Australia’s national science agency CSIRO has opened applications for its free eight-week online program, Innovate to Grow: Critical Minerals, aimed at supporting small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with research and development opportunities in the growing sector.
The program is designed to help SMEs with innovative ideas explore research collaborations, refine concepts, and strengthen their potential to scale within the critical minerals supply chain.
CSIRO said the initiative forms part of its broader effort to link Australian businesses with the expertise needed to accelerate innovation and commercial outcomes.
Dr Chris Vernon, CSIRO’s critical minerals lead and Chair of the Australian Critical Minerals R&D Hub Operations Group, said the program is launching at a pivotal time.
“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.
He added that Australia’s strengths give the country a chance to become more competitive. “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.”
According to Dr Vernon, Innovate to Grow gives businesses the tools and networks needed to move closer to commercial readiness.
“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 launch, more than 700 SMEs across Australia have taken part in Innovate to Grow. One of the participants, Dr Ebbe Dommisse from Iondrive, joined the program in 2024 when it 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,” Dr Dommisse said.
The program is open to SMEs working on or supplying solutions in areas including discovery, hard rock mining, processing, sensing and sorting, characterisation, sustainable mining technologies, and battery technology.
Applications close on 21 September 2025.
