The Minns Labor Government has unveiled a bold commitment to securing NSW’s position as a global hub for innovation and technology with the launch of the Innovation Blueprint — backed by nearly $80 million in new funding announced in the 2025-26 NSW Budget.
With 65% of Australia’s venture capital flowing into NSW, and five of Australia’s eight unicorns (like Atlassian, Canva and Afterpay) calling Sydney home, NSW has become the country’s epicentre for venture-backed innovation. The Blueprint is designed to cement and amplify that leadership position, ensuring the next wave of global success stories are built — and stay — here.
At Noah Connect, we see this as a powerful opportunity for startups, scaleups, and innovative SMEs to tap into new funding pathways that complement federal grants like the R&D Tax Incentive and the Industry Growth programs. This is non-dilutive capital that can fuel early-stage development, commercialisation, and global scale.
🔎 What’s in the NSW Innovation Blueprint?
Let’s break down where this new funding is going — and what it means for innovative businesses:
1️⃣ Turbocharging Tech Central — $38.5M
Tech Central (stretching from Central Station to Eveleigh) is fast becoming Australia’s Silicon Valley equivalent — a physical and digital hub where startups, research institutions, corporates, and government connect.
New funding will:
- Expand infrastructure for deep tech, AI, and scaleups
- Support advanced prototyping, commercial trials, and collaboration
- Strengthen NSW’s global competitiveness as an innovation destination
Who benefits?
Hardware startups, AI labs, clean energy ventures, medtech, and global expansion-stage companies looking for investor visibility and proximity to research assets.
2️⃣ Emerging Technology Commercialisation — $20M
This fund targets growth in sectors that directly address national priorities such as:
- Housing (construction tech, modular building, smart design)
- Energy (storage, grid optimisation, renewables, hydrogen)
Key takeaway:
If your startup is building technology that helps solve Australia’s infrastructure or energy transition challenges, this is a prime opportunity to secure state support at the commercialisation stage.
3️⃣ Extending Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Ventures — $6M
Early-stage startups often struggle with pre-revenue funding gaps. The extension of MVP Ventures program provides critical funding for companies developing, testing and validating their first product iterations.
Eligible activities may include:
- Prototyping
- Pilot trials
- Technical proof-of-concept work
- Market validation exercises
This directly complements federal R&D Tax claims — and can help founders access early funds without giving up equity.
4️⃣ Innovation in Manufacturing — $6M
NSW’s Blueprint also supports manufacturers to adopt innovative production processes — such as:
- Automation
- Robotics
- Advanced materials
- Sustainable manufacturing techniques
For SMEs in manufacturing, this program can fund transformative processing R&D, opening pathways to unlock new efficiencies and competitive advantages.
5️⃣ Housing Innovation Network & Construction Fund — $4M
The Innovation Blueprint takes direct aim at NSW’s housing supply challenge, with new funding for:
- Housing innovation networks
- Construction methods that improve efficiency and reduce cost
- Modern design and prefabrication technologies
Startups in PropTech, construction AI, sustainable materials and smart infrastructure stand to benefit directly.
6️⃣ Supporting Diversity in Tech — $4M
Inclusion is core to NSW’s strategy, with targeted programs for:
- Female founders
- Regional and Western Sydney tech entrepreneurs
- Underrepresented groups in the innovation ecosystem
Why this matters:
The Blueprint isn’t just about scale; it’s about ensuring who gets to scale reflects the full spectrum of NSW’s talent pool.
7️⃣ Extending the National Space Industry Hub — $700K
While smaller in value, this investment supports Australia’s growing space tech sector — particularly:
- Earth observation
- Launch services
- Satellite technology
- Advanced manufacturing for aerospace components
🧭 How Noah Connect Can Help
At Noah Connect, we work with founders across all sectors — from SaaS to hardware, health to energy — to design funding strategies that maximise all available state and federal programs.
We can help you:
- Map your eligibility across multiple grant streams
- Sequence your applications to maximise timing advantage
- Understand your technical activities to strengthen your claim
- Integrate new state funding into your broader grant strategy
📩 Book a free grant strategy session to review your eligibility for NSW’s Innovation Blueprint programs.
Next week’s topic:
💡 Women in Innovation: Funding Pathways for Female Founders
