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ARENA Launchpad Program

ARENA Launchpad Program

  • Startup Funding Round: up to $15 million available. Applicants must apply for a $500,000 Baseline Grant and may request a Top Up Grant of up to $500,000, for a total of $500,000 to $1 million
    • Top Up Grants are typically reserved for deep tech or capital-intensive businesses that can show a clear, high-impact capital expense or cost barrier
    • No matched funding is required for the Startup round, but applicants that provide cash contributions may be considered higher merit
  • Ecosystem Funding Round: up to $15 million available, with a maximum of $5 million per applicant and no minimum grant amount
    • ARENA expects to fund at least two Ecosystem applicants as part of a portfolio approach
  • Startup round closes 28 October 2026. Ecosystem round is open until funding is exhausted
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Launchpad is ARENA's streamlined funding program for early-stage startups aligned to its strategic priorities, and for the ecosystem partners that help them develop and grow.

The Startup Funding Round backs promising founders and early-stage startups as they develop their technology, accelerate business plans and build momentum towards further investment and commercial deployment. The Ecosystem Funding Round funds accelerators, incubators and other support providers that help businesses aligned to ARENA's mandate build capability and progress towards commercialisation, including through stronger investor, customer and deployment pathways.

The Program's objective is to accelerate the development of early-stage Australian companies and innovators that support ARENA's statutory functions and Investment Plan.

Key Requirements

Startup Funding Round

  • Must be an early-stage company developing and commercialising an innovative technology or solution. Established companies with established workforces, operational history or meaningful capital raised may be excluded at preliminary screening
  • Technology must have achieved a minimum TRL of 3 at the time of application
  • Activities must primarily take place in Australia or primarily advance an Australian-based business
  • Activities must align with ARENA’s statutory functions and Investment Plan
  • Applicant must own or be the developer of the technology and have freedom to operate with regard to any IP or assets

Ecosystem Funding Round

  • Activities must provide acceleration, incubation or other support services to Australian startups developing renewable energy, electrification or energy efficiency technologies
  • Activities must have the potential to contribute to the Program and Round Objectives
  • ARENA places considerable focus on securing Applicant Partners able to commit time or financial contributions
  • Grant funds can’t be passed through to startups as investments, cash payments, recycled grants or debt

Both rounds

  • Expenditure must be realistic, directly linked to the funded activities and good value for money. Overseas expenditure should be kept to a minimum
  • Successful applicants must take part in ARENA’s knowledge sharing activities
  • ARENA takes a portfolio approach, so a highly ranked application may not be funded if it’s similar to projects ARENA already supports

Eligibility and merit detail for each round is set out in the Launchpad Funding Round Announcements.

What is eligible for funding?

Startup Funding Round

Activities that materially advance the technical and commercial maturity of an early-stage clean energy business. Top Up Grant requests can cover accessing, purchasing or leasing necessary equipment, accessing highly specialised talent or services, or delivering a capital-intensive prototype.

Ecosystem Funding Round
Multi-year acceleration, incubation or other support programs that build startup capability in areas such as commercialisation, business establishment, regulatory processes, customer development, investor engagement, technical development, engineering and project delivery.

Eligible expenditure must directly support the funded activities, be proportionate to the project and be calculated net of GST.

What companies are eligible for funding?

Startup Funding Round
For-profit, Australian incorporated entities with a valid ABN. Australian subsidiaries of international entities are eligible if they can show a commitment to operating and commercialising in Australia. University spin-outs and research commercialisation companies are eligible, but universities, publicly funded research organisations and government entities aren’t.

Ecosystem Funding Round
Applicants must hold an ABN and be an Australian entity incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001, a State or Federal Government statutory corporation, an Australian university or research institution, a registered Australian not-for-profit or charity, or an Australian industry association.

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 a professional government grant writer consultant. Avant Group is Australia’s largest independent grants advisory firm. Find out more about our government grant writing and consulting service here. 

How can I get help understanding if I’m eligible for this grant? 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.