Start-ups and SMEs eager to shape the future of the agrifood sector are invited to register for a free 10-week online program, ‘Innovate to Grow: Agrifood’, led by CSIRO, designed to help Australian SMEs assess how they can advance their technologies, solutions and ideas through R&D.
The program is bolstered by CSIRO’s Trusted Agrifood Exports Mission and Future Protein Mission.
The Trusted Agrifood Exports Mission aims to increase the value of Australian food premiums by $10 billion by 2030 through building trust in the safety, quality and provenance of agrifood. The Future Protein Mission seeks to leverage increasing global demand for high quality protein to create new Australian protein products and ingredients that earn an additional $10 billion in revenue by 2030.
The program will begin 2 November and is available for a limited number of SMEs working across the following sub-sectors:
- Complementary proteins;
- meat and meat processing;
- agriculture;
- aquaculture;
- livestock;
- beverage and/or fermentation; and
- food product manufacturing.
Trusted Agrifood Exports Mission lead Dr Ryan McAllister said SMEs will play a pivotal role in transforming the agrifood sector and the program will equip them with the tools to do just that.
“This initiative represents a step toward modernising how supply chains support agricultural exports, with programs such as Innovate to Grow set to equip SMEs with the insight required to play a part in achieving this mission.
“Our mission is centred around helping producers get their products into discerning markets that are willing to pay a premium for Australian quality and safety, fortified with trusted data that upholds our national brand,” said McAllister.
CSIRO SME collaboration manager Dr Monika Szabo encouraged SMEs to capitalise on the opportunity to help translate their ideas into viable commercial opportunities and understand how R&D can benefit their business.
“Over the course of this program, CSIRO and industry sector experts will equip you with the skills to assess the viability of your innovation, build a business case and prepare a strong funding application,” said Szabo.
Upon completion of the program, eligible participants may have the opportunity to access facilitation support, through CSIRO, to connect to research expertise nationally, along with dollar-matched R&D funding.
Expressions of interest for CSIRO’s Innovate to Grow: Agrifood program are open and close on 15 October 2023.
