Startup Grants | Government Grants For Startup Businesses | LaunchVic
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Grants

LaunchVic offers grants for program providers and investor groups to establish in Victoria and help Victorian founders and their teams start, grow and scale startups. We also partner with other departments and agencies to offer direct grants to founders in priority sectors.

If you have a question regarding LaunchVic funding, send us an enquiry.

Sign up for LaunchVic’s newsletter to be notified about future opportunities, and view a full list of programs that startups can apply to on our programs page.

Open Grants

FOR STARTUPS

Grants for AgTech Startups

 

$50,000 grants for early-stage AgTech founders.

Timings for this grant round:

Grant Program launched:21 February 2023
Information Session:Thursday 2 March 2023 View the info session webinar
Application Rounds close:October 31 2024

February 28 2025

May 30 2025
Assessment begins:        May 2023
Assessment timeline:Approximately 3 weeks
Closes:When all funds are fully allocated, or by June 30 2025
Announcement:Via the LaunchVic website

Overview

LaunchVic has again partnered with Agriculture Victoria to increase support for early-stage AgTech startups across Victoria by rapidly providing small amounts of working capital to help startups build capability and move to the next stage of growth.

As well as providing funding to cover operating costs that build startup capability and growth for early-stage AgTech startups, the grant will provide access to business development services that will enable founders to access the best possible support and advice to build their businesses, grow jobs, and support Victoria’s economic growth.

View the Program Guidelines (v2.4 reissued 4 Oct 2024)

Watch the Information Session

Read our FAQs

Apply Online

View A Sample Contract

Other grants for Startups

Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and ResourcesFunding and incentives
Australian GovernmentGrants & Programs
Australian GovernmentR&D Tax Incentive
Business VictoriaGrants & Programs
City of MelbourneGrants and Scholarships
CSIROCSIRO Kick-Start
Victorian State GovernmentGrants schemes

For programs

Grants for Victorian Accelerator Programs

Supporting Victoria’s best accelerators to fuel the growth of Victorian startups.

Timings for this grant round:

Stage 1
Round launched:22 October 2024
Information Session:Tuesday 29 October 2024 by online webinar
Round close:Tuesday 19 November 2024 10am (AEDT)
Communications: to unsuccessful and applicants moving to Stage 2 by 25 November 2024
Stage 2
Q&A Session:Wednesday 27 November 2024
Communications:to unsuccessful and applicants moving to next stage by 6 December 2024
Contracting: Contract execution with recipients expected in December 2024
Announcement:An announcement via the LaunchVic website will follow once contracts are executed

Overview

The Victorian startup ecosystem has undergone significant growth in recent years, with the number of startups increasing to over 3,500, and the value of the ecosystem increasing to over $129 billion. However, supporting more startups to scale and attract funding is a key driver of economic growth and job creation.

Accelerator programs play an important role supporting established early-stage startups to scale. To date, LaunchVic has funded 15 accelerator programs that have supported over 600 startups. The most successful programs have driven significant growth of Victorian startups, including supporting access to capital. In addition, the most successful accelerators have supported the Victorian startup ecosystem more broadly through additional offerings including events, founder office hours, the establishment of funds, and investor engagement.

LaunchVic is seeking to build on this success by funding high-performing accelerator programs that require external funding to continue operations in Victoria to the point of ongoing sustainability.

View the Program Guidelines (v1.1 issued 25 Oct 2024)

Watch the Information Session Recording 

Read our FAQs

Apply Online

For Investors

Grants for Investor Education Programs

 

Increasing the early-stage startup investor pool.

Timings for this grant round:

Stage 1
Round launched:22 October 2024
Information Session:Tuesday 29 October 2024 by online webinar
Round close:Tuesday 19 November 2024 10am (AEDT)
Communications: to unsuccessful and applicants moving to Stage 2 by 25 November 2024
Stage 2
Q&A Session:Wednesday 27 November 2024
Communications:to unsuccessful and applicants moving to next stage by 6 December 2024
Contracting: Contract execution with recipients expected in December 2024
Announcement:An announcement via the LaunchVic website will follow once contracts are executed

Overview

Victoria’s startup ecosystem has undergone phenomenal growth in the past few years, and there are now over 3,500 startups in the State. However, LaunchVic’s data shows the amount of early-stage capital flowing to startups has not changed commensurately. and there is a continued lack of early-stage capital.

Investor Education programs play an important role in driving investment capital to startups by supporting new investors to understand the sector and build the confidence to invest. To date, Investor Education programs that have been supported by LaunchVic have educated over 200 investors and activated over $84 million in the startup ecosystem.

LaunchVic recognises there is more work to do to continue increasing access to early-stage capital for Victorian founders. By supporting operational funding for Investor Education programs, LaunchVic seeks to encourage an increase in the number of active early-stage investors and unlock more capital for early-stage Victorian startups.

View the Program Guidelines (v1.1 issued 25 Oct 2024)

Watch the Information Session Recording

Read our FAQs

Apply Online

 

Unsolicited Proposals

In special circumstances, LaunchVic may accept unsolicited proposals for grants outside of its communicated grant rounds or its refunding of high-performing programs.

While we do not fund startups directly via unsolicited proposals, the programs we fund aim to provide the services needed to assist early-stage and scaling startups through their journey.

Any proposal received must meet the following principles:

  • Alignment with strategy: The proposal is strongly aligned with the LaunchVic Strategy.
  • Uniqueness: The applicant is uniquely placed to deliver the proposal.
  • Expertise: The applicant possesses the level of professional expertise required to deliver a successful outcome with minimal risk of failure.
  • Impact: The applicant has described an excellent program that has a genuine need by the target audience and will impact and benefit the Victorian startup ecosystem.
  • Need for funding: There is a credible need for LaunchVic funding.
  • Value for money: The program must be value for money.
  • Sustainability: The program has a pathway to sustainability, either by creating self-sufficiency or through supporting the startup ecosystem to be more sustainable.

Any proposal that does not meet all of these criteria will not be reviewed.

LaunchVic will endeavour to review all unsolicited proposals, and provide feedback, but is under no obligation to do so.

Any proposal considered appropriate for funding will undergo further assessment and due diligence in accordance with the process for all grants awarded by LaunchVic.

Any approved applicants must also undergo due diligence by LaunchVic.

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