AMCRC launches STARTER funding for Additive Manufacturing SMEs
The Additive Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (AMCRC) has launched its STARTER Project Funding Program, making AU $3.25 million available to help Australian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups investigate the commercial adoption of Additive Manufacturing.
The programme offers dollar-for-dollar matched funding and access to AMCRC’s research network to support industry-led projects exploring how Additive Manufacturing can improve productivity, strengthen supply chains and accelerate innovation.
Projects can run from three months to one year and may focus on product redesign, rapid prototyping, on-demand manufacturing, supply chain optimisation or sustainability improvements.
According to AMCRC, the initiative addresses the challenges faced by SMEs, which it reports account for around 95% of Australia’s manufacturing businesses but often lack the resources to participate in larger collaborative research programmes.
Simon Marriott, Managing Director of AMCRC, explained that the programme is designed to help businesses assess where Additive Manufacturing can deliver practical commercial benefits without the scale, cost or complexity often associated with larger research projects.
“Many SMEs and start-ups recognise the potential of Additive Manufacturing, but they do not always know where to begin or have the capability to assess where it can create value for their business,” he stated. “The STARTER Project Funding Program gives businesses a practical pathway to work alongside researchers, test ideas and evaluate how Additive Manufacturing can improve efficiency, flexibility and competitiveness.”
Eligible businesses can apply for matched funding of between AU $20,000 and AU $75,000, supporting projects with a total value of AU $40,000 to AU $150,000. Successful applicants will work with AMCRC’s national research network to deliver projects focused on measurable commercial and operational outcomes.
Marriott added that Australian manufacturers are increasingly viewing Additive Manufacturing as a strategic business capability rather than simply a production technology.
“Businesses are using Additive Manufacturing to reduce lead times, overcome production bottlenecks, improve supply chain resilience and bring new products to market faster,” he said. “This programme is about helping Australian companies explore those opportunities in a practical, commercially focused way.”
Applications for the STARTER Project Funding Program are now open.
AMCRC will host an online information session on July 15, 2026, at 1 pm (AEST), providing an overview of the STARTER Project Funding Program, eligibility requirements and the application process. Interested businesses can register here or via the AMCRC site.
