Eligible applicants must be either:
- An Australian small to medium size enterprise (SME) defined as an Australian based and registered for-profit company with less than 200 employees;
or
- Researchers, not-for-profit organisations (NFPs), university TTO’s/IP holding companies are eligible to apply but must incorporate as a for-profit entity in Australia prior to receiving funds. As part of the application process, applicants must acknowledge that the project will need to be incorporated as a for-profit Australian registered business prior to award to receiving funding.
Eligibility requirements:
- The company or research team owns or has an exclusive right to Intellectual Property (IP) rights relevant to the project proposal (exclusive rights to background intellectual property).
- Applicants must provide a letter of support from their Board (established company) or business development manager/tech transfer office (in the case you need to form a new company) that the project is supported and that you can complete the project and meet the costs of the project not covered by grant funding.
- Be willing to commercialise the project.
- Be willing to provide a duly executed Commitment Deed Poll with the Commonwealth on execution of the CUREator+ Dementia & Cognitive Decline grant.
- Be willing to adhere to the grant requirements regarding the Commonwealth’s Commercialisation terms and conditions.
- Details of the Commonwealth’s Commitment Deed Poll and Commercialisation Terms will be shared with shortlisted applicants at the Full Application stage.
Not-for-profit organisations (NFPs), university TTO’s/IP holding companies, companies registered outside Australia, and Australian companies with 200 or more employees are not eligible to receive CUREator+ Dementia & Cognitive Decline funding. These criteria reflect the requirements of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) grant that CUREator+ operates.
Eligibility requirements:
- Letters of support from each project partner (if applicable).
- Additional documentation to support the proposal, as requested by the full application form, including a detailed project plan and budget table.
- Funding is available to:
– Support the early diagnosis of dementia
– Prevent the progression or alleviate the severity of the cognitive, neuropsychiatric and motor symptoms
– Promote enabling environments to increase safety and quality of life of those living with dementia and cognitive decline. - Eligible projects will include the development of novel biomarkers, diagnostics, therapeutics, assistive devices and digital technology approaches and products (see below).
- Projects may be at preclinical, clinical and commercial development stages.
- Projects must have commercial potential.
- Funding of up to $5 million per project is available and will be delivered in Stages:
– Stage 1: Funding between $1 to $2.5 million. Funding will be provided in tranches and aligned to commercially relevant milestones. Successful projects will have up to 2 years to complete project activities and achievement of milestones, agreed as part of the application process.
– Stage 2: Top-up funding will be available on a competitive basis to successful companies (maximum total of $5 million in funding) who meet their milestones during the Stage 1 period. Successful projects will have a maximum total of 4 years to complete Stage 1 and 2 project activities and achievement of milestones.
Funding Guidelines
- Projects should focus on conducting critical path activities towards achieving preclinical, clinical and/or commercial evidence to significantly improve the project’s ability to commercialise, raise capital and/or execute on a market entry or growth strategy.
- Priority will be given to projects with an asset/product/technology with proof of concept data but opportunities at an earlier stage will be considered.
- Projects that demonstrate capacity to provide matching capital (and in-kind support) will be highly regarded.
- Companies with feedback from industry, current or potential investors and/or partners validating their interest in the proposed project will be highly regarded.
- Funded project work must be conducted in Australia where possible. Any overseas expenditure for project deliverables will need to be justified and approved by CUREator+.
- The company must own or have exclusive rights to the Intellectual Property (IP) underpinning the project, including access to the relevant know-how to undertake the proposed project and commercialise the opportunity.
- Projects must have sufficient resources to service and complete the program and associated project plans (operational runway, time, headcount). It is important to note that CUREator+ allocated funds are applied to direct project costs only and do not cover the day-to-day operations of the company.
- The company must demonstrate access to sufficient management capacity and capability, including the operational, scientific, IP protection and prosecution, legal and business activities of the company.
- Preference will be given to applicants which have a minimum of one full-time employee engaged in the company.
Eligible projects must have commercial potential and will include the development of novel biomarkers, diagnostics, therapeutics (novel and repurposed), medical and assistive devices, and digital technology approaches and products at the preclinical, clinical and commercial development stages.
Innovations are broadly defined as:
- Therapeutics includes various modalities including small molecules, monoclonal antibodies, gene and cell therapies, RNA drugs, antibody-drug conjugates, biologics, targeted protein degraders, nanobodies, theranostics and emerging modalities. Novel drugs or novel uses for existing drugs will be considered.
- Diagnostics includes various tests, assays, imaging techniques and evaluations for disease detection, monitoring or drug development.
- Biomarkers includes genetic variants or other biological indicators associated with disease states or responses to therapeutic interventions. Biomarkers can be diagnostic, prognostic or predictive.
- Medical devices includes physical forms of instruments, implements, bionics, machines, contrivance, implant, in vitro reagent or similar related article or component part. Note that devices with a significant digital or software component may be considered digital health.
- Digital health includes technologies that use computing platforms, connectivity, software and sensors, either alone or in combination with physical products, including digital therapeutic, diagnostic, biomarker, monitoring and assistive technologies.
1. Expression of Interest (EOI): Interested applicants with eligible projects submit a non-confidential online EOI to CUREator+ Dementia & Cognitive Decline for evaluation by the CUREator+ Investment Review Committee (IRC) and the Dementia Australia-led Community Steering Committee (CSC). EOIs should articulate the opportunity (research, its significance to dementia & cognitive decline), the problem/target market, the competitive advantage, technology and stage of development, intellectual property position and/or opportunity, business case, and proposed plan and budget.
2. Full Application: Shortlisted applicants will be requested to prepare a full application and presentation that will be evaluated by the CUREator+ IRC, Dementia Australia-led CSC and the International Advisory Committee (IAC). Applicants will need to submit a full application, address IRC feedback and present their pitch virtually. The full application will expand on the information provided in the EOI to provide a full outline of the project. Details and template documents will be provided to the shortlisted applicants.
3. Due Diligence: If shortlisted for funding from the full application assessment stage, the CUREator+ team will work with the company/research institute/university to address feedback from the IRC, CSC and IAC as well as complete corporate due diligence, IP review, project planning, timing, budgets and milestones.
Applicants must successfully complete due diligence to be endorsed by the evaluation committees for funding. Successful applicants will be required to execute the grant agreement, and the Commonwealth Commercialisation terms prior to the awarding of funds.
- Expressions of Interest (EOI) open: 21 May 2025 at 9:00am (AEST)
- Information session: 29 May 2025 at 12:00 pm (AEST)
- EOIs close: 10 July 2025 at 1:00pm (AEST)
- Notification for shortlisted EOI applicants: From mid-September 2025
- Full applications (from shortlisted applicants) due: Mid-November 2025
- Successful applicants funded: From Q2 2026
Is this research funding, a commercial grant or will CUREator+ take equity?
CUREator+ provides commercial grant funding (equity free) to projects. This funding is best considered as non-dilutive capital rather than a research grant. This means successful projects will receive tranche funding, aligned with developmental and/or commercial milestones, that will be defined and agreed together with CUREator+ as part of the due diligence process. CUREator+ retain no legal rights, liens, or rights of refusal over any participating SMEs technology. SMEs accepted into CUREator+ will need to demonstrate that all background IP and project IP flows to the participant company.
Successful applicants will need to meet specific conditions and terms with the Commonwealth, including providing a duly executed Commitment Deed Poll with the Commonwealth on execution of the grant agreement. Details of the Commonwealth’s Commitment Deed Poll and Commercialisation Terms will be shared with shortlisted applicants at the Full Application stage.
Do you fund clinical trials?
CUREator+ will fund clinical and commercial studies where desired endpoints are considered to be highly relevant to the successful commercialisation of a company’s technology.
Can funding be used to cover the costs associated with IP protection, patent lodgement etc?
If the IP strategy is part of your approved project activities, then some IP related costs can be covered. For example, if the company was seeking IP advice from firms and IP professionals with experience in supporting innovation specific to your technology, then this may be supported. The program will not fund any direct costs of patent/trademark/copyright etc. registration fees and licenses, which are deemed ineligible expenditures within the MRFF funding guidelines.
What kinds of organisations can receive CUREator+ funding and how is this defined for eligibility?
The application process is open to any Australian SME, or researcher at an Australian university or research institute, NFP or commercialisation organisation intending to incorporate a for-profit Australian registered business prior to award.
Successful applicants may be a private or public, listed or unlisted (Pty Ltd. or Ltd.) Australian SME. An Australian SME is defined as a business that employs less than 200 people, is based in Australia and is a registered Australian corporate entity (i.e., registered with ASIC).
NFPs, university TTO’s/IP holding companies, companies registered outside Australia, Australian companies with 200 or more employees and other Australian business entities and structures are not eligible to receive CUREator+ funding. These criteria reflect the requirements of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) grant that CUREator+ operates.
Can I submit more than one application?
Yes, the same business entity can submit more than one application, however, only one application can be awarded funding. Universities, research institutes, NFPs or other publicly funded research organisations (PFROs) may submit multiple applications on behalf of different projects or research teams, provided that:
- Each application represents a distinct project;
- Each application includes a commitment to form a new spin-out company to commercialise the technology if funding is awarded;
- The proposed spin-out company (and ABN) must be clearly identified and distinguishable for each application; and
- All other eligibility requirements are met.
Can I re-apply, or submit an application if I have previously submitted a proposal to CUREator or ANDHealth+ that was not successful?
We encourage previous applicants whether successful or unsuccessful recipients of CUREator, ANDHealth+ or other funding schemes to apply for CUREator+. Applicants should submit applications for biomedical technologies demonstrating significant unmet need with clear commercial potential. Applicants are requested to describe any feedback they have previously received and how the proposal addresses the feedback. You do not need to have applied to these programs previously to be considered for funding through CUREator+.
We already have MRFF funding, can we still apply?
Yes, however, you cannot ‘double dip’ on activities already funded under an MRFF agreement or any other funding for that matter. Companies must ensure clear delineation of how CUREator+ funding will be utilised outside of ‘business-as-usual’ activities and existing or future committed funding.
What happens if my project has grant funding, equity investment, or matching capital from other sources?
Matching capital (and in-kind support) will be well regarded as part of application review. Applicants should ensure that it is clear what the CUREator+ funding will be used to achieve and how this is measurably distinct from use of any other funding or support from other sources. Applicants will be required to delineate how funds will be utilised outside “business-as-usual” activities and applicants must ensure they have sufficient runway and resources to fully deliver the program.
How confidential/independent is the proposal review process?
All application information is treated commercial in confidence. All members of selection and advisory panels and committees operate under confidentiality agreements. If confidential information is provided, please preface this with [Confidential]. It is not expected that you will disclose confidential information in the application to submit a successful EOI application. However, it is imperative that you can share enough technical information to demonstrate differentiation and novelty in the EOI, but it may not be necessary to disclose confidential information in order to do so.
Can I get any feedback on submitting an EOI application or on my submitted EOI application?
Unsuccessful EOI applications will be advised as soon as possible during the review process. However, owing to the volume of applications we receive, applicants are not expected to receive further feedback at the EOI stage.
Can I talk to someone about the program and my application?
Yes, we encourage prospective applicants to book a 30-minute meeting with the CUREator+ team to discuss their opportunity.
Bookings will open after the information session on Thursday 29 May 2025.
What will the full application form entail?
The full application will expand on the information provided in the EOI to provide a full outline of the project. Details and template documents will be provided via the application platform upon the opening of the full application period.
My application is stuck/lost in the system. What should I do?
Although we strive to offer a great application experience, sometimes these things happen. Please get in touch by emailing the CUREator+ team at
info@cureator.com.au with specific details of the issue you are facing.
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