# Grant Research Report — NSW Startup & Tech Grants
**Research Date:** 2026-02-17  
**Compiled by:** Harper (Finance)  
**Focus:** Australian tech startup funding opportunities

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## Executive Summary

| Grant | Amount | Deadline | Fit Score | Status |
|-------|--------|----------|-----------|--------|
| **NSW MVP Ventures** | $20K-$75K | Opens 9 Mar, closes 5 Apr | 9/10 | Prepare now |
| **R&D Tax Incentive** | 43.5% refund | Register by 30 Apr | 10/10 | Document R&D |
| **Industry Growth Program** | $50K-$5M | Rolling (Advisory first) | 8/10 | App ready |
| **Export Market Development** | Up to $150K | Annual rounds | 5/10 | Future phase |
| **Accelerating Commercialisation** | Up to $1M | Competitive rounds | 7/10 | Later stage |

**Total Addressable:** $120K+ near-term, $500K+ medium-term

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## 1. NSW MVP Ventures Program ⭐ HIGHEST PRIORITY

**Amount:** $20,000 - $75,000  
**Opens:** 9 March 2026  
**Closes:** 5 April 2026 (27 days open)  
**Source:** nsw.gov.au/business-and-economy/innovation/grants-and-programs/mvp-ventures-program

### Eligibility (RateRight ✅)
- ✅ ABN active
- ✅ Headquartered in NSW (Surry Hills)
- ✅ Company incorporated under Corporations Act
- ✅ Turnover <$400K (pre-revenue)
- ✅ <10 FTE employees
- ✅ Holds IP rights

### Funding Streams
| Stream | Grant % | Max Amount | RateRight Fit |
|--------|---------|------------|---------------|
| Stream 1 | 50% | $50K | Standard |
| Stream 2 | 75% | $75K | If qualify as underrepresented |

### Assessment Criteria
1. **Innovation** — New solution to well-defined problem ✅
2. **Commercialisation** — Viable, supports NSW Industry Policy ✅
3. **Deliverability** — Clear milestones, team capacity ✅

### Opportunity Score
- Value: $35,000 (realistic middle)
- Probability: 60% (strong fit, competitive program)
- Effort: 40 hours
- **Score: 525** (ABSOLUTE PRIORITY)

### Action Items
- [ ] Confirm $35K co-funding availability with Michael
- [ ] Draft application (can start before 9 Mar opening)
- [ ] Gather supporting documents (constitution, financials)
- [ ] Submit within first week (less competition early)

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## 2. R&D Tax Incentive ⭐ HIGHEST PROBABILITY

**Amount:** 43.5% refund of eligible R&D expenditure  
**Deadline:** Register by 30 April 2026 (72 days)  
**Source:** business.gov.au/grants-and-programs/research-and-development-tax-incentive

### Eligibility (RateRight ✅)
- ✅ Australian registered entity
- ⚠️ Minimum $20,000 eligible R&D expenditure
- ✅ Turnover <$20M (refundable offset)

### Eligible Activities for RateRight
- Experimental software development
- Algorithm development (matching, pricing)
- Prototype/MVP development
- Platform architecture innovation
- Testing and iteration

### Potential Value
| R&D Spend | Refund (43.5%) | Likelihood |
|-----------|----------------|------------|
| $20,000 | $8,700 | High |
| $50,000 | $21,750 | Medium |
| $100,000 | $43,500 | Low |

### Documentation Required
- Sprint notes, commit logs, architecture decisions
- Technical hypotheses and test results
- Failure analysis and iteration logs
- Salary costs, contractor costs, cloud infrastructure

### Action Items
- [ ] Audit Builder's commits since July 2024
- [ ] Document technical hypotheses
- [ ] Calculate eligible expenditure
- [ ] Engage R&D tax specialist
- [ ] Register by 30 April

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## 3. Industry Growth Program (Federal)

**Amount:** $50K - $5M  
**Status:** Open (rolling)  
**Process:** Advisory Service first → Grant application  
**Source:** business.gov.au/grants-and-programs/industry-growth-program

### Two-Stage Process
1. **Advisory Service (FREE)** — Connect with expert Adviser
   - 10 working day response
   - Required before grant application

2. **Grant Opportunities:**
   - Early-Stage Commercialisation: $50K-$250K (TRL 3-6)
   - Commercialisation and Growth: $100K-$5M (TRL 4-9)

### NRF Priority Area Alignment
RateRight fits **"Enabling Capabilities"** — digital infrastructure supporting construction industry transformation.

### RateRight Eligibility
- ✅ Turnover <$20M
- ✅ ABN active
- ✅ GST registered
- ✅ Australian incorporated
- ✅ Fits NRF priority area

### Opportunity Score
- Value: $150,000 (realistic first grant)
- Probability: 40% (competitive, but good fit)
- Effort: 60 hours (advisory + application)
- **Score: 100** (HIGH PRIORITY)

### Current Status
- Advisory Service application drafted
- Constitution prepared (needs execution)
- Ready to submit once constitution signed

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## 4. Export Market Development Grant (EMDG)

**Amount:** Up to $150,000 over 3 years  
**Rounds:** Annual (next round TBA)  
**Source:** austrade.gov.au

### Eligibility
- Australian businesses promoting exports
- Minimum $15,000 eligible export expenses
- Must have promoted export within last 2 years

### RateRight Fit: 5/10
- ❌ Not currently exporting
- ❌ No international promotion expenses
- ⚠️ Could apply if expanding to NZ/UK later

### Recommendation
**Defer.** Focus on domestic market first. Revisit when:
- Platform proven in Australia
- Ready for NZ/UK expansion
- Export promotion budget allocated

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## 5. Accelerating Commercialisation (AC)

**Amount:** Up to $1M  
**Rounds:** Competitive (2-3 rounds/year)  
**Source:** business.gov.au/grants-and-programs/accelerating-commercialisation

### Eligibility
- Australian entities with novel product/service
- Market-ready or near-market-ready
- Matched funding required

### RateRight Fit: 7/10 (Future)
- ⚠️ Need proven traction first
- ⚠️ Higher competition
- ✅ Strong fit once revenue flowing

### Recommendation
**Phase 2.** After:
- 50+ paid hires completed
- Revenue $10K+/month
- Unit economics proven
- Market validation complete

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## Priority Matrix

| Grant | Timeline | Effort | Value | Priority |
|-------|----------|--------|-------|----------|
| R&D Tax | 72 days | Medium | $8K-$22K | 🔴 URGENT |
| MVP Ventures | Opens 9 Mar | High | $35K | 🟡 PREPARE |
| Industry Growth | Rolling | High | $150K | 🟡 ACTIVE |
| EMDG | Future | Medium | $150K | 🟢 DEFER |
| AC | Future | Very High | $1M | 🟢 PHASE 2 |

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## Immediate Actions (Next 7 Days)

1. **R&D Tax:** Audit Builder's commits, start documentation
2. **MVP Ventures:** Confirm co-funding, begin drafting
3. **Industry Growth:** Execute constitution, submit Advisory Service app
4. **Tracking:** Set calendar reminders for all deadlines

## 90-Day Grant Strategy

**Target:** Secure $50K+ in funding
- R&D Tax: $15K (refund)
- MVP Ventures: $35K (grant)
- Industry Growth: $50K+ (grant, if advisory successful)

**Total Potential:** $100K+

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*Report compiled for team review. Next update: After MVP Ventures application submitted.*