Clean Technology Innovation (CTI) Grant (NSW)

Status checked 21 October 2026: Applications are closed. The NSW Government says the 2026 round closed at 12:00 pm AEST on 8 September and is assessing submissions. This is a record of that round, not an invitation to apply.

Check the NSW Government program page for current status, guidelines and the eventual outcome.

What the round supported

The CTI Grant was part of the NSW Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative. It offered $500,000 to $5 million per eligible project, covering up to 50% of eligible costs, to help pilot and demonstrate lab-proven clean technologies and move them towards commercial readiness. The published program described eligible activities such as technology development, testing infrastructure, prototyping, product verification, demonstration, front-end engineering design and technical feasibility studies.

The administrator described eligible organisations as including SMEs, technology developers, innovators, startups, research organisations and academia with a spin-out company. Proof of concept and a NSW-based project were relevant to the round. The former funding guidelines govern the detailed entity, readiness, co-contribution, expenditure and assessment rules; these should not be treated as rules for any future round.

Dates and next steps

Applications opened on 2 June 2026 and closed at noon AEST on 8 September 2026. The NSW Government says it is assessing applications and expects to notify applicants in early 2027 after final decisions. A successful applicant would receive a written offer and funding deed. Neither an eligibility review nor an application guarantees funding.

For a new opportunity, use the NSW grants finder. A technology team can still strengthen its investment case by documenting the problem, proof of concept, test plan, measurement boundary, commercial assumptions, project costs and emissions evidence.

Relevant project support

Northmore Gordon can support energy assessment, emissions analysis and measurement and verification for a clean technology project. These services can inform a future investment or funding case; they do not reopen the 2026 CTI round.

What was the 2026 Clean Technology Innovation (CTI) Grant?

The closed NSW round offered $500,000 to $5 million per eligible project, up to 50% of eligible costs, to pilot and demonstrate lab-proven clean technologies. It formed part of the NSW Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative. The administrator is assessing applications; this page does not advertise an open round.

Who could apply for the 2026 CTI Grant?

The NSW Government described potential applicants as eligible SMEs, technology developers, innovators, startups, research organisations and academia with a spin-out company. Projects needed proof of concept and had to meet the full entity, location, financial and technical tests in the round's official funding guidelines. The 2026 application window has closed.

What activities did the CTI Grant support?

The administrator listed technology development, specific testing infrastructure, prototyping, product verification, demonstration and deployment, front-end engineering design and technical feasibility studies as examples. Eligibility of individual costs depended on the closed round's guidelines and assessment; examples alone did not guarantee funding.

How did the grant contribution work?

The 2026 program offered up to 50% of eligible project costs, with grants between $500,000 and $5 million. Applicants had to demonstrate the remaining project funding under the published guidelines. For a future program, verify the current cash and co-contribution rules rather than assuming these former terms apply.

What technology stage was the 2026 round designed for?

The NSW Government described the round as supporting lab-proven clean technologies with proof of concept that were ready for pilot or demonstration and progressing toward commercialisation. Readiness definitions and evidence requirements are set out in the former funding guidelines; a future opportunity may use different tests.

When did applications close, and what happens next?

Applications opened on 2 June 2026 and closed at 12:00 pm AEST on 8 September 2026. The NSW Government says it is assessing submissions and expects to notify applicants in early 2027 after final decisions. Check the official program page for updates and the NSW grants finder for other opportunities.

How can Northmore Gordon help a clean technology project now?

Northmore Gordon can help document energy and emissions performance, test technical feasibility, plan measurement and verification, and prepare an investment case for a future opportunity. This work does not reopen the closed 2026 CTI round or guarantee support under another program.

How should a team structure a future clean technology investment case?

Define the problem and customer, describe proof of concept and remaining technical risks, set out a test and measurement plan, document capital and operating costs, and compare commercial and emissions outcomes under clear assumptions. Check each future program's live guidelines before mapping these materials to its eligibility and assessment criteria.

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