On 16 September 2026 the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) launched Launchpad, a $30 million program split into two $15M streams. The startup stream offers initial grants of $500,000 plus up to a further $500,000 for capital-heavy projects (up to $1M per grant), expected to back 15 to 30 companies, with applications closing late October 2026. The second $15M stream funds accelerators and incubators supporting clean energy startups.
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ARENA opens $30M Launchpad grants for early-stage clean energy startups
Why this matters for founders
Early-stage climate, solar, storage, hydrogen and electrification founders can win non-dilutive grants of up to $1M through a streamlined application, but the startup round closes late October 2026 so act fast.
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