Business development and commercialisation

Our purpose and activities

Our purpose is to invest in research, development and extension (RD&E) activities that create enduring profitability for Australian grain growers.

Our Business Development (BD) and Commercialisation activities help facilitate co-investment from public and commercial partners that bring new ideas, expertise and/or make financial contributions to investments. Learn more about BD and commercialisation activities and outcomes via our examples .

Our Intellectual Property (IP) management and delivery strategy will vary depending on the investment, but our aim is to ensure the most efficient and appropriate path to impact is used to maximise the benefit for grain growers.

In some cases, our investment outputs will be most effectively delivered to growers through commercial mechanisms that apply our Commercial Principles.

We protect the interests of Australian growers by securing IP through patents, plant breeder’s rights or other legal arrangements. In many cases, protected IP can be licensed to industry for further development or deployment. Learn more about IP and Licensing.

Usually, GRDC is only one of a few public and/or private investors in the development of new technology. Investment partnerships are desirable and necessary, not only from a financial viewpoint, as it reduces our risk.

In addition, the Business Development team undertake numerous activities including:

  • Supporting commercialisation of outputs from GRDC Research and Development investments
  • Agtech innovation initiatives
  • Strategic investments: usually larger partnerships with an international and/or private sector focus  .

You can contact busdev@grdc.com.au to discuss existing or new opportunities.

Examples of BD and Commercialisation cases

Super High Oleic Safflower

Super High Oleic (SHO) safflower was specifically developed by the joint GRDC–CSIRO Crop Biofactories Initiative to expand crop options and develop new markets for Australian grain growers.

It produces oil with an oleic acid content greater than 90 per cent, making it the only plant-based source of oil suitable for a large number of high-value industrial applications including lubricants, plastics, polymers, resins, cosmetics and biofuels.

The technology and safflower materials for the production of SHO safflower have been licensed to Go Resources, an Australian clean technology company specialising in renewable and biodegradable raw materials for industrial and oleochemical markets.

The SHO safflower was featured on the ABC's Landline program.

Integrated weed seed destruction technology

GRDC co-invested in the development of non-chemical, mechanical harvest weed seed destruction technology. Development of the idea was first conceptualised by WA grain grower, Ray Harrington around 20 years ago.

Further research with the University of South Australia led to the development of a version of the technology that could be integrated into the harvester. GRDC's mechanical weed seed destruction technology was licensed to De Bruin Engineering, an Australian agricultural engineering company.

Learn more via iHSD's website.

Kebari ® - Ultra low gluten barley

Kebari® barley the world’s first and only gluten-free barley.

GRDC and CSIRO co-invested in a long-term research and development (R&D) program to develop gluten-free barley that would provide Australian grain growers with access to the growing global, high-value gluten-free market.

Omega-3 canola

In 2011, GRDC joined forces with CSIRO and Nuseed® to develop omega-3 canola for commercialisation. The collaboration developed canola seed that has a unique oil profile, including long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. The resulting oil is a reliable land-based source of long-chain omega-3s that will help address the limitations of fish oil.

Omega-3 canola will open potential markets, including the massive global aquafeed and health food markets. It will also provide growers with a high-value canola market.

GRDC is co-investing with partners in the development of the technology to make the production of the special canola possible. Nuseed is managing the global commercialisation.

Learn more about omega-3 canola.

Microwave weeding technology - Growave

GRDC and the University of Melbourne co-invested in the development of non-chemical, microwave weeding technology.

Relevant IP was licensed to a newly-formed start-up (Growave), which received private equity funding from UK-based IP Group and GrainInnovate for the further development and commercialisation of the technology.

Learn more about the microwave weeding technology.

Non-wetting soils technology- Divine®

The development of the Divine® test and treatment technology is the outcome of extensive industry collaboration.

Co-funded in part by GRDC and BASF, the majority of testing was led by researchers at Swinburne University.

This was supported by the CSIRO, the University of New England and the University of Western Australia, as a part of the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Polymers.

The technology is being commercialised in Australia and overseas by BASF.