Deadline: Ongoing
Applications are now open to assist innovative early-stage South Australian businesses with high-growth potential in commercialising products or services that are unique or have a sustainable competitive advantage in national and international markets through the Seed-Start Grants Program.
Aims
- Seed-Start grants aim to benefit South Australia by:
- encouraging the establishment and growth of innovative young businesses in South Australia that build South Australian capability and capacity
- creating more jobs in South Australia, especially in skilled occupations
- increasing the number of young South Australian businesses raising private investment
- delivering economic, and/or public benefits for South Australia.
Funding Information
- Seed-Start grants offer two funding options:
- Seed Grant: Grants from $50,000 to $100,000 are available on a competitive 2:1 matched funding basis ($2 from Government to $1 from Applicant). Grant funds are provided to an early-stage business to undertake a defined project that will overcome the initial challenges in getting their product or service into national and international markets. The project must be achievable within a two-year time frame, and result in a product or service that is unique or has a sustainable competitive advantage.
- Start Grant: Grants over $100,000 to $500,000 are available on a competitive 1:1 matched funding basis. Grant funds are provided to an early-stage business to deliver a defined project that will accelerate the development and commercialisation of their product or service in national and international markets. Start Grants are designed to support businesses that have passed the earlyseed stage with a product or service ready (or close to being ready) for commercialisation. The project must be achievable within a three-year time frame and result in a product or service that is unique or has a sustainable competitive advantage.
Eligible Expenditure
- Eligible expenditure for grant funding and matched funding includes the following activities and/or items that are critical for the delivery of the proposed project:
- salaries and consumables directly attributed or critical to the delivery of the project
- accessing specialist professional services
- access to and acquisition of specialist equipment, hardware, software, and service provider fees
- accessing or protecting intellectual property rights
- prototyping and development of a Minimum Viable Product
Ineligible Expenditure
- Ineligible expenditure includes, but is not limited to, the following ‘business as usual’ activities and/or items:
- rent or other property fees
- salaries for business founders – unless these are essential to the execution of the proposed project (e.g. unique technical skills/knowledge)
- recruitment and procurement fees
- basic office supplies and equipment
- grant application cost, administration costs, or infrastructure levies
- payments to directors
- any other expenditure items determined by the South Australian Government as usual business operational costs.
Eligibility Criteria
- To be eligible an applicant must:
- be a company incorporated in Australia with an active Australian Business Number (ABN):
- be a non-tax-exempt business
- be registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST)
- have an annual turnover of less than $1 million for each of the three financial years prior to the lodgement of the application – this includes the annual turnover for any Related Bodies Corporate
- be based or willing to be based in South Australia prior to commencing the project.
For more information, visit DIIS.
