Grants and Funding
Grants & Funding
Many funding programs support early-stage therapeutic research and chemistry-enabled health technologies progressing toward translation and commercialisation.
Epichem partners with universities, startups, SMEs and innovative companies on grant-funded projects across drug discovery (especially small-molecule therapeutics) and other chemistry-centric life-science innovations, providing medicinal chemistry, custom synthesis, material science, and scale-up as an independent industry service provider.
Below is a selection of funding opportunities where Epichem can contribute as a chemistry partner.
Opportunities for Australian Organisations
|
Opportunity |
Funding Amount |
Summary |
Important dates |
|
MRFF – 2025 Brain Cancer Research Grant Opportunity |
Up to $2 M per project non-dilutive funding |
Supports translational research to reduce brain cancer treatment toxicity and improve patient quality of life, including development of novel therapeutic or supportive care approaches.
Funding can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). Overseas expenditure only allowed when capabilities are not available in Australia. |
Applications Closed 4 Feb ‘26 |
|
2022 Frontier Health and Medical Research |
Up to $25 M per project non-dilutive funding |
Supports ambitious “moonshot” programs of research to develop breakthrough treatments or technologies for serious, currently incurable conditions, progressing toward clinical implementation over ~10 years.
Funding can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). Overseas expenditure only allowed when capabilities are not available in Australia. |
Applications Close 31 Mar ‘26 (expected) |
|
2026 Traumatic Brain Injury Grant Opportunity |
Up to $1.5 – 2.0 M Non-dilutive funding |
Supports Australian research and innovation projects to improve outcomes for people with traumatic brain injury, including development and evaluation of novel treatments, interventions and clinical care approaches.
Funding can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). Overseas expenditure only allowed when capabilities are not available in Australia. |
Applications Close 17 Jun ’26
Min data by 20 May ’26 |
|
CUREator BioMedTech Incubator (BMTI) |
Up to $5 M per project Non-dilutive funding |
National incubator (MRFF-funded) providing non-dilutive funding and expert support to advance early-stage therapeutics (including small-molecule drug candidates) from discovery toward preclinical and clinical readiness.
Funding can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). Overseas expenditure only allowed when capabilities are not available in Australia. |
Closed 4 Dec ‘25 |
|
CUREator+ Dementia & Cognitive Decline |
Up to $5 M per project Non-dilutive funding |
National incubator (MRFF-funded) providing non-dilutive funding and expert support to advance therapeutics (including small-molecule drug candidates) and related technologies targeting dementia and cognitive decline.
Funding can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). Overseas expenditure only allowed when capabilities are not available in Australia. |
Closed 10 July ’25 |
|
Synergy Grants |
Up to $5 M over 5 years Non-dilutive funding |
Provides $5 M over 5 years to multidisciplinary teams tackling major health research challenges from discovery to translation.
Funding can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). Overseas expenditure only allowed when capabilities are not available in Australia. |
Closes 1 Apr ‘26 |
|
2026 NHMRC e-ASIA Joint Research Program funding commencing 2027 |
Up to $750k per Australian project component |
Funds multinational health and biomedical research collaborations between Australia and East/Southeast Asia; Australian component funding can support contracted research services (e.g., medicinal chemistry) via the administering institution.
Australian component funding can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). |
Closes 1 Apr ‘26 |
|
2026 NHMRC-European Partnership for Brain Health |
up to $4 M total to support Australian researchers
Up to $500k per Australian partner/team |
Supports collaborative research to prevent, diagnose or treat neurological and brain health disorders;
Funding can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). |
Closes 1 Jul ‘26 |
|
2025 NHMRC-Horizon Europe |
Up to $4 M total support to Australian researchers.
Up to $500k–$1M per Australian partner/team. |
Funds Australian participation in EU-led multinational health research consortia (up to $500k–$1M per Australian team).
Funding can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). Overseas expenditure only allowed when capabilities are not available in Australia. |
Closes 29 Apr ’26 to 25 Nov ‘26
|
|
AEA Ignite Round 3 |
Up to $500k per project |
Provides funding for university-led proof-of-concept projects (TRL 3–5) to validate and translate research toward commercialisation.
Funding can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). Overseas expenditure only allowed when capabilities are not available in Australia. |
Closes 4 Mar ‘26 |
|
AEA Innovate Round 3 |
Up to $5 M per project 50% matched funding |
Provides up to $5 M (matched) for university–industry projects to scale validated technologies toward commercial readiness (TRL 5–7).
Funding can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). Overseas expenditure only allowed when capabilities are not available in Australia. |
Opens Q2 2026 |
|
FHRI - Innovation Seed Fund |
Up to $750 k (devices, diagnostics, and digital)
Up to $1.5 M (therapeutics and vaccines)
(per project) |
Supports early-stage WA health and medical innovations (including therapeutics) to validate feasibility and advance toward commercialisation through targeted de-risking and startup development activities.
Funding can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). Overseas and interstate expenditure only allowed when capabilities are not available within WA. |
EOI closed 22 Jan ‘26 |
|
FHRI - Spotlight 2025-26 Rheumatic Heart Disease program |
Up to $25 M per project |
Large-scale WA collaborative program to develop and implement transformative prevention, diagnosis and treatment solutions for rheumatic heart disease, with strong Aboriginal leadership and cross-sector partnerships.
Funding can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). Overseas and interstate expenditure only allowed when capabilities are not available within WA. |
Closes 11 Mar ‘26 |
|
FHRI - Major Research and Innovation Application Support (MRIAS) |
up to $1 M co-funding commitment to support national/international grants
(per project) |
Provides WA co-funding commitments (up to $1 M) to strengthen competitive national/international health and medical research or innovation grant applications and increase WA success and investment. |
Closes 1 April ’26 (Round 8) |
|
Cooperative Research Centres |
~$30 M to $75 M (matched funding) over up to 10 years |
Funds large (≈$30–75 M), long-term (up to 10 years) industry-led research centres translating technologies toward commercial impact.
CRC budgets can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). Overseas expenditure only allowed when capabilities are not available in Australia. |
Round 26 - TBA |
|
Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) |
$100k to $3M (matched funding) over up to 3 years |
Provides matched funding of $100k–$3 M (up to 50% of project costs) for short-term (≤3 years) industry-led collaborations to develop and commercialise new products, services or processes.
CRC budgets can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). Overseas expenditure only allowed when capabilities are not available in Australia. |
Round 18 – closed 7 Oct ‘26
Round 19 - TBA |
|
ARC Industrial Transformation Research Program (ITRP) |
$1.5 M to $5 M over 3-5 years (industry contribution ≥ 75% of ARC request) |
Funds multi-year ($0.5–1 M/year, 3–5 years) university–industry research hubs and training centres to develop industry-relevant technologies (incl. medical science); programs support collaborative R&D and specialised capabilities via partners. |
|
|
Targeted Translation Research Accelerator - Drugs and Devices
Diabetes + Cardiovascular Disease |
$200k – $1.5 M per project non-dilutive
≥50% cash Co-contribution required |
Provides ~$200k–$1.5 M non-dilutive funding for translational therapeutics and medical technology projects targeting diabetes and cardiovascular disease; supports product development toward clinical and commercial readiness via industry-led collaborations.
Funding can support contracted research services provided by Epichem (e.g. synthetic & medicinal chemistry). Overseas and interstate expenditure only allowed when capabilities are not available within WA. |
Round 2 devices – EOI due 30 Mar ‘26 |