Ignite Ideas Fund

Need $200k to fund your start up?

What is Ignite Ideas Funds?

The Ignite Ideas Fund provides up to $200,000 to Queensland-based SMEs for commercialising innovative products or services at minimum viable product stage or beyond.

Is This the Right Grant for You?

The Ignite Ideas Fund is looking for businesses with something real — not just an idea, but a working product or service that solves a problem in a new way. Maybe you’ve got some early customers already, or strong demand you just can’t meet without extra funding. That’s where this comes in.

You’ll need to show that:

• Your solution is genuinely innovative — not just a small tweak on what’s already out there
• There’s a real market for it — and you’ve got evidence (like customer interest or letters of support)
• You’re ready to grow — with a plan to scale, a capable team, and some cash to put in yourself

If that sounds like you, and you’re based in Queensland with under 50 staff, you’re likely in the running.

How Much Can You Get?

You can apply for up to $200,000, but it’s not a free ride — you’ll need to match it dollar-for-dollar with your own cash.

That means if you’re asking for $100K, you’ll need to chip in $100K. Same goes if you’re going for the full $200K. This shows you’ve got skin in the game and you’re serious about making it work.

Also worth knowing — if you’re applying for the smaller grant tier (up to $100K), you can’t have received Ignite Ideas funding before. If you’ve already had a Tier 1 grant and want to go again, you’ll need to go for Tier 2 and show that you delivered on your previous project.

You don’t need to figure out Ignite Ideas on your own.
We’ve helped plenty of founders navigate it.
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What Can You Spend It On?

This funding isn’t for covering rent or paying the power bill — it’s for serious commercialisation activities that move the needle.

Here’s what you can spend the money on:

• Hiring new staff – If they’re working directly on delivering the project, that’s eligible.
• Paying your existing team or founders – That’s allowed too, but it’s capped at 20% of the total grant.
• Bringing in external experts – Developers, marketers, designers, engineers — just as long as they’re not related to the business.
• Equipment – You can spend up to $10,000 per item, but that’s also capped at 10% of the total grant.
• Project consumables – Stuff you need to get the work done.
• Travel and accommodation – Only if it’s directly tied to delivering the project.

And a few things not covered:

• Ongoing business costs like rent, internet, or software subscriptions
• Clinical trials, prototypes or product development
• Anything already funded by another government grant
• Big equipment purchases over $10,000
• Conferences, business class flights or grant writers (FFS)

The grant (and your matching funds) should go towards activities that help get your product into the market for the first time — not the next version or just into a new location.

What Kind of Activities Actually Get Funded?

This grant is all about helping you launch something new into the market — not refining, tweaking, or relaunching something that’s already out there.

Here’s the type of activity they want to see:

• Getting your product or service into paying customers’ hands for the first time — this is key
• Sales and marketing – Think campaigns, customer outreach, branding, and anything that helps you build traction
• Product demos or pilots – Showing off what you’ve built to early customers or new markets
• Exhibiting at trade shows or delegations – As long as it’s clearly part of your go-to-market strategy
• Customer or investor engagement – Lining up your next wave of users or funding
• Investigating how to scale up production – Figuring out the logistics before you go big
• Getting your IP sorted – Patents, trademarks, legal advice (but not ongoing fees)

They’ll also allow some minor refinements to your product — if they’re based on feedback from early users and help you meet customer needs. But they’re clear:

this is not a product development grant.

If you’re still building, testing, or figuring out what the thing is — you’re too early. If it’s already selling — you’re too late.

Who Can Apply?

To be eligible for Ignite Ideas, your business needs to tick a few boxes:

• Be based in Queensland – That means your main operations are here, your key people are here, and your ABN lists Queensland as your main location.
• Be small (but mighty) – You need to have fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees. That includes your whole group, if you’re part of one.
• Be registered for GST – At the time of submitting your full application.
• Not already funded for the same project – You can’t double-dip with other local, state or federal funding for this specific activity.

And there are some extra rules depending on which tier you’re applying for:

If you’re applying for Tier 1 (up to $100K):

• You can’t have received Ignite Ideas funding before
• You need to chip in at least 20% of the grant amount in cash

If you’re applying for Tier 2 (over $100K up to $200K):

• You can’t have received a Tier 2 grant before
• You can’t be applying to commercialise something you already got funding for
• If you had a Tier 1 grant before, you need to have completed that project
• You need to match the grant amount dollar for dollar in cash
• You’ll also need a declaration from an accountant to confirm you’ve got the money ready

And just so it’s clear — matched funding must be actual cash. No in-kind contributions, no IOUs from your mate, and definitely no other QLD Government grants.

The application is competitive for a reason.
We know what makes a strong Ignite Ideas submission.
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How to Put Together a Strong Application

This grant is competitive. Most people won’t get through. So if you’re serious about applying, you need to show you’re ready — not just with a good idea, but with a clear path to market and evidence to back it up.

Here’s what they’ll be looking for:

1. Innovation – What makes your product or service new, different or better? – You need to show how it stands out from what’s already out there — and why customers will care. Talk about your competitors, how you compare, and what your edge is. You’ll also need to show you either own or have secure rights to any key intellectual property.
2. Market potential – Who wants it, and how big is the opportunity? – Show there’s a real market, not just a nice idea. Letters of support from potential customers are gold here — especially if they say they’d buy it once it’s ready.
3. Readiness – Are you actually ready to launch? – Your product or service should already be at MVP stage. It’s been built, tested, refined — and now you’re ready to scale. You need to show that by the end of the project, you’ll have paying customers and revenue coming in.
4. Project viability – Do you have a solid plan? – Break down what you’ll do, how long it’ll take, and what success looks like at each stage. Be specific. They also want to know you’ve thought about risks — and what you’ll do if things don’t go to plan.
5. Capability – Can your team actually deliver this? – You’ll need to show your team has the skills and experience to make it happen. If you’ve got gaps, talk about how you’ll fill them — whether that’s hiring, contractors, or mentors.
6. Benefits to Queensland – How does your project help more than just your business? – Think about jobs, regional growth, supply chains, sustainability, industry development — anything that shows broader impact for the state.

What’s the Process (and When’s It Due?)

There are two stages to applying:

• Stage 1 – Expression of Interest (EOI) – This is a short-form application that outlines your project at a high level. It’s your chance to show you’re a good fit for the fund — and get shortlisted for the next step.
• Stage 2 – Full Application – If your EOI gets through, you’ll be invited to submit a full application. This is where the detail matters: project plans, financials, team capability, and evidence of demand all come into play.

EOIs close 10:00am, Monday 26 May 2025.

Late submissions won’t be accepted — not even by a minute.

Not sure if your project is the right fit for Ignite Ideas?
Let’s talk it through.
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Track Record

Bulletpoint has worked with a number of early-stage companies to assist them to obtain commercialisation funding.

Bulletpoint assisted Ovira to secure $400,000.

Ovira was founded by Alice Williams, a 27-year old endometriosis sufferer who was inspired to create the new device after years of searching for a pain-management option for her own endometriosis. When she couldn’t find a solution that was drug-free or didn’t involve invasive procedures, she looked for an alternative.

Her fledgling company Ovira has just raised $1.5 million from Blackbird Ventures, to help establish its small egg-shaped electrotherapy device in the market, after promising early sales.

Bulletpoint assisted Airrobe to secure $396,050.

AirRobe’s Circular Wardrobe is solving the problem of textile waste by allowing fashion brands to offer their customers a simple way to repurpose their items. The project is building a unique application which captures product data (images, sizing and descriptions) at the time that consumers make a brand new purchase. This enables consumers to return to the application at any time and re-sell, recycle or upcycle their used-fashion in one-click.

Bulletpoinst assisted PolyNovo to secure $500,000.

PolyNovo plans to use the funding to support the purchase of new equipment and the upgrading of existing equipment used for manufacturing our NovoSorb SynPath product, used for amongst other things diabetic foot ulcers (DFU).

Bulletpoint assisted Thomas Global Systems to secure $2 million.

The company will develop and qualify two new flight-critical avionics products – an Enhanced Upfront Display Unit and a Keyboard Unit for Boeing AH-64 Apache Helicopter, a significant US military airborne program.

How We Can Help

A lot of companies are eligible for grants like Ignite Ideas — but eligibility isn’t the same as being competitive.

You’re not just up against other businesses with good ideas. You’re also up against people like us — consultants who write grant applications for a living, every day, and know exactly what assessors are looking for.

At Bulletpoint, we don’t just help you apply. We help you stand out. That means:

• Working out if your project is actually competitive before wasting time
• Sharpening the story around your innovation and market potential
• Structuring your application so it answers what assessors really want to know
• Avoiding the common mistakes that get otherwise great projects ruled out

We’ve helped businesses secure millions in funding — and we’re upfront if we think your chances aren’t strong.

Want a second opinion before you dive in? Book a time to chat here.