South Australia opens second funding round for advanced manufacturing

The SA Government announced has that second-round applications are now open to help South Australian manufacturers adopt advanced technologies.

The $1 million Manufacturing Technology Adoption Program — available over two rounds — awards 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 technologies have been shown to increase manufacturers’ competitiveness, resilience and sustainability.

Also in the state’s Advanced Manufacturing Strategy, released late last year, the SA 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 (up from 6%);
• 8% of South Australia’s employment (up from 7%);
• 30% of the state’s business R&D spend (up from 25%); and
• 25% of South Australia’s value-added exports (up from 20%).
   

In addition to the 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 Government’s $2.3 billion National Skills Agreement.

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

A satellite technology company based at Lot Fourteen, Inovor Technologies is putting the funding towards constructing the Helmholtz Cage, a device to test satellite instruments in a predictable and uniform magnetic field.

“As we expand into building ... larger and complex spacecraft, strengthening our in-house testing capabilities is critical,” said Dr Zebb Prime, Inovor Technologies Manager – Mechanical and Modelling and Simulation Engineering.

“The Helmholtz Cage will allow us to conduct rigorous tests on a larger scale, improving both reliability and efficiency.

“This investment directly supports our mission to deliver world-class, Australian-made space technology with precision, reliability and speed.”

The other businesses that received funding in Round 1 were:

• McLaren Vintners
• PakPot
• ATi Laboratories
• Foil Drive
• MyModular
• Bickford’s Australia
• MGA Macro Group
• Gelista
• Silver Fleece.
   

To find out more, or to apply for funding through the Manufacturing Technology Adoption Program, visit statedevelopment.sa.gov.au/manufacturing.

Round 2 program applications are open now and close on Friday, 29 September 2025.

Image credit: istock.com/ultramansk