THE State Government has pledged $850,000 to help a new round of entrepreneurs bring their high-tech ideas closer to commercial success.

Minister for State Development John Mickel is encouraging inventors to apply for the latest round of the Queensland Government's Innovation Start-Up Scheme (ISUS). ISUS round nine will assist up to 10 recipients, with individual companies eligible for grants of up to $85,000.

"Turning a good idea or a new technology into a successful and marketable outcome costs money and that's often money young companies just don't have," says Mickel.

He says 73 Queensland companies have shared $5.4 million in ISUS grants since the competitive funding program started in 2000.