SA Government announces manufacturing grant program

The South Australian Government has announced a new grant program to support South Australian manufacturers in adopting advanced technologies.

The $1 million Manufacturing Technology Adoption Program — available over two rounds — will award grants of up to $50,000. Funding is awarded on a competitive basis with businesses required to match each dollar invested.

Technologies targeted through this program include artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing, data analytics, blockchain, computer vision, augmented and virtual reality, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), optics and photonics. These transformative technologies have been shown to increase manufacturers’ competitiveness, resilience and sustainability — the key enablers of growth outlined in South Australia’s Advanced Manufacturing Strategy.

Also in the strategy, released late last year, the South Australian Government outlined its ambitions to restore the state’s status as a manufacturing powerhouse and grow the local manufacturing sector so that it may contribute:

• 10% of South Australia’s economy (from 6%)
• 8% of South Australia’s employment (from 7%)
• 30% of the state’s business R&D spend (from 25%)
• 25% of South Australia’s value-added exports (from 20%).
   

In addition to the new Manufacturing Technology Adoption Program, local manufacturers are set to benefit from approximately 20,000 new training places for students undertaking manufacturing-aligned courses, funded through the Australian and South Australian Governments’ $2.3 billion National Skills Agreement.

“Accelerating the uptake of technology is critical to driving innovation and productivity and is one of the key objectives of South Australia’s Advanced Manufacturing Strategy,” said Deputy Premier Susan Close. “Through this program, South Australian manufacturers have an opportunity to adopt transformative technologies, which will significantly bolster South Australia’s industrial competitiveness and economic complexity.”

There is a dedicated manufacturing team within the Department of State Development available to connect South Australian manufacturers with these, and other, supports.

To apply for funding through the Manufacturing Technology Adoption Program, manufacturers can visit statedevelopment.sa.gov.au/manufacturing.

Program applications close on 28 February 2025.

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