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Australia’s research and innovation pipeline is set for a major boost, with more than $72.5 million awarded through the latest round of Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) Ignite program. The new investment will help universities fast-track bold ideas into real world solutions that strengthen national capability and drive future industries.
This year’s round saw exceptional demand from the university sector, with applications more than doubling, from 393 in the previous round to 838 submissions, across 35 universities. From these, 174 projects from 27 universities secured funding, underscoring both the depth of Australian research expertise and the growing drive to translate breakthroughs into commercial impact.
AEA Ignite supports projects that build capability in nationally important sectors, aligned with the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (Priority Areas) Declaration 2023.
Funded projects span all seven targeted areas:
- 43 projects in enabling capabilities
- 40 in medical science
- 37 in renewables and low emissions technologies
- 19 in agriculture, forestry and fisheries value add
- 18 in defence capability
- 14 in resources value add
- 3 in transport
The newly funded projects highlight the breadth of Australia’s research strengths, with high quality applications received across the country, spanning fields from health and security to space and manufacturing, and include initiatives:
- to prevent cardiovascular disease through plaque clearing therapy (WA)
- to detect speech delays through playful AI screening (NSW)
- to extract critical metals with peptidebased green processing (SA)
- to improve construction safety using AI compliance detection (QLD)
- to enhance space safety through AI driven sensor fusion (TAS)
- to transform plastics and residues into clean solar fuels (ACT)
- to assess suicide risk quickly with digital support tools (VIC)
These projects, along with dozens of others across the country, will strengthen industry partnerships, accelerate commercial outcomes, and help build the sovereign capabilities Australia needs for the decades ahead.
Read the full list of successful projects and follow the AEA LinkedIn page for regular updates.