The fully funded program is designed to help participating organisations expand into new markets while strengthening research and commercial partnerships Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has launched the Thailand-Australia Venture…

The fully funded program is designed to help participating organisations expand into new markets while strengthening research and commercial partnerships

Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has launched the Thailand-Australia Venture Exchange Program, a new initiative aimed at connecting emerging agrifood innovators in Australia and Thailand to foster research collaboration, business growth and sustainable food system development.

Delivered by CSIRO in partnership with Food Innopolis, part of Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), and the Research University Network (RUN), the 12-week program is open to eligible startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from both countries operating across the agrifood value chain.

The fully funded program is designed to help participating organisations expand into new markets while strengthening research and commercial partnerships. Participants will benefit from a combination of online and in-person learning, funded travel to Australia and Thailand for two market immersion weeks, coaching to identify research and industry collaboration opportunities, access to investor and customer networks, and support in developing market entry and go-to-market strategies.

The initiative forms part of the Innovation for Food Sustainability program, supported by the Australian Government’s Southeast Asia and Australia Government Partnerships program, which seeks to strengthen regional collaboration in sustainable agrifood innovation.

Amelia Fyfield, Director, Southeast Asia, at CSIRO, said the Venture Exchange Program highlights the growing partnership between Australia and Thailand to advance food innovation.

“By working with our partners at Thailand’s Food Innopolis and the Research University Network, we’re creating clear pathways for Australian and Thai agrifood innovators to access research facilities, scientific expertise and real market opportunities to help accelerate sustainable food industry development across our region,” Fyfield said.

The new initiative builds on the success of CSIRO’s Venture Exchange Program in Singapore, which helped participating companies strengthen investment readiness, establish international partnerships and enter new markets.

Dr Akeanong Jangbua, Director of Food Innopolis at NSTDA, said the program would provide startups with valuable opportunities to commercialise their innovations globally.

“The program provides a vital platform for Thai and Australian startups to scale their solutions through shared research expertise and market insight, supporting their pathway into international markets,” Jangbua said.

“By uniting CSIRO’s scientific leadership, the academic excellence of the Research University Network, and NSTDA’s Food Innopolis innovation ecosystem, we are leveraging collective strengths to support agrifood startups with global ambitions.”

The Thailand-Australia Venture Exchange Program aims to accelerate the development and commercialisation of innovative solutions that address shared challenges in sustainable agrifood systems, while strengthening research, investment, and industry collaboration between the two countries.