Sponsoring Agency: CSIRO
Type of Fund:
Deadline Available: Available
Deadline Date (mm/dd/yyyy): 05/14/2021
Size of the Fund: Not Available
Inovate to Grow is an engaging virtual learning program that helps small to medium sized businesses (SMEs) develop actionable business insights and strategies for leveraging research and development (R&D) to meet specific business needs.
Together with partners, CSIRO is developing an Ending Plastic Waste Mission to change the way they make, use, recycle and dispose of plastics.
With the help of experienced researchers and innovation experts, participants identify real technical and/or business challenges, explore what R&D and innovation opportunities exist to overcome those challenges, and develop actionable business and funding plans to activate those opportunities.
Innovate to Grow for SMEs working on plastic waste challenges in the manufacturing, packaging, recycling, agriculture or food sectors and beyond.
As part of Innovate to Grow, SMEs will learn about CSIRO’s latest science and technologies to tackle plastic waste. SMEs will be exposed to R&D and industry knowledge, including expertise in waste management to turn plastic waste into a commodity. This will help meet the National Plastics Plan targets, deliver new industries and jobs, and build new collaborations.
Program Detail
This program is designed for established SMEs who are either interested in understanding their R&D opportunities or are in the early decision-making stages about engaging in an R&D project with a research organisation.
Each program will bring together SMEs and industry experts from a specific industry sector. Innovate to Grow is delivered in partnership with Australian edtech start-up Practera, using their experiential learning platform to facilitate high quality project learning collaboration.
The program is self-paced and is delivered in three phases:
• Phase 1: Program preparation
o Participants will be provided with an on-boarding session, pre-workshop videos, materials and questionnaires to assist in preparing for the program
o Time commitment is approximately two hours
• Phase 2: Half-day workshop
o The program’s main compulsory component is a half-day workshop covering the program concept. Participants will hear from CSIRO industry and research experts as well as relevant industry SMEs. Key topics include trends within your industry sector, a panel discussion with collaborating SMEs, and current funding opportunities for R&D.
o Time commitment is approximately five hours
• Phase 3: Self-paced 60 day online program
o Participants will work through the online innovation program at their own pace, supported by CSIRO experts and experienced innovation facilitators to develop and test their research ideas and business cases.
o Optional fortnightly webinars on topics such as how to write a funding proposal and expert insights into your industry
o Final wrap-up session
o Time commitment is approximately 1-2 hours per week
Participants will walk away from the program with a suite of tools to enable ongoing innovation planning in their business, including:
• Innovation Value Template to define innovation opportunities and assess their business value
• Business Case Template to assess and compare innovation opportunities for your business
• Funding Plan Template to understand key data and funding requirements, and prepare for a funding application
• Detailed Project Budgeting and ROI Calculation Templates
More information at: https://www.csiro.au/en/work-with-us/funding-programs/programs/innovate-to-grow
