Wind turbines are seen at a wind farm in Ombersley, Australia, on July 17, 2026. Phil Yeo/Getty Images
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has launched a $30 million (US$21.3 million) funding program called Launchpad to help early-stage renewable energy startups overcome funding barriers and bring new technologies to market.
ARENA expects the startup funding round to support between 15 and 30 companies, with applications closing in late October.
A second $15 million stream will fund accelerators and other support organisations, providing grants of up to $5 million each. Unlike the startup stream, it is non-competitive and will remain open until its funds are allocated.
“Australia has no shortage of talented founders and ambitious ideas, but early-stage funding can be difficult to secure,” ARENA CEO Darren Miller said.
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““Launchpad is an ARENA program designed primarily for early-stage startups. We have heard from startups that they need a simpler and faster pathway to smaller amounts of funding that will help them reach their next technical or commercial milestone.”
The program follows warnings from the renewable energy sector about a slowdown in large-scale investment.
The Council said investment in large-scale generation has “stalled” and called for policy reforms to unlock further capital.
ARENA, established in 2012 under the Australian Renewable Energy Agency Act, says it has provided more than $5 billion in grant funding across more than 850 projects since its creation, unlocking close to $15 billion in total renewable energy industry investment.
