The UNSW Digital Grid Futures Institute (DGFI) is excited to announce the launch of the 2025 Seed Funding Round, designed to support groundbreaking research and innovation across all UNSW Faculties and Divisions. This year’s program will offer seed funding grants to early-career academics, PhD students, and, for the first time, professional staff, enabling them to explore impactful projects that address critical challenges in the energy transition.
DGFI exists to tackle the complex challenge of decarbonising the energy system by developing an electrified grid powered by clean and sustainable energy sources. The scale of workforce, knowledge and skills needed to deliver this infrastructure adds to the complexity of this problem globally as we race towards net zero.
We need experts from all corners of UNSW - Business, Economics, Finance, Law, Tax Reform, Engineering, Social Sciences, Policy, Cyber Security, and Transport, just to name a few!
Purpose of the Seed Funding Program
Our Seed Funding Program aims to empower UNSW researchers and staff to pursue projects that drive impact, foster industry collaboration, and create pathways into the energy sector. By offering grants of up to $20,000, the initiative provides the resources needed to explore new ideas, develop prototypes, and translate research into practical solutions. A total of $220,000 in funding is available.
Who Can Apply
The 2025 Seed Funding round is open to all UNSW, with a focus on early-career academics, PhD students, AND professional staff across all faculties.
We encourage projects from diverse disciplines, including Business, Economics, Law, Engineering, Social Sciences, Cyber Security, and Transport. Applicants are encouraged to think creatively about how their work can contribute to the decarbonisation and electrification of the energy grid.
Collaborative proposals that include industry or interdisciplinary investigators will be highly regarded.
2025 Focus Areas
This year, we are seeking proposals that address the focus areas below.
Read the information pack for a deeper look at these areas, including some idea-starters for projects across various UNSW faculties including Policy, Taxation, Law, and more.
- Risk
Exploring the implications of new technologies, such as electric vehicles, drones, and autonomous transport, for insurance, liability, and emergency response. - AI
Leveraging AI to manage the complexities of the energy grid, including control, interoperability, and consumer rights. - Cyber Security
Investigating privacy, security, and crisis response in the context of a digital energy grid. - Data Privacy
Ensuring the ethical use and protection of sensitive information generated by the energy grid. - Tax Reform
Examining the fiscal impact of the transition to electric vehicles and potential reforms to road infrastructure funding.
Funding Categories
Applicants can apply for grants under the following categories:
- Content Creation: Support for developing educational content or public outreach programs that build energy literacy.
- Translational Research: Designed for early-career researchers and PhD students pursuing interdisciplinary research projects with a clear pathway to real-world impact.
- Prototype Development or Idea Protection: Focused on supporting innovative ideas that have commercial potential, including the development of prototypes or the protection of intellectual property.
Grants of $5,000 to $20,000 are available, with $220,000 of total funding available across all projects selected.
Given the available grant sizes and the expected quality of applications, we ask that requests for travel expenses, conference fees etc. and buyout of teaching commitments are excluded (or minimised), and that budgets are focused on tangible impact and outcomes.
Key Dates
Information Session Webinar: Wednesday, October 30, 3:30pm – 4:15pm (Register here)
Application Deadline: Friday, December 20, 11:59pm AEDT (Sydney/Canberra time).
Funding Decisions Announced: January 2025
Before you apply
Before applying, we encourage all interested applicants to attend our online Information Session on Wednesday 30th October at 3:30pm.
The session will provide further details on the funding process, critical dates, and allow for Q&A with the DGFI team.
Register for the information session here
We also recommend reading the full 2025 Seed Funding Information Pack before applying. This also includes the application questions so you can prepare your proposal.
We strongly encourage you to get in touch to discuss your project before applying. This helps us get to understand and guide your ideas to ensure they have clear impact. Please email us at dgfi@unsw.edu.au to arrange a time for a chat.
How to apply
Applications can be submitted through our online application form.
For further information, or to discuss your project, please contact the DGFI team at dgfi@unsw.edu.au.