Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, is inviting small and medium-sized enterprises to join a free, eight-week online programme aimed at accelerating innovation in the nation’s critical minerals sector.
Innovate to Grow: Critical Minerals is designed to help companies test R&D opportunities, refine concepts and connect with researchers and industry specialists to better position their ideas for commercial growth. Since its inception, the programme has supported more than 700 SMEs across the country.
“We’re at a unique moment where global supply chains are being rewritten and Australia is well placed to capitalise on this opportunity,” Dr Chris Vernon, CSIRO critical minerals lead and Chair of the Australian Critical Minerals R&D Hub Operations Group, said.
Australia has been seeking to capture more value from resources such as lithium, nickel and rare earths by building out downstream processing and battery supply chains, with the Australian Critical Minerals R&D Hub coordinating efforts across government science agencies.
“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.
“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.
Ebbe Dommisse from Iondrive, who took part in the 2024 intake sponsored by the Australian Critical Minerals R&D Hub, said the experience provided immediate, practical benefits. “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!” said Dr Dommisse.
CSIRO says the programme is open to SMEs developing or supplying solutions in:
– Discovery
– Hard rock mining
– Processing
– Sensing and sorting
– Characterisation
– Sustainable mining technologies
– Battery technology
– Other related areas
Applications close on 28 September 2025.
