CSIRO’s Innovate to Grow program expands for advanced manufacturing SMEs

Australia’s national science agency CSIRO is currently extending an invitation to small to medium enterprises engaged in advanced manufacturing solutions to participate in a self-paced, 10-week, online program aimed at transforming ideas into research and development opportunities.

Known as ‘Innovate to Grow,’ the program was inaugurated in 2020 and has since empowered over 500 SMEs with the requisite knowledge and tools necessary for advancing their research initiatives.

In a recent announcement, CSIRO disclosed a $20 million investment earmarked to broaden SMEs’ access to critical R&D opportunities.

This funding injection will facilitate an additional 600 SMEs through the Innovate to Grow program, with the initial focus set on its Advanced Manufacturing cohort.

Marcus Zipper, who serves as CSIRO’s director of manufacturing, described how CSIRO’s unique place in the research community helps push forward innovation to improve Australian manufacturing.

“It’s an exciting area of research and development for CSIRO, and we work collaboratively to connect SMEs with new technologies to improve efficiency, productivity, health, safety and environmental outcomes, while driving prosperity across the manufacturing sector,” he noted.

Zipper continued, “We translate research into products and processes that businesses want to adopt because what we’ve created is economically viable, more efficient and effective, and sustainable.”

The ‘Innovate to Grow’ program caters to companies embarking on early-stage R&D ventures or those delving into novel solutions within the advanced manufacturing domain.

Successful program participants stand to benefit from access to expert facilitators and seasoned researchers, who will guide them through the process of formulating research inquiries, assessing their impact, and forging strategic partnerships.

Additionally, participants will acquire expertise in crafting compelling R&D business cases and funding proposals. Murray Connop, founder of Connop Metal and a participant in the 2022 Innovate to Grow: Advanced Manufacturing program garnered attention for developing a pioneering method for analysing the chemical compositions of PVC to render it recyclable – a breakthrough achieved right here in Australia.

Reflecting on his experience with CSIRO’s program, Connop extolled its role in fostering invaluable connections to industry experts, which proved instrumental in evaluating the feasibility of his project.

“Thanks to the Innovate to Grow program, I gained the vital contacts and support needed to determine the feasibility of my project,” Connop stated, advocating for fellow startups and small businesses in the advanced manufacturing sector to leverage the program’s resources.

The ‘Innovate to Grow: Advanced Manufacturing’ initiative welcomes SMEs operating in various sub-sectors, including robotics, additive manufacturing, advanced materials and processes, mechatronics design and engineering, energy storage and battery technology, sensing and detecting technologies, natural products manufacturing, and biomedical manufacturing.

Interested parties can obtain further information and submit their applications for the Innovate to Grow: Advanced Manufacturing program or explore additional programs tailored for SMEs.