CSIRO Kick-Start
Funding support and access to CSIROs research expertise to grow and develop your business
CSIRO Kick-Start: matched funding of $20,000 to $60,000 to work with CSIRO researchers.
Who can apply
Australian startups and small to medium businesses that want CSIRO's help researching, prototyping or testing a new product or process.
- Program
- CSIRO Kick-Start
- Provider
- Australian Government
- Level
- Australian Government
- Type
- Grant or funding
- Amount
- Matched funding between $20,000 and $60,000.
- Closing date
- Closing date not stated
- Region
- Australia-wide
- Industries
- Technology & innovation, Manufacturing
- Last checked
- 22 Oct 2026
Read the official page Apply (official portal)
We can apply for this for you
Tell us about your business and we'll check it against every criterion for CSIRO Kick-Start. If it's a fit, we write the application, build the budget, prepare the attachments and lodge it with your written authority where the funder allows. You approve it and sign the declarations. Nothing to pay unless you win.
Eligibility quick-check
- Business structure: a company (Pty Ltd, with an ACN) or other incorporated entity. Sole traders and most partnerships can't apply.
- Turnover: < $10m (or < 3 yrs)
- Co-contribution: you put in your own cash too (often $1 for every $1, or half the project cost). Check you can fund it before you apply.
- Location: open Australia-wide, including Victoria.
A quick guide from our reading of the official criteria, not a decision. The funder's guidelines are what count.
Check if I qualifyHow to apply for CSIRO Kick-Start
- Check every eligibility criterion in the official guidelines, not just the summary. One missed criterion usually means rejection.
- Confirm your ABN details (legal name, entity type, GST status) match the ABN Register exactly. Mismatches are a common reason applications fail.
- Gather evidence: quotes for the project, recent financials, and proof of any co-contribution or lease, depending on what the guidelines ask for.
- Write the answers to each assessment criterion with specific numbers (costs, jobs, sales, timelines), and build the budget in the funder's format.
- Lodge it through the official portal while the round is open. Keep a copy of the submitted application and the receipt.
- If you're successful, read the funding agreement before signing, keep every receipt, and diarise the report and acquittal dates.
CSIRO Kick-Start: common questions
Who can apply for CSIRO Kick-Start?
Australian startups and small to medium businesses that want CSIRO's help researching, prototyping or testing a new product or process.
How much is CSIRO Kick-Start worth?
Matched funding between $20,000 and $60,000.
When does CSIRO Kick-Start close?
Closing date not stated. Check the official page for the current round.
Can sole traders apply for CSIRO Kick-Start?
No. CSIRO Kick-Start needs a company or other incorporated entity, so sole traders can't apply as they are. Incorporating changes your tax and legal position, so talk to your accountant first.
Do I need to put in my own money?
Yes. This program needs a co-contribution from your business, so you'll need cash available for your share of the project, and often to pay costs before you claim.
Can someone apply for CSIRO Kick-Start on my behalf?
Often, yes. Many funders let an authorised contact or adviser prepare and lodge an application for a business, but the business is the applicant and must sign the declarations. We prepare the whole application and lodge it with your written authority where the funder allows. Where it doesn't, you submit the finished application yourself.
How much does it cost to get help applying?
Freelance grant writers in Australia typically charge by the hour or a fixed fee per application, whether you win or not. With Vic Grants Weekly, there's nothing to pay unless you win: a success fee as a percentage of the grant, or a flat win-only fee (founding price from A$99) where the grant's rules don't allow percentage fees.
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