The Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF) empowers innovators by providing the critical infrastructure and expertise needed to turn ideas into reality.
Its network of advanced capabilities supports applied R&D, enabling researchers and industry to tackle complex challenges and deliver technologies that make a real-world impact.
In 2025, Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Grants supported ANFF alumni with projects totalling $49.5M, including matching funds from project partners. These industry–academic collaborations focus on applied R&D to help technologies reach the market faster, including product development, process improvements and prototype testing. CRC-P Grants strengthen Australia’s competitiveness and sustainability. Meet 5 awardees driving innovation and shaping Australia’s future.
Preventing air bubbles to solve pervasive health and industrial challenges:
From drug delivery failures causing air embolisms to energy-intensive nitrogen purging in wine bottling, air contamination and bubbles compromise safety, reduce efficiency and increase costs across industries.
Haemograph’s Autovalve prevents air bubbles by allowing air to flow freely until the valve contacts fluid, then sealing automatically to block air flow in both directions. This valve innovation enables transformative products, including an air-free evacuation syringe and a precision rheometer. Haemograph’s technology will eliminate manual purging and improve control over fluid movement in medical and industrial settings.
A wearable AI-enabled device for better access to pregnancy monitoring:
Annually, more than 2,000 families in Australia experience the heartbreak of stillbirth. Current pregnancy monitoring technology is restrictive, intermittent and outdated.
Kali Healthcare is developing a novel wearable device integrated with an internet-based portal for clinicians to monitor foetal heart rate in hospitals, clinics and homes. The wearable device can be self-applied at home and transmits data to clinicians in real time. This technology will help enable early detection of pregnancy complications, supporting better outcomes for mothers and babies across Australia.
Building a scalable Indigenous-led biomaterials supply chain:
Led by Indigenous company Bulugudu Ltd, Trioda Wilingi is developing medical gels from spinifex cellulose nanofibres (SCNFs) harvested in north-west Queensland.
Stronger, thinner and more flexible than other plant-derived fibres, SCNFs form gels that retain water well, flow easily through fine needles and re-form after injection – offering a potentially longer-lasting, easier-to-inject and safer medical gel for the $10B hyaluronic acid market. This CRC-P project will establish quality-controlled manufacturing of SCNFs, facilitate research translation and support Indigenous jobs, with the community the primary beneficiary of commercialisation outcomes.
Nanorobotics for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma diagnosis:
Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed too late for effective treatment, leading to poor survival rates and reduced quality of life. NanoCube Health is collaborating with leading research institutions and manufacturers to develop its award-winning technology for early cancer detection.
NanoCube’s technology detects cancer at the cellular level and analyses treatment response in real time, using a biopsy-free, minimally invasive design. Powered by AI platforms and boron nitride nanotubes, NanoCube Health aims to shift pancreatic cancer diagnosis earlier – giving patients better options, better outcomes and a better chance at survival.
Shark Scales: Scale Manufacture of Shark Skin for Clean Aviation:
The Australian commercial aviation sector burns $7.5B in fuel and produces 22 megatonnes of carbon every year. MicroTau’s ‘shark skin’ drag-reduction product reduces fuel burn and emissions of commercial and defence aircraft.
The riblet film mimics the microscopic ridges of shark skin to smooth turbulent flow across its surface. Utilising the project consortium’s expertise in roll-to-roll lithography, MicroTau will solve key product design and manufacturing challenges. These advances will cut aviation emissions and create new jobs through expanded local manufacturing.
From advanced materials to medical devices, ANFF’s world-class facilities and technical support enable the transformation of bold concepts into functional prototypes. This essential capability ensures that Australian innovation doesn’t just start – it scales, delivering impact across industries and communities.
This article is republished with adaptation from the 2025 ANFF Casebook.
Posted 2 December 2025