Grant applications open for NT manufacturers under $7.5 million Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund

Manufacturers in the Northern Territory have been invited to apply for grants valued between $25,000 and $500,000 under a new program that hopes to turn the territory from the nation’s “comeback capital” to its “innovation capital.”

Applications were opened on Tuesday for funding support under the $7.5 million Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund (AMEF) delivered by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre and the territory’s government.

The fund was announced in late-April.

According to a statement from AMGC, grants under the new program must be at least dollar-matched by project participants, “should include collaboration” with one research institute, and a minimum of at least one industry partner.

The program is based on recommendations from the Territory Economic Reconstruction Report.

Chief minister Michael Gunner said the NT was the “comeback capital… but we also want to be Australia’s innovation capital.”  

Charmaine Barrett, the AMGC’s Northern Territory Director, said the NT had a chance to “leverage its vast natural resources, research talent, and manufacturing base to grow its impact both locally and abroad,” adding the government’s focus on manufacturing was strong and local appreciation of the industry high. 

According to the AMGC’s Perceptions of Australian Manufacturing report, released this month, the proportion of territorians who rated manufacturing as “important” or “very important” rose 33 per cent to 83 per cent between 2019 and this year.

Applications and guidelines for Advanced Manufacturing Ecosystem Fund grants can be seen here.

Picture (supplied): Wilkinson Engineering with AMGCs Angela Doyle (L) and Charmaine Barrett

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