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 four projects a total of $4m.
Applications for the Activator Fund are currently closed.
For any enquiries regarding the Activator Fund, please email enquiries@defenceinnovationpartnership.com.
Funded projects
To date the Activator Fund has awarded funding to projects across three rounds of funding, with applications sought under themes determined to align with Defence priorities.
Round 1 (announced January 2024)
The first Activator Fund theme aligned with the undersea warfare and trusted autonomy priorities of the Defence Innovation, Science and Technology program.
The first theme of Remote undersea surveillance data processing, analysis and networking was awarded to Defence software firm Acacia.
Acacia received $1.6 million for the project, Enhancing the RAN’s Undersea Surveillance Minimum Viable Capability which aims to improve operational performance by increasing the accuracy and range of automatic detection, tracking, and localisation of undersea threats.
The project is also supported by the University of Adelaide, University of South Australia, Curtin University and Defence Science and Technology Group.
Round 2 (announced April 2025)
Two projects were each awarded $400,000 under the second theme of Understanding and Countering Influence.
Mapping Pacific Networks, led by the University of Adelaide and supported by Consunet and Defence Science and Technology Group, focused on developing Defence engagement programs in the Pacific Island regions by mapping networks and influence in the region.
Understanding and Countering Online Influence will develop a model and prototype tool to help Defence end-users understand how online communities and informal networks evolve over time. This project was led by the University of Adelaide and supported by Flinders University and Fivecast.
Round 3 (announced April 2025)
Round three focused on Scalable Distributed Acting Sensing and Sensemaking Systems, with Fleet Space Technologies receiving $1.6 million for the Sensor-based Environmental sense-making Network for Threat Response and Information (SENTRI) project.
SmartSat CRC, Safety from Space, University of South Australia, Insight via Artificial Intelligence, Swordfish Computing, and DSTG have partnered with Fleet.