Australian universities and research bodies earned a record $336 million from commercialising research in 2025, up 39% on the year before, according to Knowledge Commercialisation Australasia.
The sector also created 102 new companies and signed 766 licensing and partnership deals, up 25%.
The good news comes as the federal government redirects more than $800 million in uncommitted Economic Accelerator money and pauses new applications to the Industry Growth Program.
Founders say the gap hurts. Conry Tech, working on an air conditioning system, applied for $5 million and is still waiting, and says it may have to move overseas to raise capital. Sydney startup Refilled also applied for up to $5 million and is now looking at offshore manufacturing.
The Department of Industry says applications lodged before the pause are still being assessed, with decisions expected by the end of 2026, and that it is considering a redesign of the program.
What it means for your money
If your business relies on a grant, plan for delays and have a backup funding source. The R&D Tax Incentive was described by founders as working well, so check whether you qualify.
Source: SmartCompany