Have a Project in Mind?

We are here to help with: 

Project conception – We work with companies looking for new opportunities to develop technology roadmaps and explore hydrogen solutions for their business and customers.

Project design – We have decades of experience in developing, building, testing and optimising hydrogen solutions for industry.

Project funding – We have a dedicated business development manager who can assist you with identifying and applying for funding support. This gives you access to hydrogen solutions without the need for large capital expenditures.

Project deployment – We understand the regulations and requirements you need to meet to get your hydrogen technologies operational. This includes finding reliable suppliers, and acquiring the necessary licenses and certification.

Work With Us

Funding opportunities

If you are interested in an R&D project for your business, the Commonwealth and NSW Governments support industry and university collaboration through a range of initiatives such as tax incentives and matched funding. Please see below for a selection of the schemes available. HERC’s business development manager, Amer Rathore knows these programs well, in addition to other funding opportunities. He can assist you with determining the best fit for your business and help you navigate the confusing terrain to get the best support for your planned activities with HERC. We’re here to help.

Solar farm

The Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program

The Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program supports industry-led collaborations between industry, researchers and the community. It’s a proven way to link researchers with industry. The focus is on research and development that will have commercial uses.
 

Further information   

The Program aims to:

  • improve the competitiveness, productivity and sustainability of Australian industries, especially where Australia is competitive and in government priority areas.
  • use high quality research to solve industry-identified problems.
  • encourage and help SMEs to take part in collaborative research.

The Cooperative Research Centres Program offers support to industry, research and the community through two grant schemes:

HERC Laboratory 3

The Research and Development Tax Incentive

Companies interested in partnering with UNSW may be eligible for the Australian Government's R&D Tax incentive. The incentive provides generous support to business, particularly SMEs, to conduct eligible research and development activities.
 

Further information   

The R&D Tax Incentive offers:

  • a 43.5% refundable tax offset for eligible companies with a turnover of less than $20 million p.a. (equivalent to a 150% tax deduction).
  • a 38.5% non-refundable tax offset (equivalent to 133% tax deduction) for all other eligible companies.

Companies can claim a tax offset for the relevant parts of CRC contributions paid out of the entity's own funds. See Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program.

Science test facility

Innovation Connections Grant

As part of the Australian Government’s National Innovation and Science Agenda Entrepreneurs’ Programme, the Innovation Connections scheme is a facilitation service to encourage and assist small and medium businesses to access knowledge, engage with researchers and foster innovation.
 

Further information   

Following a facilitated service to understand your research needs, you may seek matched financial assistance in the form of an Innovation Connections Grant. Up to $50,000 funding is available from the Commonwealth, to be matched by an eligible Australian company, for a project up to 12 months duration.

Company eligibility is based on turnover/expenditure – between $1.5-100M. The company must operate in a defined sector: Advanced Manufacturing; Food and Agribusiness; Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals; Mining Equipment, Technology and Services; Oil, Gas and Energy Resources; or enabling technologies and services of the sectors listed above.

Equipment installation and testing

Minimum Viable Product (MVP) grants

Minimum Viable Product (MVP) grants are designed for pre-revenue technology start-ups to help them engage with a potential business customer, or channel to market, to achieve market validation and first sale.
 

Further information   

This grant supports promising pre-revenue start-up businesses across all industry sectors to progress from Proof of Concept to a Minimum Viable Product stage of development.

An MVP grant is a matched funding grant up to 50% of approved project costs, to a maximum of $25,000.

Manufacturing process

New South Wales TechVouchers

The NSW Government’s TechVouchers scheme aims to facilitate research collaborations between small-to-medium enterprises and research organisations like UNSW. Tech Vouchers up to a value of $15,000 are available.
 

Further information   

This scheme is aimed at companies interested in accessing research and development expertise to enhance or validate their products and services. The program also enables access to high tech instruments and facilities that would otherwise be difficult to access.

TechVouchers can be used to fund product or process design, technical assistance, product trials and collaborative research projects.

*Please note that the TechVouchers Program is currently on hold and not accepting applications.

Discussing project

SIEF Ross Metcalf Fellowship program

The SIEF Ross Metcalf STEM+ Business Fellowship program provides funding support to enable Australian SMEs to undertake 2-3 year research projects with Early Career Researchers (ECRs) from Australian research organisations.
 

Further information   

The program aims to:

  • build deeper connections and collaboration between researchers and SMEs that allow for knowledge flow between research and industry sectors.
  • accelerate the adoption of new ideas and technology.
  • help SMEs grow into larger and more profitable organisations.

The CSIRO’s SME research facilitators work with businesses and research organisations to establish projects and facilitate financial assistance in the form of a SIEF STEM+ Business grant of up to $115,000 per annum. To be eligible, Australian SMEs must:

  • have competed an AusIndustry Researcher-in-Business or Research Connections / Innovation Connections project. AND
  • have an annual turnover or operating expenditure between $1-100M in the last financial year.

Businesses are required to make a cash contribution that matches the value of the STEM+ Business grant.

Businesses are required to make a cash contribution that matches the value of the STEM+ Business grant.