Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, is looking for innovators in agriculture and the food industry to participate in its latest Innovate to Grow program. The initiative is designed to help small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) turn their ‘big ideas’ into real, research-driven solutions.
The free, eight-week online program clarifies SMEs’ early ideas in such a way that they can develop clear Research & Development (R&D) plans, build their capability to innovate and connect with the right research expertise. It empowers SMEs to seize new opportunities and reduce the risk of them failing to turn their ideas into viable businesses.
This program helps SMEs in the following aspects creating an effective R&D plan:
- Refining your innovation idea and learning how to transform it into an R&D opportunity.
- Accessing tools and information for a comprehensive understanding of R&D collaboration and key considerations at each step.
- Applying this knowledge to advance your technology or R&D concept.
- Gaining industry insights, hearing from experts, researchers and your R&D coach.
- Collaborating with like-minded SMEs and expanding your professional network.
A self-paced program to balance business needs with R&D learning
The program’s main compulsory component is a half-day workshop covering the program concept. Participants will hear from CSIRO industry and research experts, and also from relevant industry SMEs. Key topics covered in the workshop include trends within each participating SME’s industry sector, a panel discussion with collaborating SMEs,. It also details funding opportunities currently available to support R&D.
This is followed by a further seven weeks of self-paced innovation. During this time participants work through the online innovation program and key task deliverables, spending two or three hours a week on these tasks. During this aspect of the program they are supported by an R&D coach and experienced innovation facilitators who help develop and test their research ideas and business case.
Dr Ingrid Appelqvist, Senior Principal Food Material Scientist at CSIRO, pointed out that the program comes at “a pivotal time for the sector”. She stressed that new digital, biological and advanced manufacturing technologies are reshaping Australia’s food system.
“We’re seeing rapid transformation across farm and food technology, including advances in areas like AI and process digitisation,” Dr Appelqvist said. “SMEs play an important role in this transformation, but many are still navigating how to progress early-stage ideas, reduce risk and access the right expertise. Innovate to Grow gives them the tools, networks and confidence to turn emerging opportunities into well-defined R&D pathways.
“From sustainability and waste optimisation to new value-add products and more resilient supply chains, Australian food and agriculture businesses are well-positioned to lead,” Dr Appelqvist added. “And programs like this help them get there.”
Unlocking practical research pathways
Since first being run in in 2020, the Innovate to Grow program has supported more than 750 SMEs across a range of sectors. The program provides participants with expert facilitators, self-paced learning modules and networking opportunities to turn emerging ideas into actionable research plans.
Esther Rupenovic, founder of Jack and Chelo, joined Innovate to Grow in 2024. Her Tasmanian business creates chef-prepared, nutritionally balanced meals for dogs that are developed with pet nutritionists and delivered via subscription.
“This is a fantastic program that has opened my eyes to research teams available for small businesses – I never knew they existed,” Rupenovic said.
CSIRO’s Innovate to Grow: Farm and Food Technology is suitable for SMEs developing or supplying solutions in:
- Agritech and AI.
- Food and beverage manufacturing, packaging and transport.
- Livestock and aquaculture.
- Value-add products.
- Waste optimisation and recycling.
- Energy reduction and circular economy.
- Other emerging farm and food technology applications.
Applications are open now and must see submitted on or before 15 February 2026.
- This story was originally published on Inside Small Business.
