Grants and Funding
Grants & Funding
Many Australian and WA funding programs support therapeutics, medical science and chemistry-enabled innovation progressing toward translation and commercialisation. Epichem partners with universities, startups and industry teams on grant-funded R&D — particularly in medicinal chemistry, custom synthesis, translational chemistry and scale-up — as an independent Australian CRO and medicinal chemistry partner for research and commercialisation programs.
Where relevant, Epichem supports Australian onshore R&D activities aligned with grant eligibility and translational objectives, including projects supported through MRFF funding, NHMRC grants, CRC-P grants and other drug discovery funding programs.
Epichem has supported multiple grant-funded collaborations with Australian universities, medical research institutes and SMEs, helping teams strengthen applications and deliver specialist chemistry activities within funded projects.
How Epichem can support grant-funded projects
- Medicinal chemistry & hit-to-lead optimisation
- Custom synthesis & analogue generation
- Scale-up & process chemistry
- Reference standards & analytical chemistry
- Rapid chemistry scoping and budget estimates for applications
Planning a grant application? Epichem can provide early chemistry scoping, indicative budgets and technical input for projects involving medicinal chemistry, synthesis, scale-up and translational R&D. Whether pursuing MRFF funding, NHMRC grants, CRC-P opportunities or broader drug discovery funding, Epichem can support projects requiring specialist chemistry expertise. Get in touch at info@epichem.com or fill out our contact form here to discuss how we can support your application.
Current Opportunities for Australian Organisations
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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). |
Applications close 31 Mar ’27 (expected) |
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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 of up to ~$1.5–2 M per project (targeted streams) for multidisciplinary teams progressing translational TBI research. |
Applications close 17 Jun ’26
Min data by 20 May ’26 |
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Up to $33 M per incubator (up to ~$132 M program funding total) |
Supports establishment of BioMedTech incubators to identify and accelerate early-stage Australian SMEs developing therapeutics, diagnostics, biomarkers, assistive devices and digital health technologies. Incubators will support projects through early-stage R&D and commercial de-risking to attract private investment. Relevant for startups and SMEs undertaking drug discovery or translational therapeutic development that may require medicinal chemistry, synthetic chemistry and contracted R&D support. |
Applications close 22 Jul ‘26 |
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Up to $5 M total funding available
(project funding varies) |
Supports research to transform the diagnosis, care and therapeutic landscape for childhood dementia, including translational research to uncover disease mechanisms, identify novel therapeutic targets, and advance treatment development.
Funding may support contracted research services through collaborating institutions, including medicinal chemistry, synthetic chemistry and translational therapeutic development where relevant. |
Applications close 3 Jun ‘26 |
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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 (e.g., medicinal chemistry) via the administering institution. |
Applications close
1 Jul ‘26 |
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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); Australian funding can support contracted research services (e.g., medicinal chemistry) via the administering institution. |
Applications close 29 Apr ’26 to 25 Nov ‘26
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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. |
Applications close 1 July ’26 (Round 9)
1 Oct ‘26 (Round 10)
13 Jan ‘27 (Round 11) |
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$30k – $500k per year for up to 5 years |
Supports fundamental and applied research projects undertaken by individual researchers or teams across a broad range of disciplines, including chemistry, biomedical science and translational research. Funding may support specialist contracted R&D services through collaborating universities, including medicinal chemistry, synthetic chemistry and enabling research capabilities where relevant. |
Annual opportunity
(timing varies by round) |
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$100k – $3 M per project Matched funding (up to 50%) for up to 3 years |
Supports short-term, industry-led collaborative research projects to develop new technologies, products and services with commercial potential. Projects must involve collaboration between industry and research organisations and may include proof-of-concept, translational R&D and pre-commercialisation activities. Funding can support specialist contracted R&D services through project partners, including medicinal chemistry, synthetic chemistry, process development and scale-up where relevant. |
Multiple rounds
(typically 1–2 rounds/year) |
Past Opportunities
Although the opportunities below are now closed, similar funding rounds and related programs often reopen or evolve over time. Early planning can improve competitiveness, particularly where medicinal chemistry, synthetic chemistry or translational R&D support may be required.
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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. |
Closed 4 Feb ‘26 |
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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. |
Closed 4 Dec ‘25 |
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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. |
Closed 10 July ’25 |
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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 (e.g., medicinal chemistry) via the administering institution. |
Closed 1 Apr ‘26 |
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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. |
EOI closed 22 Jan ‘26 |
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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. |
Closed
Round 2 devices – EOI due 30 Mar ‘26 |
To discuss a grant collaboration, get in touch at info@epichem.com or fill out our contact form here and let’s explore how we can support your next step.