Industry Growth Centres

Industry Growth Centres are not-for-profit organisations, each led by a board of industry experts.

They lead cultural change in their sectors and focus on:

• increasing collaboration and commercialisation
• improving international opportunities and market access
• enhancing management and workforce skills
• identifying opportunities for regulatory reform.

Each centre has a sector competitiveness plan describing:

• the 10 year strategy for the sector
• regulatory reform opportunities
• industry knowledge priorities such as skills and research requirements.

Our department administers the initiative and oversees surrounding policy.

Advanced manufacturing

The Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) is working with the sector to drive cultural change, increase competitiveness, unlock new commercial opportunities and foster innovation.

Activities include:

• delivering the AMGC Sector Competiveness Plan
• delivering the Advanced Manufacturing Early Stage Research Fund in collaboration with the department.

The AMGC has:

• co-funded over 65 industry-led collaborative projects to develop new materials, innovative products and enhanced industrial processes
• delivered a $30 million Commercialisation Fund in collaboration with the other Growth Centres and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), in line with the 6 National Manufacturing Priorities.

Cyber security

The Cyber Security Growth Centre, AustCyber, is working with the sector to help increase collaboration, build capability, innovate and participate in globally competitive markets.

Activities include:

• delivering the AustCyber Sector Competitiveness Plan
• making Australia the leading centre for cyber security education
• co-funding over 26 industry-led collaborative projects
• fostering Australia’s cyber capability development through a national network of Cyber Security Innovation Nodes.

Food and agribusiness

The Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre, Food Innovation Australia Ltd (FIAL), is working with the sector to grow the share of Australian food in the global marketplace.

Activities include:

• delivering the FIAL sector competitiveness plan
• connecting businesses with research and development expertise through the Enterprise Solutions Centre
• improving access to international markets through trade missions and the Australian Food and Beverage Catalogue 
• developing clusters across the value chain to unlock the $200 billion potential for the agri-food sector. 

FIAL has co-funded 77 industry-led collaborative projects.

Medical technologies and pharmaceuticals

The Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals Growth Centre, MTPConnect, is setting direction to establish Australia as an Asia Pacific hub for medical technology and pharmaceutical companies.

Activities include:

• delivering the MTPConnect sector competitiveness plan
• delivering the Medical Research Future Fund program for the Department of Health, including: 
  • Biomedical Translation Bridge Program
  • BioMedTech Horizons Program
  • Researcher Exchange and Development within Industry (REDI) Initiative  
  • Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA)
• working with Austrade and other organisations to engage with international markets.

MTPConnect has co-funded over 38 industry-led collaborative projects.

Mining equipment, technology and services (METS)

The Mining Equipment, Technology and Services Growth Centre, METS Ignited, works with Australian mining industry suppliers, global miners, researchers and capital providers to improve competitiveness and productivity of the sector.

Activities include:

• delivering the METS Ignited Sector Competitiveness Plan
• launching the Accelerator Program to improve the commercialisation rate of mining technology into the mining sector
• enhancing workforce capability and skills with METS Masterclasses
• supporting National Energy Resources Australia (NERA) in delivering the Regional Hydrogen Technology Cluster Network.   

METS has co-funded 30 industry-led collaborative projects to fast-track mining equipment, technology and services projects into industry.

Oil, gas and energy resources

The Oil, Gas and Energy Resource Growth Centre, National Energy Resources Australia (NERA), is working with the sector to ensure it is globally competitive, sustainable, innovative and diverse.

Activities include:

• delivering the NERA Sector Competitiveness Plan
• building a Regional Hydrogen Technology Cluster Network to support the hydrogen industry. The program will provide seed funding of up to $100,000 per successful cluster
• launching the Centre of Decommissioning Australia (CODA) to address challenges and maximise opportunities of decommissioning Australia’s aging oil and gas infrastructure.

NERA has co-funded 75 industry-led collaborative projects, including to introduce clean technologies into the sector.