QLD Private Sector Pathways Program (PSP)

The Private Sector Pathways (PSP) Program supports innovative small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) based in Queensland to collaborate with corporate partners to develop commercialisation opportunities.

This program aims to create commercial opportunities for innovative Queensland businesses by connecting them to corporates and provide a risk-managed process to explore and co-fund solutions to corporate challenges.

Key Requirements

Corporates or large organisations set a business challenge and invite solutions from SMEs. Selected applicants can receive co-funding of up to $200,000 from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) and the corporate partner to trial their solutions for 6–12 months.

Each challenge will be co-funded by DETSI and the corporate challenge owner for 6–12 months. Challenge statements will provide a guide of expected timing and project costs.

What is eligible for funding?

Benefits for SMEs and scaleups

  • DETSI funding to trial technologies with corporates
  • Create connections with corporates and potential commercial contracts
  • Opportunity to pivot products or services to a new sector
  • Retain intellectual property (IP)
  • Building credibility by having large corporate customers.

Benefits for corporates and large organisations

  • Exposure to the latest technological innovations
  • Solve corporate challenges using local solutions and technologies
  • Diversify procurement and supply chain options to a wide range of Queensland innovative businesses
  • Co-fund, de-risk and increase the speed of adoption of improved efficiencies and technologies.

What companies are eligible for funding?

Corporate eligibility

  • Organisations must have an office in Queensland
  • Be a legal entity and hold an active ABN or Australian Registered Body Number
  • Corporate pays tax in Australia and employs staff in Queensland
  • Ideally operates within one of the priority industry sectors — advanced manufacturing, hydrogen, bio-futures, biomedical, defence, aerospace, space, resource recovery and mining technology
  • Have obtained internal approval to make the application, including approval to co-fund all project costs not covered by financial assistance provided through the program
  • Have the financial ability to deliver the project.

Applicant eligibility

  • Queensland-registered ABN
  • Registered for GST (at time of contract execution)
  • Be an established Queensland-based startup or small to medium enterprise (SME) with a full-time equivalent (FTE) employee count below 200
  • Applicants must have a product — being developed in Queensland — which is at, or beyond, the minimum viable product (MVP) stage
  • Applicants who have had previous commercial contracts from the participating corporate are not eligible to apply. The PSP program intends to provide new opportunities for applicants to work with participating corporates.

Is this grant competitive or entitlement based?

Competitive. Your application will be assessed among other applications by a judging panel.

How can I increase my chances of winning this grant?

By engaging an accredited government grants consultant, such as Avant Group.

Competitive grants often require significant business case development and project analysis to support the application, this may include detailed presentations supporting the project’s merit, projected sales, cost-benefit analysis and more.

As part of your engagement with Avant Group, your account manager will assess the required documents and will provide the following as needed to support your grant submission.

Grant application writeup including a detailed presentation illustrating how the grant funding will contribute to your project, how the funding will contribute to the project’s budget, a project milestone plan, delivery timeline, impact on employment if applicable and a breakdown of the management and leadership team for the project

  • Industry analysis presentation
  • Competitor Analysis Presentation
  • Marketing and Sales Analysis Presentation
  • 3-5 year Cashflow Forecast
  • 3-5 year Balance Sheet Forecast
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis of Grant Funding
  • End-to-end grant application including information collating, analysis and application writing
  • CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) cost-benefit analysis
  • Stakeholder relations and Risk Mitigation Plans
  • Any other relevant forecasting that will support your application

How can I get help with my application? Or know if I’m likely to win funding?

Avant Group offers a no-obligation assessment of your eligibility for funding and will assess your likelihood of a successful grant application.