Need Assistance?
Call 1300 658 508
What is the Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund?
The Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund is a grant opportunity which aims to help SMEs to increase advanced manufacturing capabilities in the Northern Territory
Background
The Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund, with a budget of $7.5 million, aims to foster the development of the advanced manufacturing ecosystem in the Northern Territory. Its primary objective is to enhance advanced manufacturing capabilities, boost investments and production in this field within the region, and expand the number of advanced manufacturing jobs available in the Northern Territory.
Through the Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund, grants will be offered to advanced manufacturing projects led by industry stakeholders situated in the Northern Territory. These projects will be focused on the key sectors prioritised by the Territory.
Program Streams
The AME fund has two funding streams:
- Stream 1 – Commercialise new products and processes, including transitioning a new product or process from prototype stage to full commercial operations
- Stream 2 – Support early stage, fast fail, grants to support small scale and pilot research projects in advanced manufacturing
Need Assistance?
Call 1300 658 508
Objective
The Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund seeks to:
- build the advanced manufacturing ecosystem in the Northern Territory across the Territory’s priority sectors;
- grow advanced manufacturing capabilities in the Northern Territory across the Territory’s priority sectors, including by introducing new firms where appropriate; and
- increase investment in and output of advanced manufacturing activity in Northern Territory, and the number of advanced manufacturing jobs located in the Northern Territory.
Funding
The grant amount will be up to 50 per cent of eligible project expenditure (grant percentage).
- The minimum grant amount is $25,000
- The maximum grant amount is $500,000
Eligible Projects
Funding is available to support manufacturing projects in the Northern Territory that:
- commercialise new products and processes
- transition new products or processes from pilot/prototype stage to full commercial operations
- support early stage, small scale and pilot research projects in advanced manufacturing.
Project activities may include but are not limited to:
- collaboration and networking with other businesses to develop a product and establish market potential
- collaboration with research and technology hubs to test ideas and share knowledge
- engagement with external professionals to provide commercialisation and market advice
- acquisition, construction or installation and commission of new machinery and equipment to facilitate the project (limited to 25% of grant funding)
- development of a product for commercialisation using high vale manufacturing techniques or processes such as rapid prototyping or using state-of-art manufacturing plant.
This program will benefit smaller firms and early stage research supporting the move to larger scale commercialisation.
Eligible activities may include:
- Carbon Reduction
- Development and manufacture of products and technologies that assist with avoiding, abating, and sequestering carbon
- Construction
- Development and manufacture of construction materials
- Development and manufacture of new construction technologies and components
- Development and manufacture of products capable of using new construction technologies
- Critical minerals
- Manufacturing of new critical mineral products in Australia e.g., lithium, cobalt, manganese, tantalum, tungsten, zirconium and rare earth elements and the manufacture of products using those refined materials and the manufacture of equipment and technology to carry out these processes
- Development and manufacture of pre-cursor materials for battery components
- Development and manufacture of battery powered mining equipment
- Recovery and remanufacture of critical mineral products
- Defence and Security
- Development and manufacture of products providing sovereign capability for Australia’s national defence and security requirements
- Digital
- Integration of computer systems in manufacturing products and processes along the supply chain
- Development of digital technologies that improve manufacturing processes and supply chain efficiencies
- Development and manufacture of products that can be used in computer systems.
- Development of AI technologies
- Energy
- Development and manufacture of energy products (including renewable energy products)
- Development and manufacture of new energy technologies and components
- Development of energy services (including clean energy services)
- Development and manufacture of products capable of using new energy technologies
- Fabrication
- Development of new processes and technologies for building and assembling products
- Development and manufacture of new fabricated products
- Development and manufacture of equipment and technology that can use these technologies and products
- Food and Agriculture
- Development and manufacture of innovative products used to process agricultural produce, from basic preparation to elaborately transformed food or beverages, across the food and beverage manufacturing value chain.
- Development and manufacture of innovative products which enhance the competitiveness of the local food and beverage industry.
- Development and manufacture of agricultural equipment used in food farming.
- Development and manufacture of new fibre products for clothing or other purposes
- Development and manufacture of equipment and technology to carry out processes required for manufacturing new fibre products
- Maritime
- Development of infrastructure for the local maritime industry
- Development and manufacture of components required for the maritime industry (including communications equipment and sensors or consumables
- Development and manufacture of products or services that improve maritime industry sector technology, competitiveness, and sustainability
- Development of technologies to assist automation in the maritime industry
- Material Recovery/Recycling
- Using advanced manufacturing processes for the recycling of waste plastic, paper, glass, food, water, and tyres etc
- Development and manufacture of innovative machinery used for material recovery, material reprocessing and material remanufacture
- Development of services that enhance recycling opportunities
- Medical and Pharmaceuticals
- Manufacture of medical or pharmaceutical devices
- Development of medical or pharmaceutical services
- Pharmaceuticals, medical technologies, and medical biotechnology
- Petrochemicals
- Refining of natural gas and the development and manufacture of products using the refined outputs
- Development and manufacture of equipment and technology to carry out these processes
- Resources technology
- Development and manufacture of products or services that improve the resources sector technology, competitiveness, and sustainability
- Development and manufacture of resources industry products or services suitable for export
- Development of technologies to assist automation in the resources sector including autonomous mining, remote operations, and the use of digital technologies to provide greater safety and efficiency in the extraction and rocessing of resources.
- Space
- Development and manufacture of products providing sovereign capability for the local space industry
- Development of infrastructure for the local space industry
- Development and manufacture of items that are launched into space (rockets etc)
- Development and manufacture of associated components (including communications equipment and sensors, as well as products such as solid fuel or other consumables)
- Development and manufacture of associated products and infrastructure, such as launch facilities or mission control/relay subsystems
- Development and manufacture of products or services that improve energy efficiency
Need Assistance?
Call 1300 658 508
Eligible Applicants
To be eligible you must:
- Have an Australian Company Number (ACN)
- Have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
- Be non-tax-exempt
- Be registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST)
- and be an entity incorporated in Australia, including start-ups and a trading corporation, where the principal project activities occur in the NT.
The Fund can only accept applications:
- From manufacturing small and medium-sized Australian enterprises (SMEs) with up to 199 employees (headcount) however larger organisations are eligible to apply and may be accepted due to the impact on NT manufacturing ecosystem.
- With a minimum of $50,000 in eligible project expenditure, with $25,000 in co-funding from the lead participant
- Where your application clearly identifies the level of job creation in NT expected from your project
- Where your project aligns with one or more of the NT Manufacturing Priorities
- Where you can provide evidence that you can complete the project and meet the costs of the project not covered by grant funding
- Where you can provide evidence of how you will provide your share of project costs using the accountant declaration template which confirms you can fund your share of the project costs, including any ineligible expenditure.
- From an AMGC member. AMGC membership is open to all industry partners and is free
- Where the project’s main applicant has at minimum two project collaborators, with at least one collaborator based
in the NT, and other(s) from across Australia. For example, it can be a supplier, a potential customer, a research
institution, etc.
Timing
Applications close 30 June 2026.
