with exports to China and relatively high levels of immigration masking mundane economic performance. The most… Read more »

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