Don’t waste your time chasing government grants in Australia. You are wasting your valuable time.
Unless you have a unique technology or patent, they simply don’t want to know you. If you don’t make anything in a factory or employ people, they don’t get it. The type of business that has a chance in the new world they won’t rate. They fail to understand the knowledge economy. They’re bureaucrats for heavens sake, of course they don’t get it. Forget the fact you will be paying your 30% corporate tax rate, or potentially providing employment. It’s also irrelevant that you may have paid hundreds of thousands in tax in the preceding 10 years. No give and take, just take. There is no cash available for people trying to improve themselves or be less reliant on society. Sorry, cash in Australia is only handed out to people who make no economic contribution.
Any business concept that has a chance in the new world, wouldn’t get Gov funding. Your business needs to live on the precipice. They don’t understand consumer innovation, only production innovation.
We spend the best part of two months chasing a specific Australian Grant called COMET. The maximum funding available was $50,000, of which it had to be paid back, once the business could afford to do so. It simply turned into a phone call circus and department re-routing exercise.
They want to see two things:
- Revenue
- Employees
Oxymoronic, for a start up.
Type of business’ they want to see:
- Anything to do with China
- Alternative energy
- Assisting indigenous populations
- Apprenticeships
- Patents
- Environmental technologies
All valid in their own right. However, does this mean all future opportunities in the globe pertain to these domains only? No. Don’t let this discourage you. If you feel your passion and ideas are strong. Chase it. I am guessing the Government get it wrong occasionally!
As an entrepreneur invest tour time talking to potential partners, customers, business angels. They will help you get your cash quickest. They are opportunists. The Government are administrators.
Advise, don’t depend on the government. In a politically stable environment such as
Australia they will not determine your success.