Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)

We imagine. We collaborate. We innovate.

We do the extraordinary every day. We innovate for tomorrow and help improve today – for our customers, all Australians and the world.

At the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), we shape the future. We do this by using science to solve real issues. Our research makes a difference to people, industry and the planet.

Australia's innovation catalyst

Since 1916, we've been advancing Australia with inventions and innovations that have a positive impact on people's lives around the world.

International collaboration

Collaborating with leading organisations around the world, we are recognised internationally for our quality research.

We work with leading organisations around the world, and are recognised internationally for our quality research. We specialise in different areas in different regions of the world, and have charted some of our biggest projects on our International Collaboration Map.

With more than 1,800 patents, we are Australia’s largest patent holder. This ever-increasing wealth of intellectual property is a vast source of commercial opportunity and has already resulted in more than 150 spin-off companies, with many more to come.

For around a century we have been pushing the boundaries of what is possible in science and technology. Our world-renowned successes include WiFi, the Hendra vaccine and polymer banknotes. But it’s tomorrow’s innovations that excite us – wearable technology that alerts a doctor when you are sick, diets based on your DNA and so much more.

With more than 5,000 experts based in 55 centres, extensive local and international networks, and a burning desire to get things done, we are Australia’s catalyst for innovation and a global force in transforming imagination into reality.

We collaborate with 3,000 customers each year, including Australian federal, state and local government bodies; small, medium and large businesses; the majority of Research Development Corporations, Cooperative Research Centres and Australian universities, and more than 150 international partners. 

The quality of our research underpins our ability to innovate. Our research is trusted; our discoveries are published in world-leading journals and globally, we are in the top one per cent in 15 of 22 research fields.

Everything we do is focused on creating measurable economic, environmental and social benefits that better our world and Australia’s place in it.

Our formation

We're an Australian Government corporate entity, with a Board and Chief Executive. We're constituted by and operate under the provisions of the Science and Industry Research Act 1949 , which sets out our functions and powers, as well as those of our Minister, Board and Chief Executive. The governance, performance and accountability of our operations, including the use and management of public resources are set out in the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013  and related rules.

The Science and Industry Research Act 1949 defines our purpose and the functions we undertake for the benefit of Australia:

• To carry out scientific research for any of the following purposes:
  • Assisting Australian industry;
  • Furthering the interests of the Australian community;
  • Contributing to the achievement of Australian national objectives or the performance of the national and international responsibilities of the Commonwealth; and
  • Any other purpose determined by the Minister;
• To encourage or facilitate the application or utilisation of the results of such research.

Our secondary functions include international scientific liaison, training of research workers, publication of research results, technology transfer of other research, provision of scientific services and dissemination of information about science and technology.

We operate through three lines of business:

• Impact science: Nine national research business units with focus on the biggest challenges facing the nation.
• National Facilities and Collections: We manage infrastructure and biological collections for the benefit of research and industry.
• CSIRO Services: Commercial, customer-centric products and services for industry, government and the community.

CSIRO. We imagine. We collaborate. We innovate.