CUREator manages multiple grant funding programs that support the development and commercialisation of health innovations across a range of areas and technology types. The programs are summarised below.
CUREator+ Dementia & Cognitive Decline is a national incubator program funded by the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) through the BioMedTech Incubator (BMTI) initiative. The program is delivered in partnership between Brandon BioCatalyst’s CUREator, ANDHealth, and Dementia Australia, and aims to accelerate the commercialisation of early-stage Australian innovations addressing dementia and cognitive decline.
CUREator+ Dementia & Cognitive Decline provides non-dilutive funding, along with access to investment capital, commercial guidance, international expert networks, and mentorship.
Eligible technologies include therapeutics (novel and repurposed), biomarkers, diagnostics, medical and assistive devices, and digital health technologies. Projects may be at the preclinical, clinical or commercial development stage, and must demonstrate a clear path to impact and commercialisation.
ROUND 2 OPEN FROM 21st May 2025.
For further information, please see: OPEN ROUND: CUREator+ Dementia and Cognitive Decline, Round 2.
CUREator+ is a national incubator program funded by the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) through the BioMedTech Incubator (BMTI) initiative. The program is delivered in partnership between Brandon BioCatalyst’s CUREator and ANDHealth, and aimed to accelerate the commercialisation of early-stage Australian medical research and innovation across a broad range of therapeutic areas and technology types.
CUREator+ provided non-dilutive funding to small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), along with access to investment capital, commercial guidance, international expert networks, and mentorship.
Eligible technologies included novel and repurposed therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, and digital health technologies. Projects are supported at the preclinical, clinical, or commercial development stage and are selected based on their potential for impact and commercialisation.
Funding stages:
Stage 1 was delivered through two open, competitive rounds. CUREator+ awardees can be found here for Round 1.
Funded by the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Early Stage Translation and Commercialisation Support (ESTAC) initiative, this program targets preclinical-stage biomedical technologies and supports their transition toward investment and partnership readiness.
The Preclinical Stream provides non-dilutive grant funding of up to $500,000 per project, supporting Australian preclinical medical research and innovation with commercial potential. Projects focus on key experiments and milestones to de-risk assets, confirm proof of concept, and improve commercial positioning.
Awardees of the Preclinical Stream can be found here for Round 1, and here for Round 2.
Awardees could apply for additional ‘top-up’ funding upon meeting key project-specific milestones, further supporting their journey towards successful commercialisation. Top-up funding for the Preclinical Stream was offered through three competitive rounds.
‘Top-up’ awardees of the Preclinical Stream can be found here.
MRFF ESTAC Clinical Design Supporting clinical development of therapeutics.
Up to $1.5m per project. Outcomes Investment, patient impact.
Funded by the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Early Stage Translation and Commercialisation Support (ESTAC) initiative, this program targets clinical-stage therapeutics, enabling them to conduct clinical development programs to become investment—or partnership-ready.
The Clinical Stream provides non-dilutive grant funding of up to $1,500,000 per project, supporting Australian clinical-stage medical research and innovation with commercial potential.
Awardees of the Clinical Stream can be found here for Round 1, here for Round 2 and here for Round 3.
CSIRO Health Security. Design Supporting health security innovations.
Up to $500k per project. Outcomes Investment, national capability, health security outcomes.
Funded by CSIRO, Australia’s National Science Agency, this program supports the development of health security and medical countermeasure technologies, aiming to enhance Australia’s preparedness and responsiveness to emerging human health threats.
The Health Security Stream provides non-dilutive grant funding of up to $500,000 per project for technologies addressing Australia’s human health security or addressing known capability or capacity gaps for national health security including but not limited to:
Awardees of the Health Security Stream can be found here.
Awardees meeting key project-specific milestones were eligible to apply for competitive top-up funding, which further supported their journey towards successful commercialisation.
‘Top-up’ awardees of the Health Security Stream can be found here.
Funded by CSIRO, Australia’s National Science Agency, this program supports early-stage biomedical technologies focused on addressing antimicrobial resistance through innovative approaches.
The Minimising Antimicrobial Resistance Stream provides non-dilutive grant funding of up to $500,000 per project for technologies that improve the prevention, detection, diagnosis, or response to emerging and existing antimicrobial resistance challenges.
Awardees of the Minimising Antimicrobial Resistance Stream can be found here.
Awardees who met key milestones were eligible to apply for additional ‘top-up’ funding, which further supported their journey towards successful commercialisation.
