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Activator Fund

Activating South Australia’s Defence Innovation Ecosystem

The Defence Innovation Partnership launched the Activator Fund in June 2023, a program designed to speed up the translation of innovative defence technology into real world capability for the Australian Defence Force.

The fund enables South Australian researchers and industry to create and participate in larger-scale innovation activities strongly aligned with the most significant challenges facing Defence. To date, the Defence Innovation Partnership has funded five Activator projects a total of $4.8 million.

Applications for the Activator Fund are now closed. 

Supporting Documents

To support the application process, the following documents were provided.

Frequently Asked Questions

Applications for Round 4 of the Activator Fund open on 1 September 2026.

Applications for Round 4 of the Activator Fund close on 30 October at 11:59pm ACST. Late applications will not be accepted.

A total pool of $1.6 million is available for Round 4 of the Activator Fund and we are expecting to fund 2 projects requesting up to $800,000 each.

No. However, if the outcome of R&D activity has the potential to be classified, or if classified inputs or discussions are needed to complete the work, then all team members undertaking the CRF activity should be capable of obtaining a Baseline security clearance. Australian citizenship is a condition of eligibility for a security clearance.

Please refer to the Fund Guidelines for the assessment criteria.

Before applying for the Activator Fund it is recommended you read and understand these guidelines, and the sample draft South Australian Government Funding Agreement published on the Defence Innovation Partnership website.

To apply, you must complete and submit your application through the SmartyGrants online portal (link available from 1 September when applications open), including all requested information as attachments/uploads, e.g. Participant Declarations, Letters of Support.

You can view and print a copy of your submitted application on the portal for your own records.

If you need further guidance around the application process, or if you have any issues with the portal, contact us at [email protected].