Funding Opportunity: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) initiative

Note: GC Hub members can access free assistance with grant applications and proposals through our community partners program.


The Queensland Government have recently launched Round 2 of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) initiative, and are very keen to hear from businesses who might be interested in working with the Queensland Government to develop and test their ideas to solve one of the following four challenges:

1. Supporting learning for students with disability in rural and remote locations
Nominated by the Department of Education and Training

The challenge is to provide a technological solution that supports improved interactive visual educational services to students with disability in rural and remote locations. This is to provide direct or indirect therapy and learning support to primary and secondary school students with disability (in accordance with the definition of disability under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)). The scope of this challenge is limited to state schools only, including students of the schools of distance education.  Find out more >>

2. Affordable and accessible point of entry to public housing
Nominated by the Department of Housing and Public Works

The challenge is to provide innovative, safe, reliable and cost-effective ways to improve and manage point of door entry to residential public housing properties across Queensland, taking into account the diverse needs of tenants and their support networks.  Find out more >>

3. Electronic, automated monitoring of commercial fishing operations in Queensland
Nominated by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

The challenge is to provide an affordable automated electronic monitoring system that will record all information required of commercial trawl, net and crab fishing operations (taking into account different sized vessels), and submit this to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) in real or near real time.  Find out more >>

4.  Real-time, personal monitoring of dust at Queensland underground coal mines
Nominated by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines

The challenge is to provide an affordable personal dust monitoring device that will provide real-time data to a worker regarding their exposure levels to respirable dust, consistent with Australian Standards. Find out more >>


SBIR supports innovators to develop and test their ideas, which may then be procured by Government and/or used for further commercial opportunities.

  • Development is funded over two stages:
    1. Feasibility— a share in up to $250,000.
    2. Proof of Concept— a share in up to $500,000.
  • Applications close 2.00pm, 25 September 2017.
  • To apply, organisations can be of any size, with an ABN, and need to be able to enter into a commercial contract with the Queensland Government

Further information, application guidelines and application forms are all available on the Advance Queensland website.

For assistance from the GC Hub in completing your application contact grants@gchub.com.au

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