Australia’s Additive Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (AMCRC) has unveiled its STARTER Project Funding Program, a AU$3.25 million (approx. US$2.25 million) initiative announced in Melbourne on 1 July 2026 aimed at accelerating additive manufacturing uptake among Australian small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups. The scheme pairs dollar-for-dollar matched funding with access to the centre’s national research network, letting businesses examine how the technology can address operational challenges and generate commercial value.
Projects run between three months and one year and are deliberately compact, covering areas such as product redesign, rapid prototyping, on-demand production, supply chain optimisation and sustainability gains. Companies can apply for AMCRC co-funding of AU$20,000 to AU$75,000, which they must match, resulting in total project budgets of AU$40,000 to AU$150,000 focused on measurable commercial and operational outcomes.
Lowering the Entry Barrier for Smaller Manufacturers
The program targets a structural weakness in Australia’s industrial landscape: SMEs account for roughly 95 per cent of the country’s manufacturing businesses, yet limited resources and investment capacity frequently keep them out of larger collaborative research schemes.
“Many SMEs and start-ups recognise the potential of additive manufacturing, but they don’t always know where to begin or have the capability to assess where it can create value for their business,” said AMCRC Managing Director Simon Marriott. “The STARTER Project Funding Program gives businesses a practical pathway to work alongside researchers, test ideas and evaluate how additive manufacturing can improve efficiency, flexibility and competitiveness.”
Marriott added that the technology is now viewed as a strategic capability rather than just another way to make parts. “Businesses are using additive manufacturing to reduce lead times, overcome production bottlenecks, improve supply chain resilience and bring new products to market faster,” he said. “This program is about helping Australian companies explore those opportunities in a practical, commercially focused way.”
Interested businesses can apply immediately. AMCRC will run an online information session on Wednesday, 15 July 2026 at 1pm AEST covering the program’s scope, eligibility criteria and application process, with registration available through the AMCRC website or the event page.
De-Risking 3D Printing Adoption for the Smallest Players
The STARTER program tackles a well-documented gap: while large manufacturers can absorb the cost and uncertainty of evaluating additive manufacturing, SMEs often lack the capital, expertise and time to even assess whether the technology fits their business.
Governments and consortia elsewhere have deployed the same playbook. In Europe, the AMable consortium under the EU’s Horizon 2020 program ran open calls offering SMEs between €5,000 and €60,000 to fund feasibility studies and application experiments in 3D printing, explicitly designed to help smaller firms develop new products and boost European competitiveness. The structure, small grants, short projects, defined deliverables, closely mirrors what AMCRC is now offering Australian companies.
In the United States, the AM Forward initiative and its associated private equity fund were created to accelerate 3D printing adoption among small businesses in aerospace and defense supply chains, addressing barriers such as access to capital, machine qualification and workforce development.
AMCRC’s STARTER program adapts that proven model to Australia’s SME-dominated industrial base. Its test will be whether short feasibility projects convert into lasting adoption.
3D Printing Industry is inviting speakers for its 2026 Additive Manufacturing Applications (AMA) series, covering Energy, Healthcare, Automotive and Mobility, Aerospace, Space and Defense, and Software. Each online event focuses on real production deployments, qualification, and supply chain integration. Practitioners interested in contributing can complete the call for speakers form here.
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Featured image shows a 3D printer. Photo via AMCRC.
