Sustainability Victoria has announced the launch of its Market Accelerator grants program, a new initiative designed to support local innovation and accelerate the state’s transition to a circular economy.
The agency said the program will provide grants of between $15,000 and $50,000 to eligible businesses, social enterprises, charities, and non-profits working to bring recycled material innovations to market.
The funding aims to help organisations enhance their business capabilities, access new markets, and increase both the value and demand for recycled materials in Victoria.
According to Sustainability Victoria, the program will focus on validating and commercialising products and processes that use priority recycled materials such as organics, plastics, paper, cardboard, tyres, glass, textiles, e-waste, and batteries. The initiative also aims to strengthen markets for recycled materials and improve confidence in circular products.
Sustainability Victoria Chief Executive Officer Matt Genever said the Market Accelerator would help bridge the gap between innovation and commercialisation. “This initiative will help bridge the critical gap between innovation and market adoption, increasing confidence in and demand for circular solutions across Victoria,” Genever said.
“Creating more efficient products with less waste and lower energy consumption will not only contribute to reducing Victoria’s carbon emissions but will be a catalyst for the state’s future economic growth,” he added.
Sustainability Victoria stated that advisory services funded under the program will include business planning, marketing strategy development, product assessments, and certification to help organisations fast-track circular solutions across the state.
The $750,000 Market Accelerator is funded through the Victorian Government’s circular economy policy, Recycling Victoria: A New Economy, and forms part of a broader $25.8 million investment aimed at boosting demand for recycled materials and accelerating Victoria’s shift toward a sustainable circular economy.
Sustainability Victoria also highlighted findings from CSIRO’s National Circular Economy Roadmap, noting that the recycling sector generates 9.2 jobs per 10,000 tonnes of waste, compared to 2.8 jobs per 10,000 tonnes sent to landfill—showing that recycling creates more than three times as many jobs per unit of waste.
Further information about the Market Accelerator program is available on Sustainability Victoria’s website.
