NSW Government Support for New Technology Commercialisation

The NSW State Government has recently opened two funding programs to help NSW-based companies commercialise new or emerging technologies and bridge the gap between R&D and market readiness.

Provided below are further details on each of these new opportunities and the key eligibility requirements.

MVP Ventures Program 2025-26 (Round 3)

The MVP Ventures Program is a popular, competitive grant program administered by the NSW Premier’s Department in conjunction with Investment NSW. The program aims to help businesses bring innovative products to market and retain commercialisation activities in NSW.

The program will distribute up to $3 million across three competitive rounds in 2025–26, split across two streams:

1. Stream 1 (General): Grants of $20,000–$50,000, requiring 50% cash co‑contribution.

2. Stream 2 (Targeted support for women‑owned, First Nations‑owned, or regionally headquartered businesses): Grants of $20,000–$75,000, requiring 25% co‑contribution.

Eligibility Checklist:

• NSW headquartered company (registered in NSW)

• ≤ 10 FTE employees at the time of application

• ≤ $400k turnover in each of the past 3 financial years (you do not need to be operating for 3 years)

• You hold the IP or rights to commercialise the technology

• Your project is at TRL 3-9 and can be completed within 12 months

• At least 80% of the project activities must occur within NSW

• Align with at least one NSW Industry Development Framework priority sector

• Can evidence ability to meet the cash co-contribution requirement.

Round 3 applications are now open and will close Sunday 5 April 2026 at 5pm

Emerging Technology Commercialisation Fund (Round 1)

The NSW Government has recently opened the first round of the Emerging Technology Commercialisation Fund (ETCF), a new funding program offering $500k - $2mill to support investment ready start-ups and scale-ups move through the ‘valley of death’ and commercialise an emerging technology.

Importantly, the program offers ‘repayable grants’ (rather than traditional non-repayable, equity-free funding) with repayments starting once the company’s total EBITDA (cumulative over all years post-grant awarding) exceeds $500,000 – essentially an interest free, risk-free, non-recourse loan. This model aligns the program more closely with investment-style support, and encourages recipients to focus on building commercially viable, scalable technologies while still reducing early-stage risk.

The program is budgeted at $20mill allocated over 3 years, with $7mill available in this initial round. As a result, interested NSW-based companies can expect multiple rounds to be offered via this program. The funding will be restricted to projects involving physical devices and products, or life science innovations, specifically:

1. Stream A – Physical Sciences: physical devices and systems

2. Stream B – Biological Sciences: biotechnology, bio-manufacturing, genetic engineering, synthetic biology.

Eligibility Checklist

• NSW-headquartered companies (with more than 65% of FTEs in NSW)

• For-profit entities, not listed in any public stock exchange

• Start-ups or SMEs, less than $2.5 mill annual revenue (excl. grant funding)

• Hold the IP or rights to commercialise the innovation (and will undertake commercialisation in NSW)

• The technology needs to be at TRL 3-7 at the time of applying. The project will progress the technology along the TRL scale and relate to (1) an existing physical prototype of a device, technology or product, or (2) a proof-of-concept of a biological or life sciences innovation.

Round 1 applications are now open and will close Wednesday 29 April 2026 at 10am

Commercialisation Funding Comparison

In addition to these NSW focused programs, the Federal Government is continuing to offer commercialisation support for innovative SMEs via its popular Industry Growth Program (IGP).

Provided below is a direct comparison of each of these three commercialisation support programs.

Program	MVP Ventures (NSW ONLY)	Emerging Technology Commercialisation Fund (NSW ONLY)	Industry Growth Program (FEDERAL)
Purpose	Support early-stage commercialisation of new technologies in NSW	Support commercialisation of emerging technologies and bridge the gap between research and market-ready products	Support SMEs to commercialise innovative products in priority National Reconstruction Fund sectors
Funding amount	$20k-$75k	$500k-$2mill	$50k-$250k (Early-Stage Commercialisation stream) $100k-$5mill (Commercialisation & Growth stream)
Funding structure	Non-repayable matched grant	Repayable grant (repayment triggered once EBITDA exceeds $500k)	Non-repayable matched grant
Funding pool	~$2mill per round	~$7mill per round	~$280mill program over several years (inclusive of recent $102mill cut)
Target company size	Early-stage NSW companies	Startups / early-stage companies with revenue < $2.5M	SMEs with commercialisation-ready innovations
Entity requirements	• Headquartered in NSW • Less than 10 FTEs • Turnover of <$400,000 (each of the last 3 FYs) • Hold IP or rights to commercialise	• For-profit entity & unlisted • Headquartered in NSW • >65% employees in NSW • Turnover of <$2.5mill (last FY) • Must own or license IP	• Company incorporated in Australia, or a co-operative of an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust • Turnover of <$20mill (each of the last 3 FYs)
Technology stage supported	TRL 3-9 (proof-of-concept through market launch)	TRL 3–7 (proof-of-concept through demonstration)	TRL 3-6 (stream 1) or TRL 4-9 (stream 2)
Technology focus	Broad technologies including software	Physical and life sciences innovations only (devices, biotech etc.)	National priority sectors (ag, resources, medical science, renewables, defence, etc.)
Eligible activities	Building MVPs, pilot testing, product validation	Prototype development, trials, regulatory approvals, manufacturing scale-up, IP protection	Commercialisation, prototyping, market readiness
Application process	Single application process	Two-stage process, including pitch video and expert panel review	Initial advisory service to be completed before proceeding to grant funding
Closing date (current round)	Sunday 5 April @ 5pm	Wednesday 29 April @ 10am	Open on an ongoing basis