Office of Industry and Innovation

Pathfinder is UWA's early-stage fund to assist with identifying and developing research with commercial potential.

A total of $250,000 a year, to a maximum of $60,000 per project, is available for eligible projects.

Objectives

• To fund UWA early-stage projects and concepts which are expected to have a clear commercial potential.
• To develop early-stage projects into investor-ready or IP licensing opportunities.
• To use Pathfinder for leveraging funds from other commercialisation funding sources, like Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) and AusIndustry.

Pathfinder is not for initial conceptual investigation, "gap" funding for research programs, acquisition of capital equipment, conference travel or IP protection.

Structure

Funding can be applied for in two discrete stages:

• Stage 1 - Maximum $15,000 approved by the Office of Industry and Innovation.
• Stage 2 - Maximum $45,000 approved by an independent external panel.

You can apply for the two stages separately or together. However, the successful completion of stage 1 and approval by the external panel are required to access stage 2 funds.