Grants
Did you know the amount of plastic waste entering aquatic ecosystems is predicted to reach up to 53 million metric tonnes per year by 2030? That’s why we’re supporting innovators to transform plastic waste problems and pivot towards circular economy options.
We’re ending plastic waste in the Indo-Pacific by pioneering a new era of sustainable innovation through IPPIN Seed Grants
The Grant is aimed at accelerating innovative real-world solutions for reducing plastic waste entering the environment.
IPPIN Seed Funding Grant Program is a CSIRO initiative and supports a broader partnership with the Indonesian, Vietnamese and Thai governments.
Why the IPPIN Seed Grant is so critical
The grant scheme provides financial support to accelerate real-world solutions that work to:
- reduce plastic leakage into the marine environment
- enable a collaborative innovation ecosystem linking Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, and building connectivity with partners globally by harnessing diversity of ideas and expertise to activate disruptive thinking
- build innovation outcomes relevant to the Australian, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Thai governments’ priorities
- create and improve on the design and delivery of deep-tech solutions in emerging or under-resourced domains.
Round 3 of the IPPIN seed funding grant program is now closed.
IPPIN grants recipients are chosen through a rigorous application process.
All eligible applications were assessed by members of an independent assessment panel. These are then ranked and reviewed by the IPPIN Review and Evaluation Panel, with final funding recommendations approved by the IPPIN Program Delegate.
Relevant documents below:
Inspiring examples from Round 3
After a competitive and rigorous process, we’re proud to share the 2025 recipients of the IPPIN Seed Grant.
These projects fill critical gaps in the plastics innovation and research space and will make important contributions towards the UN plastics Treaty goals.
1. Macquarie University and The Thailand Plastics Circularity Accelerator
Project name: Closed loop multilayer plastic packaging waste transformation to aluminium and pyrolysis oil as raw material for producing plastic
About the impact of this grant
| Project lead | Project Partners | Grant amount |
| Macquarie University | CIRAC | $100,000.00 |
The Thailand Plastics Circularity Accelerator (CIRAC) are partnering with experts at Macquarie University to develop technology that can convert aluminium-laminated thermoplastic waste using a unique reactor. The process separates plastic and aluminium in snack packaging, converting plastic waste into fuel oil to be further developed and reselling aluminium back to the industry. This grant enhances this ground-breaking thermal processing of plastic waste, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional recycling methods.
2. Central Queensland University and OceanKita/Global MeteOcean
Project name: NO-PLASTIC: Next-gen Plastic Litter Assessment with AI for Improved Cleanups
About the impact of this grant
| Project lead | Project Partners | Grant amount |
| Central Queensland University | OceanKita Global MeteOcean | $97,313.00 |
OceanKita and Global MeteOcean, in collaboration with Central Queensland University is initiating the co-development of an advanced Marine Pollution Tracker platform named “NO-PLASTIC” to enhance the detection, tracking, and management of marine plastic pollution. This project will integrate advanced computer vision and machine learning to automate pollution assessment using drones and CCTVs, reducing manual efforts and improving drift prediction accuracy. It will enhance using Thomsea trawl-nets for cleanups and managing debris before it reaches critical areas. Focusing initially on Jakarta Bay, the initiative advances collaboration between Australia and Indonesia, paving the way for improved regional and global marine data management.
3. CSIRO and DJAMU
Project name: Applying polymer science to real-world upcycling. A case study in Depok, Jakarta
About the impact of this grant
| Project lead | Project Partners | Grant amount |
| CSIRO | DJAMU | $55,470.00 |
CSIRO is partnering with DJAMU, a start-up transforming post-consumer beverage bottle caps into recycled plastic weaving yarn and filament in Indonesia. By combining DJAMU’s creative local solutions with CSIRO’s cutting-edge technical expertise, DJAMU will use this grant to tackle the challenge of achieving consistent mechanical properties in recycled plastic extrusion. The local lessons from Depok, Jakarta, will have global significance for innovative upcycling.
Examples of previous IPPIN Seed Grant projects (Round 1 and 2)
Project 1:
Citarum River Transformation: A Village-Scale Plastic Waste Pilot
More than 25 million people rely on the Citarum river for water, food, livelihoods, and their energy needs. The Citarum Action Research Program is a multidisciplinary program driving a shift towards circular solutions that will recycle, remanufacture and reuse waste.
The Citarum Action Research Program is a joint global environmental initiative that has helped communities living along the Citarum River capture and create value from waste that would otherwise be openly dumped on vacant land or into the river.
Project 2:
Assessment of a sprayable biodegradable mulch on Indonesian horticulture
This innovation, supported by an IPPIN grant is an environmentally friendly, sprayable biodegradable polymer membrane product that can help farmers produce more during harvest, on the same land area, while using less water, nutrients and agrochemicals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Open allClose allIf you participated in an IPPIN program but are not affiliated with CSIRO or an Australian university, you can still apply for the grant as a project partner in a joint application. However, you cannot serve as the project lead on your own.
If you need help identifying a CSIRO partner, please contact our team IPPIN@csiro.au to share your exact needs as we may be able to assist and facilitate an introduction to potential partners.
Participation in Demo Day alone does not make you eligible to apply for the IPPIN Seed Funding Grant. To be eligible, you or a project partner must have previously participated in an innovation program or activity associated with one of the Chapters under the Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network.
No, having a project partner is not mandatory for every application. Applications must be led by CSIRO or Australian universities. Project partners can be from Australia and/or other entities in different countries. Applications that demonstrate bilateral participation and benefits will be viewed favorably, enhancing the potential for collaboration and impact.
Yes, joint applications are encouraged, and collaborating with a student from an Australian university is allowed, provided that the student has obtained a support letter from the university.
Yes, it is acceptable if the lead applicant is able to obtain a support letter from an Australian-registered university.
Yes, you can apply for the grant for different research activities from your previous program participation. The key requirement is that your proposed project must be aligned with the core objectives of the IPPIN Seed Funding Grant program.
The guidelines do not specify a limit on the number of applications an organisation can submit. Lead applicants may submit more than one application under the grant opportunity, provided they are demonstrably unrelated. Additionally, the projects should not be dependent on any other project application for their success.
The project must align with the objectives and intended outcomes of the IPPIN Seed Grant program, which focuses on Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.
Selection is based on the merit of the applications and available funding.
The CSIRO Assessment Committee will review eligible applications against the selection criteria and make recommendations to the Program Delegate for their endorsement.
Projects should be designed not to exceed 1 year.
Yes, there is a possibility to extend the duration of the project; however, such extensions are granted at CSIRO’s discretion.
The successful grantee (project team) will own the IP.
- Details coming in 2026, please review the IPPIN website
- Provide all the information requested.
- Address all eligibility and assessment criteria.
- Include all necessary attachments (refer to guideline section 7.2).
- Send all of the above to ippin@csiro.au before the published closing date.
This October, join an IPPIN Demo Day in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City or Jakarta as solutions are showcased live on stage.
The Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network (IPPIN) is supported by the Australian Government and implemented by CSIRO
