Deadline: 28-Feb-23
The NSW Government is inviting applications for the Small Business Innovation & Research (SBIR) program.
The NSW Small Business Innovation & Research (SBIR) program is a competitive research and development (R&D) challenge program funded by the NSW Government, administered by the Office of NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer (OCSE).
Purposes and Objectives
- The primary objective of the SBIR program is to leverage the capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) NSW-based R&D to address the needs of the NSW Government with the aim to procure these solutions.
- Secondary objectives:
- Increase the commercialisation of NSW Governmentfunded R&D, selling to NSW Government and potentially other end-users
- Support the technology and innovation sector in NSW, with the NSW Government being a proactive customer for innovation
- Grow the number of innovative products, services and jobs in NSW.
- Through the SBIR program, the NSW Government will seek solutions developed by NSW SMEs for defined NSW Government challenges.
- Proposed solutions must be innovative technologies or services that require development and commercialisation, not existing solutions that are already commercially available in Australia or elsewhere.
- Participants in the SBIR program will retain intellectual property rights and the right to sell their solution in domestic and global markets.
Phases
The SBIR program has three phases:
- Phase 1 – Feasibility study: SMEs submit proposals to solve one of the SBIR program challenges. Applications are assessed and successful applicants will each receive funding to conduct a feasibility study.
- Phase 2 – Proof of concept: Successful feasibility study grantees are invited to apply for the proof-of-concept phase. Applications are assessed and successful applicants will receive funding to develop a proof of concept.
- Phase 3 – Procurement: NSW Government agencies will consider the procurement of successful solutions.
Challenges
The 2022 SBIR program has seven challenges:
- Waste Recovery and Management
- Biosecurity Surveillance
- Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Services
- Recycled Content Verification
- School Zones Alerting System
- Urban Heat Island
- Vital Sign Monitoring
Funding Information
- Funding for Phase 1: Feasibility study funding will be up to $100,000 per study for a project of up to three months. A total of up to $1,600,000 in grants will be allocated for Phase 1.
- Funding for Phase 2: Proof of concept funding will be up to $1,000,000 per study for a project of up to 15 months. A total of up to $10,000,000 in grants will be allocated for Phase 2.
- Funding for Phase 3: Procurement will be at the discretion of NSW Government challenge agencies.
- The SBIR program only provides grants for Phases 1 and 2.
Eligibility Criteria
- To be eligible for the SBIR program an applicant must:
- Have an Australian Business Number (ABN);
- Be one of the following entities:
- A small or medium-sized enterprise with under 200 full-time equivalent employees, or
- An individual or partnership, provided you agree to form a company incorporated in Australia to enter into a grant agreement, or
- A NSW public research organisation applying through its appropriate technology transfer office, provided you agree to form a company incorporated in Australia to enter into a grant agreement.
- Meet one of the following criteria:
- Be headquartered in NSW, or
- Conduct the majority of business research and development and production operations in NSW.
- Hold the Intellectual Property or the rights to commercialise the proposed solution.
- If successful, undertake to conduct SBIR programrelated research and development work in NSW.
For more information, visit NSW Government.