The iLAuNCH Trailblazer program has thrown another $1 million into the kitty to fund the commercialisation of university research for the space industry.
The federal government-backed program will see the iLAuNCH Accelerator offer seed funding grants worth between $10,000 and $100,000 for proof-of-concept demonstrator technologies with commercial potential.
Applications are now open for the fund, called Fast Track, in a collaboration with the University of Southern Queensland, Australian National University and University of South Australia.
The grant recipients will also be enrolled in the iLAuNCH ON Prime program, run twice yearly by CSIRO, and have access to mentoring by space industry experts.
iLAuNCH Executive Director Darin Lovett said Fast Track is designed to bridge the funding gap for effective translation and commercialisation of intellectual property.
“We have a mandate under Trailblazer to commercialise Australian R&D and promote industry collaboration,” he said.
“Together with our three universities, we will showcase world-class Australian research and capacity adding to the over $100 million already committed in projects over the last year.”
But if you’re hoping to become a billionaire academic off the back of your efforts, then you’re out of luck. The T&Cs for the program demand that the university involved must have the right to commercialise the Intellectual Property (IP) and the IP ownership will remain with the university.
Lovett said iLAuNCH welcomes novel and creative proposals for Fast Track including testing new ideas, techniques, and tools, with the expectation that the outcomes may form the basis of future flagship Trailblazer programs.
The proposals must demonstrate a clear roadmap for growing space research capabilities, aligning with national and international priorities, and meeting the space industry’s future needs.
The first round of Fast Track applications are open until November 30. Further rounds will be open throughout 2025 and 2026.
Details on how to apply can be found at ilaunch.space
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