CSIRO: 2023 Venture Science program - expression of interest (EOI)

Opportunity for

• Entrepreneurs, aspiring/experienced, interested to join as a venture builder to co-create science ventures with full suite venture creation supports

• Agrifood businesses (e.g. food manufacturer, retailers, wholesalers, processors) interested to join as an industry partner to lean in with the vision to co-create science ventures that address industry-scale challenge for Australia and the region

• Investors interested in joining 2023 venture science program to support co-creation and access pre-seed investment opportunities.

Opportunity description

Industry challenge:

2023 Challenge 1 - Food Valorisation

Scope of the problem: Organic waste in agriculture and food system in Australia and Asia Pacific (APAC) - e.g. fruit, vegetables, seafood, meat, including but not limited to:

• Organic waste from farm to receipt at retail (i.e. food loss)

• Organic waste from after receipt at retail and post-retail (i.e. food waste)

• Organic waste which are by-products of primary or secondary processing

Opportunities to address challenge through circular systems, food process, side stream valorisation, high-value ingredient, digital solutions.

Current opportunity:

CSIRO's 2023 venture science program is looking for aspiring/experienced entrepreneurs and agrifood businesses to join its' Inspiration + Ideation (I+I) Day. The workshop is 20 February 2023, in Adelaide and is strategically planned for participants to also take advantage of the AgriFutures evokeAG event.

I+I Days are designed to generate ideas and inspire action by bringing together scientists, thought leaders, market makers, investors, and entrepreneurs.

We intend to start companies that start their life here. Join our 2023 Venture Science Program to co-create science ventures to create a better world.

Venture science program timeline

• Venture Builder scouting – Jan-Feb (Round 1), March-April (Round 2)

• Industry partner EOI – Jan-Feb

• Inspiration + Ideation Day - 20 Feb, Adelaide (immediately prior to evokeAG. 2023)

• Ideation assessment and Venture origination team formation– March

• Market validation – April-June

• Idea demo day – June

What’s the benefit to join as a venture builder?

• fully funded roles for min. 6months up to 18months.

• Guided venture science program (ideation, validation to proto venture)

• 1:1 business support – investment, business, research commercialisation.

• Access to a community of venture builders and experts (business, investment, people, market, IP, commercialisation)

• Explore ideas with dedicated science team and access to multi-discipline science capabilities across CSIRO.

• Opportunity to participate in ON Prime and ON Accelerate Program

• Network of investors, global innovators.

What’s the benefit to join as an industry partner?

• A member of a community of like-minded businesses, with access to workshops, demo day and networking events with ventures.

• Access to innovation ideas that address industry-level challenges, opportunity to invest or collaborate with proto-ventures.

• Able to engage in ‘big picture’ conversation at CSIRO on topics including sustainable food system, future protein, biosecurity, circular economy, agrifood supply chain, and use your business expertise to solve world problems.

Opportunity background:

CSIRO Company Creation (CSIRO CC) is a Venture Science model that brings together the founders (science, investor, entrepreneur, and industry) required to build companies that can take science and technology innovation to market at pace and solve big global challenges. Unlike incremental R&D, CSIRO CC applies a Science Ventures approach aimed at delivering platform solutions that disrupt markets, create change, and launch new ventures.

In partnership with industry and investors, Company Creation takes deep science and technology to the world combining clear scope, scale, and speed to market with solutions for impact. Recent examples include V2Food, EdenBrew.