SMEs

The latest round of the federal government’s Business Research and Innovation Initiative (BRII) will benefit 17 businesses with over $1.6 million in support for the early-stage development of technologies that reduce regulatory processes. 

Only 45 per cent of working Australians feel productive most of the week and nearly half (47 per cent) spend between two and 10 hours each week on work-related admin, according to fresh data from MYOB. 

Are you keen to break into the ever-expanding scope of Defence industry opportunities but not sure where to focus your resources and budget? Have you been frustrated by the changing business landscape during the past couple of years of Covid-inflicted travel and networking restrictions?

CSIRO has opened applications for its new Innovate to Grow: Space program for SMEs working in the space sector, to accelerate growth in Australia’s burgeoning space industry. 

In discussion with Professor Will Browne, chair in Manufacturing Robotics at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and CSIRO, with ARM Hub, Manufacturers’ Monthly learns how manufacturers can access AI as a tool to grow their business. 

Innovative technology is at the core of our Australian Defence industry with local advanced manufacturers at the cutting-edge of new discoveries and technical applications. But to develop and operationalise these exciting ideas, they require Australian Defence funding. Faced with time consuming and complicated grant applications, it’s easy to become discouraged. So, how does an SME … Continue reading A Defence Innovation Hub success story: SME wins grant for innovative technology development →

By Dr Jason Coonan, Chief Operating Officer at the Innovative Manufacturing CRC By now we are all acutely aware of the impact that COVID-19 has had on our manufacturing industry, including our innovation pipeline. As we adapt to our “new normal”, kickstarting the industry’s recovery and innovation ecosystem is more important than ever before. Small … Continue reading Why short-term, high impact manufacturing R&D is important for fuelling Australia’s innovation ecosystem →

Guy Callaghan, CEO of Banjo Loans shares his thoughts with Manufacturers’ Monthly about growth strategies for SMEs following the pandemic.

The Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) program – facilitated by federal government’s trade, investment and education promotion agency, Austrade – will now fund manufacturers’ eligible export activities. 

Defence industry businesses are being given greater access to a Morrison Government grant aimed at growing the skills of Australia’s defence industry. The Skilling Australia’s Defence Industry (SADI) program offers grants of up to half a million dollars to support the skilling needs of eligible small to medium businesses, with the Government providing $39 million … Continue reading Up to $500,000 in SADI grants by Defence to help Aussie SMEs →

Thousands of SA small businesses and not-for-profit organisations that continue to be impacted by COVID-19^ will be eligible for a second $10,000 cash grant. The cash grants are part of the SA government’s $4 billion in economic stimulus to help protect thousands of local jobs. And, for the first time, the state government has introduced a $3,000 cash grant for … Continue reading New round of small business cash grants as $4 billion in COVID-19 stimulus extends to sole traders in SA →

Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC) has launched its new funding initiative, IMCRC activate, with an Australian first — the development of a rapid COVID-19 test that uses optical technology. Designed to provide a much-needed stimulus to Australian manufacturing businesses in the wake of COVID-19, IMCRC activate stimulates and fast-tracks R&D investment, offering access to … Continue reading IMCRC launches first approved project for rapid COVID-19 test →

The federal government is increasing its support for the defence industry innovation sector by providing an additional $32 million for investment through the Defence Innovation Hub over the next two years. This investment, which is part of the government’s Defence COVID-19 investment initiatives, will increase cash flow to Australian small and medium-sized businesses that are … Continue reading $32m in funding to stimulate the defence innovation sector →

WA Innovation and ICT Minister Dave Kelly announced that the WA government is advancing up to $800,000 from the $16.7 million New Industries Fund (NIF) to support start‑ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) impacted by COVID-19. The state government recognises that Western Australia’s innovation sector has been impacted by COVID-19, with start-ups and entrepreneurs … Continue reading $800,000 from New Industries Fund to support COVID-19 affected innovation sector →

A new Industry 4.0 Testlab to support industry innovation across defence, mining, ag-tech, electronics and automotive sectors has opened at the University of South Australia (UniSA). The $2 million hub, equipped with 3D printing facilities, multiplayer virtual reality spaces for human-centred design, and an industrial-scale manufacturing demonstrator, will help small-to-medium enterprises create test new advanced … Continue reading University of SA to open $2 million Industry 4.0 hub →

The federal government has announced a review into Australia’s patents system to support innovation in small-to-medium-sized businesses. The review will consider the accessibility for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as part of the government’s commitment to ensuring our intellectual property framework supports the needs of smaller businesses. Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews … Continue reading Federal government launches review into patents system to support SMEs →

Hundreds of local jobs will be supported as the SA state government has announced $65.5 million of local community projects across South Australia as part of its $1 billion stimulus package. A total of 37 projects have successfully secured funding across 27 different council areas, with 24 in metropolitan Adelaide and 13 in regional South … Continue reading Local SA projects to provide stimulus boost to the state →

The Victorian government’s mediation service to help small and medium business tenants and landlords reach a fair agreement in rent disputes, as a result of coronavirus, is in effect. The service is provided through the Victorian Small Business Commission (VSBC), and is part of the government’s commercial tenancy relief scheme. The scheme provides a six-month … Continue reading Vic government announces free mediation service for commercial tenancy disputes →

The federal government will contribute $48.3 million towards modernising how Australian manufacturers do business, with critical investment in small-and-medium-sized businesses in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. Two hundred projects worth more than $215 million are being supported through the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund (MMF). Industry, Science and Technology minister Karen Andrews said the job-creating investments … Continue reading $48.3 million for SMEs through modernisation fund →

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) that are adversely impacted by the coronavirus will have up to two years to pay deferred rent under a federal government mandatory code of conduct. The code, which was developed as a standard national approach to mitigate “a rapid and severe commercial impact” to coronavirus, will apply to all relevant … Continue reading SMEs given two years to defer rent payments →