Australia, Vietnam Launch $1.3M Joint Research Fund for Green Tech

A new partnership to finance collaborative research projects between Australia and Vietnam was opened on June 16, deepening the economic and scientific relationship between the two nations.

The Australia–Vietnam Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Initiative (AVSTICI) will provide $1.3 million to support joint projects between Australian businesses, universities, and research institutes and their Vietnamese counterparts.

Under the initiative, Australian researchers can apply for grants ranging from $100,000 to $300,000 for the Australian component of projects, which will run for 24 to 36 months. These grants exclude co-contributions from Vietnamese partners. The research must address priority areas, including new and renewable technologies, the sustainable blue economy, and recycling and waste management.

The programme is an initiative under the Australia–Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and is jointly funded by both governments, with each country administering its own component. The Australian Academy of Science will manage the initiative for the Australian government through a single competitive funding round. Applications opened on June 16 and will close on July 20, 2026.

“This programme is a practical demonstration of our commitment to deepening economic and scientific ties with Vietnam,” said Andrew Charlton, Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy. “By investing in joint research across priority areas like clean technologies and waste management, we are supporting innovation that will boost productivity, sustainability and growth for both countries.”

This initiative follows a separate commitment announced on May 26, where the Australian government pledged up to $10 million for the venture capital firm Do Ventures Fund II. That investment aims to provide capital for climate-focused Vietnamese businesses and strengthen the country's climate investment market to attract greater private finance. It will support early and growth-stage small- and medium-sized enterprises working on Vietnam's energy transition, climate adaptation, sustainable consumption, and AI-enabled climate solutions. This marks the first commitment by Australian Development Investments under its Vietnam investment window.