Dr Tony Peacock, the CEO of the CRC Association has commented: “Twelve CRC applications have gone over the second major hurdle of the 16th funding round, gaining an interview in November. Five of the applications that got to the starting gate are now excluded from further participation in the round. It’s a desperately disappointing feeling for those that are now out, and a frenetic time for those going forward. They have to submit exemplar projects in the next few weeks and prepare their teams for interview. Over half a billion dollars in government, research provider and industry money is at stake over the next few months. Of the 12 applications going to the next stage of the round, five come from existing Cooperative Research Centres (Advanced Manufacturing, Cancer Therapeutics, Capital Markets, Sheep Industry Innovation and Hearing). Two of the applications were submitted last year (Space Environment Management and Wildlife Biodiversity). In fact, this is the third attempt for Wildlife Biodiversity. Cybersecurity, Soil Productivity, Data to Decisions, Manufacturing Industry Innovation and Rail Manufacturing are all new applications.