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The Australia Federal Department of Education’s $370 million Trailblazer Universities Program (TUP), funded between 2022-2023 to 2025-2026, has recently established six Trailblazers to focus on national priorities such as defense, space, food and beverage, recycling and clean energy, and
resources technology and critical minerals. 

The Trailblazer program has unlocked $549 million in industry co-investment, bringing together 14 Australian universities and 228 industry partners to build new research capabilities and drive commercialization
outcomes at speed and scale across these six key sectors. ILAuNCH is a key player in the Trailblazer Universities Program, having announced in 2024 its active work to apply additive manufacturing (AM) technology to develop large-scale carbon fiber composite structures for rockets.

“The Trailblazers have only been running since 2023 and already having great success in industry-university engagement and translating research into commercialization,” says Dr. Sanjay Mazumdar, executive director of the Defense Trailblazer. “With $549 million directly invested by industry, it is clear industry backs this collaborative approach to R&D and innovation. We are calling for government commitment to continue the success of the
program.”

Together, the Trailblazers have demonstrated the value of university-industry engagement in experimental development, or the translation of research into practical applications — an area where Australia has historically underperformed. Within 18 months of operation, all six Trailblazers have had significant achievements:

• Earning more than $549 million co-investment from 228 industry partners
• Establishing more than 319 collaborative projects between industry and academia
• Fostering early career industry pathways for students and academics through internships, industry sponsored Ph.D.’s and academic-industry secondments.

Learn more about each Trailblazer University .