A $1.6 billion program aimed to support Australian researchers at universities working on ideas that could shape the nation and transform lives for the better.
Current status of program
CLOSED
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What is the Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA)?
Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) is a landmark $1.6 billion program designed to fast-track the commercialisation of academic research. It supports Australian universities in converting cutting-edge ideas into market-ready innovations, ultimately boosting the nation’s economic and innovation capacity.
The program is structured around the Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) model, and provides targeted support through two competitive grant streams:
- AEA Ignite – For proof-of-concept
- AEA Innovate – For proof-of-scale
The AEA program supports projects from TRL 3 to TRL 7, depending on the stage. Here’s how TRLs are categorised:
Basic Research
- TRL 1: Basic principles observed
- TRL 2: Technology concept formulated
- TRL 3: Experimental proof of concept
Translation Research
- TRL 4: Technology validated in lab
- TRL 5: Technology validated in relevant environment
- TRL 6: Technology demonstrated in relevant environment
Commercialisation
- TRL 7: System prototype demonstrated in operational environment
- TRL 8–9: Final product validation (outside AEA scope)
Stages of Australia’s Economic Accelerator level of support
Stage 1 – AEA Ignite
- Grants up to $500k for up to 12 months
- Covers TRL 3-5
- Focuses on proof of concept
- Must demonstrate a level of industry engagement. This may include funding or in-kind support. Projects with commercial investment partners will have priority.
- Must have a minimum contribution of 10% of the total budget in cash and/or in-kind support from the combined participating organisations.
Stage 2 – AEA Innovate
- Grants up to $5M for up to 24 months
- Covers TRL 5-7
- Focuses on proof of scale
- Requires universities to collaborate with industry partner organisations. Partners don’t need to commit to the full duration of the grant – they can limit their role to a shorter period related to a milestone.
- The grant will cover 50% of eligible costs listed in the application.
- The lead organisation (university) and partner organisation must match the grant funding to cover all other eligible costs. They can do this in cash contributions, in‑kind contributions, or both. This also applies to the collaborating organisation (if any).
Australia’s Economic Accelerator important dates
- This program is currently closed
- Register your interest with GrantHelper
Australia’s Economic Accelerator goals and focus areas
The program has the following goals:
- Encourage Risk-Taking: Support researchers in taking risks and exploring new ideas.
- Pathways to Commercialisation: Provide clear pathways from research to commercialisation.
- Industry-Research Links: Build strong connections between industry and research sectors.
- Inspire Innovation: Foster Australian innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Economic Growth: Contribute to the growth and diversification of Australia’s economy.
- Shape the Future: Play a role in shaping Australia’s future through innovative research and development.
For Round 2, the AEA focus areas are:
- Critical and strategic minerals processing
- Sustainable fuels
- Agriculture and Food Technology
- Space
- Renewable energy
- Quantum
- Artificial intelligence
- Advanced manufacturing
Projects eligible for Australia’s Economic Accelerator support
AEA Ignite
- For proof-of-concept projects in national priority areas.
- Your application must be at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3, 4 or 5.
- Proving proof-of-concept happens after completion of basic research and testing. It’s where you put it to the test in an environment that closely resembles the conditions you’ll encounter with industry. It allows you to validate your ideas and ensure that they are viable and practical. It’s about demonstrating that what you’ve developed during the research phase can be implemented successfully in a real-world scenario.
AEA Innovate
- For proof-of-scale projects in national priority areas.
- Your application should be at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5, 6 or 7.
- AEA Innovate grants are for university research teams to collaborate with industry to advance projects that already have laboratory proof-of-concept. Grant recipients will be able to increase the technology and commercial readiness of their innovation to reach proof-of-scale. This includes developing and testing prototypes or pilots for new products, processes or software.
See the guidelines for full details of projects eligible for AEA support.
Other Australia’s Economic Accelerator important details that you will need to know
Organisations eligible for Australia’s Economic Accelerator support
To be eligible for an AEA grant, you must:
Have a research position with:
- an Australian public (‘Table A’) university, or
- an Australian private (‘Table B’) university, or
- an Australian organisation in the ‘University College’ category.
Note: This is your ‘lead organisation’. You can only have one.
Partner organisations must:
- Be Australian entities
- Have clearly defined roles in delivery and commercialisation
Show how your project fits into one of the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation priority areas.
Show that you’ve dealt with all actual or perceived conflicts of interest. This means:
- you have disclosed all actual or perceived conflicts to the department,
- your lead organisation has done everything the department says it must do to resolve or address the conflict.
See the guidelines for full details of organisations eligible for AEA support.
Australia’s Economic Accelerator assessment criteria
AEA Ignite – Assessment Criteria
1. Impact of AEA grant and project outcomes – 30%
Applicants must demonstrate:
- Alignment with at least one government priority and one of the 8 AEA focus areas
- Contribution to other Whole-of-Government initiatives (if applicable)
- Likely impact of the AEA funding on the project’s scale and timing
- Targeted project outcomes and next steps post-completion (including TRL advancement)
2. Capacity, capability, and resources to deliver – 20%
Assessment considers:
- Realistic delivery plan and risk management
- Time commitments of team members
- Team composition, including both research and commercial skill sets
- Soundness of the budget and resource commitments
3. Commercial potential and market opportunity – 25%
Includes:
- Target markets or public good value and their size
- Competitive advantage or unique value proposition
- TRL substantiation and development momentum
- Probability of successful outcomes and market readiness
4. Commercialisation pathway and industry engagement – 25%
Must outline:
- Strong commercial partner engagement or clear commercialisation pathway
- Partner contributions (cash, in-kind, other resources)
- IP strategy and rights management
- Team’s prior experience with commercialisation accelerators or hands-on commercialisation
AEA Innovate – Assessment Criteria
Applications will be assessed against the following five criteria:
1. Innovation and technology readiness
Applicants must demonstrate:
- Alignment with AEA Innovate priority areas
- Novelty or breakthrough nature of the innovation
- Scientific and technical justification for progressing through TRLs
- Defined validation process and industry-recognised success metrics
- Governance and risk assurance for technical readiness
2. Engagement with industry and commercial partners
Applicants must detail:
- Industry partner feedback and involvement
- Roles, contributions, and IP/commercialisation arrangements
- Type of partner (established, start-up, etc.)
- Evidence of financial and resource contributions
- Partner track record and expertise
3. Commercial potential and market opportunity
Applicants should outline:
- Commercialisation strategy and IP protection
- Market validation and size of the addressable opportunity
- Applicability to existing or emerging markets
- Commercial or societal need and likely impact
4. Capacity, capability and resources to deliver the project
Applicants must provide:
- Team qualifications, time commitment, and governance
- Access to infrastructure, equipment, and capital
- A full Project Management Plan, including:
-
- Project scope, milestones, and TRL start/end points
- Detailed budget and co-investment
- Risk management framework
- Roles and contributions of all key personnel
5. Project impact
Applicants should demonstrate:
- The catalytic role of AEA funding (impact on scale/timing)
- Expected short-, medium-, and long-term benefits to Australia
- Retention of benefits in Australia
- Potential for leveraged future investment and international engagement
How do I get the Australia’s Economic Accelerator?
Applicants must:
- Read and understand the guidelines.
- Ensure eligibility for the funding. Applicants that do not meet all the eligibility criteria will not be considered.
- Deliver the project as outlined in the application.
- Provide complete information requirements.
Information to prepare for the Australia’s Economic Accelerator application
Applicants should prepare the following information and documents before submitting their application:
For All Applicants (Ignite & Innovate):
- Clear project description, including starting and target TRLs
- Letters of support from each partner organisation
- Evidence of project momentum and previous research
- Defined commercialisation pathway and market rationale
- Budget breakdown with detailed cash and in-kind co-contributions
- Outline of Intellectual Property (IP) arrangements
- Risk management plan with identification of key risks
- Evidence of team expertise, roles, and time commitments
- Alignment with AEA priority areas and NRF goals
Additional for AEA Innovate:
A mandatory Project Management Plan, including:
- Project scope and objectives
- Phased milestones and TRL progression
- Governance and resourcing strategy
- Risk and quality assurance framework
- Roles/responsibilities of all partners and staff
- Full budget and co-investment details
- Clear TRL starting and end points
- Commercial readiness pathway
All claims should be quantified where possible, and submitted documents must respect the character and page limits outlined in the application form.
See the guidelines for full details of information requirements.
Applying for the Australia’s Economic Accelerator
All applications must be submitted through the official Australia’s Economic Accelerator online portal:
- AEA Ignite: Single-stage full application process.
- AEA Innovate: Two-stage process — Expression of Interest (EOI), followed by invitation-only full application.
Only eligible Lead Organisations may submit applications. All supporting materials must be finalised prior to submission, as incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
Register your interest with GrantHelper to explore your alignment with this grant and how we can assist you to increase your chances of success.
Australia’s Economic Accelerator resources
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