Artificial kidneys, mission-free mining trucks, low emissions ammonia and GPS-free navigation are just some of the breakthrough innovations that will feature at the Cicada x Tech23 deep tech showcase in Sydney this year.
This annual event spotlights Australian science-based startups developing critical technologies in health, energy, infrastructure, and industry
A record 150 applications were received from across Australia for the third event run by deep tech incubator Cicada Innovations.
Outgoing Cicada Innovations CEO Sally-Ann Williams said this year’s cohort marks the most nationally diverse and competitive lineup in the event’s history. Their startups
“For too long, we’ve treated deep tech as a series of isolated breakthroughs, rather than what it truly is, a systems-level opportunity to build new industries, strengthen sovereignty, and drive national productivity,” she said.
“These 23 founders are not just advancing science. They are stepping up as leaders, solving complex problems and shaping the industries we’ll rely on for decades to come. 70% of this year’s applicants were founded in the past five years, and many are led by women, First Nations innovators, and scientists with lived experience of the challenges they’re tackling.
“Take One Kidney, developing a fully implantable artificial kidney after the founder lost her father waiting for a transplant. Or Electric Power Conversions Australia (EPCA), founded by a Wunumara engineer using decades of heavy industry experience to electrify mining fleets and decarbonise one of our most emissions-intensive sectors. These ventures aren’t just innovative, they’re nationally significant.”
The 23 ventures have been grouped under five overarching categories.
Re-Sourcing the World explores how deep tech ventures are transforming carbon, waste, and critical minerals into the raw materials that will power a climate-conscious, resource-constrained future.
Built with Biology involves ventures using biology as infrastructure, harnessing living systems to grow, fabricate, and regenerate everything from industrial materials to ecosystem intelligence.
Engineering New Capability highlights the technologies enabling the previously impossible, from quantum-scale sensing to autonomous navigation beyond the limits of legacy systems.
A New System of Care reveals how healthcare is shifting from reactive to preventative, with diagnostics and monitoring systems designed to sense and act before symptoms arise, building a future where health is continuous, ambient, and engineered.
The Built World, Upgraded explores how deep tech ventures are embedding intelligence into our physical world, redesigning how we live, move, and power a planet under pressure.
Williams said that a future made in Australia, means the nation needs to back this kind of ambition early, consistently, and at scale.
“That means whole-of-government coordination and a shift in mindset, from simply funding innovation, to actively becoming first customers. Strategic procurement is one of the most powerful levers we have, and we’re not using it enough,” she said.
“Tech23 is not just a showcase but the only gathering of its kind where breakthrough technologies converge across sectors to tackle the biggest opportunities of our time, from food systems to climate, health, defence and advanced manufacturing. That’s the future we need to build. And these are the leaders building it.”
Cicada x Tech23 2025 will take place at Doltone House Jones Bay Wharf, Sydney, Wednesday, 10 September 2025.The 23 ventures selected are:
1) Re-Sourcing the World:
Rewiring copper for a zero-carbon future: Copper smelting is one of the dirtiest industrial processes, reliant on high heat and fossil fuels. A clean electrochemical alternative uses room-temperature electrolysis to cut emissions and cost. Developed by Banksia Minerals Processing, this innovation offers a scalable, low-impact path to decarbonise copper production, just as copper demand accelerates.
Capturing carbon and turning it into clean fuel: COOL ENGINEERING has built a compact, modular “COOL plant” that captures carbon dioxide from the air and industrial sources, and converts it into drop-in hydrocarbon fuels. The process requires no fossil inputs or high pressure, and mimics the carbon-capturing power of trees in minutes. Patented in the US, Europe, India, and Australia, the system is designed to integrate with sectors like steel, cement, and transport. With pilot deployments underway, it offers a scalable path to closing the sustainable aviation fuel gap.
A clean alternative to one of the world’s dirtiest processes: Ammonia is essential for food and fuel, but current production relies on fossil fuels and extreme conditions. Facet Amtech has developed a catalyst that enables ammonia synthesis at room temperature without high heat or pressure. Their process bypasses the 100-year-old Haber-Bosch method, slashing emissions and costs. Spun out of the University of Newcastle, this Australian innovation opens the door for clean ammonia as a fuel and fertiliser in a decentralised, low-carbon economy.
2) Built with Biology:
Making algae the foundation of tomorrow’s industrial economy: Algenie’s patented helical photobioreactor grows cyanobacteria using light and wasted renewable energy, with no farmland or added CO₂. The system absorbs two kilograms of carbon for every kilogram of product, and is up to 50 times cheaper than existing photobioreactors. By unlocking low-cost, large-scale algae production, Algenie enables sustainable alternatives for fuels, plastics, proteins, and lays the foundation for a new, climate-positive industrial economy.
BioCarbon
Turning waste wood into clean industrial fuel: Coal is still widely used in heavy industry, but BioCarbon is replacing it with a renewable alternative made from forestry waste. Their patented process turns wet, unprocessed wood into GreenChar, a high-grade carbon product that powers electric furnaces for steelmaking. It requires no external energy and has completed industry trials, with a commercial plant underway. BioCarbon proves that fossil fuels aren’t just replaceable, they’re outperformed by waste.
Reawakening elastin, nature’s forgotten molecule: After puberty, the body stops producing elastin, leading to signs of ageing and reduced tissue flexibility. Humble Bee Bio has created a bioinspired peptide that restarts elastin production, delivering visible results in 12 hours and 500% better performance than existing ingredients. Clean, sustainable, and clinically validated, it’s set to disrupt the aesthetics market. A portion of profits supports Indigenous-led biodiversity initiatives, blending scientific innovation with purpose-driven impact.
Reclaiming value from industrial wastewater: Membrane Transporter Engineers (MTE) is developing nature-inspired membrane technologies that recover high-value materials like lithium, cobalt, and phosphorus from complex industrial wastewater. By mimicking how plant cells selectively transport nutrients, their tech supports a circular economy, turning waste into resources for agriculture, mining, and clean energy.
Packaging foam that can actually be recycled: Polyurethane foam is everywhere, from packaging to furniture and is rarely recycled. Sprout Materials has developed a chemically recyclable alternative that performs like conventional foam and works with existing manufacturing systems. Built on patented ANU chemistry, Sprout Materials’ circular materials let producers meet sustainability targets without compromise. It’s a practical climate solution ready for scale.
3) Engineering New Capability:
Heavy lift, anywhere, with next-gen vertical flight: Transporting heavy or oversized cargo usually needs runways or helipads. Burl Aerospace is building an aircraft that doesn’t. Their mono-wing rotor system separates lift and thrust, enabling extreme payloads to be deployed from rooftops, remote terrain, or disaster zones. Backed by aerospace veterans and working with defence and emergency services, Burl is reimagining where and how aerial logistics can go. Built in Australia, designed for global movement.
Fixing the Achilles heel of quantum computing: Quantum computers are powerful but extremely error-prone. CatQ has developed a way to correct optical quantum errors before they happen, improving performance up to 1,000x. Their technology delivers near-perfect efficiency, solving a key barrier to real-world quantum applications. Spun out of ANU and led by global optics expert Dr Sophie Jie Zhao, CatQ is grounded in Nobel Prize-winning science and positioned to advance quantum computing worldwide.
DeteQt
Quantum sensing for when GPS fails: GPS is essential, but often unreliable in underground, remote, or contested environments. DeteQt has developed a compact quantum magnetometer that uses diamond electron spin to detect magnetic anomalies, enabling precise, drift-free navigation without satellites. Their sensor integrates directly with a custom silicon chip, a global first, and is already backed by a $3.4 million Australian Defence contract. From Sydney labs to national security, DeteQt is redefining positioning.
Wireless charging for autonomous systems, no plugs required: Powered by NOA is revolutionising wireless charging, enabling uninterrupted operations until efficient battery technology is fully realised. Powered by NOA fixes that with rugged, wireless charging systems for drones, robots, and mobile machinery. No plugs, no downtime, no human intervention. Their tech enables seamless, self-directed charging in real-world conditions. Backed by Sydney Angels and Startmate, Powered by NOA is already piloting with enterprise customers across Australia and beyond.
Lab-grade soil testing, instantly and on-site: Soil testing is slow, costly, and fragmented. X-Centric Sciences has developed a handheld device that delivers lab-grade analysis on-site in minutes, including carbon and full chemical profiles. It replaces weeks-long delays with instant insights for farmers, agronomists, and sustainability teams. Now piloting with PepsiCo, X-Centric Sciences is showing how better soil data supports sustainable agriculture across global supply chains.
4) A New System of Care:
Predicting psychiatric relapse before it happens: Psychiatric relapse can escalate fast, often without early warning. Liora Neurotech is developing BEAM, a wearable biosensor that tracks biomarkers like cortisol, inflammation, and melatonin to detect relapse risk in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Founder Naomi Dragt brings both research expertise and personal caregiving experience. Combining microneedles and AI, BEAM helps patients and clinicians take proactive steps earlier, shifting mental healthcare from reactive to preventative.
Nutromics
Saving lives through continuous diagnostic monitoring: Microneedles and DNA-based biosensors now allow biomolecules to be tracked in real time at the bedside. Nutromics’ lab-on-a-patch delivers continuous diagnostic insights, replacing delayed lab data with minute-by-minute visibility. It enables ICU teams to track treatment responses minute by minute. Already tested in humans and backed by $20 million, Nutromics is the first clinically ready system delivering real-time, continuous biomolecular monitoring at the bedside.
Detecting cancer earlier, from a single drop of blood: Early cancer detection can save lives, but current tests often miss the first signs. OncoRevive has created a blood test that’s over a billion times more sensitive than standard methods. Analysing DNA, proteins, and sugars in a single sample, their AI-driven platform spots cancer early, with results in hours. It’s a powerful leap toward faster, more accurate, and more accessible diagnosis worldwide.
Reimagining life after kidney failure, no dialysis, no waiting list: A fully implantable artificial kidney is in development to restore natural function, no machines, no donor waitlists. One Kidney’s bioinspired membrane system began after engineer Alur Saguinsin witnessed her father’s struggle with kidney failure. They have built a high-efficiency external dialyzer, now in clinical validation.
Continuous protection through real-time IV monitoring: In neonatal intensive care, undetected IV leakage can cause life-threatening internal burns. Pretect Devices has developed Vedette, a wearable monitor that continuously checks for early signs of fluid leakage. Inspired by the founder’s experience, the device alerts clinicians in real time to prevent harm. It’s a breakthrough in neonatal safety from lived experience to life-saving tech.
5) The Built World, Upgraded:
Smart, modular air-conditioning that cuts energy use by 70%: Traditional HVAC systems are inefficient and energy-intensive. ConryTech’s BullAnt platform delivers heating and cooling exactly where and when it’s needed, using up to 70% less energy. Lightweight, fast to install, and designed for smart electrification, BullAnt transforms buildings into grid-responsive assets. The team behind Turbocor, which helped save over a gigaton of CO₂ globally, is once again reshaping building performance with global impact from Australian innovation.
Cicada Innovations CEO Sally-Ann Williams at Tech 23
Electrifying mining fleets without replacing them: Haul trucks are mining’s biggest emitters, and most still run on diesel. Electric Power Conversions Australia (EPCA) retrofits existing fleets with 100% battery-electric powertrains, retaining up to 80% of original parts while eliminating fossil fuels. Founded by Wunumara engineer Clayton Franklin, their system achieves world-leading battery energy density and better performance than diesel. It’s a circular, cost-effective path to net zero, engineered in Western Australia for a global industry under pressure to change.
Flexible solar, built to move: Kardinia Energy’s printed solar is lightweight, flexible, and recyclable, printed roll-to-roll for rapid, low-cost deployment. Designed to cover vehicles, temporary structures, or rooftops, it delivers clean energy anywhere. Already touring with Coldplay and used in remote communities, Kardinia Energy’s Australian-made tech proves solar can be portable, circular, and scalable worldwide.
How do you fix a broken pipe you can’t reach?: Pipelines are critical but often invisible until something fails. PuraLink has developed autonomous robots that travel inside complex underground pipes to map, inspect, and detect issues without excavation. Designed to navigate sharp bends and variable diameters, their tech supports water, mining, and gas operators. PuraLink offers a smarter solution for infrastructure the world depends on.
Making complex location data easy to use: Critical location data is often buried in technical systems, accessible only to specialists. Terria’s open-source platform changes that, letting anyone build interactive maps and digital twins without specialised skills. Used for Australia’s NationalMap and the NSW Spatial Digital Twin, it helps governments and businesses visualise data to inform decisions. With new SaaS features and growing adoption, Terria is becoming essential digital infrastructure for a data-driven world.
