NSW Government calls on innovators for help

SMALL and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in New South Wales can receive up to $1.1 million in grant funding if they can develop and commercialise a new technology or service that helps solve key NSW Government agency issues.

The New South Wales Government launched the Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) program earlier this year and will give grants to SMEs to find solve the five  ‘challenges’ listed below.

Five challenges for the 2021 SBIR program:

• Connectivity
• Hyperlocal navigation
• Koala count
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Water purification

All proposed solutions must address one of the SBIR program challenges, with successful SMEs to receive a share of $24 million over two years.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, Gabrielle Upton MP encouraged business to get involved.

“The program will tackle important challenges including assisting vision-impaired customers navigate the public transport network, increasing the resilience of regional and remote communications networks, quantify the number and extent of koalas in NSW, reduce contamination in wastewater and reducing PPE waste in the health system,” Ms Upton said.

“The SBIR program will not only support NSW SMEs to develop innovative solutions to government challenges, but the challenges have been specifically chosen to ensure that the successful SMEs can also sell their solutions to other customers in local and international markets,” she said.

David Gonski AC, Chair of the Advisory Council who guided the NSW Action Plan, said the SBIR program will aid the State in its pandemic recovery.

“The impact of COVID-19 on economic growth and job creation makes the task to commercialise more R&D an urgent one,” Mr Gonski said.

“Rapidly translating ideas into new products and services will be integral to our recovery from the pandemic,” he said.

Further information including the guidelines and how to apply can be found here.