Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnerships (ESVCLP)

Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnerships (ESVCLP)

  • Fund managers seeking to raise venture capital funds of between $10Mand $200M
  • Funds must be registered with Innovation and Science Australia, have less than $200M committed capital, and invest at least 50% into eligible businesses
  • Applicants can apply at any time or until funds are exhausted

The Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnerships (ESVCLP) program provides tax benefits to encourage investment in early-stage Australian companies. Eligible venture capital funds can access flow-through tax treatment and receive tax exemptions on gains and income distributed to their investors.

Key Requirements

To qualify, fund managers must register their fund as an ESVCLP and meet strict criteria regarding size, investment structure, and compliance.

  • Fund must be structured as a limited partnership
  • Must be registered with Innovation and Science Australia
  • Total committed capital must not exceed $200 million
  • At least 50% of committed capital must be invested in eligible early-stage businesses
  • Regular reporting and compliance with venture capital legislation is required

What is eligible for funding?

The program supports investment into early-stage businesses that meet specific innovation and growth criteria.

  • Unlisted Australian companies
  • Companies with total assets under $50 million
  • Companies engaged in eligible sectors (excluding areas like property development or land investment)
  • Businesses focused on innovation, commercialisation, and scaling

What companies are eligible for funding?

This program is designed for venture capital fund managers and investors looking to invest in early-stage Australian businesses.

  • Australian and foreign venture capital fund managers
  • Investors seeking tax-effective structures to support startups
  • Partnerships with a general partner managing the fund under the ESVCLP framework

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.