Australian Science Innovations
Australian Science Innovations is a Canberra-based not-for-profit founded in 1991 that delivers science extension programs and competitions for high school students, including the Australian Science Olympiads, Junior Science Olympiad, Big Science Competition, and Curious Minds Girls in STEM, serving over 40,000 students globally each year.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersANU, ACT, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Australian Science Innovations does
Australian Science Innovations (ASI) is a registered Australian not-for-profit founded in 1991 and headquartered on the Australian National University campus in Canberra. It delivers a portfolio of staged science extension programs for high-achieving high school students, anchored by the Australian Science Olympiads (Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Physics), the Junior Science Olympiad for Years 7–10, the globally available Big Science Competition, and the co-delivered Curious Minds Girls in STEM program. Programs progress through online school-administered exams, residential camps at ANU, and selection of national teams to represent Australia at International Science Olympiads, where Australia has won 65 gold, 193 silver, and 236 bronze medals across six disciplines since 1987. ASI is the sole authorised Australian body for that selection.
Revenue is generated through three streams: per-student/per-school registration fees for competitions, exams, Summer Schools, Spring Schools, and Talent Development Programs (with selective GST treatment and net-14 invoicing); a major government grant from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources to support the Australian Science Olympiads; and corporate and foundation sponsorship from Citadel Securities, 3M, IXOM (since 2015), Aventa Solutions, and the Waratah Education Foundation, supplemented by alumni donations through a Raisely platform. The go-to-market is event-driven and school-anchored: students register through their schools via the ASI Teachers Portal, and international expansion is enabled through a channel partnership with ASDAN for mainland China.
In 2025, ASI engaged 40,714 students from over 550 schools globally in the Big Science Competition and 1,214 Australian schools across its competition portfolio, including 378 regional schools. The organisation maintains an alumni community of over 4,400 former participants, many of whom return as tutors, mentors, and program staff, and operates with a 41-person team under the leadership of Executive Director Vanessa Kates and the Board of Directors.
Australian Science Innovations firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Australian Science Innovations
- Legal name
- Australian Science Innovations
- Website
- https://asi.edu.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Australian Science Innovations is a Canberra-based not-for-profit founded in 1991 that delivers science extension programs and competitions for high school students, including the Australian Science Olympiads, Junior Science Olympiad, Big Science Competition, and Curious Minds Girls in STEM, serving over 40,000 students globally each year.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Australian Science Innovations industry classification
Industry- Product category
- STEM Education Programs
- akta.pro primary industry
- STEM Research & Inquiry Programs (Research Mentorship, Science Fair Prep) (EDAMABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology) (EDAMABAB)
Keywords
Where Australian Science Innovations is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- ANU, ACT
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Australian Science Innovations business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Program Registration Fees: ASI charges registration fees for the Big Science Competition, Australian Science Olympiad Exams, Junior Science Olympiad Exams, Summer Schools, Spring Schools, and Talent Development Programs. These fees vary by program and are invoiced to schools with net 14 day payment terms.
- Government Funding: Major funding from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) to support the Australian Science Olympiads program. Additional support from university partners and corporate sponsors.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Big Science Competition registration fees per student/school |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Australian Science Olympiad Exam and Junior Science Olympiad Exam fees |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | ASO Summer School and International Science Olympiad program fees |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | JSO Spring School and Talent Development Program fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Australian Science Innovations product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Australian Science Innovations delivers staged science extension programs for high school students, including the Australian Science Olympiads, Junior Science Olympiad, Big Science Competition, and Curious Minds – Girls in STEM. Programs progress from competitive online exams at participating schools, to residential camps at the Australian National University, to selection of national teams that represent Australia at International Science Olympiads in Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, and Physics.
Product overview
Australian Science Innovations delivers science extension programs for high school students through a portfolio of interconnected offerings: the Australian Science Olympiads (covering Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, and Physics), the Junior Science Olympiad for Years 7-10, the Big Science Competition for global participants, and the Curious Minds Girls in STEM program. Programs progress through multiple stages: competitive exams, residential camps (ASO Summer School, JSO Spring School), specialized training squads, and selection for International Science Olympiads where students represent Australia internationally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Australian Science Olympiads
Quantifiable outcome
- 85% of students from enrichment programs go on to further education in science
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Australian Science Innovations
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Australian Science Innovations technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Australian Science Innovations partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, partner and member.
- Australian National University (ANU)coreUniversity partner providing world-class facilities and amenities for ASO Summer School and JSO Spring School. Students stay at Wright Hall on ANU campus, access university laboratories and learn from university-affiliated tutors and mentors.
- Australian Maths TrustpartnerPartner organization for complementary math and science competitions. Collaborates on the Australian Olympiad Teams Announcement event.
- University of AdelaidepartnerUniversity partner for the Curious Minds - Girls in STEM program, co-delivered by ASI.
- ASDANpartnerLocal registration provider for ASI activities in mainland China. Schools and students in China must register through ASDAN for the Big Science Competition.
- Geoscience AustraliapartnerGeoscience Australia works with ASI for the Earth and Environmental Science Olympiad program, providing educational outreach and expertise.
- Science and Technology AustraliamemberASI is a member of Science and Technology Australia, the peak body representing scientists and technologists in Australia.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Australian Science Innovations competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- ASDAN: UK-headquartered education charity that runs curriculum and award programs and serves as ASI's channel partner for mainland China; comparable in offering enrichment credentials and competitions to schools, with stronger global school-network footprint.
- Grok Academy: Australian STEM education non-profit (formerly Grok Learning) running coding, AI, and computational thinking competitions and courses for school students; comparable in delivering school-based STEM competitions with a talent-pipeline orientation.
- Education Perfect: Australia/New Zealand-based edtech platform delivering STEM and other curriculum-aligned learning and competitions to schools; overlaps with ASI in school-based STEM enrichment and assessment, but offers a digital subscription model rather than residential programs.
Broad incumbents
- Australian Academy of Science: Australia's peak scientific body running school science programs including Science by Doing and education policy work; comparable mission of advancing science education and STEM pipeline development in Australia, with a much broader mandate.
- Royal Society of Chemistry: Large UK-based professional body running chemistry education programs, Olympiad support, and school outreach; comparable in supporting the Chemistry Olympiad pipeline but operates across a much broader chemistry education and advocacy portfolio.
Direct peers
- Science Olympiad (USA): US national non-profit running Science Olympiad tournaments and competitions for K-12 students; comparable model of school-based science competitions with national tournaments and elite-team selection pathways.
- British Physics Olympiad (BPhO): UK-based organization running physics competitions and selecting the British team for the International Physics Olympiad; directly comparable Olympiad selection and enrichment model in a national context.
- Australian Maths Trust: Australian peer organization delivering the Australian Mathematics Olympiad and related math enrichment programs; collaborates with ASI on the joint Olympiad Teams Announcement at Parliament House and operates a near-identical school-facilitated competition and residential model.
- Science Olympiad Foundation (India): Non-profit foundation running multiple Olympiad-style science competitions across schools in India; directly comparable mission of identifying science talent through school-based exams and competitions, with analogous international expansion model.
Others
- Curious Minds (program): Actually one of ASI's own programs; included to illustrate ASI's in-house equity-focused offering - relevant for benchmarking against similar girls-in-STEM initiatives such as TechGirls or Code Club Australia.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Australian Science Innovations social profiles
Digital presenceAustralian Science Innovations financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Australian Science Innovations leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Australian Science Innovations funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Australian Science Innovations M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Australian Science Innovations
What does Australian Science Innovations do?
Australian Science Innovations delivers staged science extension programs for high school students, including the Australian Science Olympiads, Junior Science Olympiad, Big Science Competition, and Curious Minds – Girls in STEM. Programs progress from competitive online exams at participating schools, to residential camps at the Australian National University, to selection of national teams that represent Australia at International Science Olympiads in Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, and Physics.
Is Australian Science Innovations a public or private company?
Australian Science Innovations is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Australian Science Innovations founded?
Australian Science Innovations was founded in 1991. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Australian Science Innovations based?
Australian Science Innovations is headquartered in ANU, ACT, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Australian Science Innovations make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Program Registration Fees are the primary driver. The others are government Funding.
Who are Australian Science Innovations's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are ASDAN, Grok Academy and Education Perfect. Broad incumbents are Australian Academy of Science and Royal Society of Chemistry. Direct peers are Science Olympiad (USA), British Physics Olympiad (BPhO), Australian Maths Trust and Science Olympiad Foundation (India). Curious Minds (program) is listed as an others.
Does Australian Science Innovations have an API?
No public API is recorded for Australian Science Innovations.
What industry is Australian Science Innovations in?
Australian Science Innovations's product category is STEM Education Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMABAC, STEM Research & Inquiry Programs (Research Mentorship, Science Fair Prep), with a secondary code of EDAMABAB, Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology).