Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund

Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund

  • Applications now open
  • Program prioritising green metals, low carbon liquid fuels and development/manufacturing of renewable technologies e.g. batteries, transmission lines and thermal storage
  • Initial $200M tranche for Renewable Energy Technology Manufacturing (RETM) to enable development of technologies seeking to alleviate critical supply chain challenges facing the clean energy transition.
  • Applications are open until funding is fully allocated.

The Future Made in Australia (FMA) Innovation Fund, administered by ARENA, is a federal initiative designed to accelerate Australia’s transition to a net zero economy. With a total allocation of $1.5 billion, the program supports pre-commercial innovation, demonstration, and deployment of renewable energy and low-emission technologies. Launched in December 2025, the fund remains open until resources are exhausted or ARENA closes the program.

Key Requirements

The fund targets three priority areas:

  • Green Metals ($750 million): Focused on low-emission production of iron, steel, alumina, and aluminium.
  • Renewable Energy Technology Manufacturing (RETM) ($200 million initial tranche): Aims to strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities for renewable technologies.
  • Low Carbon Liquid Fuels (LCLF) ($250 million): Supports development of sustainable aviation fuels and renewable diesel.

Projects funded under this program are expected to deliver outcomes such as increased uptake of clean technologies, improved manufacturing capacity, stronger supply chains, and enhanced workforce participation.

Applications are assessed under two streams: Innovation (early-stage development, pilots, feasibility studies) and Deployment (scale-up activities for proven technologies).

What is eligible for funding?

  • Prototyping and pilot projects
  • Pre-commercial demonstrations
  • Feasibility and engineering studies
  • Large-scale deployment of proven technologies

What companies are eligible for funding?

Eligible applicants include Australian businesses, research organisations, and consortia capable of delivering projects aligned with program objectives.

Applicants must demonstrate technical capability, financial viability, and commitment to knowledge sharing.

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.