Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, is inviting small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to apply for its free eight-week online program, Innovate to Grow: Critical Minerals.
The program helps SMEs with innovative ideas investigate new research and development (R&D) opportunities, refine their concepts and better position themselves for growth in Australia's critical minerals sector.
Dr Chris Vernon, CSIRO critical minerals lead and Chair of the Australian Critical Minerals R&D Hub Operations Group, said the program helps connect businesses with research expertise and industry knowledge.
"We're at a unique moment where global supply chains are being rewritten and Australia is well placed to capitalise on this opportunity," Dr Vernon said.
"The country has both the resource endowment and research capability to be a major player in downstream processing, but businesses need the right R&D partnerships to compete effectively.
"Innovate to Grow helps SMEs advance their critical mineral innovations toward investment-ready propositions by giving them the tools and connections to learn how to scale their solutions and capture real market value," he said.
Since its inception the program has helped more than 700 SMEs nationwide.
Ebbe Dommisse from Iondrive participated in Innovate to Grow in 2024 which was sponsored by the Australian Critical Minerals R&D Hub.
"CSIRO was outstanding in understanding the research field and requirements for development and commercialisation activities and immediately made connections within CSIRO and other participants to assist with progressing the technology. The specialist advice from topic experts was fantastic!" said Dr Dommisse.
CSIRO's Innovate to Grow: Critical Minerals is open to SMEs developing or supplying solutions in the following sub-sectors:
- Discovery
- Hard rock mining
- Processing
- Sensing and sorting
- Characterisation
- Sustainable mining technologies
- Battery technology
- Other
Applications close on 21 September 2025.
